With December 2012 Service Update, new capabilities have been introduced in the sales and service applications to drive successful sales and customer service. The update also features a new user experience that represents a big departure from the traditional transactional CRM application. The new look is more process-centric and outcome-oriented, and focuses on outcomes rather than transactions. This has caused some confusion with current Microsoft CRM users. If you are one of those, there are a few things you should know:
1) Existing Microsoft CRM clients have the option of using the new user interface, or keeping the existing look and feel of Microsoft CRM 2011 for the next several months
2) The new look – while a drastic change from the old – requires far fewer clicks to complete tasks
3) You are going to like this new version. Really
If the new look and feel of Microsoft has you concerned, relax, you don’t have to use it right away. If you subscribed to Microsoft CRM Online before the rollout, you have the option of using the classic look for a while. This will give you time to adjust to the new look. But as noted above, you will like the new look and feel. The first thing users will notice is far fewer clicks to complete tasks. One of the biggest complaints about Microsoft CRM was that simple things like adding the notes from a phone conversation involved multiple steps such as creating a new task, opening new screen, enter new drop down fields, etc. Now all of that can be done on one screen with one click. There are many other examples of tasks that used to involve several steps that are now single click operations. There are also a slew of new features, such as the ability to quickly look at activities related to accounts.
If you are concerned or confused about the new look of Microsoft CRM Intellitec Solutions can help. Please visit our Microsoft CRM page at , or call us today at 866-504-4357 to find out how Microsoft CRM can help your business.
By Intellitec Solutions , a Delaware based Microsoft CRM Partner
No, I'm not going to like it, really. The new user interface is an abomination and if partners would be even the least bit objective and look out for customers instead of only being MS cheering boys, you'd acknowledge that. It's the equivalent of the Windows 8 disaster. On top of it, it's an embarrasing release of a half finished product. For crying out loud, with the new "interface" the user can no longer do the most BASIC thing, like adding an opportunity on the record.
Hi John,
Sorry you have had a bad experience with the December 2012 Update. The new look is a drastic change, and it is easy to get frustrated at first.
An opportunity CAN be added on a record exactly the way it was done in the past. On the left side of the screen there is a blue bar that says “Navigation”. Click that and you will see all the toolbars on the left side that you saw before, including a spot to add an opportunity. The only difference is that the Navigation bar is hidden at first - but nothing has been removed
Our company, Intellitec Solutions, has been in business since 1986. Far from being “cheering boys” for Microsoft, we are the first to tell people if a software is not the right fit – including Microsoft CRM. I invite you to learn about our organization and speak to our clients.