Demandbase > Case Studies > Accela Boosts Sales and Pipeline Growth with Demandbase One

Accela Boosts Sales and Pipeline Growth with Demandbase One

Technology Category

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing
Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms

Applicable Industries

Cement
Oil & Gas

Applicable Functions

Procurement
Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Track & Trace of Assets

Services

Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services

About The Customer

Accela is a trusted provider of cloud solutions that are central to state and local government operations. The company works with governments across the globe to accelerate their digital transformation, deliver vital services, and build stronger communities. Accela's software solutions benefit more than 300 million residents worldwide. The company offers agile, purpose-built solutions and the power of a platform that provides users with a consumer-like experience, shares data across departments, and ensures world-class security.

The Challenge

Accela, a trusted provider of cloud solutions for state and local government operations, faced a unique challenge. As a company that sells into the public sector, where calls for RFPs are the norm, Accela needed to find a way to engage with accounts as early as possible in the research and buying cycle. This proactive approach was necessary to position them as an essential part of the buying decision and to build trust early in the conversation. To address this, Accela hired Senior Manager of Field Marketing, Steffanie Zazulak, to build an Account-Based Marketing (ABM) program. Steffanie, with her background in implementing results-based ABM programs, knew that investing in an intent solution was crucial to help sales get ahead of the RFPs.

The Solution

After a rigorous months-long search, Steffanie decided to partner with Demandbase. The decision was based on the strength and accuracy of the data provided by Demandbase. Steffanie evaluated each vendor by giving them a sample set of their accounts and asking them to return to Accela with what they could find. She then compared that data to the historical knowledge of those accounts in their CRM and evaluated if the insights matched what they knew to be true. She also noted if the insights gained included intelligence that the sales team could take action on to build their pipeline. Demandbase was chosen for its quick and accurate data provision, while other vendors delayed or couldn't provide the required information. Another major factor in Accela’s decision to go with Demandbase was the support they received during the sales cycle, which continues even after they became customers.

Operational Impact

The implementation of Demandbase led to several operational improvements for Accela. The company saw their pipeline grow as they worked towards strengthening the relationship between sales and marketing. Accela marketing trained the sales team on using Demandbase to take advantage of the insights provided to make insteps into new accounts. This increased the sales team’s chances of creating more significant engagement with accounts and growing potential pipelines. Accela also integrated Demandbase into Salesforce, making the sales team efforts more efficient. The integration allowed the company’s business development representatives to have easy access to the information they needed in a place they already worked in daily. Accela now uses Demandbase to track competitive keywords their accounts are currently searching on, so the sales team is informed on potential competitors on each opportunity. The improved relationship between sales and marketing played a huge role in the success of Accela’s ABM program.

Quantitative Benefit