To manage the greater volumes of customer data resulting from business expansion, Bouwfonds had to address its decentralized and fragmented database architecture. As well as ensuring complete accuracy, the group had to maintain customer records for ten years, to comply with internal policy.

Traditionally, Bouwfonds had compiled and updated customer information using a number of separate systems based on different spreadsheet programs, together with its own internally developed client information system, called Husky. However, the lack of integration among these systems meant that it was increasingly difficult for staff to share information and increase group-wide efficiency.

Compounding this problem, the market was demanding that Bouwfonds manage so called ‘combination building-projects' (building a range of facilities such as offices, residential and shopping together in one project), rather than a single office building, home or parking facility. This meant that Bouwfonds was no longer dealing with just single persons or companies, but whole teams or collaborations of organizations. Its systems were simply not prepared to cope with the integrated information necessary to adequately service such a large client and customer base.

Solution
Avanade worked with Bouwfonds to consolidate its fragmented architecture into a single, integrated solution.

Avanade developed a solution based on Microsoft CRM and Microsoft BizTalk® Server 2004. The solution involved BizTalk Server acting as the integration hub through which all communications between legacy systems would be conducted. Meanwhile, Microsoft CRM would transform Bouwfonds's decentralized database infrastructure into a consolidated, standardized network whereby customer information could rapidly be accessed and amended.

The solution will allow open-ended integration with similar tools as the company grows its international business. Following a six month test phase which concluded in August 2004, Bouwfonds went live with Microsoft CRM and BizTalk Server in October of that year. Initially, some 200 users transferred to the new system, with the migration of customer details taking place simultaneously. A degree of customizationresource in new page was required to ensure formatting issues did not become problematic, but the migration took place on schedule. Over the coming months, the remaining staff in the company's various regional locations will make the transition to Microsoft CRM.