Why Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Why Now?

Two recent interviews with our GM, Brad Wilson, have been published.

Key Quotes from Brad Wilson:

• "We put CRM right on the desktop, along with Office Most corporate users are comfortable with Office productivity tools, and so CRM becomes a natural extension of what they're already doing. It's not a major leap with a new application."
• "Businesses have an ongoing need to communicate with customers, to work from the sales process and provide great customer service. Those needs don't go away. I think CRM has had some high-profile missteps in the past, but now we have a great opportunity to make CRM much more usable, and useful."
• "I think the industry has recognized that CRM needs to be tailored to how companies actually work If you have an environment with high turnover, for example, you can't have a complicated tool because you don't have the training time."
• "What we're seeing is a great deal of customization on country and industry levels When Microsoft was developing its CRM, it made sure that it was built on a Web services architecture so that it can be easily adapted to specific local needs and requirements. We don't ship an out-of-the-box, property-management application, for instance, but those in real estate using the software can easily add apartment information without adding programming code."

CRMDaily.com: Interview: Microsoft CRM General Manager Brad Wilson

Key Quotes:

• We're focusing on reinventing CRM to be a more natural part of a company's activities and operations.
• Microsoft is particularly focused on this idea of giving users only as many features as they need. If you're an office manager, you might just want the calendar feature, but if you're the worldwide head of operations, you obviously need a much more complex application that includes campaign management and other features. Those two individuals do not need the same level of CRM, and they shouldn't have to try and change what they're doing to accommodate the application. The application should accommodate them.
• When Microsoft was developing its CRM, it made sure that it was built on a Web services architecture so that it can be easily adapted to specific local needs and requirements.
• When you go with a hosted option, it shouldn't the same as if you bought a piece of software. Charging for licensing doesn't seem in the spirit of software as a service. We want it to feel like a utility, where you buy it and pay per month, like you would for any other utility.