When people talk about integrating data, too often they focus on the how rather than the what. They begin by thinking about how to connect system A to system B rather than what they want the integration to accomplish. Ultimately, integration is not about gluing together a variety of systems to produce information. It’s about unlocking enterprise data—wherever it resides—to identify and support business needs.

When it comes to transforming the front office, the principal business need is a 360-degree view of the customer. Data needs to be removed from silos and integrated so that the totality of customer information is easily available. But an average business transaction can easily cross dozens of different back-end systems, which leaves traditional custom-code and point-to-point integration approaches lacking.

The remedy is an application programming interface (API). APIs create reusable pieces of software—building blocks—that can be used for specific customer-focused tasks.

An API-led approach enables organizations to innovate rapidly without losing security or control of critical enterprise data. Rather than develop integrations in silos for each business unit, this approach allows IT departments to reuse connections across multiple projects.

This is the innovative thinking behind MuleSoft, the data integration capability that supports KPMG Engage on the Salesforce CRM platform. KPMG worked with MuleSoft to speed access to client data, respond quickly to change, and accelerate innovation across the enterprise.

MuleSoft helped us gain a better view of our clients by improving these key business development capabilities:

• Relationship management—Enabling transparency into “who knows who” and rewarding employees who contribute value to relationships, which are a core asset
• Account management—Driving adoption of leading account management practices so our account teams can expand our footprint and increase our share of wallet
• Campaign planning and execution—Responding to market signals by executing data-driven and targeted multichannel demand-generation campaigns
• Lead management—Leveraging market and relationship insight to identify, cultivate, and prioritize high-quality leads through broad engagement within our go-to-market channels
• Opportunity management—Improving win rates by embracing innovation, engagement, and management throughout the sales cycle
• Sales operations and management—Designing and implementing the policies required to enable leading sales-management practices

Because of this work, KPMG has been able to move forward in our digital transformation journey in these critical ways:

• Empower digital solutions and innovation—Deliver cloud-based solutions, advanced analytics, engagement delivery tools and accelerators, and enabling technology for new business models.
• Establish data as an asset—Drive the firm’s foundational, strategic, and proprietary data assets and associated governance.
• Enable our digital future—Develop and scale our strategy for cloud, intelligent automation, and low code/no code platforms.
• Propel the future of connected enterprise—Drive increased productivity, facilitate collaboration, ignite innovation, and support talent management while improving work-life balance and market leadership.

Thanks to MuleSoft, we have jump-started our operational efficiency, enhanced our revenue channels, and created differentiated customer experiences. By reimagining the way we go to market, we have improved client centricity and accelerated our growth—exactly what we wanted from our front office transformation.

Some or all of the services described herein may not be permissible for KPMG audit clients and their affiliates or related entities.