The Old English Pawn broking Company (OEP) provides pawn broking services. They operate with five branches and a headquarter office.
Oncontact Software's Challenge
OEP had been using a customized FileMaker database as a Pledge-Issuing and Tracking System. This system was duplicated across all the branches and was straining to meet the company's needs, as well as storing corrupted data.
OEP had a pressing need for a replacement system which could accommodate data distributed and synchronized across the multiple locations and also handle the tracking of items from one branch to another.
The requirement was for a replacement Pledge Issuing and Tracking System, which was provided in the form of a customized CRM system by Oncontact Software.
The requirement was for a system that would support the areas of:
The CRM Solution
A phased approach was taken, starting with an installation in one branch. Full roll-out would incorporate a system installed in each branch and a host database at the headquarters. Each branch database would hold a portion of the database relevant to that branch, while the host database would keep a complete set of data. Sync, built into the CRM application, provides the technology to collate all the data back to the head office and keep all the databases in step with each other.
The CRM implementation for OEP was not a standard Oncontact CRM installation and required some considerable customization. This was possible because Oncontact's application is a highly configurable and customizable application, being comprehensively data-driven and incorporating fully-featured development tools within the product.
The Pledge Issuing and Tracking System makes extensive use of Agents to provide Windows-like Wizards to support the business rules and workflow that is unique to the pawn broking business.
The Results
OEP now has a distributed and accurately-synchronized customer management system, which is helping it to operate an efficient and error-free pawn broking business. OEP also has an excellent platform to enable the smooth integration of additional branches.
In performing the necessary requirements and analysis for the new system, the Oncontact CRM team had to derive a definitive description of each business process that the system would support and enforce. In doing this, they enabled OEP to gain an even better understanding of their own business, and refine their procedures for issuing and tracking pledges and items of jewelry.
