Q&A: How Andis Transformed Customer Engagement with Microsoft and MCA Connect
For over a century, Andis has been a leading manufacturer of handheld hair and pet grooming tools. Through dedication to its customers and partners, Andis has set the industry standard, based on quality, durability and integrity. However, the company once struggled with archaic technology and disconnected customer experiences.
In this Q&A, Megan Salinas, Sr Manager of Customer Enablement, shares how integrating Microsoft Cloud technology with MCA Connect revolutionized Andis’ customer engagement and experience.
Customer Q&A with
Megan Salinas, Andis Company
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Challenges
What challenges did Andis face before implementing Dynamics 365 Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service + Power Platform?
Prior to implementation, Andis relied solely on customers reaching out to us. We couldn’t access their history or past interactions, and that resulted in a disconnected customer experience.
When it comes to technology, the advancements I’ve seen during my seven years at Andis have been incredible. We came from archaic or nonexistent data sources to AI-generated summaries at the end of a customer call. Integrating Microsoft products into our daily activities allows us to work more efficiently and provides invaluable amounts of data for Andis to act on.
Benefits
What benefits have you seen from using Dynamics 365 for customer engagement and satisfaction?
Dynamics 365 has enabled multiple departments and teams to play pivotal roles in Andis’ customer journeys.
For example, let’s say a barber or groomer encounters an issue with an Andis product. They head to our website to fill out a ‘Contact Us’ form. That form then feeds into our CRM system where a customer support agent begins engaging. Whether it’s via email, calls, or chat, the agents are right in CE to ensure a smooth interaction.
When the customer sends the product back to Andis, our receiving team checks it in and triggers a sales order from Dynamics 365 Sales into Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management. From there, our skilled repair team takes over, updating case notes and shipping the repaired product.
If the customer calls back, our customer support team has all the necessary information at their fingertips to provide any details or status updates. The next time the customer engages with us, we have their entire history and can provide a tailored experience.
Next up, our marketing team stays connected, weaving a journey around this interaction. Our quality, engineering, and product management teams tap into the data from the system. They drive product enhancements and continuous improvement with our products based on data from the customer.
This is just a glimpse into one example of how seven departments have grown since integrating Dynamics 365. It’s teamwork, innovation, and customer success all rolled into one!
Customer Journey
How has implementing Dynamics 365 and Power Platform reshaped your customer journey? And how have these technologies personalized your customer interactions and built stronger relationships?
Since implementing Dynamics 365 and Power Platform, we’ve been able to take the initiative in engaging with our customers. It’s all about being proactive, and Microsoft tools have helped us achieve this.
Our customer support team loves the Microsoft Omnichannel platform because it provides a 360-degree view of the customers they interact with. They can easily access order history and review previous conversations. We’ve recently started using Omnichannel voice and chat. Having all our engagement channels within the Dynamics 365 platform not only boosts our agents’ efficiency, but also provides customers with a more personalized and dedicated experience. It’s a win-win!
Customer Feedback
How has the new system impacted your ability to track and analyze customer feedback and behavior?
Our ability to track and analyze customer feedback and behavior with Dynamics 365 has been a game changer. We use Power Platform for continual data cleanup efforts and address validation to ensure quality data. The data-driven decisions and improvements we’ve made since implementing these systems are truly valuable.
Training & Support
How did your teams adapt to Dynamics 365 for Customer Engagement? Was there a learning curve?
Introducing the new system to our teams was seamless. We proactively involved the teams from the outset, identifying their pain points and tailoring solutions during implementation. We found that using these systems to streamline our workflow made the whole adoption process a breeze. It just clicked!
Support
What kind of training and support did MCA Connect provide to ensure a smooth transition?
I’m not afraid to make big requests, but MCA Connect has been great in helping my requests become reality. You have to make the applications work for your business needs, and MCA Connect has partnered with our internal data and technology team and business analysts to make that happen.
Evolving
How do you see Dynamics 365 evolving with your needs in the future?
We don’t have any plans of stopping when it comes to advancement within the Dynamics 365 platform. We will continue to automate and integrate anywhere we can. With Microsoft Copilot there’s no shortage of efficiency and advances for us to continue to take advantage of.
“MCA Connect has a lot of experience with discrete manufacturing. When we talk to them about problems we’re trying to solve, they’ve likely had the same issues come up before. They’re able to come to the table with best practices and solutions that have worked for other discrete manufacturers.”
– Marc Rohde, Vice President of Business Enablement, Data and Technology, Andis Company
What’s Next
Learn how Andis transformed other parts of their business
Andis didn’t just transform customer engagement. Read the full success story and watch the video below to see how Andis boosted cash flow and improved visibility with a modern scalable platform.