Customer Sales and Orders Database

Selling thousands of products, DMW’s client supplies tens of thousands of customers across scores of countries.

Their centralised accounting, sales and order processing system could not keep up with demand for the analysis and reporting of sales, thus leaving their sales and marketing teams without important intelligence.

The database DMW developed imports raw data from the central system on a regular basis. It provides comprehensive customisable reports.

In addition to the custom reports DMW developed for the client, the client’s users produce their own reports now that the data are readily accessible.

With at least five years of sales figures accumulated in the database, it has found further applications in marketing and forecasting.

Output to Excel makes data available to those who prefer to stick with their spreadsheet skills.

Extensions to the Database

A subset of the data is supplied on a regular basis to each member of the sales team: an automated overnight ‘download’ produces the appropriate information for each representative.

Each rep keeps record cards for customer calls, correspondence and orders on their laptop. An automated Outlook routine emails these record cards to head office where they are appended to the main customer records.

The database emails field sales managers with copies of reps' customer record cards. Thus managers are up-to-date on all contacts with a customer and on orders placed.

Value to Client

Centralised customer sales and orders database providing accessible information to the finance and the sales and marketing teams:

• Automated downloading of data from main system
• Immediate, accurate sales performance reporting
• Replacement for spreadsheet-based forecasting
• Centralised store of sales reps' activity
• Up-todate customer sales performance
• E-mailing of customer contact records from sales reps
• E-mailing of order from sales reps
• Data readily available to Excel do-it-yourselfers.

Client

An international manufacturer and supplier of fabrics, paints and wallpapers.

Platform

Microsoft Access, Excel, Outlook and VBA