The CRM system should replace the double quotation writing system practiced at Herrmann Ultraschall GmbH & Co. KG with an optimized quotation writing tool which will take place directly in the CRM software. Since the company operates all over the world, they must rely on a multilingual tool. Since February 2003, Herrmann Ultraschall has successfully implemented SMARTCRM with almost 100 licenses in field service, back office and service. The SMARTCRM GmbH installed functions for sales projects, machine management, sales evaluation, target agreements and the data exchange of SMARTCRM. In addition, Herrmann Ultraschall covers the complete quotation preparation with SMARTCRM.

The quotation generation takes place in the module SMARTCRM.Projects. Each project is categorized, e.g., with phase, order type, machine type, competitors. For later evaluations, Herrmann documents in SMARTCRM all project phases, e.g., prototype, budget quotation, quotation, order or lost orders. Lothar Wagner, CRM project manager, explains: “Our quotation preparation starts with a template. This is a preconfigured set of components that results in a standard machine. A standard quotation includes all necessary individual positions and a range of options.” The scope of the quotation can be really different: ranging from a few different components, spare parts for instance, to the quotation for an individual special machine with up to 100 positions. The sales staff adapts the quotation to the customer’s wishes. SMARTCRM deletes all unnecessary components at the press of a button. SMARTCRM imports current product data and prices from the abas Business Suite, so the prices in the template are always up-to-date. “Especially with the quotation preparation, the interface between CRM and ERP pays off. Thanks to the interface, we have always in SMARTCRM and abas ERP current information, so that no duplicate data maintenance is necessary.” said Bernd Breuninger, CRM project manager.

The quotation preparation takes place in SMARTCRM with a click. Since the company operates all over the world, they need a multi-lingual quotation writing tool. For now, Herrmann uses the German, English, French, Italian and Czech languages. Other language versions are being developed. The complex order templates or order confirmations include extensive technical information per product. These data are stored as multilingual text modules in SMARTCRM and are automatically inserted in the offer. SMARTCRM generates then the offer in MS Word and can send it as a PDF file per e-mail. When the prospect or the customer is not satisfied with the delivered quotation, the offer can be modified in a few steps: the sales representative creates a new process in the existing project, copies the original quotation and adapts discount or equipment of the machine for instance. The negotiation process is completely transparent in SMARTCRM. “Today, our sales colleagues can edit independently the whole process from the first quotation to the order”, says Bernd Breuninger pleased with the successful project. In case of an order, a simple click is enough and the order is added in abas-ERP via the interface and without additional acquisition work. Lothar Wagner: “With SMARTCRM, we have significantly simplified our sales  processes.”

Conclusion
SMARTCRM optimizes the quotation generation and tracking at Herrmann Ultraschall GmbH & Co. KG. The module SMARTCRM.Projects supports sustainably the sales efforts and uses via an interface to abas Business Suite also the product and price information stored there. Thanks to the multilingual capability from SMARTCRM, the international operating company can also create extensive quotation in different languages. The CRM system allows Herrmann a significant simplification of its sales processes and so a huge time saver.
Bernd Breuninger, CRM project manager at Herrmann expressed about the CRM software: “SMARTCRM has become an essential support.”