Microsoft Ahead in Dynamic Customer Management

Microsoft Ahead of Competition in Dynamic Customer Relationship Management
Microsoft Dynamics Crm Leads the Way According to Gartner and Forrester Wave Research

Recent reports from both Forrester and Gartner reveal that Microsoft Dynamics CRM is ahead of the competition in customer relationship management (CRM) for mid- to large sized organisations.

Gartner’s latest Magic Quadrant for Sales Force Automation report positions Microsoft Dynamics CRM as the leader in the field, identifying factors such as its ability to integrate with other Microsoft products, its ability to create customised solutions using the xRM framework and Microsoft’s extensive partner network as key strengths.

The report evaluated 15 leading CRM suite solutions including Salesforce.com, Oracle Siebel and SAP CRM against a range of criteria, including product and service, sales execution, pricing, customer experience, operations, offering strategy, business model, innovation and geographic strategy.

The Gartner report follows on from the recent Forrester Wave report which also identified Dynamics CRM as the leader in CRM solutions and further cements its position in the category.

“It is an honour to be recognised as a leader in the CRM industry that is helping customers seize new opportunities and grow their businesses,” says Stewart Gibbs, Manager – Microsoft Dynamics for Microsoft New Zealand.

“We deliver innovation and value to companies in New Zealand and around the world by focusing on end-user productivity, business process flexibility and agility, and the ability of our customers to leverage cloud deployment models.”

Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a fully integrated CRM solution comprised of a robust suite of tools and capabilities which creates and maintains a clear picture of any business relationship, from first contact through to purchase, post-sales and service. With a raft of features and associated scalability, the software can be customised to fit any organisation – large or small.

“Our customers have reported a number of benefits from Dynamics CRM, such as having the ability to identify and retain their most profitable customers, and being able to better target and manage their growing customer and sales disciplines around sales, service and marketing, while benefiting from a custom line of business applications built on the CRM platform,” says Stewart.

Both Gartner and Forrester reports found companies are starting to invest again in their CRM capabilities, something that was on hold during the economic downturn.
Intergen works with a range of businesses and Microsoft’s Dynamics CRM has become a valuable tool in its CRM toolbox, offering clients performance and flexibility to better manage their customer interactions.

“CRM is one the fastest growing areas of our business. Customers are really starting to see how a CRM solution, both in its pure form but also in a tailored form, can help their businesses manage relationships of all types. The diverse application of Dynamics CRM is exciting to see – from organisations using the application to manage typical customer sales relationships through to managing training programmes for apprentices, and even managing the heritage and location of guide dogs. Things have certainly matured since the days of failed large scale CRM implementations. Now customers are seeing fast ROI and benefits realisation from a more agile platform. It’s great to see what can be achieved,” says Simon Bright, Intergen’s Chief Operating Officer.

As business consultants devoted to accelerating business growth and driving wealth creation in small and large businesses, The ICEHOUSE requires in-depth knowledge of all its customers. Microsoft Dynamics CRM has allowed the company to manage and track internal resources, and maintain high quality interactions with customers.

“Our old system was rigid and expensive to maintain, so we needed a new solution that was customisable and cost effective,” says Mariko King, The ICEHOUSE’s Office Manager. “The Microsoft Dynamics CRM has given us flexibility to better manage our data, and has helped reduce costs while improving efficiency and enhancing our customer relationships.”

Both reports also found that large and mid-sized organisations have many technology options to sift through – Microsoft Dynamics CRM was one of the solutions to receive high marks for ease of use and relatively fast deployment times. The Forrester report further states, “Microsoft owns a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, and buyers value the solution’s native integration with Outlook and being able to work within the familiar Microsoft technology stack. Buyers also like Microsoft Dynamics CRM’s usability, lower price and its quick time to value compared with traditional CRM applications.”

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 will be launched early next year as both an on-premise and online offering from Microsoft, meaning businesses will be able to access CRM through the cloud, giving customers even greater choice. Today, Microsoft is the only company that offers customers the power of choice, with their CRM product available on-premise, through partner hosting and online.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.

ENDS

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