Microsoft launches the Customer Care Accelerator for Dynamics CRM

Ignify is a specialist in implementing Microsoft Dynamics CRM for contact centers and I am excited to see that Microsoft is releasing the customer care accelerator for Dynamics CRM in 2 weeks. The Customer Care Accelerator (CCA) rolls in the Customer care framework which allows you to integrate various applications into one single unified framework and view. The CCA using the Application Integration Framework (AIF) to enable these integrations. A new section in the Settings called called UII settings has features adding the applications. Both Hosted Applications and Non-Hosted applications can be added as well as workflows that can go cross-enterprise across these applications. Bing would be an example of a web hosted application that may be integrated while a customer portal may be an external hosted applications integrated in. A desktop pricing application may be a good example of non hosted application that is integrated in.

In addition, the CRM Customer care accelerator contains new functionality that will:

• Track agent activities within each customer session with agent auditing to track efficiency and adherence to best practices
• Provide visibility into agent activities using out of the box and custom reports
• Measure performance, identity bottlenecks and find ways to streamline service processes

The application can create composite views of the applications or have the different applications be in different tabs of the screen. The accelerator was demoed today at Microsoft Convergence by Reuben Krippner in the Dynamics CRM product group where Bing Maps, Search across different enterprise applications and a Core banking application were integrated into Dynamics CRM. . The accelerator includes sample codes, documentation on how to unify the different applications in your organization and is available free to all Dynamics CRM customers.

CCA provides out of the box CTI integration with the major soft and hard phone providers - many of which already have their native integration offerings to Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Also includes is integration to Bing Maps and the Office Communications server so agents can leverage an Expert on Call by opening a chat window and bring in the contextual information from the customer session into the assisted chat. The Dynamics CRM customer care accelerator also provides session management where an agent can 'park' a customer session and then come back to it.

Finally Microsoft will be providing training videos for installation and configuration of the product.

Sandeep Walia is the President & CEO of Ignify. Ignify is a technology provider of ERP, CRM, and eCommerce software solutions to businesses and public sector organizations. Ignify is a Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle Partner and ranked in the top 18 Microsoft Dynamics partners. Ignify has been included as the fastest growing business in North America for 3 years in a row by Deloitte, Inc Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine.