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National Bicycle Brand Transforms Dealer Relationships

How a leading US bicycle manufacturer reduced customer response times from 2 weeks to hours with integrated CRM and Power Platform.

2 Weeks→ Hours Response
UnifiedService History
200+Users
LifetimeWarranty Tracking

The Challenge

A leading US bicycle manufacturer maintains the spirit of a small company despite being a global leader in bicycles and gear. Unlike competitors who sell through big-box sporting goods stores, this company sells through a network of smaller, independently owned bike shops.

This relationship-driven business model creates unique challenges:

  • Success depends on close relationships between sales reps and bike shop owners
  • When a sales rep leaves, years of relationship history and knowledge can be lost
  • Every bike sold carries a lifetime warranty, requiring long-term service tracking
  • Customer inquiries came through multiple channels without centralized tracking
  • Response times for customer inquiries averaged two weeks

The company needed a system that could capture institutional knowledge, maintain continuity through staff transitions, and dramatically improve customer service response times.

The Solution

The company implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM integrated with Power Platform to create a unified view of dealer relationships, customer interactions, and product service history.

Dynamics 365 CRM Power Automate Power Platform Web Integration

Key capabilities of the solution:

  • Unified Customer View: Complete history of every customer interaction, purchase, and service request in one place
  • Dealer Account Management: Full relationship history preserved even when sales reps transition
  • Warranty Tracking: Product registration linked to case numbers and service history for lifetime warranty support
  • Web Form Integration: Customer inquiries from the website automatically routed to appropriate representatives
  • Automated Workflows: Inquiry routing and response tracking eliminates manual handoffs

"When a technician looks up a bike, they now see a complete picture: the customer, the dealer, every service record, the current issue, and the warranty status. That comprehensive view has transformed how we support both our dealers and end customers."

— Director of Customer Service

The Results

Response Time: 2 Weeks → Hours

Automated workflows and centralized information reduced customer inquiry response times from approximately two weeks to just a few hours.

Complete Service History

Technicians have a unified view of each bike's complete history: registration, service records, warranty status, and dealer information.

200+ Users

The system supports over 200 users across sales, support, and service teams, with continuous growth through new license additions.

Relationship Continuity

When sales reps transition, their account knowledge and relationship history remain in the system for their successors.

Integration Architecture

The solution connects multiple data sources into a unified CRM view:

  • ERP Integration: Product registration data pulled from the JDE ERP system
  • Website Integration: Customer inquiries captured from web forms and automatically routed
  • Warranty Database: Case numbers and warranty information linked to customer records
  • Collaboration: Yammer integration enables team collaboration within the CRM context

Key Takeaways

  • Preserve Institutional Knowledge: CRM captures relationship history that would otherwise leave with departing employees
  • Automate Routing: Web form integration with automated workflows eliminates response delays
  • Create Unified Views: Connecting multiple systems into one customer view multiplies effectiveness
  • Design for Longevity: Lifetime warranty products require systems that maintain history indefinitely
  • Support Channel Strategy: Technology should reinforce, not replace, relationship-driven business models

Technology Stack

  • Dynamics 365 CRM: Core CRM functionality for account and case management
  • Power Automate: Automated workflows for inquiry routing and notifications
  • Custom Integration: Connectors to ERP, product registration, and warranty systems
  • Web Forms: Public website integration for customer inquiry capture

References

This case study is based on the publicly shared success story from Trek Bicycles:

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