Dynamics CRM 2015 Update: Is It Right For You?

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Move over Salesforce, there’s a new Microsoft Dynamics CRM in town: bigger, bolder and uncut. This past spring, the vendor launched Dynamics CRM Online 2015 Update with updates targeting new forms of lead gen, accessibility and improved analytics; not to mention additional capabilities of integration with other forms of biz tech.

Users have come to expect great experiences and ease of use from CRM applications; and the Dynamics CRM revamp looks like a step in the right direction for Microsoft. Earlier this year we allured to new attributes of Dynamics released at Microsoft Convergence compared to the competition novice to experiencing first hand in a business capacity. But with its release finally in the hands of users, we’re inclined to share the richness of its functionality and the dimension of its tooling with those of you pondering if it’s a natural fit with your processes.

This launch includes a new mobility application (a traveler’s favorite), embedded OneNote and lead and opportunity generation from social posts. Add these with a touch of digital humanism and Microsoft Dynamics CRM 15 is a welcomed platform for social selling.

But one thing is evident, there is a shift occurring in the marketplace before our eyes. Businesses big and small are looking to web-based technology as a platforms to decrease overhead and improve revenue. Microsoft Dynamics CRM known for its on-premises solution, functions extremely well in the cloud and stacks up byte for byte against established CRMs in the SaaS segment.

With the right implementation, Dynamics CRM can perform – at a high level – front office functions most users have come to expect from business software. For example, manufacturers are developing a customer-centric campaigns from end to end of their businesses using their CRMs as communication tool to update customer on the status of their projects. As we’ll see later in this post, industrial companies have begun using Dynamics CRM functionality in the cloud to design service networks and maintenance contracts as a recurring source of revenue.

So what does that mean for you, who may be mulling between CRMs in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant?

You may want to integrate it with a third party ecommerce website, or other Microsoft applications such as SharePoint, Outlook or Office 365 which Dynamics does a seamless job of. Or, maybe the CMO insists on syncing customer data to a marketing tool and vice versa for something of real value in the short, mid and long term. Those luxuries all possible in the Dynamics CRM 2015 Update later in this text.

How to Leverage Dynamics CRM

Many small to medium businesses lack the sales bandwidth to connect with each and every “current” customer logged in a database (or worse, pegged to a spreadsheet) to have such an advantage. And sales leaders with this impasse are tentative teams will find when and where opportunities (and profits) exist to reach quotas, but are reluctant to remove them from a legacy process. It is why a breadth of industries are utilizing Dynamics to clean and consolidate this data into a single source of truth so profits aren’t lost in translation.

One of clients faced a similar dilemma until we had the opportunity to implement a SaaS version of Dynamics CRM in their business. We were able to design a road map that bent the system to leverage their data into something more meaningful. The business struggled to uncover the status of new and current leads. Account touches were at the stored in the salesforces heads and personal notes.

This left the company at a disadvantage because there was no indication those leads were nurtured through a visual pipeline or otherwise. What we were able to do is deliver the company a systematic set of standards using Microsoft Dynamics CRM to be the hub of accounts, contacts and leads that then automated engagement campaigns to those prospects. A custom dashboard was able to leverage scores of engagement and assign sales teams to the prospect automatically. Likewise, the company was able to improve their oversight of their sales team on the status of the account. And activities and notes thereafter remained in a single spot in Dynamics CRM – with the prospect. This way sales teams understood the purchasing stage of new and current leads and were able to personalize their message based on relevant information.

ROI

This leads us into how Dynamics CRM 2015 Update is equating ROI for its users. These updates are capturing value from a system where overhead resources fall short. Growing companies — driven by finite resources– understand the importance of sourcing Dynamics CRM 2015 implementation expertise. They understand it takes a detailed path less taken internally that defines how to attract those values and assist users acclimate to them.

Whether you employ a salesforce of two or two-hundred, selling bandwidth can always be compromised – especially when changes to a system means changes to processes. To increase user adoption, Dynamics CRM improved navigation and user interface options that includes new UI themes and faster navigation to records. Anchoring users to these narratives early in a Dynamics implementation or upgrade can mitigate the risk of organizational discomfort and unwillingness to adopt the systems put in place.

For the traveling bunch in your team, Microsoft Dynamics CRM now has a mobile application that can be accessed by both tablets and smart devices. The new mobile application comes with a native interface, which users like because it allows them to quickly navigate through app displays on the go. This can greatly decrease the time it takes for salesforces to place orders, provide quotes and expedite shipping. Also, if Dynamics CRM is integrated with other business software, such as an ERP, sales teams can check inventory levels in real time from a shop floor while with customers. Businesses see revenue sooner, own greater efficiency and decrease the chance for missed opportunities.

As we discussed to earlier in this post, manufacturers and other industrial businesses have uncovered a profound way to leverage Microsoft Dynamics CRM as a platform to decrease overhead costs, improve customer service and advance their position in the marketplace. With a Dynamics cloud approach, these companies have the opportunity to easily integrate the system with other advanced technology stacks, like social media, IoT and analytics. What we’re seeing is the integration of embedded sensors with the ERP and CRM to improve visibility into company and client assets. In fact, companies have found a way to develop a recurring source of revenue by monitoring sensors and selling service contracts to proactively maintain customer equipment in the field. Sales teams drive this service network through their ability to see this data in real time. In reality, it’s turning industrial businesses into technology companies – a real paradigm shift we’ll come to experience over the next decade.

Wrap Up

During your selection process, be sure to consider all the angles of your business (location of operations, client type and compliance items, etc.) to determine if Microsoft Dynamics CRM fits those needs. In many respects, Dynamics CRM is dominating the business software market. Yet, like every other technology is not a one-size fits all solution for every type of business.

Investing in infrastructure is a large decision that should be considered by many in an organization. One of the best ways to mitigate these risks is to invest in having an expert assist you during selection and implementation. Datix has helped hundreds of businesses successfully navigate these projects. Contact one of our experts today to learn more about how we can help.