Microsoft Dynamics CRM Release: Expect Mid-January
Microsoft Dynamics CRM users waiting for the next update to their CRM platform won’t have to wait much longer. The company recently announced that the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is tentatively set for a mid-January 2011 release.
This release will arrive in time to meet specific demands in the industry, according to Chad Hamblin, group product manager, Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Customers have a renewed focus on productivity, which is mainly a by-product of the economic downturn. Businesses are now focused on smarter, more efficient processes and CRM can serve as an instrumental tool to achieving the necessary productivity gains.
Companies are also recognizing that the customer experience is truly key to differentiating themselves from competitors. The advancements in technology and the increasingly social world make it difficult for companies to win simply on price, product or distribution as all of these things can easily be copied and imitated. The customer experience, however, is unique and CRM helps to create the ultimate customer experience.
CRM growth is also being driven by the renewed interest in the technology platform now that the recession appears to be in the rearview mirror. A number of companies put off CRM strategic investments in the economic downturn. Now, these companies are working to make up for lost time and scrambling to kick-start their strategic CRM projects. The arrival of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is timed just right to meet this growing demand.
Specific CRM trends are also emerging in the global space, six of which have caught the attention of Hamblin and the Microsoft team. These trends include a focus on the total cost of ownership; the emphasis on choice; growth in SaaS-based CRM solutions; a premium placed on analytics and data visualization; mobility; and the social platform. CRM solutions that can anticipate and embrace these trends are likely to dominate the market
[Photo courtesy of mobipicker.]
