EXHIBITOR CASE STUDY A2Z, INC. CLIENT: J. SPARGO & ASSOCIATES, INC. & A2Z, INC.
CHALLENGE
in salesforce.com, customers are tracked in
minutes, with contracts, confirmations and
a2zShow with the data synching seamless-
invoices generated right on site.
J. Spargo & Associates Inc. (JS&A) is a
ly between the two systems in real-time.
• Improved cash flow – Clients collect on
full-service event management company
This enables exhibit sales to see customer
accounts receivable more quickly, since
that provides end-to-end sales and service
histories in salesforce.com and pull current
exhibitor invoices are issued in a fraction of
for more than 25 association trade shows
contact information into a2zShow when
the time.
each year. In the past, JS&A managed
they sign new contracts. With the number
• Global access – Staff can work from
events using multiple applications for func-
of applications JS&A uses reduced down
anywhere in the world with an Internet con-
tions such as sales contact management,
to two integrated systems, the staff
nection (from home, office, on site or at a
floor plan management, accounting and
spends less time doing administrative work
hotel) guaranteeing business continuity for
website development. Because they could
and more time on sales and service.
clients.
not transfer data between these programs, JS&A staff members had to do redundant data entry for such fundamental processes as recording contact information and notes, assigning booths, confirming space contracts, and invoicing. Even the on-site sales process had taken 30 to 60 days to complete, and by the time invoices were mailed out.
• One-time data entry – Customer infor-
RESULTS
mation is entered into the system one time. That data is used for contract confir-
Using a2zShow has enabled JS&A to provide better client and customer service, and manage more events with the same size team. Still in the early stages of implementation (with 16 of 25 shows in the a2zShow systems), the company has already seen an increase in productivity that
SOLUTION
will eventually lead to increased exhibit sales. Future integration with web-based
To become more efficient and to improve
registration systems is expected to
a2zShow
improve attendee marketing as well.
Enterprise, a web-based event manage-
Despite a substantial investment in this
ment platform that would eliminate multi-
multi-management platform, JS&A proj-
ple data entry tasks and automate sales
ects it will take less than two years to
and management processes. At the same
recoup its investment. The efficiencies of
time, in mid-2006, JS&A also converted to
process automation include:
service,
JS&A
selected
salesforce.com, a web-based customer • Streamlined sales – Process automa-
which would transfer data to and from
tion has reduced an eight-step exhibit space
a2zShow. While prospects are now tracked
assignment process from 30–60 days to 2
management
tual booth profiles. • Reduced IT support – The web-based system is maintained entirely by a2z, Inc., freeing up JS&A’s IT department for on-site systems support. • Robust reporting – The flexible system allows JS&A to customize and save formats for on-demand reporting and analysis, with year-on-year and event-to-event comparisons. • Simplified website creation – The easyto-use application allows someone who’s not trained in web development to build custom event sites, freeing up the creative department for other assignments. • Fewer customer service calls – The
application,
relationship
mations, invoices, reminder emails and vir-
FAQ section of the website is available 24/7 to answer exhibitors’ questions.
Meetings Technology Expo 2008, Chicago 169