Pro-Bel Enterprises Builds Multiple Custom Applications on Force.com to Run Its Business With Cloud Computing

SAN FRANCISCO, July 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM), the enterprise cloud computing company, today announced Pro-Bel Enterprises Ltd. has built several custom applications on Force.com to run its business in the cloud. Pro-Bel is the market leader in providing suspended access and fall protection equipment. The company is using custom applications built on Force.com to simplify its building project lifecycle, increase productivity and reduce project turn-around time. Using cloud computing has resulted in cost savings and accelerated time to market versus on-premise application development.

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Pro-Bel Drives Success with Cloud Computing:

• Pro-Bel initially adopted Salesforce CRM in 2004 to manage its customer relationships. As it became familiar with the Force.com platform, it realized the opportunity to use it as a platform to build its technology solutions.
• In its technology selection process, it found that only the Force.com platform was nimble enough to keep up with its three to four week project turnaround times.
• Today Pro-Bel has deployed a comprehensive solution in the cloud, spanning engineering, project management, manufacturing, installation and inspections across its Canadian headquarters, North American sales and distribution offices and satellite offices in the United Arab Emirates and China.

Why Pro-Bel Chose Force.com for Application Development:

The nature of Pro-Bel's business is managing a high volume of short building projects utilizing its Pro-Bel Window Cleaning/Suspended Maintenance Equipment and Fall Protection Systems. With Force.com, Pro-Bel can quickly assemble ideas for new apps and deploy them, with minimal cost and impact on the business. Pro-Bel selected Force.com for several reasons:

• Minimal IT infrastructure required
• Shift in focus from infrastructure management to process engineering
• Force.com's rapid application development capabilities and flexible API
• Force.com allows custom data collection and direct back office and client integration collaboration

Custom app development included:

• Budget and Estimation System: Drives workflow rules to handle quoting and estimation from the sales people.
• Custom Sales Process Automation:  Utilization of Force.com sites for dynamic customer interaction with back office data driving internal workflow rules.  
• Project Management Application: Manages scheduling, resource utilization and ordering and shipping.
• Purchase Order System:  Customized interface utilizing industry standard Adobe Flex presentation tools. Drag and drop interface reduces data entry complexity and time.
• Custom sales and marketing: Integrates McGraw Hill construction data with Salesforce CRM to deliver quantifiable metrics into its lead closure rates.

Comments on the News:

• "There is no comparison to the cost savings and time to market we've achieved with Force.com," said Jason Fung, CIO of Pro-Bel. "Building these same systems using on-premise application development would have required teams of people and massive resources. We were able to build custom applications that can keep up with the nature of our business and deliver for our customers in weeks as opposed to months."  

Force.com - the Industry's Leading Enterprise Cloud Computing Platform:

• Force.com is salesforce.com's enterprise cloud computing platform (http://www.salesforce.com/platform/cloud-platform/)
• Force.com provides everything companies need to quickly build and deliver business applications in the cloud, including the database, unlimited real-time customization, powerful analytics, real-time workflow and approvals, programmable cloud logic, integration, real-time mobile deployment, programmable user interface and Web site capabilities
• Customers and partners have built nearly 150,000 custom applications on Force.com to run their businesses, including, supply chain management, compliance tracking, brand management, accounts receivable, claims processing, time-off applications and much more
• Force.com enables companies to build and deliver applications 5 times faster, at about 1/2 the cost of traditional client/server software platforms. For case studies, analyst reports and white papers please visit http://www.salesforce.com/platform/tco.

Additional Resources:

• A snapshot of the Pro-Bel story is available here: http://www.salesforce.com/customers/manufacturing/pro-bel.jsp
• Follow salesforce.com on Twitter @salesforce

Pro-Bel is one of the approximately 77,300 companies of all sizes, industries and geographies that comprised the salesforce.com customer base as of April 30, 2010. Revenue and subscribers are recognized as the service is delivered.

About salesforce.com

Salesforce.com is the enterprise cloud computing company. Based on salesforce.com's real-time, multitenant architecture, the company's platform and CRM applications (http://www.salesforce.com/crm) have revolutionized the way companies collaborate and communicate with their customers, including:

• The Sales Cloud, for sales force automation and contact management
• The Service Cloud, for customer service and support solutions
• Chatter, for social collaboration
• The Force.com platform, for custom application development
• The AppExchange, the world's leading marketplace for enterprise cloud computing applications

Salesforce.com offers the fastest path to customer success with cloud computing. As of April 30, 2010, salesforce.com manages customer information for approximately 77,300 customers including Allianz Commercial, Dell, Japan Post, Kaiser Permanente, KONE, and SunTrust Banks. 

Any unreleased services or features referenced in this or other press releases or public statements are not currently available and may not be delivered on time or at all.  Customers who purchase salesforce.com applications should make their purchase decisions based upon features that are currently available. Salesforce.com has headquarters in San Francisco, with offices in Europe and Asia, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CRM." For more information please visit http://www.salesforce.com, or call 1-800-NO-SOFTWARE.

Copyright (c) 2010 salesforce.com, inc. All rights reserved. Salesforce and the "no software" logo are registered trademarks of salesforce.com, inc., and salesforce.com owns other registered and unregistered trademarks. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE salesforce.com