Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/355934
24 | I nsIgh t • A u g u s t 2 0 14 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m several complex parts involving spring-green's marketing, customer and technical services operations. spring-green, based in Plainfield, Ill., operates in 26 states with hundreds of independent franchise owners who deal with a wide swath of different grasses, pests and regulations. All of it has to be digested in real time, attached to the correct customer file and ready to go as an outbound marketing touch within moments. And it all has to be seamless for the customer. Whiteboard wizardry I t all started with a whiteboard. For Jeff Lang, Omni's solutions group managing director, there is no better way to get at the root of creating the right solution to complex problems. is is especially true when it comes to technology, where there is oen a Worse, the homeowner might never understand they needed to call. "You can just see the information getting lost in the stacks of paper that take up our daily life," Young says. "We were missing opportunities to strengthen our franchise owner's relationship with the local customer and strengthen our brand nationally. ere just had to be a faster way to connect everyone." Finally, Young decided to follow up on a recommendation made by R.R. Donnelly, the company's direct mail provider, and make a call to the solutions group at Appleton-based Omni Resources. Aer some marathon sessions working through ideas on a whiteboard, Omni was able to cra a solution that starts with the mobile devices the technicians were already carrying into the field. now, if a problem is detected, the technician takes a picture and sends it directly to the homeowner's email and into spring- green's national customer service center, where it is linked to the customer profile along with the technician's specific recommendations. When the customer calls, the customer service center looks at the same photos and proposed solution and can immediately schedule the follow-up visit. Oen, they can get a response from the customer even before the technician leaves the site. e result: happier customers and franchise operators, stronger repeat business and a stronger brand nationwide. "A lot of It partners struggle to go from the vision to what it means in practical business terms," Young says. "What was great about working with Omni was that they were really good at understanding our business goals and making sure the solution met them." While it sounds as simple as "there's an app for that," the solution developed by Omni Resources incorporates • Founded: 1984 as an IT staffing company • Headquarters: Appleton, with offices in Madison and Milwaukee • Employees: 160 • Services: IT staffing and technology solutions for businesses both locally and nationally, including companies in the top 50 of the Fortune 500 listings. Omni Resources became employee owned in 2008, helping to reshape the company. Gov. Scott Walker's administration recognized the approach noting the company was the only employee-owned technology company in Wisconsin. • On the web: www.omniresources.net '' We always have to have a firm grasp of what we are trying to achieve for our customers to be successful. And if there is no payback in a solution, we need to be prepared to have that conversation. And we have.'' Gail Ondresky, president and CEO of Omni Resources