Smooth Implementation Process Paves the Way
for Increased Business Success
When was the last time you heard a
“There was a healthy give-and-take that
complex software deployment described
gave us an opportunity to look at things from
as “a very positive experience”? Or
a different perspective. In the end, it led to a
looked back on a full implementation and
quality product delivered on time and
summed it up as “one that very
on budget.”
closely matched what was
Throughout the system
presented to us upfront”?
implementation, CBIA was
impressed with Protech’s
That’s exactly how Tom Day,
project manager, who worked
Chief Information Officer at
Connecticut Business and Industry
closely with the CBIA team, provided regular
Association (CBIA), described his
status reports and updates, acted as a
organization’s experience with Protech
sounding board for project feedback and
Associates. With its business needs
kept the project on track. “Having Protech’s
growing, Hartford, CT based CBIA
project management resource so closely
recently replaced its previous-generation
engaged kept us moving forward, especially
association management (AMS) and
at a time when our attention was divided
customer relationship management
between running our day-to-day business
(CRM) systems with a single solution:
and managing all the change that comes
Protech CRM for Members.
with a new system,” Tom says.
The implementation process got off to a
Like most organizations, CBIA is staffed to
smooth start with Protech’s initial Business
accommodate the organization’s normal
Assessment process, through which Protech
business cycle, with precious few resources
staffers conducted in-depth discussions
left over to tackle a major software imple-
with CBIA to uncover their needs and
mentation project. “Implementing CRM for
requirements. “From the first meeting,
Members would have required a level of
Protech gave us a comfort level that they re-
involvement from us that simply exceeded
ally understood what we wanted and helped
our staffing level,” Tom says. “Protech’s
us understand what it would take to get
project mangement resource helped us
there,” Tom says. At times, that meant ask-
manage a hectic time. It was like adding
ing tough questions. “Protech didn’t accept
another member to our staff.”
everything we asked for without challenging
us at times,” Tom says.
www.pta sso c.com
Because rapid user adoption is critical to a
As Protech’s oldest customer, CBIA has
successful implementation, Protech
seen Protech grow from a tiny startup to a
ensured that CBIA staffers
successful organization—growth that has
were involved in the
produced nothing but benefits, Tom says.
process upfront. “Protech’s
“We’ve been a customer for 15 years, and
Business Assessment was
we feel like we’re still getting the close
a great opportunity for our
attention today that we got when
users to get involved right
Protech was small. In fact, we
away,” Tom says. “It gave them
think we’ve benefited even more because
a comfort level that Protech was really
of all the talent Protech has brought on
interested in how they did their job and what
over the years.”
their needs were. Then, when it came time
for user training, they were already familiar
CBIA is a professional service
with Protech and the product because
organization, recognized as the most
they’d had a role throughout the process.”
effective advocate for business in the
That familiarity allowed CBIA staffers to
state. They work on behalf of their
quickly get up to speed and begin realizing
10,000 members, who rely on their
the benefits of the new system.
products, services and information to
grow and compete in a global economy.
By combining AMS and CRM functions
http://www.cbia.com
into Protech CRM for Members, which is
readily accessible from Microsoft Outlook®,
CBIA staffers benefit from a streamlined
user experience that helps them increase
productivity and reduce time spent moving
from one application to another. “In the past,
people used to have three applications open
on their desktops—Microsoft Outlook, CRM
and AMS,” Tom says. “Now they just have
one. It feels like we’ve combined three
systems into one.”
“Having Protech’s project management resource so closely engaged kept us moving
forward…. It was like adding another member to our staff.”
Tom Day
Connecticut Business and Industry Association
Chief Information Officer