Queplix

Case Study

John Deere breathes new life into orphaned CRM system

When this global manufacturer of heavy equipment needed to upgrade an aging, inflexible customer care system, they had some tough choices to make. Because John Deere historically followed an automotive distribution model, they service customers primarily through a network of dealers. The customer care system was designed to help dealers solve their most difficult service challenges, such as complex repairs or warranty issues. In other words, this customer care system was extremely critical to their business.

The problem: their customer care system had recently been acquired by another vendor and was no longer being supported or upgraded. This presented two unappealing options: rip out and replace the existing system, or go through a lengthy and expensive customization.

A much smarter option came with implementation of QueCloud. Because QueCloud could replicate the look and feel of their present customer care system and incorporate the speed and flexibility of a Java-based architecture, changes could be made more easily and at a much lower cost. What's more, upgrades would be completely transparent to current dealers and customers, with no training costs or downtime.

Today, QueCloud has helped them complete a comprehensive upgrade that makes their central knowledgebase available anywhere, at any time, in six languages, by dealers around the world. A unique login ID gives dealers a custom view, in their language of choice. Best service practices from around the world are quickly translated and placed in a central directory, enforcing processes that save the company time and money on a global scale. What's more, the upgraded system is now extremely flexible and easy to integrate, giving them a much stronger platform for the future.

Challenges

  • A web-based customer care system implemented in 1998 was in need of an upgrade to allow rapid translation of a service knowledgebase into six languages for global deployment
  • The system was no longer being supported by the vendor; it had become inflexible and difficult to maintain, driving costs higher

The Solution

  • QueCloud was able to replicate the look and feel of the present system, and "breathe new life" into it by incorporating a new Java-based architecture, making it easier to update and change
  • Training costs for the new system were negligible, since the look and feel remained the same
  • Java offered the ability to change code quickly and easily and allow upgrades that were transparent to users

The Results

  • Dealers anywhere in the world can now access the same database, in one of six languages, to look at cases, perform searches and access the latest solutions
  • Best practices are now being shared globally, standardizing processes that save time and money
  • Service analysts are extremely pleased with the system's flexibility and its ability to meet their business needs

Customer Quotes

  • "After evaluating several vendor solutions, we found that Queplix's QueCloud software best met our key requirements, and offered a platform for future growth and scalability. At the same time, its open source design meant that we could keep development and intellectually property internal to the company," said Al Reagan, Manager of Customer Support IT for John Deere. "Another benefit of QueCloud was its ability to completely replicate our previous system on a more flexible, web-based platform -- from the core functionality, to our existing data, to the user interface -- making the transition for our dealers virtually seamless."