Salesforce Sales Cloud CRM and Integrations Elevate Efficiency and the Client Experience

CHALLENGES

A Cumbersome CRM That Thwarted Growth and Expansion

Fig Industries reached a turning point with its technology needs in 2021, when its customer relationship management (CRM) software solution at the time couldn’t keep up with the company’s evolution and growth.

According to Deborah Brandt (founder and CEO) and Matt Brandt (CFO), the software lacked integration capabilities with the company’s other systems, which created delays in communications and closing ad sales transactions.

“We would make a sale and it would be several days until someone would receive their agreement. We’d have to do that through Adobe, send it in a separate email, and then scan it and add it into the CRM,” shared Matt.

Moreover, their CRM wasn’t equipped with the functionality to handle multiple entities and territories — a major downside as the company prepared to launch their flagship publication, Fig magazine, as a franchise in early 2022.

Deb shared that franchisees were far more interested in the technological support Fig could offer than she imagined. “The creativity and the 18 years of Fig knowledge is important, but one of the most valued assets to potential franchisees turned out to be the software.”

In addition, Deb wasn’t getting the information she needed for timely, informed decision-making. “It was a complicated process of reporting and emailing,” Matt said.

Though the software was cloud-based, upgrades were tedious and cost-prohibitive.

“It got to the point where the vendor wanted $12,000 from us just to do an upgrade,” explained Matt. “So, we started looking at other options.”

SOLUTIONS

A Robust CRM With Limitless Possibilities

Matt had heard many great things about Salesforce Sales Cloud and researched its capabilities. They particularly liked that they could use APIs to connect the platform with other business software.

Deb was familiar with Cargas Systems and its Salesforce expertise through Cargas’s community involvement. Being a B Corporation, Fig strives to work with local companies whenever possible. The Brandts said Cargas being an employee-owned company was also a plus.

“We knew about Cargas and what they could offer because of their investment in the community. They’re out there — serving on nonprofit boards and actively involved in what’s happening here in the City of Lancaster.”

—Deborah Brandt, Founder and CEO, Fig Industries

In November 2021, Deb contacted Eric Gervase, Cargas’s sales manager, and Matt began working with Cargas’s Salesforce consultant, Toru Kawate. The Salesforce Sales Cloud CRM solution went live in mid-January 2023 and features integrations with:

• PandaDoc^® – Proposal creation, management, and tracking software
• Calendly – Scheduling automation platform
• Report Scheduler – Report and dashboard scheduling tool by Tekclan Software Solutions

Fig Industries bought its software license directly through Salesforce. Matt, who is tech-savvy and certified as a Salesforce administrator, handled the company’s data migration and various other aspects of the implementation. He enlisted Cargas’s help in setting up workflows, integrating PandaDoc, and creating some reports.

“It was a piece of cake to walk through the process,” Matt said. “Cargas helped us get to the finish line a whole lot faster.”

BENEFITS

Improved Processes to Support Growth and a Technology Partner They Can Count On

Because Salesforce allows API connections with many other software platforms, Fig Industries, with Cargas’s help, is able to build the solution to meet its unique needs now and in the future.

Matt said first and foremost on their minds at Fig Industries is, “How can we make it easier for people to do business with us?”

“With our old system, leads from our website would just go to our email, and if you’d miss a day and they landed at the bottom of 50 other messages, you’d risk overlooking them, or it would be a few days before we would reach out,” said Matt.

Now, leads that come through Fig’s website automatically go into Salesforce, where the company’s operations manager fields them and passes them on to Deb.

“Usually within less than 24 hours, a meeting is set up, a conversation happens, and the lead is converted to a sale,” Matt shared.

“I love Salesforce. I think it’s one of the greatest tools for small-to-medium-sized and large companies.”

—Matt Brandt, CFO, Fig Industries

With PandaDoc fully integrated with Salesforce, interested advertisers get an email proposal almost instantaneously after talking with Deb. After they electronically sign the agreement, their payment information is automatically (and securely) entered into Salesforce.

Also, an integration with Calendly, an appointment scheduling app, has made it more convenient to coordinate photography sessions for clients. Clients can see a photographer’s availability and book an appointment time online.

“It’s a better client experience, and it’s a much more efficient process for us,” shared Matt.

In addition, Fig Industries has implemented an integration with an app called Report Scheduler, which enables individuals who do not have a Salesforce user license to receive Salesforce-generated reports and dashboards by email.

According to Matt, “Deb gets an email first in the morning that tells her, ‘OK, here you are with your sales, here you are with your budget, here’s how many more pages you have to sell.’ So, there’s never a question of where things stand.”

Because it doesn’t require an additional Salesforce user license (something that wouldn’t benefit Deb because she’s too busy to take full advantage of it), it saves the company money while ensuring Deb has the business intelligence she needs.

“Salesforce and its integrations continue to add value and efficiency. The solution works perfectly. It works for our clients, it’s consistent, and we know what to expect.”

—Matt Brandt, CFO, Fig Industries

Fig Industries’ Salesforce Sales Cloud solution also offers efficiencies for their franchise business — from both a franchisor and franchisee perspective. Matt  said it’s easy for Fig to bring on new franchisee locations and their users.  Because franchisees have built-in licenses within Fig’s Salesforce instance, they can each manage their sales leads through the system.

“We wanted a secure system that would allow us to essentially have independent locations connected through one system. Salesforce could do that for us,” Matt said.

They currently have four franchise locations and are working on some others. Access to Salesforce is a selling point for the Fig franchise. “Prospective franchisees want to know that we have a system in place and that they can get a seat in that system,” Deb said.

In April of 2023, Cargas helped Fig Industries bring the creative branding and marketing side of their business into Salesforce. “We’re sending out proposals through Salesforce for that segment of the business as well,” Matt explained.

Matt and Deb agree that Fig and Cargas were a good match from the beginning.

One of the things they appreciate most about working with Cargas is the flexibility and willingness to do as much or as little as Fig Industries needs. Matt shared, “I can try something, and if I get stuck, Toru gives me feedback. It’s not all or nothing with Cargas. They step in to do what you need to get you to your end goal. The whole team is really great.”

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