A Customer Success Story

A Company Built on Customer Service

Client:
International Specialty Products (ISP)
Wayne, New Jersey
www.ispcorp.com
Project Summary: CRM Software Selection Road Map, CRM Software Negotiations
Business Challenge: In order to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive marketplace, ISP,
a recognized global leader for developing, manufacturing, and supplying innovative specialty
ingredients that enhance product performance, turned to CRM to meet and exceed these demands.
ISP initiated their CRM project in the fall of 2004.
The key areas that ISP cited as presenting a challenges and goals to maintaining a competitive
position in the marketplace include:

Pricing pressures from competition

Inadequate customer service tools (i.e., telemarketing)
A means to grow existing business at mature accounts
A means to find and develop new customers
Double sales within the next 3 years
Integration of new acquisitions (i.e., getting acquisitions up and running on new product
development)
Increasing customer contact time
Improve processes for commercializing (not developing) ISP products
Improve the process for cataloging and sharing Technical Services work and knowledge
Better integration between inside sales & outside sales relationships
Better manage customer project pipeline
Prospect more customers, and obtain good information about the prospects
Decrease number of distributors over time
Better manage the 6000 ISP
Understand the needs of customers, and use existing products with minor modification to
meet these needs
Produce new products better and faster

How ISM Helped:

ISPs CRM project was launched as part of an effort to enhance customer service activities and
processes by integrating sales, customer service, R & D and marketing across the entire organization
worldwide.
Recognizing ISM, Inc. as experts in CRM, ISP engaged ISM to formulate a CRM strategy and to
assist with the launch of the CRM program.
ISPs high-level objectives for their CRM project included:
Improve productivity
Generate additional revenues
Decrease costs
Enhance employee morale
Improve customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention
Improve sales performance
Improve reporting/tracking
Enhance employee morale
Increase ease of access to systems
Share data easily between different systems
Decrease multiple data points
ISPs management set challenging growth goals over the next three years. In order to achieve these
goals, ISP is implementing significant improvements to their customer-facing business processes and
their supporting information systems. With guidance from ISM, ISP evaluated their CRM software
options in light of an in-depth analysis of their business requirements. A review of the ISPs
business processes and technical environment led to the defining of requirements included in the
RFP which led to three vendors invited to demonstrate.
ISP benefited from ISMs proven experience in Software Selection and Implementation
Management. ISMs leadership in the CRM industry provided key insights and advice to ISP in
evaluating their business, technical and project requirements and how to overcome the challenges of
implementing a CRM project.
ISMs technical expertise helped ISP develop a strategy for integrating their IT architecture to create
and support a common robust customer profile, enabling ISP to maintain a unified view of the
customer to leverage the talents and the relationships of ISP employees and partners in
understanding their customer needs and delivering the right products.
ISMs experience emphasizes that ISP properly integrates the critical people, process, technology
CRM mix, as well as ensure that ISPs CRM efforts are cross-functional and integrate sales,
marketing, customer service, e-business and business intelligence.
The Results:
ISP moved through ISMs CRM Road Map Methodology at a fairly quick pace and chose a vendor
to present at their annual sales meeting to obtain buy-in from the account executives in just under
four months. The software was implemented and a global training program was launched five
months later.

ISM applied its 19 years of experience in the industry to negotiate ISPs purchase of a CRM
application. The terms of the contract and the first phase of the roll-out were supported by a business
process review that highlighted immediate, short- and long-term opportunities.
About the Client:
International Specialty Products (ISP) is recognized globally for developing, manufacturing, and
supplying innovative specialty ingredients that enhance product performance. With 160 years of
experience, ISP serves over 6000 customers in more than 90 countries. ISPs customers represent a
wide variety of industries including personal care, pharmaceuticals and oral care, food and beverage,
coatings and adhesives, alginates, household, industrial and institutional cleaning, and agriculture.
ISPs success is the result of innovative products, a strong research and development program,
excellent customer service, and good relationships.
ISPs commitment to service is based on an in-depth understanding of customers' needs and ISPs
ability to quickly translate that knowledge into new or improved products. ISPs dedicated technology
centers on four continents were established to provide the highest standard of service. Whether a
customer needs an entirely new chemistry or an enhanced ingredient for an established product, ISP's
scientists at 60 locations around the world provide innovative solutions.
ISPs ability to serve customers is further strengthened through collaborations with market leaders that
offer complementary chemistries and products. We are continually seeking relationships that will
broaden ISPs capabilities, so that ISP's customers will have access to a comprehensive range of the
most advanced products available to significantly accelerate their time-to-market.
About ISM
ISM has been a leading strategic advisor in the CRM market since 1985. Our services include a full
menu of CRM services including our two most popular services: One-Day Executive Briefings and
Software Selection. Our services have been utilized by companies such as AAA, IBM, McGraw
Hill, Nike, PepsiCo, United Way, Xerox, and government agencies including the Department of
Defense.

"Trustworthy experts dedicated to long-term customer relationships"