Choosing Microsoft is the easy part.
Choosing the best technology partner to implement and support your CRM solution is a lot like choosing a good surgeon. They each have the same end game, but the approaches they take to get there can vary quite a bit.
With best practices established in every industry, one might think evaluating CRM implementation partners is relatively unimportant. Nothing could be further from the truth! Not all methods and services deliver the same levels of value and efficiency. Choosing wisely in this area can, and usually does, mean the difference between the success and failure of your solution. After all, you wouldn’t want just any doctor performing your open-heart surgery. You’d want a surgeon with plenty of good references, great success rates, and who will advise you on recovery well after your operation.
When choosing a Microsoft Partner for your Microsoft Dynamics CRM implementation, there are key elements that will lead your business to the best outcome. Consider these factors:
Partner Competency
Microsoft Partners are distinguished by their competency levels in the Microsoft Certification Program. Through this program, partners indicate their areas of focus and expertise with a competency logo that verifies that extensive certification requirements have been met for those areas.
When choosing a partner, make sure their competencies align with your needs. It’s important that your solution is a priority of their business.
Industry Experience
Having a partner with experience in your specific industry facilitates a successful, rapid implementation. With a preexisting understanding of your industry’s best practices, your partner can do a better job at suggesting relevant process improvements and additional solutions.
Service Offering
Does the menu of services offered by your partner fit the needs of your company? This is crucial in areas like post-implementation support. Most organizations require services in key areas like customization, training, user adoption and integration with other systems.
Client-Focused
Does your partner make it a priority to learn and thoroughly understand your business?
Translating business processes into effective workflows in CRM is a critical step in the implementation. Your partner cannot do this unless it takes the time and effort to understand the way your business works.
Involvement and Participation
Some partners actively participate in advising management, enhancing user adoption and training client employees. Others delegate those aspects to the client. Does your company have the resources to manage its own training and user adoption, or do you need a partner who can facilitate that for you?
Communication
As with any relationship, open communication is the key to success! Prompt responsiveness and transparency are important characteristics of a good implementation process. Communicating on a frequent, regular basis builds trust, maintains transparency, and fosters an overall healthy relationship both now and going forward.
ISV Relationships
Does your partner have good relationships with relevant Independent Software Vendors (ISVs)?
There is a vast network of ISVs established in the IT industry. These vendors develop and sell applications that integrate seamlessly with Microsoft Dynamics CRM to provide additional functionality that isn’t included out-of-the-box.
Microsoft Dynamics solutions are known to be the most ISV-friendly solutions in the market.
Choosing the partner that’s right for you is critical for the success of your Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution. Microsoft channel partners represent the last mile of implementation, customization and support when it comes to Microsoft Dynamics solutions. Having a strong network of partners allows Microsoft to focus on updating its products, while clients get the full, undivided attention of a partner with expertise that fits their needs.
Choose the partner that’s right for you, and everyone wins!
For a high level estimate of your investment in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, get a free
If you have additional questions or would like to learn more about what Microsoft Dynamics CRM can do for your business, contact us or give us a call:
By Turnkey Technologies, Inc. – Microsoft Gold Certified Dynamics CRM Partner of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Oklahoma.
