Steve Georgis, Director of Business Applications, Embanet

Microsoft SQL Server Customer Solution Case Study

Online Education Services Provider Prepares for Growth with CRM, Data Management Solution

“When we saw how Microsoft Dynamics CRM and SQL Server could interoperate with Office SharePoint Server, Outlook, and Communicator, it was eye opening.” Steve Georgis, Director of Business Applications, Embanet Embanet had outgrown its customer relationship management (CRM) software and, with rapid growth looming, needed a long-term solution. It now has that solution in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 and Microsoft SQL Server 2008. The solution is part of a comprehensive Microsoft product road map that Embanet found “eye opening.”

Business Needs expertise in program development, Founded in 1995, Embanet partners marketing, admissions, student with colleges and universities that seek services, and technology services. to launch fully online degree programs. The company supports Embanet has marketing, admissions, institutions such as Boston University, and student services staff, all of whom Vanderbilt University, the George deal with potential and current Washington University, Northeastern students in its clients’ more than 50 University, and Kent State University. academic programs. Those employees While safeguarding academic integrity, need full visibility into the student life Embanet strives to maximize student cycle in order to provide effective enrollment and graduation by service. Marketing staff needs providing capital and online education information to help generate online

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published May 2010 leads and understand marketing collaboration client, Office Excel 2007 Benefits effectiveness. Admissions advisers also spreadsheet software, and Office The choice of the Microsoft CRM– have needs—to take new students SharePoint Server 2007 played a key based solution delivered a range of through the enrollment process. role in the decision process. benefits to Embanet. Meanwhile, student services advisers need to manage students’ academic “Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a flexible “Because it’s a Web-based solution progress from entrance through development platform that made it and because we already have and graduation. significantly easier for us to know SQL Server, the solution reduces consolidate our multiple homegrown continuing maintenance costs,” says Embanet had outgrown the systems systems and invest in a platform that Georgis. “We will devote one person to that had previously served it well. For its will scale and support our growth and maintaining this solution—we couldn’t customer relationship management diverse business requirements,” says have done that with other enterprise (CRM) system, the company used Steve Georgis, Director of Business products. Even user training will be SalesLogix, which lacked functionality Applications at Embanet. minimal because the user interface is and automation relevant to Embanet’s Georgis went to the Microsoft based on the Microsoft Office software industry and business model. Because Technology Center in Chicago, Illinois, with which our people are already the software wasn’t extensible, new in May 2009 for a one-day Strategy familiar.” needs couldn’t be accommodated. To Briefing on the use of Microsoft SQL help support new information needs as Server 2008 data management The new solution will deliver far more they arose, Embanet employees began software, Office SharePoint Server than lower cost. storing data in Microsoft Office Excel 2007, and Office Communicator in the spreadsheets. This resulted in Embanet solution. “Microsoft experts “Implementing a CRM system that redundant and isolated collections of were able to show how their products provides a 360-degree view of our information. and infrastructure could add value students and universities will allow our from both a technology and business marketing, admissions, and student In order to manage its growth, Embanet perspective,” says Georgis. services groups to provide better knew that it needed an enterprise coordinated services,” says Georgis. solution. That solution would have to The company already had a positive “We will have ‘one version of the truth’ capture all needed information on experience with SQL Server 2005 and because all data will reside in the SQL prospective and existing students, so was interested in a solution using Server–based database for Microsoft eliminating the need for multiple SQL Server as its database. That Dynamics CRM.” databases and isolated data solution was Microsoft Dynamics CRM repositories. It would have to support 4.0, which the company has just Embanet had outgrown its former the growth that the company deployed on Microsoft SQL Server solution and didn’t want to be in that anticipates over the next five years. It 2008. situation again. would have to be Web based for easy access. And it would have to be Because the company needed a “With Microsoft Dynamics CRM and extensible to meet new needs as they product tailored for the online higher SQL Server, we have a solution that will arise. education market, one that could grow with us easily over the next five include information about classes, years,” Georgis says. “And it’s flexible Solution registrations, schedules, and similar enough to meet the range of needs we Embanet considered a variety of CRM information, Embanet worked with have that are specific to the online systems, including Siebel, SAP, Sonoma Partners, a Microsoft Gold education market.” PeopleSoft, and SugarCRM. Even Certified Partner, to tailor the software though Embanet already had a to its needs. “We chose Sonoma The extensibility of the software—and significant investment in SalesLogix, it Partners because of their reputation its interoperability with other Microsoft decided that switching to Microsoft with Microsoft Dynamics CRM,” says software—is a key benefit for Embanet. Dynamics CRM would better meet its Georgis. long-term needs. The ability of “When we saw how Microsoft Microsoft Dynamics CRM to Dynamics CRM and SQL Server could interoperate with the Microsoft Office interoperate with Office SharePoint Outlook 2007 messaging and Server, Outlook, and Communicator, it

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published May 2010 was eye opening,” says Georgis. “The CRM makes it the ideal solution for ease of customization, integration, and our company.” overall usability of Microsoft Dynamics

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published May 2010