Fleet Management Company Grows Sales Pipeline by
$5 Million and Counting with Outsourced Demand Creation

Company
XATA Corporation

Headquarters
Minneapolis, MN

Industry
Transportation

Products
Fleet Management Software
Fleet Management Consulting
Web-based Fleet Operations Tools

Quick Stats
Employees: 177
Direct Sales Force: 10
New Customers in Fiscal 2008: 53

Business Benefits Realized

• More than a half-million dollars in new sales, with more than $5 million in the proposal or demo stage of the company's nine-month selling cycle.
• The direct sales force is saving time and increasing productivity.
• More than 14,000 calls have been made to XATA target prospects, leading to increased mindshare among key fleet management decision-makers.
• A customized database of 25,000 companies gives the XATA direct sales force and marketing team detailed information about their target prospects.
• In just 18 months, XATA realized a 240-percent ROI in OppSource solutions.

In today's world of rising transportation costs and complex regulations, businesses must use every available method to drive down trucking fleet costs and increase regulatory compliance.  For more than 25 years, XATA Corporation has been helping many of the world's largest trucking fleets do exactly that.
 
As a leading provider of fleet management solutions to the trucking industry, XATA has worked with big-name companies including BP Amoco, Coca-Cola and Penske.  XATA service offerings include on-demand fleet management software and Web-based tools that can be accessed anytime, anywhere.  XATA also offers expert fleet management advice and consulting – helping companies lower costs, increase safety, and meet industry regulations.

"We have progressed as our industry has progressed," says XATA director of marketing communications LeAnn Castillo.  "We develop on-demand software applications, integrate with the best-in-class third-party offerings, and deliver business insight to meet our customers’ specific fleet and business needs."

Bridging the Demand Generation Gap

The complexity and investment involved in purchasing and implementing XATA solutions means the company has a long sales cycle – typically nine months to a year in length.  Previously, the company's ten-person direct sales force was in charge of every stage of the selling cycle; from cold-calling prospects through meetings, product demonstrations, and closing the sale.

This arrangement meant keeping leads flowing into the XATA sales pipeline was often a challenge.  The stretched-thin sales force tended to focus on closing sales, leaving demand generation to fall by the wayside.  And it didn't help that many of the leads the sales force received were unqualified.

"The fulfillment piece of lead generation was non-existence," says Castillo.  "Leads for all marketing activities were simply pumped out to the sales force, if captured.  Then the sales force was to follow-up.  If the first couple of leads were not good, the rest of the leads were usually not followed up on."

Discovering a Customized Solution

A growing concern XATA was losing opportunities its sales force was simply not aware of led the company to search for an outsourced demand creation solution.  XATA also hoped this solution could meet their goals of increased customer satisfaction, greater sales force productivity, and a more powerful prospect database.

Castillo identified the key requirements for the ideal demand generation partner.  These included the ability to work side-by-side with in-house sales and marketing departments, to provide input into the XATA customer resource management (CRM) system for closed-loop lead tracking, and to offer quick and easy implementation.  In the end, XATA found the company they were looking for in OppSource.

"We ultimately choose OppSource as our demand creation solution because they had the tools and talent to segment our large audience into specific target audiences, use our CRM system, accommodate our billing requirements, provide customized programs to fit our needs, and deliver accurate information for our database," says Castillo.

Putting Millions into the Pipeline

The numbers tell a story of success.  Just 18 months after launching its demand generation program, XATA has already realized a 240-percent return on their investment in OppSource solutions.  During this time, more than 14,000 calls were made to XATA target prospects, and OppSource demand creation specialists set more than 120 sales appointments for the XATA direct sales force.  But for Castillo, the results are evident in more than just numbers.

"Being in front of your customers with relevant and timely information is always a competitive advantage," says Castillo.  "By using OppSource, we have a number of touch points that keep XATA top-of-mind in the marketplace."

The future of the partnership between OppSource and XATA looks bright.  Currently, OppSource leads have generated more than $5 million in the XATA sales pipeline.  And soon, XATA will roll out OppSource Digital Connect and Content Services to complement the Personal Connect, Database and Mobilization Services it currently uses.  Castillo believes these additional services will enhance the critical lead-nurturing aspect of their customer sales cycle and contribute to the company's bottom-line growth.

A Mutual Trust

Above and beyond the technology and expertise, what really makes the partnership between these two companies work is mutual trust.

"The most important thing is that we trust them and they trust us," says Castillo.  "They're willing to be flexible with us, and that really cements our relationship.  They're very thorough in what they do, and they're extremely knowledgeable about the marketplace."

In the end, trust is the reason XATA has confidence in OppSource to increase its bottom line and strengthen its position as the transportation industry's leading provider of fleet management software.