On-Premise vs. On-Demand

Although Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers a full range of deployment options including on-premise, partner-hosted, and a subscription based on-demand solution still the question - Which option is better for my organization? - comes up.

Richard Smith offers this useful perspective in a recent Network World article.

Thanks Richard!

PS - Microsoft just lengthened their 30 day online hosted trial of Microsoft Dynamics CRM to 60 days! Check it out here.

Anatomy Of Navint's CRM QuickStart Implementation

Despite what some might like you to believe, implementing any CRM solution requires far more than simply inserting the media into a ready hard drive and clicking through the installation wizard.

While there's no arguing that installation is a critical step in the overall implementation process, the success rate of such "spin-the-disk" implementations is another question.

Leveraging many years of CRM experience across multiple software platforms, clients, and industries Navint has perfected its CRM QuickStart offering.

Moreover, with Navint's QuickStart approach, we have answered our client's and prospect's main concern. That is, does an implementation alternative exist that will effectively accomodate a tight project budget while still addressing my organization's organizational, process and technology requirements? And the answer is, yes.

Navint’s proven CRM QuickStart methodology shortens the regular CRM implementation cycle by focusing on the most essential aspects of the implementation – application installation, setup, and training. Navint's low cost QuickStart approach guarantees immediate business value. A brief overview of Navint's CRM QuickStart Methodology follows.

Requirements Confirmation (1/2 day)

Identify Critical Success Factors
Confirm Technical and Functional Requirements
Gather Application Setup Requirements

Hardware & Software Installation (1/2 day)

Conduct Readiness Assessment Status
Purchase Necessary Hardware & Software
Install and Ready All Necessary Software & Hardware
Install All Required CRM Software
Test Hardware and Software

Application Setup (1.5 days)

Configure Users
Configure Application Settings
Perform System Modifications
Test Application
Execute Simple Data Migration

Training and Support (2.5 days)

Deliver User Training
Provide User Support & Guidance
Obtain Implementation Sign Off

Project Management (ongoing)

For more information regarding Navint Microsoft CRM offerings including our 40-Hour QuickStart implementation, please email us.

Navint Microsoft CRM Blog - Readers From Around The World

After reading a post on Sandor's Friendly CRMonster Blog about a month ago, I was inspired to use the same tool to find out who is reading the Navint CRM Blog. As you can see in the graphic, we've got an impressive list of readers from as far west as Honolulu and as far east as Christchurch. If you happen across this post and see a dot on the map attributed to YOU, please feel free to post a few words in the comments section and introduce yourself. Thanks for reading!

What financial benefits do you get from CRM?

How do you relate business results to your CRM system? By system, I mean everything related to your use of customer relationship management, including strategy, processes, people, and technology.

When you make a financial investment, you expect something in return. What financial return do you expect to get from your investment in CRM?

Do you expect to increase sales from new customers? From existing customers? Back-end sales? More transactions? Higher pricing? Referrals?

Now for the million dollar question: HOW?!? How EXACTLY does your CRM system help you achieve your goals?

It's great that you're collecting more and more data. It's great that you're using your website to capture leads and automatically send that data to your CRM database.

But SO WHAT? How does this help you increase sales and profits?

Are you managing your leads more effectively so that none fall through the cracks?

Are you getting a better conversion rate because your entire sales team is able to use the centralized customer and opportunity information to do a more thorough job during the sales process?

Are you building relationships with customers with some sort of drip marketing program enabled by the CRM technology?

Are you retaining customers by keeping them customers happy by responding to their requests for support faster, and resolving them faster?

Are you reducing variable costs because it is less expensive to win a sales opportunity using your CRM system?

Are you reducing fixed costs because it takes fewer resources to build profitable relationships with more leads and customers due to the automation tools?

How are you measuring all this stuff, anyway? How do you KNOW that you are obtaining the benefits as a result of your CRM system?

If you are considering a CRM system, or if you are using one now, then stop and examine the financial benefits you expect to receive, and be sure to tie the benefits DIRECTLY to specific aspects of the system.

If you don't even have any formally agreed upon expectations of financial benefits, then stop and figure out how to use CRM to get significant and measurable financial benefits.

You'll be glad you did.

Microsoft CRM Blog Directory

Our Dutch CRM friend Ronald Lemmen has created the definitive Microsoft CRM related Blog Directory.

For those of you who are as information-geekish as I am, then you'll love this list.

Thanks Ronald!

Assistive Technology and Microsoft CRM

In the last month Navint has begun to work more closely with an organization whose employee mix includes both visually impaired and blind people. Naturally, this organization's most critical requirement for a CRM solution is that it supports a variety of accessibility features. For example, can the application be fully navigated and/or accessed without a mouse? Does it work out of the box with third party screen reader applications like JAWS?

Despite Microsoft's massive investment in R&D which includes a substantial commitment to pre-built accessibility features and other assistive technologies that work with their products, the results in this area for the current version of Microsoft CRM are mixed.

On the one hand, through a combination of hotkeys and tabbing, Microsoft CRM 3.0 can be fully navigated and/or accessed without a mouse. On the other hand, Freedom Scientific - maker of the popular JAWS screen reader application - has confirmed that Microsoft CRM 3.0 does not contain the necessary scripts required for their screen reader to recognize on-screen Microsoft CRM content.

The good news is Microsoft's CRM product team is working diligently to further address these issues in Titan (Microsoft CRM 4.0) which is expected to be released sometime during Q4 2007. In fact, when we asked, this is what Microsoft said:

"We are making a significant investment in Accessibility
in Titan and have already addressed many of the issues [you have identified]. We
have been fortunate to have the invaluable help of a blind user who has been
testing out portions of the application using JAWS and a brail output device as
we work to improve it."

For more information about Microsoft's commitment to Accessibility and Assistive Technology visit here. And for specific information about how Microsoft CRM stacks against a general list of Accessibility and Assistive Technology requirements see this Voluntary Accessibility Template for Microsoft CRM.