Insider Tip: Microsoft Dynamics 365 is Not the Only CRM Option from Microsoft
Many people think that Microsoft Dynamics 365 is the only CRM option available from Microsoft. But I can let you in on a little insider’s secret.
Microsoft Power Apps and Power Automate are the building blocks or the “guts” of Microsoft Dynamics 365. This means we can use those tools to build an application that is a low-cost “mini” version of Microsoft Dynamics 365. In fact, we did, and it’s called CRMPlus365. It looks exactly the same as Dynamics 365 but doesn’t have all the stuff that most people don’t use anyway, like invoices and quotes and orders. It can track essential things like customers, contacts, opportunities and activities. Then you can get creative, and build as much additional functionality as you want. For example, a mobile app to track time. Or a secure web portal for customer access. And it’s more affordable too!
It is a slimmed down, highly customizable, affordable alternative to Microsoft Dynamics 365 that is still built on Microsoft technology.
If you don’t want to spend $95 per user (and that’s just the base price) for all of your people to use Dynamics 365, you can start as low as $39 and make the CRM system available to everyone.
Mind you, this is not a poor man’s CRM. CRMPlus365 is a Chevy. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a Cadillac. Our tool is a nice Chevy Cruze, and sometimes that is all you need. Then if your company and your budget grows you can easily upgrade to the Cadillac and move to the full Microsoft Dynamics 365 product. You are already using the same database, so it is not a difficult transition.
One small business that I worked with was only using Microsoft Dynamics 365 to track customers and phone calls. They were not using marketing, or quotes or case management. They just needed a place to “keep their stuff”. Yet they were spending over $1000 a month on licensing for ten users.
Now they can have just the system they need for around $300 a month for ten users.
If you are only using Microsoft Dynamics 365 for sales, there are other Microsoft options.
If you want to manage email marketing, a call center, and service cases you should probably use the full Microsoft Dynamics 365 product. However, nine out of ten clients I talk to only use Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales. For most of them, the full product is overkill. You end up paying for a lot of features you are not using. And a system that is too complicated causes frustration to your users.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is not the only CRM option from Microsoft.
If you are interested in learning more about an affordable Dynamics 365 alternative, built on the Microsoft Power Platform for small business users, let’s start the conversation.
Check the online calendar to schedule a strategy session. Or Contact P2 Automation at (860) 426-8029 or sales@p2automation.com.
