When do we recommend Microsoft Dynamics 365?
I don’t always recommend Microsoft Dynamics 365 but when I do it is often because the need is heavily sales focused. Of course, all companies survive because of sales. But there is a difference. Some companies are more focused on order management, event management, project management, service tickets, etc. Usually, we call this the “x” factor in XRM (anything relationship management) versus CRM (customer relationship management).
So if the primary users of your technology system are completely sales and marketing focused, I would suggest taking a look at Microsoft Dynamics 365. Often times most of what you’re looking for is built-in, out-of-the-box, and the rest is something we can configure towards your business. If you can afford the monthly fee from Microsoft, the labor side of the setup is usually lower. And your salespeople will be happy.
3 Reasons Salespeople Love Microsoft Dynamics 365
- Integration to Outlook – Salespeople live in Microsoft Outlook. With Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, you can automatically see and track contacts, emails and appointments in Outlook without switching over to the CRM system.
- Custom Views – Salespeople like to be able to slice and dice their data. They might decide they want to suddenly see a list of hot jobs coming up in August. With Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, it takes just a minute to create a query. They can also create their own dashboards, pie charts and graphs. It is a very self-service CRM system.
- Mobile Access – While away from the office you’ll have complete access to your customer information, contacts, opportunities, and everything else right from your iPhone or Android device.
3 Companies That Are a Fit for Microsoft Dynamics 365
We work with a company in the clinical trials space. They handle the sales process, which is very workflow-oriented, in Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. Then the record is pushed into Microsoft Project and the project team takes over. For them, Microsoft Dynamics is a great fit for the sales team.
Another company we work with sells measuring instruments. They have salespeople all over the country that work in territories. The sales team needs to track what was sold so that a year from now, they can try to upsell a maintenance plan or an upgrade. The salespeople love it because they can work in Outlook and on their phones. Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM handles commission tracking and territory boundaries. It can be connected to Microsoft Power BI to do customer mapping and route optimization. And let’s be honest, the salespeople like the sexy colors and charts and reports.
The size of a company does not determine if a company is a fit for Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. I am working with another company that has just one user of Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. She will probably never grow beyond one user. She wants to be able to modify part of the system on her own, and slice and dice the info any way she wants. And she will use the portal feature so that her subcontractors can securely access customer data. Microsoft Dynamics 365 includes a portal, so for $95 a month, she can have all the functionally she needs, and more.
When is a Company a Good Fit for Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM?
For each of those companies, they need technology to drive and manage their sales process. The sales team are the primary users, so I tend to lean toward Microsoft Dynamics 365 for these companies.
However, if your users are focused more on the X, meaning not just sales but everything else, we generally recommend P2xRM, a custom XRM system at an affordable cost. And if you like the look and feel of Dynamics 365 but are looking for more basic functionality, CRMPlus365 might be a better fit.
Read success stories of companies that we knew were not a fit for Microsoft Dynamics 365
P2 Automation can help you determine if your company is a fit for Microsoft Dynamics 365, let’s start the conversation. Contact P2 Automation at (860) 426-8029 or sales@p2automation.com.
By Steve Pestillo, P2 Automation
