Merriott Lyle Distribution / BG-Demo – Onboarding
Callcompleted
Merriott Lyle Distribution · 22 Apr 2025 11:15
Onboarding call on 22 Apr 2025 with Deepa Chauhan and Tariq Saleem. They want one view of a trade account, a cautious first load, and have more branch managers than seats. Matching accuracy is their main worry.
What was said
What this says
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Onboarding call on 22 Apr 2025 with Deepa Chauhan and Tariq Saleem. They want one view of a trade account, a cautious first load, and have more branch managers than seats. Matching accuracy is their main worry.
What happened: Laura Penhaligon walked through the 12-week Enterprise implementation, connectors, load order, matching, SSO and users. Tariq owns the technical actions, and Deepa wants dates before she briefs regional directors.
Customer view: Deepa wants credit control and key accounts together from day one, and the brain used in her monthly account-data review. Both she and Tariq asked for slow and right matching over quick and wrong.
Commercial: Deepa said there are far more branch managers than seats, and Laura said users can be added in blocks after a pilot wave. That is a possible user upsell on Enterprise, not yet a request.
Watch: branch code reuse and the credit control spreadsheet notes are open. A wrong early match would cost trust with branch managers.
Themes
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Theme
Enterprise onboarding plan and matching
Importance
upsell
Sentiment
positive
Voice
champion
Who was there
BG-Demo
CRMmade from
Them
CRMmade from
Follow-up
Next steps
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Tariq Saleem to run the count on the CRM matching field and introduce the IT security colleague.
- Laura Penhaligon to send the role and schema document, the connector live-by dates and a revised plan marking the review month.
- Deepa Chauhan to confirm the first-load regions and the pilot group by role.
Risks
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- A wrong early account match would make branch managers stop looking at the brain.
- Branch account codes are reused or retired, so matching depends on a mapping rule not yet agreed.
- Credit control keep dispute notes in a spreadsheet that the helpdesk may not hold.
Opportunities
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- More branch managers than seats gives a case for adding users in blocks after the pilot wave.
- Using the brain in the monthly account-data review would make it the working tool for credit control and regional directors.
- A seventh connector for the shared drive was mentioned for later.
Transcript
Laura PenhaligonHello, can you both hear me alright?
Tariq SaleemLoud and clear. Morning, Laura.
Deepa ChauhanMorning both. Sorry, just getting off mute. Right. Hello.- Laura PenhaligonMorning, Deepa. Good to finally put faces to names. How was the long weekend, did you get away?
- Deepa ChauhanNot really, I did the garden and tried to avoid the email. Failed at the second part. You?
- Laura PenhaligonMuch the same, minus the garden. It rained the whole time, so I got through a lot of tea. Tariq, you were off as well?
- Tariq SaleemTwo days, yes. Back in on Tuesday to a very quiet inbox, which is suspicious in itself. Shall we get going? I'd like to start with the open tickets, if that's all right.
- Laura PenhaligonPlease do. I can see one on my side, but tell me what you're seeing.
- Tariq SaleemJust the one, yes. It's the question about the service account and which role it should sit under in our Snowflake. I raised it last week, and I got an answer, but I want to be sure the answer covers every connector and not only the first one.
- Laura PenhaligonGood, that's exactly the right thing to check. I'll come back to it properly in a few minutes, because it ties into the order we load things in. Deepa, you said you had one thing you wanted from today?
- Deepa ChauhanYes. One thing, and it's simple. I want to leave this call knowing who is doing what over the next few weeks, and when branch managers, key accounts and credit control will first see one view of a trade account. Orders, disputes, calls, invoices, all in one place. That's why we bought it.
- Laura PenhaligonThat's a fair summary of what the plan should answer. So I'll walk you through how we've laid out the implementation, then we'll go through connectors one at a time, then matching, then access and users. Does that order work?
- Deepa ChauhanThat works. Tariq, you're happy with that?
- Tariq SaleemFine by me. Matching is the bit I'm most interested in, but I'm happy to wait.
- Laura PenhaligonRight. So you're on Enterprise, and the implementation for Enterprise runs over twelve weeks. That includes support for your security review, which I know your IT colleagues will want to look at. The first few weeks are about getting the foundations right: access in your Snowflake account, the first connectors, and a first pass at account matching. Then we widen out, add the remaining sources, and bring users in by group.
- Deepa ChauhanAnd by group you mean which groups first?
- Laura PenhaligonThat's partly your call. What I'd suggest is a small pilot: a few key-account managers and a couple of people from credit control, because they're the ones who feel the pain of reconciling by hand. Then the branch managers in waves.
- Deepa ChauhanYes. I'd say credit control and key accounts together from the start. If I only give it to one of them, the other one will say the numbers are wrong, and we'll be back to arguing about whose spreadsheet is right. Let's get credit control in the room from day one.
- Laura PenhaligonAgreed. That's quite sensible. Okay, connectors. Which systems feed the account picture today? I've got the list from the order form, but I'd rather hear it from you.
- Tariq SaleemRight, so, the CRM is the main one. That's where the key-account managers live. Then the branch system, which holds the orders and the delivery history, and which is quite old. Then the accounting system for invoices and payments. The helpdesk for disputes and queries. The call recorder, and the mailboxes. That's six, and I'd put the shared drive in as a seventh later, for contracts and credit agreements.
- Laura PenhaligonThat fits. And Enterprise gives you headroom, so you won't be squeezing anything out. The order form has live-by dates against the connectors, and I'll send those across so we're all reading the same page.
- Deepa ChauhanPlease do. I'd like those dates in front of me before I say anything to the regional directors.
- Laura PenhaligonOf course. So, order of loading. My suggestion is the CRM first, because it gives us the account list and the owners, and everything else hangs off that. Then the accounting system, because invoices are well structured and it's the quickest way to see matching working. Then the branch system, which will be the hard one.
- Tariq SaleemHard is right. Which connector are we talking about for the branch system, though? Is it a database connection or a file drop?
- Laura PenhaligonGood question. From what I've seen it would be a nightly extract that lands in your Snowflake, and we pick it up from there. So the load is on your side to produce and ours to read. Does the branch system already export anything on a schedule?
- Tariq SaleemIt does. There's a nightly export for the finance team that lands as flat files. It's not pretty, but it's reliable. I'd have to check the load log to tell you how often it's actually failed, I don't want to guess.
- Deepa ChauhanThat's the one that goes wrong after the branches change a code, isn't it? Or am I misremembering?
- Tariq SaleemIt's more that account codes get reused or retired, and that's a mapping question rather than a failure of the export. I'd rather say that carefully. The branches aren't doing anything wrong, the code scheme just wasn't designed for what we're now asking of it.
- Deepa ChauhanRight, no, I didn't mean it as a complaint about the branches. Let me put it another way. Which account, which branch? Because a builder can trade at several branches and appear as several accounts.
- Laura PenhaligonThat's the heart of it, and it's the reason I wanted matching on the agenda. The brain needs one identity for each trade account, and a clear rule for how branch-level records roll up to it. Can I ask how the CRM identifies an account today? Is there a field that carries the branch system's code?
- Tariq SaleemThere is. There's a field the key-account team populates, and there's also a legacy one nobody has retired. About how complete the main one is, I'd have to run a count before I say. I'm not going to give you a percentage from memory.
- Laura PenhaligonThat's the right instinct. Could you run that count and send it over? It will tell us whether matching can mostly be done on that field or whether we need a second rule, say on name and postcode.
- Tariq SaleemYes, I can do that this week. And I'll want Deepa to see the result before anything is changed. I don't change a mapping without telling her.
- Deepa ChauhanWhich I appreciate. I'd also like to see where each number comes from. If a branch manager asks why an account shows a dispute, I need to be able to click back to the source record. Show me where that number comes from, basically.
- Laura PenhaligonThat's how the brain works. Every answer carries its sources, so you can see which record, in which system, it came from. I'll show you on a sample once the CRM is loaded, rather than describe it now and have you take my word for it.
- Deepa ChauhanGood. That's what will convince the regional directors, more than anything I say.
- Laura PenhaligonOkay. Let me share my screen and show you the implementation plan, so we can look at the same thing. Give me a moment. Can you see it?
- Tariq SaleemYes, I can see it. A bit small, but readable.
- Laura PenhaligonI'll make it bigger. There. So this is the plan by phase. Phase one is access and the first connectors, phase two is the remaining sources and matching rules, phase three is users and training, and then the last stretch is hardening and handover.
- Deepa ChauhanWhere's the security review sitting in that?
- Laura PenhaligonIt runs alongside phase one and two. I'll need whoever on your side handles security questionnaires, and then we answer what they ask. Do you know who that would be, or would it go through Tariq?
- Tariq SaleemA colleague in IT security owns it. I'll introduce you by email today. They're thorough, but fair. Fewer surprises if they see the architecture early.
- Laura PenhaligonPerfect, and the architecture is a short story. It runs inside your Snowflake account, so your data doesn't leave your environment. That's usually the first thing they want to be reassured about.
- Tariq SaleemYes, that was a large part of why we went this way. Which brings me back to my ticket, actually. The role question.
- Laura PenhaligonRight, yes. So the way we'd normally set it up is one dedicated role for the brain, with read access only on the schemas it's meant to see and write access on its own schema. Then each connector uses the same service account under that role. You don't need a role per connector.
- Tariq SaleemThat was my worry. If someone later adds a connector, I want it to be obvious which role it's under and why. Can you give me that in writing, per schema?
- Laura PenhaligonYes. I'll send a short document with the role, the schemas, and what each can read or write. You can attach it to the ticket and I'll close it once you're satisfied.
- Tariq SaleemThat'll do. Thank you.
- Deepa ChauhanCan I ask about users? We have two hundred licensed users, and I'm already being asked who gets one.
- Laura PenhaligonYes, that's 200 licensed users on Enterprise, and it's worth deciding the principle before the names. Are you thinking by role, or by branch?
- Deepa ChauhanBy role, I think. Key-account managers, credit control, the regional directors, and then branch managers. The trouble is there are far more branch managers than we have seats for, if I'm honest.
- Laura PenhaligonThen it's worth saying that out loud now. You can add users in blocks later if you need to, and I'd rather you see real use in the first wave before deciding how many more. A pilot tends to answer that better than a forecast does.
- Deepa ChauhanThat's sensible. I don't want to promise the regions something before it exists. I'll tell them there's a first wave, and that the second wave depends on what we learn.
- Laura PenhaligonThat's an honest message, and it's easier to hold than a date you then have to move.
- Tariq SaleemOn sign-in, we'll want single sign-on, and I assume the provisioning side as well, so people are removed when they leave. Branch staff move around a lot.
- Laura PenhaligonYes, that's included on Enterprise, single sign-on and the automatic provisioning. It needs a little configuration with your identity provider, so I'd put it into phase two. I'll need a contact for that. Is that you?
- Tariq SaleemMe to start with, and I'll pull in the identity team when we get there. I'll say now that I don't know how they'll feel about the timing, so I'll ask them before we commit to a date.
- Laura PenhaligonFair. Let's leave the date soft until you've spoken to them.
- Deepa ChauhanCan I say something about the monthly account-data review? I chair it, with credit control and the regional directors. I'd like the brain to be in that meeting from the first month it has real data. Not as a demo, as the thing we actually use.
- Laura PenhaligonI like that a lot. It gives the pilot a purpose and a deadline. If we can have the CRM and accounting loaded and matched for a decent slice of accounts by then, you could ask it real questions in the meeting. Which month are you thinking?
- Deepa ChauhanThe next one that falls after the first connectors are live. I'd rather not name a date until I've seen your dates. But it's the one I'm working towards.
- Laura PenhaligonUnderstood. Then the plan I send will have a marker for it, and we can work backwards from there.
- Tariq SaleemOne more practical thing. For the first load, do you want everything, or a subset? I'd be more comfortable testing on a subset of branches before pointing it at the lot.
- Laura PenhaligonA subset first, definitely. Pick a couple of regions that are representative, including at least one with messy codes, because you want to find the problems early. Then we widen once matching looks right.
- Deepa ChauhanI'd choose one of the Midlands regions and one in the North. Different habits, different systems history. I'll confirm which with Tariq.
- Tariq SaleemYes. We can settle that between us this week.
- Laura PenhaligonLovely. Let me pause on the plan and check I've caught the actions. From you, Tariq: the count on the CRM field, the introduction to your security colleague, and a view on the identity timing. From you, Deepa: the regions for the first load and the pilot group by role. From me: the role and schema document, the connector dates from the order form, and a revised plan with the review month marked. Have I missed anything?
- Deepa ChauhanI'd add that you'll show me the source click-through on a sample, as soon as there's something to show.
- Laura PenhaligonYes, good, that goes on my list. And I'll say now, I'd like that to happen as soon as the CRM is in, not at the end.
- Tariq SaleemCan I raise one thing about the helpdesk? It's less urgent, but I want it noted.
- Laura PenhaligonGo on.
- Tariq SaleemDisputes are logged partly in the helpdesk and partly by credit control in a spreadsheet, which gets passed around by email. I'd love to retire the spreadsheet, but I don't know yet whether it holds anything the helpdesk doesn't.
- Deepa ChauhanIt does, I'm afraid. Credit control add notes after phone calls. It's the notes that matter. We'd need to talk about how those get captured properly.
- Laura PenhaligonThen that's a good discussion for phase two, with someone from credit control present. I don't want to decide that for you today. Could you ask one of them to join the next call?
- Deepa ChauhanYes, I'll ask. They'll be glad to be asked, to be honest. They usually hear about these things afterwards.
- Laura PenhaligonThen let's make sure they don't this time. Right. I think we've covered what we need. Is there anything either of you is worried about that we haven't said?
- Tariq SaleemOnly that I'd rather we were slow and right than quick and wrong on the matching. I'd rather say it now than have it turn into pressure later.
- Deepa ChauhanAnd I'd back that. We're asking a lot of branch managers to trust a new view of their accounts. If the first thing they see is a wrong match, they'll stop looking. So yes, slow and right.
- Laura PenhaligonNoted, and I agree with both of you. I'd rather show you a smaller number of accounts that are right than a long list you don't trust. We'll treat the first load as a test, and nobody has to rely on it until you're happy.
- Deepa ChauhanThank you. That's what I needed to hear.
- Laura PenhaligonShall we do the same time next week? That'd give Tariq time for the count and the role document, and I can have the revised plan with you before then.
- Tariq SaleemNext Tuesday works for me.
- Deepa ChauhanYes, fine. I'll ask credit control to join for the last part.
- Laura PenhaligonBrilliant. Thanks both, speak soon.
- Deepa ChauhanThanks, Laura. Bye for now.
- Tariq SaleemCheers, bye.
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