CRM UK - the official blog of the CRM specialists at TSG

Microsoft Dynamics NAV Offer: It’s (nearly) Over, and it’s been a Great Success!

There just a couple of hours left until our offer to UK businesses to buy three user licenses of the powerful business management software suite Microsoft Dynamics NAV for just £1, expires. The deadline is 5 pm today (23rd December 2010).

Delivered in association with Microsoft, this is probably one of the most successful promotions we’ve ever run at Concentrix. And thanks to its success, we’re now working with a number of new businesses, and if you’re one of the new businesses we’re working with, once again “welcome on board”. One of the key aims of this promotion was to help businesses that hadn’t used the product before to get started with Microsoft Dynamics NAV and find out what a great ERP solution it is.

So why was this offer so successful? Firstly, it was deliberately timed to coincide with the release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2. This was a major software enhancement. The offer also included heavily discounted implementation, deployment and support packages. But above all, we believe its success was because Microsoft Dynamics NAV is excellent accounts and ERP software and three licenses for just a pound is simply an amazing offer!

If you’ve missed the offer, unfortunately we don’t have anything similar planned for the near future. However, we do have an exciting new development: we’re now providing an SaaS or cloud version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV. We’ve already had clients and potential clients show interest in this.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV Online or ‘in the cloud’ is a good choice if your business strategy is to make your ERP solution an operational cost, rather than a capital expenditure. It also needs less in the way of hardware and IT staff and resources, and effectively outsourcing the management of your infrastructure can provide significant benefits to many organizations. Microsoft Dynamics NAV in the cloud also offers straightforward deployment, guaranteed service level agreements and high levels of security, data protection and back-up (better than many on-premise deployments).

Microsoft Dynamics NAV isn’t the only ERP solution Concentrix provides, and one of our most popular is the Sage 200 suite. However the most suitable choice of ERP software, whether it is cloud-based, on-premise, Microsoft, Sage or other solution, depends on your business requirements. So for advice, information or an informal chat about the most suitable ERP solution for your organization, please contact Concentrix.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online is due for release in January 2011 and can be implemented and up and running quickly. What’s more, because it’s an online deployment there will be minimal additional hardware required. This makes the extremely popular Microsoft solution available to businesses of all sizes. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Is currently available at an introductory offer price of £22.50 per month.

The solution will deliver a number of benefits to organisations as it is:

» Familiar – this is because of the outlook navigation, web client experience, auditing, field level security, export for excel. The benefits of the familiarity include: streamlined experience for users to reduce training costs and ensures compliance requirements can be met

» Intelligent – Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online will provide dashboards. These make information easy to find. What’s more, the dashboards can be role based and this means that user efficiency will be improved as any distractions will be removed. The dashboards will show the information which users need to see and hide the information which they don’t.  The powerful visualisations of information means decisions can be made instantaneously.

» Connected – Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online integrates with SharePoint and Microsoft Dynamics NAV out of the box. This means that the investment in Microsoft solutions can be maximised as all solutions integrate. It will also be possible to track all interactions with customers to ensure there is a 360 degree view of customers.

All of this means that Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online will deliver rapid ROI.

It’s all very well in you reading about how fantastic Microsoft Dynamics CRM is, but the only way you will really be able to see the  benefits of the solution is to trial it. Concentrix can now provide a free trial of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. All you need to do to get up and running is to contact Concentrix. We will then be able to give you a quick demonstration of the software at which point you will be able to decide if you want to trial it and how long for.

Once you're ready to start your free trial of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Online, we'll provide you with a URL and details of how to access the application, and away you go!

Why choose Microsoft Dynamics CRM Rather than SalesForce?

If you are thinking of implementing a Customer Relationship Management solution as SaaS, you may well have considered SalesForce. However as an independent CRM specialist, here are five reasons why we believe Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online is better.

Familiar user interface – User uptake is one of the key reasons why so many CRM projects fail. However, many businesses use Microsoft Office on a daily basis and as a result there is often rapid user uptake of the solution.

Integration with Outlook – Microsoft Dynamics CRM seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Outlook

Data is in real time – Enabling you to make business critical decisions straight from your CRM solution. However with SalesForce there can be a delay of up to 60 minutes

Choice of deployment methods – Microsoft Dynamics is available either as an On-Premise or Hosted solution, however no matter which one you choose, if you then decide you would prefer to have a different alternative the hosting platform can be altered – literally in the switch of a button

Ease of customisation and configuration – Microsoft Dynamics was designed to enable customers and business partners alike to customise and configure the solution

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online is due for release in January 2011 and is packed with new features which will significantly enhance functionality.  The launch price is £22.50 per month and this is significantly less than the SalesForce alternative. Concentrix is an independent business solutions specialist based in the midlands. Concentrix has an excellent working relationship with Microsoft and is a Microsoft Gold Partner.

For more information about Microsoft Dynamics CRM or to arrange a FREE demonstration, contact Concentrix on 01509 410500 or email [email protected]

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 2011

The latest cloud-based version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM – Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 2011 is scheduled for release in January 2011. But what new features does the latest version have, and will they add any value?

New Features of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online

Code in the Cloud –With Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 2011 version you can fully customise and integrate the solution – unlike the hosted version.

Dashboards – Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 2011 provides users with dashboards which can be role tailored, this means that icons which users don’t use are hidden and those which they do use are highlighted. You can also create individually tailored and fully contextual dashboards and this means that they have the ability to provide an overview of the whole business.

Enhanced Familiarity - One of the key benefits of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is its familiarity. With Microsoft Solutions there is often higher user uptake because the software looks so familiar for users, and the latest version takes this further.

Role Tailored Client – This is something Microsoft included in its Microsoft Dynamics NAV tool. Essentially the role tailored client removes 90% of the applications which users don’t need, eliminating distractions and therefore improving productivity. At the same time the Role Tailored Functionality highlights the features which users do need. Therefore enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation.

SharePoint Integration - Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 has out of the box integration with SharePoint, making it even easier to share information with employees and customers alike.

So we’re sure that the new features of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 2011 will add real benefits to businesses.

Why choose Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online?

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 2011 is ideal for small to medium sized organisations looking to implement a CRM solution. And also for larger organisations just beginning a CRM project. The Online platform will provide companies with all the benefits of CRM in terms of enhanced efficiency and effectiveness for £22.50 per month. With the Online solution you are unlikely to need to purchase any additional hardware as the software will not be stored on your server.

Whether you choose Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online or the On-Premise version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, it is important to remember that if you change your mind and would prefer the other hosting alternative, this can be done, literally in the switch of a button.

Concentrix provides both Microsoft Dynamics CRM as an Online and On-Premise solution and Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Concentrix is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and we’re looking forward to the launch of this exciting new product.

For more information about Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, or to arrange a FREE demonstration, contact Concentrix on 01509 410500.

Concentrix BizNetix – Providing benefits across all areas of business!

Traditionally intranets were associated with larger organisations, purely because of the cost associated with them. However, Concentrix has recently launched BizNetix - the SharePoint based intranet. BizNetix makes intranets accessible to organisations of all sizes as it can be customised and implemented for less than £10k. What’s more for any business which has purchased a new server since 2003, it’s possible that you may already have a SharePoint Licence – further reducing the cost!

Microsoft’s SharePoint provides organisations with a vast amount of flexibility and functionality – but the majority of organisations don’t use it and the this is for one simple reason - they don’t know where to start! However, BizNetix provides organisations with a simple way to get up and running with SharePoint and because it can be implemented quickly you will soon begin to feel the benefits which it can deliver! 

Benefits which SharePoint will deliver across your business include:

- Provides a familiar user interface which simplifies how users communicate with each other

- Boosts employee productivity and therefore efficiency and effectiveness as everyday activities are simplified by workflows

- Helps reduce litigation risk by specifying security settings

- Streamlines business processes.

- However there are also benefits which are specific to individual departments.

- Benefits for HR Managers include:

- Expenses approval

- Appraisal Management

- Training & Compliance

- Health & Safety certification

- Holiday Management

Benefits for IT Managers include:

- Enhanced Project and Knowledge Management

- Call Logging Functionality

- Assistance with Asset Registering

- It enables you to save disk space

Benefits for Marketing Managers include:

- Provides a central location to store all marketing collateral

- Streamlines internal processes

- Can link directly to social networking applications such as Twitter and company blogs

- Eliminates silos of information as announcements can be make for the whole organisation to see

- Ensures consistency across all departments as branding guidelines can be uploaded for the whole organisation to access

BizNetix is extremely easy to use and because you can design the navigation so that it matches that of your website there is likely to be a rapid user uptake.  What’s more users will not require a significant amount of training to get up and running. However Concentrix can provide ongoing training and support if it is required!

For more information about Concentrix BizNetix or to arrange a FREE demonstration, contact Concentrix on 01509 410500 or email [email protected]