CRM in Scotland, Part II

How ubiquitous is the reach of CRM technology? The stuff has gone so far as to play a part in the distribution of that most Scottish of all Scottish cultural artefacts, the kilt.

A company known as Lochcarron recently found itself in need of a CRM system. You see, while Lochcarron manufacturers the ultimate Scottish gear, their customers inhabit such “exotic” lands as the United States, Canada and Japan, presenting something of a poser for what Lochcarron owner calls “definitely an SME.”

“Despite the spread of the business,” says Lochcarron IT director Chris Turner, “we are still definitely an SME, and so we have to take a different approach to technology.” As IT head of a small company, Turner says, to get information on high-tech systems, “I rely on trade papers, word of mouth and the internet – we can’t afford analyst services and the vendors aren’t generally interested in coming out to see us in the middle of nowhere.”

Lochcarron rolled out Lotus Notes and a CRM application from local technology firm Kelros. Turner praises the system: “We have definitely seen a reduction in phone calls between the offices, and customer queries are dealt with a lot faster … Even without the CRM system, we have the benefit of a single, global email infrastructure which is more reliable and easier to maintain.”

As for Kelros, finding a niche supplier in a niche market is no new news: Recent sales have gone to a car manufacturer, a medical equipment manufacturer, a small U.K. airport, a jeweller, a supermarket chain, and a bakery.

Founded in 1996, Kelros is an IBM premier partner focusing on Lotus Domino and WebSphere Portal products and services. Kelros provides off-the-shelf applications, consultancy, development, training and IBM licenses through Passport Advantage.