Dorset Business Mentors
Custom CRM System
About the Company
Dorset Business Mentors (formerly Dormen) is an acknowledged centre of excellence linking accomplished business leaders as mentors to businesses, charities and social enterprises in Dorset, who want to realise their full potential.
The Dorset Business Mentors program was developed to improve the resilience, improvement and growth of micro, small and medium business and achieves this with an unrivalled service ranging from personal support to skills development workshops and peer networking. The programme has now linked over 2000 Dorset businesses with mentors across all sectors and has experienced a minimum 20% increase in requests for mentors year after year, testament indeed to the value of the service.
Requirements Overview
Alistair Bayliss, Programme Manager at Dorset Business Mentors visited Solweb’s stand at a business exhibition hosted by the Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry and discussed the challenges that were restricting their operation of the business.
A combination of manual processes and the use of Excel spreadsheets was causing a strain on the business. Systems were in need of upgrading and there was a great deal of frustration. Alistair was looking for a custom designed Customer Relationships Management (CRM) system, that would address all their issues and allow a much more streamlined way of working.
Custom Software Development
Integrated Systems Allow Your Business To Run More Efficiently
Solution
After several meetings and extensive dialogue, we established all requirements and commenced development of a custom designed CRM system.
This consisted of a front-end website where users can register or login and a detailed back-end CRM system that incorporated one area for users and another for the mentors.
Specific sections include a dashboard, a core activities area, an automated email and document management system, an events and calendar section, clients listing, export functionality, statistics, reporting, administration and an automated trigger alerts service.
Outcome
Due to the bespoke nature of the system, it is working specific to how Dorset Business Mentors operate and has streamlined processes, culminating in time and cost savings.
The system has brought organisation, efficiency and given Dorset Business Mentors the resource to grow their business, that was much harder to achieve before the CRM system was introduced.
“Solweb were different to other companies we talked to. They were the first company who explained it was possible and they worked really hard to understand what we’re about, how we operate, and how we might develop. They really bought into what we do. Any project like this is bound to bring compromises, but the development process has really been a dialogue, with a commitment on their side to try and find a way, and one on our side to be realistic! The upshot is a system built around our unique way of working, and with no significant sacrifices made in getting there. We’re really pleased with the new system and are delighted with our mutual achievement. “
Alistair Bayliss
