Windows 8 Pro Customer Solution Case Study

Building Firm Upgrades to Windows 8 Pro to Increase Selling Time by 20 Hours a Day

“With Windows 8 Pro, our salespeople can get work done quickly and move on to the next opportunity. By driving efficiencies through our sales team, we lower costs.”

David McKeown, Sales Director, Kilsaran International To weather a tough economy, Kilsaran International had to trim staff and make its salespeople as efficient as possible. It worked with Brandon Consulting to outfit salespeople with Samsung tablet computers running Windows 8 Pro. The sales force is working far more efficiently—eliminating about 20 hours a day of technology struggles—which yields more time to sell. Salespeople are also giving more professional presentations.

Business Needs Based in Piercetown, Dunboyne, The construction industry in Ireland Ireland, Kilsaran International is an has declined significantly since 2007, independent manufacturer of concrete and Kilsaran had to trim staff. products for home and commercial Consequently, each of the company’s use. Kilsaran manufactures concrete, 15 salespeople has to be as efficient as asphalt, aggregates, and concrete possible. However, during sales visits, a paving products across Ireland and the salesperson had to start his or her United Kingdom. laptop computer, connect to the office

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published September 2013 server, and download product data manage in our Windows Benefits sheets—a 10- or 15-minute process. If environment.” By using Windows 8 Pro tablets, the customer placed an order, the Kilsaran International salespeople are salesperson then had to log on to The company worked with a local more efficient, enjoy better work-life multiple business systems to create a Microsoft Partner Network member, balance, and give more impactful quote, place the order, and schedule Brandon Consulting, to acquire four presentations. The company is the delivery. Then he or she logged out Samsung ATIV Tab 7 tablet computers realizing all these benefits by using of the applications, shut down the running Windows 8 Pro. It also familiar Windows-based computers laptop, and repeated the whole process upgraded three existing laptops from that are easy to manage and secure. at about five more prospect or the Windows 7 operating system to customer sites each day. Windows 8 Pro. “The upgrade process Salespeople can turn on the tablets in was much easier than previous an instant and get to needed “Logging on and off of laptops and Windows upgrades, and Windows 8 documents, presentations, and multiple business systems throughout Pro runs great on Windows 7 applications without lengthy the day used up a lot of time when hardware,” McKeown says. connection times, downloads, or multiplied by 15 people,” says David follow-up delays. “When you lose a McKeown, Sales Director for Kilsaran Kilsaran salespeople who are using the customer’s attention for a day or two, International. “I want my sales team Windows 8 Pro tablets enjoy nearly you possibly lose the sale,” McKeown interacting with customers, not staring instantaneous startup times and can says. He estimates that each at their laptops.” demonstrate products much more salesperson easily saves at least an effectively with the touch interface. hour a day, or about 20 hours a day The cumbersome tools also hurt the They also love the Live Tiles that across the entire team, by using the company’s image. “We are a small populate the Windows 8 Pro Start Windows 8 Pro tablets. McKeown family-owned business competing with screen. These application icons are values this savings at approximately multinationals, so we have to look updated in real time to give US$250,000 a year. “With Windows 8 bigger than we are and respond to employees quick-glance updates on Pro, our salespeople can get work customers faster than our competitors email and text messages and changes done quickly and move on to the next can,” McKeown says. He dreamed of in key business applications. The opportunity. By driving efficiencies outfitting his staff with mobile, agile ability to see email messages without through our sales team, we lower devices that would provide quick starting a laptop or even opening costs.” Kilsaran can take the time connections to the office and allow Microsoft Outlook is a big timesaver. previously spent on slow processes to them to demonstrate products, take sell more. orders, and conduct business with Kilsaran also uses SkyDrive for cloud- speed and professionalism. based file storage and sharing, which Kilsaran salespeople also look more eliminates the need for employees to professional when using the tablets. Solution upload and download files to and “When we go into big architectural Kilsaran had made the decision to from company servers. It also and construction firms and deliver replace its clunky sales laptops with upgraded to Microsoft Office presentations, we’re competing Apple iPad tablets when it learned Professional Plus 2013, which against much larger companies,” about Windows 8 Pro. “What I liked employees find very easy to use. McKeown says. “Windows 8 Pro helps about Windows 8 was the fact that it Kilsaran plans to eventually give our small, family-run business make a ran on a tablet but also had full PC Windows 8 Pro-based tablets to all big impression.” functionality,” McKeown says. “Some of employees and also to implement our business applications require a lot Windows 8 Pro security features such Work-life balance is also improved, of data input, but with Windows 8 Pro as Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption because salespeople get more work we could easily switch between devices and BitLocker To Go, which encrypt done during business hours. “We don’t and between touch and keyboard the computer hard drive and USB flash want to burn out our employees,” interfaces. Windows-based devices drives, respectively. McKeown says. “By using Windows 8 would also be much easier for us to

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published September 2013 Pro, our staff gets more done every day easier for us to manage and secure very comfortable with yet, at the same and does a higher quality job.” Windows-based devices because the time, is brand new and exciting.” rest of our infrastructure runs Kilsaran management likes using a Windows,” McKeown says. “Windows 8 platform that it knows and trusts. “It’s Pro represents something that we’re

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published September 2013