TIDBITS on Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v4.0 Rollup 4

Microsoft has released the latest update to Dynamics CRM and is proving their promise to stick to a regular schedule of updates as well as a regular schedule for major upgrades. Congratulations Dynamics CRM Dev Team!

Given that each update and upgrade comes with both risk and opportunity I was pleased to see a shift away from the silo mentality that has tripped Microsoft up in the past. "Silo" development is a big issue for  the Dynamics CRM product as the product works with so many other Microsoft products (Server, Exchange, Word, Excel, SharePoint, Outlook, and more)  

In additon to a shift away from "silo" many, many departments within Microsoft now depends on Microsoft Dynamics CRM as a core internal line of business application. My assumption is that this contributes to and does amazing things to the feature set, testing and over all quality control concept. It is one thing when strangers report a bugs and quite another when the person you sit next to at lunch rags on you developer to developer because you did something foolish.

As much as "eating your own dogfood" in beta and before releases can be an impact to internal production it also has huge benefits to a class of products. When it comes to "CRM" there is no other product that can cross over and meet so many different corporate and individual needs. If you then also tie in the XRM components the opportunities (and perhaps the issues) are endless.

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A Bit of News that came out of Convergence

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Latest numbers: 18,000+ customers, and 900,000+ users

 

Microsoft Business Solutions is in Fargo, ND

Mother Nature is showing her fury in Fargo, ND and causing many of the CRM community located at the Microsoft Business Systems campus much pain, headache and heart ache. My thoughts go out to all of those in both the CRM Community and the community surrounding the Red River! May your efforts not be well rewarded with sunshine and dry weather!

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year

It is January 2009 which marks a five year anniversary for me blogging - An interesting milestone to say the least.  What I can say is that the benefits have far outweighed the time invested and I plan to continue to focus on Dynamics CRM on this blog in 2009.

If you are doing a bit of beginning of the year thinking feel free to drop me a note with wish list content (CRM specific) or comments so that 2009 can be even better than prior years.

In the Press - thoughts on CRM

"Bringing Web 2.0 behind The Firewall" by Erika Morphy 

So many questions and yet convergence feels like an ocean wave hitting the sand. The sand represents an item that has existed since the dawn of time (sand or perhaps even the need for the tracking of relationships) and the wave a constant force for change (the forever changing demands of business).

Within the world of relationship management software the technology easily goes back 20 years or more and yet the products that we purchase continue to be a blank pallet of opportunity offering businesses the agility they really need from a line of business application. 

Microsoft Dynamics CRM is both a product, a culture and a development platform and with the right partner a business empowerment tool that often far exceeds expectations.

CRM Heats Up: Gartner Announces CRM Summit

A CRM application  can impacted the bottom line

A CRM application can totally change your choices when it comes to how you do business

Are you deep diving into CRM? Are you thinking about it? Are you using a tool that perhaps you want to do more with?

Are you thinking about that untapped pool of contacts, prospects, customers, account relationships that perhaps you could be finding more win/win business in?

Gartner CRM Summit Announced

The Gartner CRM Summit 2008 will be held Sept. 8-10 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, Washington, D.C. Aimed at customer relationship management professionals, the summit will focus on technology’s effects on the customer experience value of marketing, sales and customer service, while increasing profits and customer satisfaction, and lowering operating expenses.

The summit will offer attendees information and seminars on hot topics in the world of customer relationship management today, including:

• The creation and measurement of critical business processes in marketing, sales and service.
• Emerging capabilities and best practices in the contact center, field and e-commerce channels.
• The collection, management and use of customer data.
• The impact of on-demand and outsourcing on the provision of IT solutions.
• The disruptive innovations that enterprises need to start planning for now.

The CRM summit is an opportunity for discussion and networking opportunities with analysts and guest speakers, executives and leaders from technology providers in the CRM arena, and other CRM professionals.

In an industry with as much rapid growth and change as customer relationship management, the chance to share with and learn from other CRM professionals is valuable. Gartner, a provider of research and analysis on the IT industry, describes the event as offering “offers marketing, sales, and service decision makers independent; realistic understanding of how their business strategies will be influenced by, and can take advantage of, the evolution of IT.”

Keynotes and guest speakers include:

• Chip Conley, Founder, President and CEO, Joie de Vivre Hospitality: Peak - How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow
• Dan Gilbert, Harvard College Professor of Psychology at Harvard University: Stumbling on Happiness
• Ed Thompson, VP Distinguished Analyst, Gartner: Improving the Customer Experience
• 2008 Customer Awards & Users Choice Award Finalists Presentations

More topics include data integration and analysis, systems architecture and business process alignment, and vendor selection and negotiation strategies.

Blogging at WWPC

I am at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference. Most of my WWPC blogging will be done on my Executive Blogging Blog (also known as Intermingling Outlooks) except if the topic happens to be specific to Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference

The Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference is here in Houston July 7th - 10th!

I will be at a number of the sessions.

CRMLady eNewsletter - June 2008

Subject: CRMLady News - June 2008

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2008 Lunch and Learn Series August 5th Sales Process Design Professional Speaker: Jack Warkenthien October 7th Networking (human):  Technologies Impact Professional Speaker: Anne Stanton Have you Registered for August? CLICK To REGISTER  <> Calendar June 24: HIP Meeting Zenith InfoTech Dynamics CRM July 7-10: Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in Houston, TX <> Highlighted Posts Dynamics CRM and Snail Mail Justifying Marketing Efforts A variety of Anne's Articles on CRM Quick Links  The Rand Group, LLC CRM Lady Blog  Anne's Executive Blogging Blog Houston IT Professionals CRMLady News  June  2008                                              Issue: V Dear Anne, Microsoft is making it easy this year for me to give you all a gift on my birthday! If you are reading this before June 25th then you still have a 24-48 hour chance to place an order for Microsoft Open Value  software at year end special rates! Microsoft's year end is June and  year end means deals. In addition to ordering software at reduced rates, you can also get service dollars from the BigEasy Offer! The BigEasy applies to all sofware purchased from Jan 1,2008 - June so make sure to check out the calculator if this applies to you. http://www.microsoftincentives.com/bigeasy/ Have you considered ordering or upgrading some of your current software  licenses? Perhaps Microsoft  SQL, Visual Studio, Dynamics CRM, SharePoint (WSS/MOSS), Core Office, MS Visio, MS Project,  Microsoft Exchange 2007, PerformancePoint Server or any of the long list of choices. To discuss give us a call at  713-850-0747. In edition to year end, Microsoft Partners from around the world are getting ready to visit Houston for the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference July 7 - 11th. What does a conference such as WWPC offer to clients either directly or indirectly? 1.  When it comes to offering clients an extra edge, relationships and depth of contacts makes a difference.  Partners attending WWPC have a huge opportunity to meet face to face  with key people who can and do make a difference in the design of the products we all love, in the support of these products and ultimately in the success of these products in the market. 2. Given the size of WWPC (~10000 partners) Microsoft brings in some incredible speakers.  The sessions at WWPC include some of the best business training in the world. Knowledge Sharing  and Business Training are extensive at WWPC.  3. In this busy world rarely do we have time to get quality face time with peers. WWPC offers a chance to catchup with peers and competitors.  There is an interesting balance in the market with it comes to competition and taking time to nurture this balance makes a difference.   Ultimately competition creates better service, and more attention to detail. The Rand Group, LLC also has a few key events coming up. There is a wonderful opportunity on August 5th to join The Rand Group in discussing  the Sales Process. If this subject is of interest, you definitely don't want to miss our guest speaker, Jack Warkenthien.  Space is limited, register soon so you don't miss out. I look forward to seeing you in Houston!  Sincerely, Anne Stanton Anne Stanton, Director The Rand Group, LLC The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions. All postings and code samples are provided 'AS IS' with no warranties, and confers no rights. - Anne Stanton © Copyright 2008