CLIENT:
Our client is a global leader in construction management software.
CHALLENGE:
As a dynamic, customer-oriented SaaS solution provider, our client has adopted rigorous standard operating procedures for the configure-price-quote (CPQ) business process. These procedures ensure timely, accurate, and efficient quoting and sales execution. To that end, they use the Salesforce CPQ software as the foundation for their CPQ business processes.
While Salesforce CPQ is a great platform, the client found the quote approval process cumbersome. It involved actioning email alerts, logging in to Salesforce, navigating to the correct screens, and completing the approval review. This process could be slow and cause delays if users miss responding to emails. In addition, users found it frustrating when they needed to interrupt their workflows to process approvals in a different application.
Slack is the internal messaging tool used across the organization and is the “home base” for how most people work. The objective given to Dispatch was to build a workflow automation solution that moved the CPQ approval process to Slack. This new process would enable account managers and executives to review and approve quote requests directly in Slack using a workbot, without needing to log in to Salesforce for this task.
SOLUTION:
We used Workato as the automation platform for this project, which was already widely used in the organization. Workato has pre-built connectors for Salesforce and Slack and powerful workbot functionality, which helps accelerate and simplify automation projects.
Since CPQ data is complex, a fair amount of time was spent mapping the Salesforce data structure and defining the user experience in Slack. The CPQ approval process directly impacts revenue and customer satisfaction, so it was vital to have a simple user experience that would allow managers to see all relevant information necessary to approve or reject requests at a glance. We also needed to ensure the dataflows happened in real time so that Salesforce would be perfectly synchronized with actions taken in Slack.
The workbot queried Salesforce to provide alternate approver IDs to ensure approval requests were never blocked if individuals were unavailable. Slack approvals updated the Salesforce record in real-time, and approval or rejection notifications were sent to the appropriate Slack channels based on the nature of the request.
OUTCOME:
The outcome was a well-integrated workflow that enabled managers in the organization’s Engineering, Professional Services, and Executive functions to process quote approvals directly in Slack without ever needing to navigate to Salesforce. Email notifications were eliminated, and this new workflow was consistent with the organization’s objectives to use Slack as the centralized communication and workflow hub.
For the business, a simplified workflow results in faster turnaround times, fewer errors, less effort and frustration, and improved customer experiences.
If your company uses Slack for internal communications but has not yet built workflows that leverage Slack, we can help you define and implement solutions that make you more efficient and create better experiences for customers and employees.
