Cranes Software International Limited has its presence in 39 countries across the world and has a 350,000 strong global user base. Cranes Software offers a range of proprietary products such as SYSTAT, SigmaPlot, SigmaStat, amongst others and well known products from reputed principals such as Engineering Technology Associates, Livermore Software Technology Corporation, The Mathworks, Texas Instruments and IBM. However, the company’s Access based processes for managing and tracking activities was cumbersome. With more than 350,000 customers worldwide and a legacy system, Cranes Software wanted to gear up to meet the growing needs of the business. Working with Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Sonata Software, Cranes deployed Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0. The new solution supports all business processes and offers employees a user-friendly interface.

1. Microsoft Dynamics
Customer Solution Case Study
Software Company Uses CRM Solution to
Track and Manage Sales Activities
Overview Microsoft® Dynamics™ CRM 3.0 is a perfect fit for our
Country or region: India
Industry: Information Technology Services
infrastructure. It has simplified the marketing and
sales processes, thereby providing us a clearer
Customer Profile
Cranes Software International Limited is a
picture of our customer’s requirements.”
company that provides Enterprise Pradeep Kumar, Senior Vice President, Cranes Software International Limited
Statistical Analytics and Engineering
Simulation Software Products and Cranes Software International Limited has its presence in 39
Solutions across the globe. The company's
business in countries across the world and has a 350,000 strong global user
base. Cranes Software offers a range of proprietary products such
Business Situation
Cranes Software sought a customer as SYSTAT, SigmaPlot, SigmaStat, amongst others and well known
relationship management system that products from reputed principals such as Engineering Technology
would allow it to better coordinate and
track its customers along with marketing Associates, Livermore Software Technology Corporation, The
activities. Mathworks, Texas Instruments and IBM. However, the company’s
Solution Access based processes for managing and tracking activities was
Working with its partner, Sonata Software, cumbersome. With more than 350,000 customers worldwide and a
Cranes implemented Microsoft®
Dynamics™ CRM 3.0, which has resulted in legacy system, Cranes Software wanted to gear up to meet the
improvements to company’s sales and growing needs of the business. Working with Microsoft Gold
marketing efforts.
Certified Partner, Sonata Software, Cranes deployed Microsoft
Benefits Dynamics CRM 3.0. The new solution supports all business
 Improved customer service
 Ease of use
processes and offers employees a user-friendly interface.
 Instant access to customer information

2. “We wanted a system Situation direct offices in India and one each in
Cranes Software is present in 39 countries Singapore and UAE, and a network of
that was user-friendly across the world and has a 350,000 strong distributors in Asia.
and didn’t require a lot global user base. Cranes Software offers a
range of proprietary products - SYSTAT, While the company has 14 business units,
of training. Microsoft SigmaPlot, SigmaStat, SigmaScan, Microsoft CRM system is implemented for the
Dynamics CRM 3.0 TableCurve 2D, TableCurve 3D, PeakFit, CRANES MATHWORKS (CMW) division.
NISA, XID, XIP, Survey ASYST, iCapella, “Earlier we did not have an efficient solution
seemed like a natural InventX and world-renowned products from in place,” explains Zakir Hussain, Vice
choice because it reputed principals such as Engineering President, Cranes Software Limited. “We
Technology Associates, Livermore Software were using Microsoft Office Access based in
connects very easily with Technology Corporation, The Mathworks, house application for sales and service and
all the existing Microsoft Texas Instruments and IBM. Cranes value want to scale up the tracking and managing
proposition is to empower enterprises to of marketing activities, as also the tracking of
tools we were using.” transform themselves into scientific learning campaign plans and budgets.”
Venkatesh G P, Senior Business Consultant, organizations that extract useful information
Cranes Software Ltd from data to discover the unforeseen, Cranes Software sought a single, fully
unfavourable patterns of the past and the integrated CRM system that could offer ease
narrow down on parameters necessary to of use for employees at a cost-effective price.
implement sure-fire models, hence analytics-
enabling their future.
Solution
Cranes brings to the table the extensive Cranes Software considered CRM that
experience of addressing the needs of large interfaces with salesforce.com, is highly
multinational companies in diverse areas - intuitive and can interface with our in-house
governments, defense establishments, systems, its compatibility with our own
educational and research institutions in a products that are also built on the Microsoft
variety of fields inclusive of but not limited to, technologies. However, the company was
medical research, psychological research, most attracted to Microsoft® Dynamics™
environmental sciences, criminological CRM 3.0 for its familiar interface and ability
sciences, geo sciences, life sciences, to integrate with other Microsoft
chemistry, aerospace, biotech, technologies.
telecommunication, automotive, physics,
quality control, biology, materials “We wanted a system that was user-friendly
characteristics, pathology, engineering, and didn’t require a lot of training,” explains
defence, oil exploration, automotive Venkatesh G P, Senior Business Consultant,
engineering, remote sensing, empirical Cranes Software Limited, “Microsoft
analysis, bioinformatics, material sciences, Dynamics CRM 3.0 seemed like a natural
electronics engineering, signal processing, choice because it connects very easily with all
consumer research and marketing and many the existing Microsoft tools we were using.”
more.
Cranes Software turned to Microsoft® Gold
Cranes reaches it global customers through Certified partner, Sonata Software, a premier
four direct offices, a wide re-seller network IT consulting and software services company,
and a web-based channel in the US, two for assistance. Sonata analyzed the system
direct offices in the UK and Germany and a requirements of the company and
network of distributors in Europe, and three

3. “We are hoping to see customized Microsoft CRM 3.0 to meet the helps the sales team to nurture and retain
company’s needs. customers, and also track progress.”
benefits on our
customer contacts and “Microsoft CRM 3.0 was chosen because it Ease of Use
was easy to implement and very user Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 is a user-
relations. The new CRM friendly,” says Rajiv Menon, Senior Vice friendly business solution, which empowers
solution helps to store President, Cranes Software. “It was a solution Cranes Software users to obtain business
that would cater to the requirements of our information instantaneously. The solution
all customer information customers.” presents a familiar interface similar to that of
in a single place. This Microsoft Office Outlook, which increases
The modules implemented were Sales, user adoption and productivity.
helps sales team to Marketing, and Services. The new Microsoft
nurture and retain Dynamics CRM solution delivers a fast, Instant Access to Customer Information
flexible, and affordable solution that drives Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 provides Cranes
customers, and also consistent, measurable improvements in management with powerful, detailed, and up-
track progress." every business process. to-date information, information that was not
available in the company’s previous systems.
Shobha Murali, Assistant Vice President - Each module was customized according to its Every detail of the customer is now
Corporate Quality, Cranes Software Limited requirements. The solution handles all sales accessible to the senior management in
activities, tracking them to closures. terms of sales and support history, etc.,
Marketing activities, lead generation, and which benefits effective business decision
campaign management were also taken care making.
of. Proper processes were set up to track and
escalate customer queries, and then the
solution was communicated to the customer.
The implementation was completed in three
months. Testing and training took another
one month. To date, the CRM solution has
been rolled out to 90 – 100 users.
Benefits
By implementing Microsoft Dynamics CRM
3.0, Cranes Software has created an
integrated and user-friendly solution that
works well with existing technology.
Improved Customer Service
The solution enables the company to provide
better service and greater opportunities to its
customers. “We are hoping to see benefits on
our customer contacts and relations,” says
Shobha Murali, Assistant Vice President -
Corporate Quality, Cranes Software Limited.
“The new CRM solution helps to store all
customer information in a single place. This

4. For More Information About Sonata Software Limited Microsoft Dynamics
For more information about Microsoft Sonata Software, headquartered in Microsoft Dynamics is a line of integrated,
products and services, call the Microsoft Bangalore is a leading IT consulting and adaptable business management solutions
Sales Information Center at (800) services company. Sonata's customer base that enables you and your people to make
426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft spans across India, United States, Europe business decisions with greater confidence.
Canada Information Centre at (877) and Asia-Pacific. Its portfolio of services Microsoft Dynamics works like familiar
568-2495. Customers who are deaf or include ERP and CRM implementations, IT Microsoft software such as Microsoft Office,
hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text consulting, application development, which means less of a learning curve for your
telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) application management, managed testing, people, so they can get up and running
892-5234 in the United States or (905) business intelligence, infrastructure quickly and focus on what’s most important.
568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50 management and outsourced product And because it is from Microsoft, it easily
United States and Canada, please contact development. Sonata, a 198 Million USD works with the systems that your company
your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access company is listed on the Indian Stock already has implemented. By automating and
information using the World Wide Web, go Exchanges and is ISO 9001 and SEI CMM streamlining financial, customer relationship,
to: www.microsoft.com Level 5 certified. The Indian operations of and supply chain processes, Microsoft
Sonata Software are managed through its Dynamics brings together people, processes,
For more information about Sonata wholly-owned subsidiary, Sonata Information and technologies, increasing the productivity
Software Limited products and services, Technology Limited. and effectiveness of your business, and
please call (91) (80) 2661 0330 or visit helping you drive business success.
the Web site at: www.sonata-software.com Sonata is a Gold Certified partner for
Microsoft and has dedicated Centers of For more information about Microsoft
For more information about Cranes Excellence on Microsoft Dynamics and Dynamics, go to:
Software Limited products and services, Business Intelligence. These centers are www.microsoft.com/dynamics
call (91) (80) 4112 0000 or visit the Web focused on proactively building competency
site at: www.cranessoftware.com and providing cutting-edge solutions to
customers to help them leverage the power
of Microsoft technologies.
Software and Services Hardware
 Products  Intel Xeon CPU 3.0GHz, 2GB RAM
− Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0
− Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition Partner
− Microsoft SQL Server 2000  Sonata Software Limited
− Microsoft Exchange Server
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT
MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS
SUMMARY.
Document published December 2007