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Microsoft Dynamics CRM v4.0 Launch in Dallas

The Dynamics CRM launch today started out with a professional speaker, with years of "CRM" background and experience. My jury was out with regards to if this approach would be what the audience was interested in, but what I found as an audience member is that Mr. Pepper (of Pepper and Rogers) really offered some great insight. I like the approach.

One of the key barriers that I often run into in the field is this whole concept that many business owners and team members do not necessarily understand how much they can really benefit from investing in the organization and further management of relationships. We all hear statements in this arena so often that we tend to develop a deaf ear.  For instance the term "Great Customer Service" is so over used that we rarely give the statement the time of day.

I was also surprised at this launch to see the starting slide actually portray a worry. Yes, the statement that the statistics are still showing CRM adoption failures in the marketplace across all available technologies and vendor products and Microsoft is acknowledging this. They  acknowledge, the vendor (Microsoft) has a commitment focused on impacting (reducing) this long existing statistic on failure rates for CRM Adoption.

How? What are they doing?

They are offering choice and options when it comes to how you input data, how you access data, how you see data (through Excel or reporting or portals) and the learning curve for end users who just want to get their job done.

In terms of the Launch. We are now in the middle of the demonstration and the presenter is extremely professional, but I have to state my number on complaint that has continued through the last numerous presentations (including Convergence). When showing the product the audience can not see the tiny type on the screens. SO if you are a presenter and you are going to demonstrate the product might I suggest you tap into the new VISTA features that include screen magnification :) Yes, I know I have old eyes - but I did an informal poll and the people around me agree!

Interesting Announcements

I am listening to one onf the keynotes here at Convergence and it is interesting to note that Microsoft is offering Keyword Integrated Marketing Services between Microsoft adCenter and Dynamics CRM. Makes sense and pretty cool.

Of note Microsoft adCenter populates search engines and manages advertising via the internet.

The webservice offers a ton of depth and functionality.

The Rand Group's Lunch and Learn Series

For those of you who are in Texas (or who are visiting) take a look at The Rand Group's new Lunch and Learn Series. The series has a keystone product of Dynamics CRM but is focused on Business.  There is limited space available so if any of the subjects are of interest register soon by dropping us an e-mail.

Tuesday        March 4 - Houston

Wednesday   March 5 - Austin

People, Process, Technology: Getting the Right Mix

Presenter: Anne Stanton, Director CRM Practice

Keystone Product: Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Tuesday        5-6-08 Houston

Wednesday   5-7-08 Austin  ------------------------ The Authenticity of Relationships

Speaker: Kenan Doyle Branam (Tentative)

Tuesday        8-5-08 Houston

Wednesday   8-6-08 Austin ---------------------------Sales Process Designing

Speaker: Jack Warenthien (Tentative)

Tuesday        10-7-08 Houston

Wednesday   10-8-08 Austin --------------------------Social Networking: Technologies Impact

Speaker: Anne Stanton, Director CRM Practice

1st Edition of CRM Lady News - Jan 2008

Subject: CRMLady News - Jan 2008  <> <> <> <> <> <> The Fear of Change The fear of change is so significant that it can bring the best and the brightest staff members to a stand still. It can turn a minor process into a major project. It can create subtle leaks in moral and "staff rivalry" battles that are distracting and pesky. Within your company do you know how change, as a driving force, gets throttled? New to the Market is a little book that can be read in 30 minutes. It is a light read, crafted around a story. Our Iceberg is Melting by John Kotter is well worth the investment in time! <> <> Quick Links More About TRG The CRM Lady's Blog Anne's Everything else Blog CRMLady News January 2008   Issue: 1 Over the last few months I have met wonderful people in Texas and I have reconnected with others around the world who I originally met through various e-mail, events and travels.  This e-Newsletters is the first of many value add and reach outs for us to share great knowledge and to stay in touch. What is Relationship Management  It doesn't require a computer or technology! What it does require is a person or people who find value in knowing other people. There are those that are experts at knowing and remembering details on everyone and  others who prefer to have a little book, a computer or a PDA to keep track. Relationship Management is not an ugly "sales" word (although it can be to some) it is simply a set of two words that defines how we organize the information we know about each other. <> <> On The Road Convergence Orlando - March  10-14th <> <> <> <> Are you Ready to Do More? If your firm would like to centralize and organize contacts, clients, vendors, suppliers, customers and more using Outlook, Microsoft Dynamics Customer Relationship Management software, and the Office Suite drop me a note. Sincerely, Anne Anne Stanton The Rand Group The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent my employer's view in anyway. All postings and code samples are provided 'AS IS' with no warranties, and confers no rights. - Anne Stanton © Copyright 2008 This email was sent to astanton@therandgroup.com, by astanton@therandgroup.com Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. The Rand Group | 6575 West Loop South | Suite 215 | Houston | TX | 77401

Looking for a Dynamics AddOn?

Robert Anderson has recently created a new website focused on all the great add-ons that you can mix with the Dynamics products. Do you have a favorite third party product that you want represented? Are you looking at adding a third party product to your base Dynamics product?

Check out the site at :  http://www.microsoftdynamicsaddons.com/ 

Robert notes "I am hoping it can assist the Dynamics community by having an online, searchable catalog of add-ons, complete with ratings and comments.  It’s only been up a month and already over 200 ISV’s have added their offerings! "

Big News at Sage Software

Should Microsoft Business Solutions be concerned, interested, worried, happy, not in the least bit surprised?

"Sage Group plc today said that its North American chief executive and chief financial officers have left the company. Sage CEO Ron Verni and CFO James Eckstaedt left following a board review of Sage's North American business" From yesterday’s press http://www.managingautomation.com/maonline/news/read/Sages_North_American_CEO_CFO_Exit_30660

What is even more of a factor is that these are not the only two executives that are no longer with Sage Software North America as of yesterday. Key often quoted senior executives including MacDonald and Foster are also no longer representing Sage Software North America. Talk about change, it will be interesting to see if these moves really bring about the desired changes.

Did the news hint at these changes at all?

Press from two days ago no less From October 10^th

From September 2007’s Economic Times press

Amazing what a couple of months can do as here is an article of information in CRN Magazine from May 2007 and no hint, not even a read between the lines.

 

Before I get back to the regularly scheduled program

I will get back to the regularly scheduled program (tips on microsoft dynamics crm) in a minute, but before I do that I thought this was not surprising, but interesting.

"--As CRM Slows, Salesforce.com Makes Platform Play Facing a saturating market for CRM on-demand, Salesforce.com wants to reinvent itself as a platform company, and thinks it has the technology to do it."

http://newsletter.varbusiness.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/eBC1c0M3A2c0Elw0FVyn0EH

I would also tend to argue with the statement "CRM is slowing".. I have yet to see a company really nail the total customer service/customer massaging/tracked and utilized full contact communication piece while also doing it really, really well.

This comes from a combination of the world still being in technology transition when it comes to the totally bundled does everything solutions and the general CRM vendor struggles with tying into the management thinking at client sites where process is ever changing due to the nature of business process maturity and fine tuning.

General CRM Software

Talking of look and feel of CRM applications. I have used a number of different customer relationship management software applications. It is one of my favorite categories of software.

I have seen applications that can do absolutely everything I can possibly think of and more and yet some of those have just not motivated me. Why?  because they look like they are written using the older tools. The data entry boxes are less graphical, they have built-in "codes" as opposed to easy to learn user language and they hint at proprietary code that is inflexible and won't interface.

As the world of applications converges is your software ready? 

Facebook

For the last few weeks I have been trying out Facebook. I tend to push myself to learn a new application every few weeks and this month it happens to be Facebook. Now I started facebook with business contacts (I know most people use it for social  networking, but I focused it on business) What is interesting is who has pro-actively found me in facebook and then what their facebook networks have contained. Some were definitely all business and have a number of business networks while others were mostly social. I even managed to learn a few new things about my family.

All and all I find facebook a really strange application. It forces me to think differently and definitely doesn't have that portal, one place for everything, feel to it. In fact I would dare to claim that it is not even intuitive.

Given it is designed for the younger generations I wonder if some of our frustrations with Microsoft Dynamics CRM is more human (old age) issues than application issues.

People want that one screen concept and yet rarely does the younger generation stay still long enough to look at one screen. Even without a desktop of monitors they have their cell phone, their iPod, an XBox 360, a playstation, a laptop and depending on how technical, they perhaps built a custom gaming machine in their spare time. For the younger generation who is less technical they could care less about building a machine (or security for that matter) They just want to do everything at once now.

So is it possible to combine the technology application offerings to meet the needs of the very old, the middle age and the next generation? or will the generation gap get in designers way?