Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile

The next release will include a cloud based mobile CRM service called Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile. This will be a hosted (subscription based) mobile solution that is based on CWR Mobility (it actually is CWR Mobility, but it will be available directly from Microsoft as a Marketplace offering). The mobile clients and service will start at $30 per user, per month and supports the use of up to three devices per user. This is considerably less than $65 for the comparable offering from Salesforce. The supported devices are listed below:

For those that want – or need  – to run the mobile offering on-premise on their own servers, they will continue to purchase CWR Mobile CRM directly from a CWR partner under a perpetual license model. The mobile client and UI are identical to the hosed and on-premises solutions.

Browser Flexibility

In addition to mobile flexibility, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Q2 2012 service update provides the ability for end users to access the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Web Client across all modern Internet browsers on various platforms. This includes browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari running on PC, Apple Macintosh or iPad. This is a huge advancement, as the last few years have seen more enterprises becoming client platform agnostic.

Enhanced Social Experiences

This update adds even more social capabilities to the very popular micro-blogging Activity Feeds feature that was introduced last fall. Activity Feeds feature updates in this release:

• Ability to “Like” and “Unlike” Activity Feed posts.
• Improved filtering capabilities, including the ability to filter @names in a timeline.
• Improved following capabilities. You will now be able to filter based on CRM views, meaning even if you don’t follow a particular opportunity or account, if an activity is triggered that would make it visible in your personalized CRM view, then it will appear on your activity wall.
• Update to the Windows 7.5 Activity Feeds Mobile app.

Big News in Dynamics CRM Q2 2012 Update: Mobile iOS and Android Versions, Cross-browser Support, Social Upgrades is a post from: CRM Software Blog

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One of the welcome new features in CRM 2011 comes from the Data Import Wizard.  The new wizard can help you cut out wasted hours of tedious work prepping to import data into CRM and allow to you complete data importing on your own time, rather than needing consulting help.

The initial phases of the Data Import Wizard appear to be very similar to prior versions, as choosing your data source and data settings hasn’t changed much.  As you move through the wizard, you’ll see two key changes that will take a lot of frustration out of data imports – Data Mapping Identification and Field Mapping.

1. The first area you will notice a difference is when you select a data map.  Along with pre-built data maps created by the organization, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 now features data maps that will assist imports coming from other CRM products (Salesforce and Business Contact Manager).  Once you have selected a data map, your source and destination fields will automatically match up.   If you’re importing other information that is not from one of these products, choosing Default will allow you to do the mapping yourself.
2. The second feature to help out with the import process is the new Map Fields section.  The changes here help you on multiple levels.  First, rather than being forced to determine CRM column heading names and modify your data source to use these proper column headings before starting the import wizard, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 allows you to do the mapping during the import process.  You simply pick the column from your data source and then match that up with a field on the CRM record.

A second change in the Field Mappings helps match up values in Option Sets.  If you are attempting to input information into an Option Set, the Wizard will read all the different options that you have listed and allow you to match them up with the Option Set choices.  This feature helps cut down on errors during the import and doesn’t force you to sift through every record to ensure the spelling is correct.  As with previous versions, CRM 2011 allows you to save this newly created custom mapping for future data import usage.

These changes may seem simple, but they represent the types of features that were added in CRM 2011 to make the product more user friendly and to allow every single user to be more productive through his/her own efforts.

If you have any questions about the new data import wizard, please give us a call.  As a Microsoft Dynamics CRM Certified Gold Partner we have helped over 100 customers successfully implement CRM and CRM enhancements for their organizations.   You can read about their CRM customer success stories on our website.

By Ledgeview Partners – Wisconsin based Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner serving the Midwest and Heartland regions

Data Importing Made Easy with Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a post from: CRM Software Blog

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According to Laurie McCabe the new Salesforce.com Winter 2012 release will introduce 150 new features, all of which will work together to paint a new social enterprise structure for businesses. With several new database components, the new Chatter social service, a data analysis tool, and ongoing app development for multiple platforms, Salesforce has been busy building its new technology through development and acquisition. But all of that, McCabe explained, adds up to a lot of separate components to buy.

Salesforce claims it will offer an “all-you-can-eat” social enterprise buffet, allowing businesses to get all of the components for one price. The catch is that they have yet to reveal what that price is and have said they will deal with it on a “case-by-case basis”.

If you’re like us, you aren’t exactly rolling in cash like many of the big enterprises that have been largely unaffected by the recession. You have a limited budget, and one of the most attractive features of the cloud is the transparency in pricing. No company wants to feel like they are being had by a salesperson. Cloud services are supposed to eliminate the complex licensing schemes, additional hardware costs, and costly upgrades that traditional vendors often still cling to so vehemently.

Perhaps that is why so many of us are turning to Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM online. Unlike the competition, Dynamics CRM Online and Office 365 provide a stable set of components that work just as well offline as they do online. Furthermore, the subscription pricing is published right on the Office 365 website for small, midsize, and enterprise businesses. Dynamics CRM Online pricing is boldly shown on the landing page for all to see. I don’t know about you, but up front pricing goes a lot farther than someone telling me they’ll consider it “case-by-case”.

Just some food for thought as you consider moving to the cloud. If you have questions about Dynamics CRM Online and Office 365, please call or email us today.

Donna Krizik / Crestwood Associates LLC, an Illinois Dynamics CRM Partner

Ph: 847-394-8820 x43 Email: dkrizik@crestwood.com

Salesforce.com Shows Signs of Outgrowing Small-to-Medium Businesses; Should You Opt for Microsoft Office 365 and Dynamics CRM Online? is a post from: CRM Software Blog

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Whether you are looking for on-demand or on-premise, both solutions cater to your needs. Depending on the goals of your business, you will have to choose one or the other, but for these products this will not be a key decision point.

In terms of features within the CRM software solutions, you will also find very little differences.  For example, you can track sales activities and history for specific accounts in both and keep track of your campaigns to analyze in the future.  You may be thinking to yourself, so how do I choose SugarCRM or Microsoft Dynamics CRM?

Well, since Microsoft Dynamics CRM is part of the Microsoft line of products, the dashboards and functions are similar to products within the Microsoft Office line. The familiarity allows users to adapt quicker than those opting for SugarCRM.  Just with that you will be decreasing time & money spent on training.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM also integrates smoothly with other Microsoft products allowing you to move between Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Office, and even your Microsoft ERP solution.

One feature that SugarCRM has over Dynamics CRM is the ability to purchase SugarCRM directly from their website without any implementation. While you do gain instant results from this, all training and customization (if possible) then becomes your responsibility. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is sold, implemented, supported, and customized by Microsoft partners, like MIG.

Learn more about the various Microsoft CRM features available to your business! Make sure your Marketing, Sales, and Customer Service departments are working together to help grow your business.

MIG & Co. – MIG is a Professional Consulting Firm that specializes in the implementation of business management software solutions including Customer Relationship Management. We automate business processes to ensure our customers work efficiently. A New York City based Microsoft Dynamics Gold Partner, primarily serving New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

by MIG & Co., New York Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner

Microsoft Dynamics CRM vs. SugarCRM: How To Know Which Option is Best for You? is a post from: CRM Software Blog

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 Benefits for Company and Management

Above and beyond the product’s features and benefits, companies can take advantage of a well-designed CRM software deployment for:

• Quicker response for new leads, call scheduling, appointments and forecasting
• Automation of repeatable tasks, such as assignment of leads based on specific criteria, for improved productivity
• Better managed sales opportunities for increased revenue
• Improved sales effectiveness through best practices and standardized processes

 In addition to the company-wide benefits described above, the management team will be able to:

• Use real-time data to make better business decisions
• Produce more accurate sales forecasts by time period
• Use standardized processes and templates for improved training
• Help foster better communications between and among sales team members

 Confusion over the “Big Boys”

When searching for the CRM solution that best fits your organization, you may become frustrated when evaluating which product best addresses your requirements. The two leading CRM vendors are Microsoft and Salesforce.com.  To help
prospective buyers determine the difference in the offerings, Microsoft upped the ante by posting an open letter to Salesforce.com customers. The letter posed the the following questions and comments:

In this economy, how can you justify paying two to three times more than you need to for an enterprise CRM system?*

• Microsoft provides a financially backed 99.9 percent uptime commitment for every Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online customer; why does Salesforce.com only provide you with “commercially reasonable efforts” to keep your business running?
• Having access to the most up-to-date information is critical to your business; why doesn’t Salesforce.com provide real-time access to data and dashboards, refreshed whenever you need it like Microsoft does?
• Microsoft works great with Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Office; why does Salesforce.com want you to start from scratch when it comes to productivity tools for your people?
• Microsoft provides the flexibility for your CRM system to work with other systems, whether they run in the cloud or on-premises; why does Salesforce.com lock you into one way of doing things?

 * Comparison based on Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online v. Salesforce.com Enterprise Edition

 Choosing the Right Partner

 Make no mistake:  the CRM solutions available now offer tremendous benefits to organizations, particularly in the sales, marketing, and customer service areas. One of the most important elements when performing a CRM system search
is identifying and articulating your organization’s key requirements so you can ultimately make an educated decision.

 Partnering with an experienced, proven CRM provider will ensure a smart implementation designed for your specific needs. BroadPoint Technologies is the largest Microsoft Dynamics partner in the mid-Atlantic.  Contact us at (301) 634-2478 or skane@broadpoint.net to discuss your CRM requirements and schedule a complimentary consultation.

by BroadPoint Technologies, Virginia Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner

Dynamics CRM Fits the Bill for Productivity, Security, and Reliability is a post from: CRM Software Blog

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Every organization is different; however, lead growth, account acquisition and retention, salesperson productivity, and quota attainment are key growth metrics that can be applied to most sales organizations. It’s the ones that measure against these metrics that create the culture of a world-class sales organization.

Top 5 Sales Strategies for 2012

1) Increase your sales pipeline with qualified opportunities

2) Increase your net new customer adds

3) Cross sell and upsell into your existing customer base

4) Increase salesperson productivity

5) Establish infrastructure and a consistent sales cadence

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 helps create operational alignment of people, process and technology. Here are some ways you can accelerate your momentum in achieving your sales strategies for 2012.

Lead Management
Align the lead management module with your business definition of a qualified lead. This way only qualified leads are converted to sales opportunities. The lines between the definitions of a Lead vs. an Opportunity are often blurred and can be a common point of confusion. Create and reinforce consistency in your sales methodology across Leads and Opportunities – they are different.

Opportunity Management
Segment your pipeline between new and existing customers by tracking this attribute on each new opportunity. It’s a simple thing to do and will help you measure the ratio of ‘farmed’ vs. ‘hunted’ business. A growing organization will have a sales organization focused on net new customer adds.

Account Management
Create visibility into the products and services associated with your existing customers. Oftentimes we integrate Microsoft Dynamics CRM with an organization’s accounting system for this type of visibility. Cross-selling and up-selling into your existing customer base creates value for your customers and creates revenue opportunities often missed.

Salesperson Productivity
Reducing administrative tasks for a salesperson keeps them focused on selling. Administrative tasks are necessary for pipeline visibility and activity management but make sure it’s easy for them. We use workflows to automate administrative tasks, dashboards and reports for visibility and simple configurations to reinforce the organizations sales methodology. Reducing the number of clicks and eliminating the guesswork around sales process management creates a more productive sales force.

Dashboards and Reports
The enhanced dashboard capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 make reporting against your key metrics very easy. Also utilizing the goal management module in conjunction with dashboard charts give you visibility into how you are doing against goals at every level of the organization. Managing sales pipeline does not need to be difficult and the simpler the better.

AbleBridge has helped many sales organizations marry process with technology using Microsoft Dynamics CRM. We’re passionate about helping organizations simplify their sales operations and giving them the visibility they need to become top performing sales organizations.

Feel free to contact AbleBridge to learn more or request additional information.

Top 5 Sales Strategies for 2012. Accelerate Your Momentum with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is a post from: CRM Software Blog

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 How Do They Stack Up?

In order to get a clear picture of how these products (and companies)  stack up against each other, we need to make an apples-to-apples comparison.  By using the same criteria  as a basis for comparison, we can see how the products measure up.  Some of the most important factors to consider when reviewing these (or any other CRM solution) are:

• Ease of use
• Total costs (upfront AND recurring)
• Deployment options (cloud-based, on-premise or  both?)
• Accessibility (Microsoft Outlook, browser,  smartphone, tablet, etc.)
• User interface familiarity

 We’ve Done the Work for You

BroadPoint Technologies recently presented a webinar where we reviewed both of these great products and presented the business case for Microsoft  Dynamics CRM 2011.  The webinar, entitled  “Microsoft Dynamics CRM vs. Salesforce:  Tale of the Tape” discussed the pros and cons of the products and gave  you evaluation criteria to keep in mind when evaluating these two  solutions.  The webinar recording  is now available on the  BroadPoint web site for viewing on-demand.

 
Contact BroadPoint, the largest Dynamics CRM reseller in the mid-Atlantic, at (301) 634-2404 or skane@broadpoint.net for more  information on Dynamics CRM 2011 and how we can save you $150 per user if you  make the switch now!

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 vs. Salesforce.com: Let the Punches Fly is a post from: CRM Software Blog

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It all depends on your business and how you want to manage your data.

Salesforce.com:

1. Cloud-based application: Strictly on-demand CRM for their users.
2. Price per month: Salesforce’s prices are typically higher than Dynamics CRM. Additionally, any other functionality that your users may need will come with an extra fee.
3. Service Level Agreements: Salesforce does not offer SLA’s for their application.
4. Available storage: Salesforce offers license holders 1GB of storage, which does not allow users to store too much data. After they fill that space, users have to purchase extra storage at a much higher price.
5. Limited Integration: Salesforce offers integration with several products, but does not allow you to track a customer’s lifecycle from start to finish.

Dynamics CRM:

1. On-premise/On-demand: With Microsoft Dynamics CRM, you are offered both choices. You are not limited to using CRM as a cloud application. Depending on your business, you may want to have the option to choose between on-demand and on-premise.
2. One software package: With Dynamics CRM, all users are offered the same functionality. There are no features you need to pay an extra fee for.
3. Service Level Agreements: Dynamics CRM offers SLA’s to assure customers that they have someone to service their software in-case of any mishaps.
4. Available storage: with Dynamics CRM online, license holders are provided 5GB of storage.
5. Multiple Integration options: Dynamics CRM allows you to integrate with other systems such as your ERP in order to connect the various facets of a customer account. This enables you to manage your relationship with the customer more efficiently.

Still not sure about which CRM option is right for you? Contact MIG & Co. and we’ll show you the best fit for your organization.

MIG & Co. – MIG is a Professional Consulting Firm that specializes in the implementation of business management software solutions including Customer Relationship Management. We automate business processes to ensure our customers work efficiently. A New York City based Microsoft Dynamics Gold Partner, primarily serving New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

by MIG & Co., New York Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner

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Then there’s NetSuite, founded in 1998.  Hardly a new company.  NetSuite runs both CRM and ERP software in the cloud. 

So what’s the buzz all about?

Well, I‘m only guessing here, but somehow Software as a Service was kind of an esoteric name that few people fully understood.  And I’m not saying that people actually understand what the cloud means either, but it’s a name that generates an image.  It’s catchier.  It’s the opposite of terrestrial.  It means “up there somewhere,” or conversely, not down here, not in my office.

In some ways, as a Microsoft partner, we’re glad that Microsoft wasn’t the first to enter the race to the cloud.  Microsoft was able to learn from the experience of those who came before. 

Who doesn’t recognize the complete introductory sequence, narrated by William Shatner at the beginning of every episode of Star Trek:  “Space: The final frontier.  There are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.  Its five-year mission: To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.” 

That makes for great television, but not necessarily for a great business plan.  New technologies tend to be buggy and risky.  Of course, Microsoft has often been an innovator and a risk taker.  Being on the leading edge has been part of what makes Microsoft great.  Still, I for one am okay with Microsoft taking a more cautious approach to cloud-based software. 

Now that the cloud is well-established, the problems are better understood, the issues of uptime and security have been ironed out, now is a great time for Microsoft to offer its CRM and ERP product lines in the cloud.  And here at Altico, we’ve jumped on that now tried and true platform too. 

We invite you to read more about it on several key pages of our Web site:  Deployment Options, Microsoft Dynamics CRM in the Cloud, and Microsoft Dynamics GP in the Cloud. 

You can also follow us on Twitter @AlticoAdvisors.

By Dan Smith, Altico Advisors,Microsoft CRM partner serving Massachusetts (MA)

Cloud, Cloud, Cloud – Cloud CRM is NOT New – And How Does This Relate to Star Trek? is a post from: CRM Software Blog

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Forward looking benefits brokers are innovating by investing in technology and processes that allow them to better manage their client relationships and maintain a higher level of organization necessary to increase production, reduce administrative tasks, and streamline agency operations.

Powered by Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, AbleBridge provides an integrated agency management solution designed specifically for insurance agencies that broker employee benefits solutions, including group benefits, health, individual life, and financial services.

Here are a few benefits our customers have realized by adopting Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

Leverage the Power of the Platform

• Use Microsoft Dynamics CRM right within Microsoft Outlook
• Improve communication and collaboration through the tight integration with Microsoft Office and SharePoint.
• Provide a holistic view of each client to see past interactions and manage information in one familiar and intuitive system.
• Promote Outlook contacts and email messages to Microsoft Dynamics CRM with a few clicks
• Insurance specific workflows promote the behavior you want your producers to follow and eliminate time-consuming administrative tasks.

Robust Policy Management

• Quickly view policy information from a global or client perspective with intuitive drill-down capabilities.
• Effectively manage policy rates and carrier plan information;  easily copy policy and rate information from one year to the next.
• Capture insurance rate plan templates and contribution amounts across each client and policy coverage type

Streamline Client Interactions

• One-button export of carrier plans to Microsoft Excel for quick plan comparisons and RFP creation
• Complete view of Leads, Prospects, Clients, and Carriers including all future and past interactions across every agency touch point
• Effectively manage support cases by issue category, policy, client, carrier, producer, or contact for a real-time global view of all service issues.
• Gain visibility into client specific support so you can clearly quantify and articulate the value your agency provides for each client.
• Track and store electronic documents for consistent and logical record management and retrieval.

Improve Sales Effectiveness

• Identify new clients and up-sell, cross-sell value to existing clients
• Develop appropriate, targeted marketing campaigns to high-value clients
• Dashboards and on-demand reporting for agent and broker productivity, new business pipeline, customer loyalty and year-to-date commissions vs. expected sales goals

Commission Tracking

• Easily manage your incoming carrier commissions and outgoing producer commission payments in one system
• Manage commissions from a global perspective or drill down into the policy, carrier, or producer split details.
• Import monthly carrier statements for quick reconciliation of expected commission payments
• On-demand reports provide visibility into actual vs. expected commissions, producer commissions, commissions by carrier, or commissions by client

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is flexible, easy-to-use, and currently has over two million users adopting it as their CRM platform.  AbleBridge has leveraged this powerful platform to help many insurance brokers better manage the relationships, workflows and business needs most important for their insurance agency. 

Feel free to contact AbleBriddge to learn more or request additional information.

by AbleBridge, Massachusetts Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner

Employee Benefits Brokers are Innovating with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is a post from: CRM Software Blog

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