INDY was a custom web-based sales & marketing CRM solution developed by Jon Samsel and his team for Traid, a division of Ford Motor Company. Triad was an auto finance company that financed new and used car loans through a network of over 8,000 dealerships nationwide.
1. INDY: Sales CRM Solution
Created for Triad Financial, A
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Ford
Motor Company, 2003
2. Territory Management Solution for Triad’s
Sales & Marketing Department
September 29, 2003
Custom web CRM system created by Jon Samsel -
VP, E-Commerce for Triad Financial, a subsidiary of
Ford Motor Company, along with his talented staff of
in-house developers, marketers and sales managers
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3. What is INDY?
INDY Defined
INDY is Triad’s new territory management solution for sales & marketing.
It’s not an acronym for anything. It’s simply a name that invokes images of
speed, race cars and competitiveness.
Business Need
For 14 years, Triad managed its sales & marketing departments the old
fashioned way – via the company’s loan origination system, through paper
reports & manual processes, and through the daily interaction and
communication between its local sales reps and managers. To compete in
today’s marketplace, lenders need to be more savvy. Factors such as fact-
based decision making, forecasting, prospecting, territory feedback,
corporate dashboards, real-time territory history, employee accountability
are critical to a lender’s success. Triad knew what it needed to do – it just
lacked the solution. INDY is the answer.
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4. What is INDY?
Marketing Drives the Process Today
One of the most important goals of the Marketing department is to service
Triad’s sales force and help them serve our auto dealer customers. Marketing
handles many processes and maintains information about sales reps and
dealers, such as:
Sales Reps
• Contact information
• Cell-phone information and usage
• Performance metrics (ACH, new dealer sign ups, etc)
• Supplies (contracts, giveaways, etc)
Auto Dealers
• New dealer sign-up process
• Dealer record changes
• Product information (GAP)
• Campaigns & events
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5. Why Build INDY?
All of Triad’s processes and information require an organized way of handling
data, and improvements can be made via automation. Currently, we are using
several systems & methods to track of information, including CreditRevue (dealer
maintenance), MS Access databases, Excel and Word files, Outlook Notes and
emails. Reducing the number of applications we are using will make Marketing &
Sales more efficient and enable us to better monitor processes and information.
Advantages Include
• Minimal number of systems used
• User-friendly interface
• Ability to report on many aspects of the Department’s work
• Reports & applications can be integrated with data from other systems
In order to achieve this goal, we’ve set up a series of interlinked web-based
applications. These applications will utilize data from numerous systems at Triad
such as CMSI database, DataMart, and Business Objects.
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6. Why Build INDY?
INDY allows Triad to better understand the needs & behaviors of its sales reps
and its dealer base, giving Triad the ability to leverage this knowledge to speed up
problem detection, improve customer service and ultimately - increase sales.
INDY empowers external staff & is a powerful management tool.
Empowerment 360° Care Management Tools
• Complete territory data • Increase customer satisfaction • Dealer segmentation analysis
• Push/pull knowledge transfer • Increase average life time value • Performance analytics
• Ability to measure & forecast (LTV) of customer • Campaign management
business goals and relationships • Increase dealer & rep retention
• Self-service options • Speeds up problem detection and • Dealer satisfaction index
• Provides a feedback loop the decision making process • Channel management
• Multiple levels of security access • Cost efficient communication • Preserves historical record of
• Available 24/7 channel territory - helps maintain
sales continuity (if rep leaves)
INDY makes information-based decision making a reality.
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7. INDY Aligned w/ Sales Goals
Sales Objectives
• Achieve target volume projections
• Achieve profit projections w/ accurate sales forecasting
• Reduce the cost of sales
• Shorten start-up time for new sales reps
• Ensure sales best practices are being followed
• Increase the number of B and C reps who make quota
• Provide sales ready messaging to sales force
• Support Implementation with limited resources
• Look-to-book of 10:1 or better
• Minimum of 3 deals per mo per dealer
• Fund at least 30% of approvals (improve capture %)
• Grow MVP dealer segment
• Grow strategic alliance partner business
• Expand market share using JD PIN data & prospecting tools
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8. INDY Aligned w/ Company Goals
Corporate Objectives
1. Improve operating cost structure to allow for competitive pricing
2. Improve estimates for key assumptions to ensure appropriate return on
capital and predictable and reliable portfolio performance
3. Create a performance culture
4. Grow the eligible business segment
Key Strategic Projects
1. Project Victory: Growing new acquisition target volume via e-market
strategy and next generation acquisition processes
2. Project Clarity: Who we are, what we do and how we do it – and our
ability to measure it
3. Project Encore: Improving the competitiveness of our operating cost
structure
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9. INDY Development Process
What’s Been Developed So Far?
A working prototype has already been developed with some of the key
functionality in place. Jon Samsel is the business sponsor. Sandor Marik is the
project lead. Mike Kennedy has been a key business participant. Rich
Damschen has replaced Ash Boodel as the primary programmer.
In Line w/ Triad’s IT Department
Marketing has had a successful relationship with Triad’s IT department for over
a year now. Basically, Marketing can assist in the IT development process on
Sales & Marketing solutions it feels it has the resources to develop on its own.
Once a project is identified, a “pilot solution” is then developed by Marketing
according to Triad IT development standards. The solution cannot roll out to
multiple departments during this phase of development and the solution will not
be supported by the Help Desk. Once the solution is tested and validated by
the business, Marketing turns over the code & documentation to IT so they can
QC and productionalize it.
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10. INDY Features & Functionality
Key Constituents
• Sales reps
• Sales & Marketing management
• Marketing services staff
High-Level Features & Functionality
• Review & monitor performance metrics (rep view to national view)
• Resource center (ordering supplies, rate sheets, newsletters, etc)
• Project management of key initiatives
• Marketing services administration tools (data input)
• In-depth dealer database (CMSI is incomplete)
• Integration of third party data (customer surveys, external databases)
• Campaign management & analysis of past campaigns
• Communication mechanism (email, fax, etc)
• Password administration
• Single view across data platforms
• Contact information & account history
• Electronic coaching
• Lead tracking & passing of leads
• Ability to integrate Business Objects/Corporate dashboards
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11. Detailed INDY Features
Integrated Dealer Lookup Dealer Info & Territory Maintenance
Integrates dealer information from different Info needed by marketing for programs
campaigns and analysis. Includes:
systems into one user-friendly screen.
• Names and email addresses for key
Includes: personnel at dealership
• Dealer maintenance info from CMSI • Web site address of dealership
(last day) • Competitive information
• DealerGrade • Survey results
• Last month’s efficiency • Prospecting & market research data
• Segmentation info • Users: Marketing, Management
• Supplementary dealer marketing info
(see below) Campaign
• GAP info Ability to select dealers based on different
criteria (ie: dealer grade, segmentation,
• Notes – read and write notes about the location, etc.) and create campaigns.
specific dealer
• Dealers that receive faxes or mailings
• Users: Marketing, Management, Sales will be marked
Reps (depending on access) • Ability to track responses
• Create reports
• Users: Marketing, Management
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12. Detailed INDY Features
Sales Rep Lookup Sales Rep Info Maintenance
Integrates sales rep information from Maintenance of sales rep info. Includes:
different systems, files into one user- • Phone and fax numbers
friendly screen. Includes: • Mailing Address, pics, phone/fax
• Basic personal info & photo • Goals
• Phone and fax numbers • Daily activity log
• Mailing Address
• Users: Marketing, Management
• Cell-phone information (usage, etc.)
• Supplies reports
• Link to RPM report Alliance Partner Maintenance
• Link to email rep directly Maintain information about national groups
Includes:
• Monthly goals
• Territories of national groups
• Historical performance charts
• Pricing
• MTD volume • Links to reports
• Notes – ability to read and write notes • Users: Marketing, Management
about the rep (e.g. cell-phone
problems, etc.)
• Users: Marketing, Management, Sales
Reps (depends on access)
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13. Detailed INDY Features
Notes Application Resource Center
Ability to read and write notes about • Rate sheets
dealers and sales reps. Includes: • Listings of monthly award winners
• Notes can be categorized • Newsletters
• Tasks concerning dealer info (e.g. • Links to third-party reources
updated fax number) • Users: Marketing, VP
• Tasks concerning reps (e.g. new cell- Sales, RSM’s, Sales Reps
phone delivered)
• Notes are displayed and can be used Marketing Projects
in appropriate applications (e.g. see all Maintain status information about projects
notes or add a note to a specific dealer in development. Includes:
in Dealer Lookup) • Description
• Users: Marketing, Management, Sales • Progress
Reps • People involved
• Users: Marketing, Management, Sales
Reps
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14. Currently Available Features
• Ability to integrate Business Objects/Corporate dashboards
• Admin Functions (users, permissions, etc.)
• Automation of communication mechanism (email, fax, etc)
• Awards (sales rep and dealer awards with interactive selection and printing of
awards)
• Blast Fax Queue (automated creation of dealer list in database for fax server,
based on submitted criteria, printing of templates, and administration of requests)
• Blast Fax Request (interactive request form with geographical & status filtering,
templates and supervisor approval function)
• Cell Phone Usage & Info Maintenance (billing, stats)
• Daily Sales Rep Activities (Calendar)
• Dealer List (by territory or Mega Group) w/ options for printable and CSV format
• Dealer Lookup (by Dealer Number, DBA Name, DT Number, City, State, Zip) from
different systems into one user-friendly screen.
• Dealer Notes (create and review notes for a dealer or a Mega Group)
• Dealer Profile (contact info, territory information, status, etc, notes, basic stats,
account history)
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15. Currently Available Cont.
• Dealer Signup - listing & maintenance of profiles and packages Marketing
Services is working on)
• Extended dealer database (email address, fax opt-in, etc.)
• Integration of third party data (customer surveys, external databases)
• Marketing Contact List and User Maintenance
• Marketing Projects (listing & maintenance of marketing projects)
• Marketing Services Task tracking
• Mega Group Profile (basic stats & dealer list)
• Mega Group Regions (listing & maintenance of group regions for reporting)
• Note Tracking ability to read and write notes about dealers and sales reps.
Includes: Notes concerning dealer info (e.g. updated fax number, Notes
concerning reps (e.g. new cell-phone delivered) Notes can be categorized,
and are displayed so they can be used in appropriate applications (e.g. see
all notes or add a note to a specific dealer in Dealer Lookup)
• Resource center (ordering supplies, rate sheets, newsletters, etc)
• Safeguard Agreement Letter (interactive form letter)
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16. Currently Available Cont.
• Sales Basic Statistics (breakdowns by territory, region, division, Triad, Mega
Groups) Includes Monthly goals, Historical performance charts, and MTD
volume.
• Sales Dept Contact List & Maintenance (Integrates sales rep information
from different systems and files into one user- friendly screen. Includes:
Basic personal info, photo, phone and fax numbers, mailing address, and
link to email rep directly.)
• Sales Dept Overview (listings of territories, regions & divisions w/ links to
more details for each)
• Single view across data platforms for detailed information
• Strategic Alliance Check Request Reports
• Strategic Alliance List (all groups w/ basic info & links to more details)
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17. What’s Next
Future Development
• Campaign Management & Analysis of past campaigns (Ability to
select dealers based on different criteria (i.e.: dealer grade,
segmentation, location, etc.) and create campaigns. Dealers that
receive faxes or mailings will be marked. Accurately track
responses and generate reports.)
• ASR month-to-date reports
• Electronic coaching
• Improved Sign-up Process tracking
• Lead tracking & passing of leads
• Marketing Tasks
• Sales Interfaces?
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18. Sales Portals
Three unique views:
– Area Sales Representative
– Regional Sales Managers
– Sales Vice Presidents
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19. Area Sales Representative
Key Interface Features:
• Commission Calculator
– Allows reps to see what their commissions are or could be.
• Flags
– Triggered by changes in data and monitored by the system
• My Goals
– Empower and encourage them to set and achieved goals
• My Tasks
– Time management reminder of upcoming and important events
• Rankings
– A display of who the top performers are by category and a quick method for the
rep’s to see their performance level.
• Planner
– A centralized focal point to interact with repetitive tasks that aid them in
organizational and time management needs. A one stop shop to meet all of their
daily needs and prepare them for the day ahead.
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21. Regional Sales Manager
Key Interface Features:
• Commission Calculator
– Allows reps to see what their commissions are or could be
• Flags
– Triggered by changes in data and monitored by the system
• My Goals
– Empower and encourage them to set and achieved goals
• My Tasks
– Time management reminder of upcoming and important events
• Numbers at a glance
– A display of every rep in the region and a snap shot of their current performance
outlining the top areas and the areas of concern
• Planner
– Offers additional features targeting the needs of the RSM
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23. Sales Vice President
Key Interface Features:
• Flags
– Triggered by changes in data and monitored by the system
• My Goals
– Empower and encourage them to set and achieved goals
• My Tasks
– Time management reminder of upcoming and important events
• Numbers at a glance
– A display of every region in the division and a snap shot of their current
performance outlining the top areas and the areas of concern.
– A comparison of divisions
– A quick overview of performance metrics
• Planner
– Offers additional features targeting the needs of the RSM
• Click-able map
– Allows for drill down details for a territory or regions current statistics
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25. INDY Technical Stats
Data: MS SQL Server 2000. This database solution was chosen because Triad
uses it to stage all of the CMSI data that is provided to the company, which is
accessible by the Marketing department. This made it very simple to integrate new
Marketing collected data with company data.
Webserver: MS IIS 5.0. This web server solution was chosen because the Internal
Triad Server Network is hosted primarily in the Microsoft Environment.
Programming Language: MS Active Server Pages. INDY is written in the ASP
language, easily hosted in the MS IIS Webserver environment, works smoothly in
accessing data from the MS SQL Server database. Because ASP is a Microsoft
Language, it can be authenticated against the Triad Internal Network for the
application's user views and editing rights.
IDE (Integrated Development Environment): Visual InterDev 6.0. IDE was
chosen because it is designed for the MS IIS Web Server and the ASP Language. It
allows for a clean development environment and contains helpful code debugging
features. It also may be set up for document check in and check out and it has the
ability to provide page versioning for development problems. Though these features
are not currently used, it will be important when INDY goes live into production and
there are several programmers managing the code.
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26. INDY Technical Stats Cont.
Browser Compatibility
INDY is written for Microsoft environments specifically Internet Explorer at a
resolution of 800 X 600 to accommodate the majority of users utilizing 15”
monitors. If required the code can be optimized for Netscape or Opera or
for various resolutions without a lot of time consumption.
Hardware Requirements
The hardware requirements are minimal since, it is a web based solution
run primarily from the server side and only uses minimal processing time on
the client side.
Network Accessibility
INDY is accessible to any user who is a member of the Triad Team who has
been granted permission to log into the system from the internal network or
via VPN.
Client Side Java Script
Although some parts of INDY utilize java script for small tasks the majority
of the work is database driven on the server side.
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27. About Jon Samsel
Jon Samsel is a successful entrepreneur and Internet marketing executive with
two decades of experience working with leading brands, including Apple, Bank of
America, Countrywide, and Ford. Jon is currently the CEO for Heardable.com, an
online platform that allows business operators and brand owners to understand
how well their brands are performing online, relative to their competition.
Heardable's unique ABLE engine analyzes 438 separate data points for each brand
and its competitors, in real time, isolating those areas in which the business
operator has an advantage over its competition, and which areas it needs to
improve. It's like a FICO score for brands.
Most recently, Jon served as Senior Vice President of Digital Marketing for Bank of
America. Prior to Bank of America, Jon was Founder and Managing Director of
RoadLoans.com, which became a highly-successful direct-to-consumer online
finance division of Ford Motor Company, and he was a Senior eCommerce
Consultant for Cognitiative, with client brands that included Cisco, Sun, Oracle,
PreviewTravel, Saratoga Systems and Personic. Prior to working at Cognitiative,
Jon led the design and production of numerous projects for Apple's Worldwide
Developer Program.
Jon holds a B.A. from California State University, Fullerton, and is a published
author, blogger and speaker.
samsel@heardable.com
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