Customer stories


Sonic Solutions

Sonic Solutions' Sound Investment with FileMaker Pro

It's an unbeatable combination. And for Sonic Solutions of Marin County, California, it's what the company stands for. But how to ensure that customers quickly get the right answers to their technical questions? The combination needed one more ingredient to make it work -- FileMaker Pro - the award-winning database software application from FileMaker Inc.

Sonic's a firm that's on the leading edge of audio and DVD production software development -- offering applications known and used by professionals and video enthusiasts alike. From the sophisticated DVD Creator workstation to the easy to use DVDit! software, Sonic products are found wherever creative people demand flexible, high-performance production applications.

Sonic's commitment to its customers doesn't end when the sale is made. Whenever there are questions -- Sonic finds the answers. And thanks to an innovative FileMaker-based Call Tracking database, customers in need of support can count on receiving it -- quickly and accurately.

'FileMaker has allowed us to interface our Call Tracking database with all departments within Sonic,' explains Scott Stewart, Sonic Solutions' Manager of Information Technology. From a single database, Sonic can track customer inquiries or technical support requests, and maintain an active file of customer contact information.

FileMaker also powers an elaborate online database of answers to likely consumer questions -- the common and the not-so-common. Sonic's customers can often find the information they need right there, quickly and simply. If personal assistance from Customer Support is needed, the ultimate answers to the questions are easily added into the online Knowledgebase; with the additional value that the next time that particular question comes up, the answer will be instantly available. It's an ever-expanding, useful tool, both for customers and for members of the Sonic's design and support teams. Sonic is a true FileMaker shop. Their clever Customer Support system is actually ten related databases, with more than 50,000 records in the largest one!

Sonic Solutions settled on FileMaker Pro because it was the most cost-efficient database software available for its purposes. 'About two years ago we launched an investigation to identify a Call Tracking system that could meet the needs of our technical support organization,' explains Scott. 'We quickly found that most of these SQL-based systems, were in the range of $30K to $50K, and even higher -- more than we could justify in our budget.' Moreover, Scott explains, most of these solutions required substantial consulting assistance to even get them up and running. So Sonic took a closer look at FileMaker Pro and realized that it was capable of doing everything they needed. 'After less than six months of in-house development -- by a single person without a programming background,' says Scott, 'we had implemented a system comparable to those commercially available, but for a fraction the price. Moreover, almost anyone in our technical support group is capable of making changes as our needs evolve, we don't need any specialized consulting talent.'

Sonic's customers know they can rely on Sonic's products to be the latest word in DVD publishing and audio editing systems. And when it comes to the management of information, Sonic knows it can rely on FileMaker Pro.



Contact information

Contact Info for Customer:

Scott Steward
Manager of Information
Sonic Solutions
415-893-8040
stew@sonic.com


Filemaker Contact:

Kevin Mallon
Public Relations Manager
FileMaker Inc.
408-987-7227
kevin_mallon@filemaker.com
http://www.filemaker.com


Overview
  • Sonic Solutions, developer of cutting-edge audio and DVD production software, relies on a FileMaker Pro-based Call Tracking database to quickly and accurately serve customers in need of support. After considering more expensive SQL-based options, Sonic Solutions chose FileMaker Pro -- a cost-efficient solution capable of doing everything they need.
Industry
  • Creative Services
  • Creative Markets
  • Information Technology
  • Small Business