How often do you feel that you have time to learn something new?
It is hard to juggle learning new things in addition to managing your current workload. Any Microsoft Partner that is worth their salt is going to be busy, right? Maintaining happy customers is a lot of work. Then you add all the new releases from Microsoft and it is a juggling act.
Our customers are juggling too. They are trying to understand the new features in the CRM system and still keep up with their day to day operations.
We know that if our CRM clients ask questions, our consultants need to already know the answers.
The Value of Internal Training for the Crowe CRM Team
As a best practice, Crowe’s CRM Practice invests time and resources in a structured “Learning Series” program specifically for our own internal team. The entire Crowe CRM Practice Team is involved; it is not optional.
Here’s our process:
- Each consultant on our Crowe CRM team is required to select a training topic. And with the release of Dynamics 365 there is no shortage of topics.
- The consultant, along with a co-presenter, spends up to a week digging in and researching the topic.
- Then this information is presented to the rest of the CRM consulting team through a webinar and PowerPoint deck.
- The webinar is recorded and added to our training library for an on-demand refresher or new hire training.
The is made up of both business and technical architects and the training topics cross all audiences.
Every presenter must answer these two questions:
1) How would I describe the topic or module in a simple way to a customer or prospect?
2) And what is the value to a customer or prospect?
With Microsoft’s rapid release schedule the list of topics is constantly being expanded. A few of the topics currently in our internal learning series are:
- CRM portal solutions
- Power BI & Dynamics CRM
- Field Services
- Connector for Flow, Logic Apps and Power Apps
- PowerApps & Mobile Design
- Azure Machine Learning / Cognitive Services
- New User Interface features
- Data Export Service - Azure SQL Server
- CRM Online - Bulk data loader
- Common Data Model
- Email Server Side Sync (exchange online and POP3/SMPT)
- CRM App for Outlook & Outlook Web Access (OWA)
- Excel Integration (analysis within CRM, mobile support)
- Editable CRM Grids
- Actions (Using within workflow/dialogs)
- Business Recommendations - Portable Business Logic
- Administration (Licensing levels)
- Relationship Insights
- New Search Capabilities
- Visual Process Designer
- Lead routing/scoring
- Inside View/Social Insights
- SMS & Email Marketing
We realize that this training program takes away from the time our consultants can spend working with customers. But we know that in the long run, our investment in internal training will make the time we spend with customers even more valuable.
Can you do the same in your own organization?
The Value of Your Own Internal Training Program
Microsoft Dynamics 365 customers can use this “Learning Series” method too. We encourage a “train the trainer” approach for new implementations. Why not have your CRM power user or administrator focus on the training topics your company needs, present it to the user base and record it? Then you can build up a training library that can be accessed by new employees or anyone who needs a refresher.
Why Choose Crowe Horwath for Your Dynamics 365 Needs
Dynamics 365 is focused on forward-thinking businesses. Microsoft is constantly releasing new CRM features. We need to learn these new features and functions just like anyone else but our customers are not paying our consultants to learn “on their dime”. Our investment in these Learning Series allows us to provide our customers with a faster return on their investment.
If you are interested in evaluating Microsoft Dynamics 365 contact us at 877-600-2253 or crminfo@crowehorwath.com.
By Ryan Plourde, Crowe Horwath, a Microsoft Dynamics CRM Gold Partner
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