The Search for Something Better
When Sam realised His team needed something better for handling hundreds of customer emails each day, he started searching for solutions. One of the first software offerings that he came across was Zendesk. After seeing a demo, Sam recalls thinking “that it’s probably a terrific program, but it just wasn’t the right fit for us.” He felt that the system was restrictive, especially when looking at the long-term. He didn’t want to be “trapped” in a system that they could use for only a few years before having to start the search process all over again.
Soon after that, Sam started talking with Dave Wilson, iT360’s CEO, about Makita’s challenges. From there, Dave and his team proposed a customised solution for Makita using Zoho Desk.
After talking with Dave, Sam felt that Zoho was right for Makita. One of the reasons he shares is how he felt reassured that there were endless possibilities with it, and that they wouldn’t have to switch to a new platform in a few years; rather, it will only need some tweaks to adapt to changes.
It’s made us more efficient and effective…[let’s say] we receive XYZ inquiries from this one customer asking us the same thing over and over again…Maybe they need a bit more training in regard to this particular product because they don’t understand…I didn’t have that option before where now, I do.
Sam Rakei, Regional Sales Manager, Makita NZ
Makita Today
When asked to compare the current situation with where they were before the implementation of Zoho Desk, Sam’s first response was that the negative energy that they were having before is now gone. This is all thanks to having turned the 20+ step manual process into a three-step process. What used to take 10 minutes now just takes 10 seconds.
“It’s made us more efficient and effective.” Now, Sam’s team can put all the time they’re saving into other areas that add further value (instead of administrative and repetitive work).
The example that Sam gave is that they now can gather insights and proactively tackle issues before they become big problems. “[Let’s say] we receive XYZ inquiries from this one customer asking us the same thing over and over again. Maybe they need a bit more training in regard to this particular product because they don’t understand. I didn’t have that option before where now, I do.”
But the biggest win for Makita was not just being able to cut down steps in their process. Rather, when they made the transition, they were coming up to their busiest month of the year, but even while implementing new software still reduced errors overall.
We made a record mark in terms of how much sales we’ve done in one month…we smashed the previous record by a mile…we still managed to basically produce a high output in terms of sales as well as reducing the lowest error rate…”
Sam
Final Thoughts
Makita’s experience is a notable example of the benefits that can be achieved when a business takes the time to find the right software and the right technology partner. Not only was Zoho Desk able to help Makita save time and become more efficient, but it also helped them break records for sales in their busiest month ever. If you’re looking for a way to improve your business processes, make sure to consider all your options before deciding. The wrong software or IT partner can be costly – but the right combination can be transformative.
