Do you want to know exactly how SMARTCRM has been developed and when what happened?
Here is a brief review of our nearly 30-year company history as a CRM manufacturer.
All this is SMARTCRM
End of the eighties
Ralph Rastert, our company’s CEO, wrote the first version of today’s CRM software program while still studying.
At that time, it was called ivs (Intelligente Vertriebssteuerung – Intelligent Sales Management) and had a DOS user interface.
1992
Ralph Rastert and Hans-Joachim Baumgartner founded the B&R DV-Informationssysteme GmbH with headquarters in Speyer, Germany.
In the same year, the contact management ivs is launched on the market.
1999
The first 32 bit version of ivs is released with a higher user-friendly interface. The Customer Relationship Management program at the time already supported customer related activities for sales, marketing and service departments.
The CRM solution offers target-oriented status control and target agreements for the employees. CTI and e-mails are integrated as well.
We are committed to the education of young people. Thus, the CRM manufacturer in cooperation with the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) offers the opportunity of a dual degree in computer science (B.Sc.) and business computer science (B.Sc.).
2000
In June, we concluded a cooperation contract with the ERP provider abas Software AG.
Since then, over 100 joint installations have been carried out.
2002
Together with 15 employees, we celebrated the company’s 10th anniversary.
In the spring of 2002, ivs received the new name SMARTCRM.
And we moved our headquarters to Wörth am Rhein.
2006
In the meantime, B&R employs 25 people. The company building in Wörth did not offer enough space.
That’s why we moved in May in our new office premises in Kandel.
There, we can still be found – right by the train station.
2008
In the spring, we introduced our new Corporate Design – a modern look with a new logo. With the slogan “relaxed relations” and its extension “smart ways to customers”, we put the focus on our company’s philosophy.
On September 1st, we open a subsidiary in Switzerland. From now on, B&R is also present on the Swiss market.
2011
In June, the company changed its name.
B&R DV-Informationssysteme GmbH becomes the SMARTCRM GmbH.
With the company name change, the Corporate Design was concurrently modified, including a new logo and the slogan “Simply MORE success”. Our company website appeared using a new design with strong colors and more information about SMARTCRM.
2012
In April, we celebrated the company‘s 20th anniversary.
In July 2012, the German Federal Association of IT-SME (Bundesverband IT-Mittelstand e.V. – BITMi) awarded us the label “Software Made in Germany”. The seal is given to software applications that combine first class service, quality and sustainability.
In September, SMARTCRM and the ERP specialist UB-Software Entwicklungs- und Vertriebs- GmbH decided to combine their know-how in a cooperative partnership.
Thus, we want to optimally support company-wide processes of medical engineering companies.
2013
A further cooperation partnership is launched with the connection of SMARTCRM to the e-mail marketing tool Inxmail Professional in spring of 2013.
The interface to Inxmail Professional allows the transfer of selected data for a professional sending of newsletters and mailings.
2014
We are further expanding our educational commitment.
We now train IT specialists in cooperation with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
2015
Since fall, the it-consult GmbH, long-standing Austrian sales partner, has been operating under the name SMARTCRM GmbH Niederlassung Salzburg.
With the new subsidiary in Austria, we are strengthening our commitment in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
2017
Together with 50 employees, we celebrate the 25th company anniversary.
In line with our anniversary, we go online with a new website.
2018
New customer record: after 2017 we were able to increase the number of new customers once again.
With the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), extended documentation and information obligations are mandatory for companies. With our software solution, we create the framework conditions for data protection compliant CRM processes for our customers.
2019
In summer, our colleagues in Austria had to pack boxes as they moved into new premises. After a renovation in our headquarters in Kandel, our sales team also moved into new offices.
We expanded our fleet with several e-bikes. The colleagues from the surrounding area pedaled eagerly on their new job bikes.
2020
The SMARTCRM.Organizer integrated in SMARTCRM.Basis was redeveloped and now offers extended functionality and improved performance in a modern layout.
We concluded a new cooperation partnership with Echobot GmbH and developed the new standard interface SMARTCRM.Echobot. This connects our CRM solution with the online media monitoring tool Echobot.
Like many others, Corona forced us to work from home. Although personal contact with the team cannot be replaced by any software, working from the home desk is no hassle thanks to SMARTCRM and video conferencing tools.
To enable our customers to make a smooth transition from working at the office to working from home, we supported them, as early as March, in setting up and using the SMARTCRM functionalities for mobile working.
2021
In times like these, when the term “online” is more important than ever, the concept of email marketing is also becoming essential. This is why we have intensified our partnership with Inxmail GmbH.
Our SMARTCRM.Infocenter has been launched in the summer. Here, we offer our customers news concerning SMARTCRM on a regular basis.
In 22 webinars, we regularly took our prospects and customers on a live tour of our CRM system.
We further strengthened our commitment in sustainability, including e-mobility. For example, all new purchases for our fleet are e- or hybrid vehicles. We have also introduced digital invoicing.
