What is Dynamics 365 CRM? The Ultimate Overview

CRM: You have heard the term, but what does it mean? Dynamics 365 CRM is more than just a buzzword; it is the real deal. It’s not just about managing contacts; it’s about transforming your business. Think of it as your personal assistant obsessed with building relationships, closing deals, and delivering knockout customer experiences. Let’s dive in and learn how it knows your customers and your business inside out and can predict the future (well, kind of).

What is Dynamics 365 CRM?

Dynamics 365 CRM is software that helps you track your customers from the moment they show interest to the day they become loyal fans (or not). It’s a powerful tool that enables you to manage every customer interaction, from initial contact to long-term loyalty. Think of it as a central hub where all your customer information lives and is organized and accessible.

Why do you need Dynamics 365 CRM?

You are probably wondering why you need to contend with another software package. Well, imagine trying to run a marathon without a training plan. Dynamics 365 CRM is your training plan and an AI-powered assistant that helps you with the following:

• Know your customers: Who are they? What do they want? How can you make them happy?
• Sell more stuff: It’s a numbers game, and CRM helps you track your numbers.
• Manage sales pipelines: Visualize your sales process, identify bottlenecks, and close deals faster.
• Keep customers happy: Happy customers come back; it is that simple.
• Deliver exceptional service: Resolve customer issues quickly.
• Make data-driven decisions: Use customer insights to improve your business.
• Track customer interactions: Every touchpoint is recorded, from emails to phone calls.
• Make your team more efficient: Automate tasks for less paperwork and more time for actual work.

Key features

 A 360-degree customer view

Dynamics 365 CRM helps you know your customers inside and out. It gives you a complete picture of each customer, from their first contact to their latest purchase. You will know their likes, dislikes, and everything in between. This means more personalized experiences and happier customers.

Sales

CRM automates the sales process, from finding leads to closing deals. It helps you track opportunities, forecast sales, and focus on building stronger customer relationships. Sales Automation in Dynamics 365 CRM transforms your sales team into a high-performing, revenue-generating machine.

Customer Service

Deliver world-class support with Dynamics 365 CRM. Empower your support agents with a knowledge base, case management, and service-level agreements to exceed expectations. Quickly find information, solve problems on the first call, offer personalized service, track customer satisfaction, and turn complaints into compliments.

Marketing

Figure out what works and what doesn’t. Ignite your marketing campaigns with precision and impact. Dynamics 365 CRM helps you create targeted campaigns, track customer engagement, and measure ROI. It also helps you better understand your audience, personalize your messaging, and drive conversions.

Field Service

Schedule appointments easily, optimize routes, and track your technicians’ whereabouts. Ensure your team is always equipped with the correct information, parts, and tools. Deliver timely and efficient service that keeps your customers coming back for more. CRM covers everything from job scheduling to service history.

How much does Dynamics 365 CRM cost?

Determining the exact cost of Dynamics 365 CRM can be complex, as several factors influence it. Let’s break it down.

Core components and pricing

Dynamics 365 CRM is offered in a modular structure. This means you can choose the components that align with your business needs. Each module, such as Sales, Customer Service, or Marketing, has its own pricing. For instance, the Sales module might have different pricing tiers based on the number of users and its features.

Customization and Integration

The cost can escalate if your business requires custom features or integrations with existing systems. These customizations often involve additional development time and resources. While they can enhance the CRM’s functionality, they also contribute to the overall expense.

Deployment and support

Consider whether you will deploy the CRM on-premises or in the cloud. Cloud-based solutions typically have lower upfront costs but might incur ongoing subscription fees. Additionally, factor in the cost of implementation, training, and ongoing support.

Return on Investment (ROI)

While the initial investment might seem significant, it’s essential to consider the potential return on investment. Dynamics 365 CRM can streamline operations, increase sales, improve customer satisfaction, and make your business more efficient. These benefits can far outweigh the costs in the long run.

The following will help you determine a precise estimate:

• Assess your business needs: Determine which modules are essential for your operations.
• Consider customization requirements: Evaluate if you require tailored features.
• Explore deployment options: Weigh the pros and cons of cloud vs. on-premises.
• Request quotes from Microsoft partners: They can provide tailored pricing based on your needs.

Remember, the cost of Dynamics 365 CRM is an investment in your business’s future. By carefully considering your requirements and exploring various options, you can find a solution that fits your budget and delivers substantial value.

Deployment options: Cloud or On-Premise?

The decision to deploy Dynamics 365 CRM in the cloud or on-premises is crucial. Each option has its own advantages and considerations.

Cloud deployment

• Scalability: Easily adjust your CRM capacity to match your business growth.
• Accessibility: Access data and applications from anywhere with an internet connection.
• Lower upfront costs: Avoid significant hardware and software investments.
• Automatic updates: Benefit from regular updates and feature enhancements.
• Focus on core business: Let Microsoft manage the IT infrastructure.

On-premise deployment

• Complete control: Have full ownership of your data and system.
• Customization: Greater flexibility to tailor the CRM to your needs.
• Integration: Potentially easier integration with existing on-premises systems.
• Higher upfront costs: Requires significant hardware and software investments.
• Ongoing maintenance: Responsible for system updates and security.

The best choice depends on your organization’s needs, IT resources, and budget. The cloud is often the preferred option if you prioritize flexibility, cost-efficiency, and rapid deployment. However, that might be the better fit if you require complete control over your data and have the resources for on-premises management.

Ultimately, the goal is to select a deployment model that supports your business objectives and maximizes the value of Dynamics 365 CRM.

Dynamics 365 CRM Integration

The Microsoft platform offers a suite of tools that work together smoothly, making it easy to manage your business. Integrating with other Microsoft tools is one of the most significant benefits of being part of the Microsoft platform.

Benefits of Integration

• Import customer data from Dynamics 365 into Microsoft Word or Excel templates.
• Run live Excel analytics within Dynamics 365 or link data from Dynamics 365 to Excel spreadsheets that will update automatically and maintain Dynamics 365’s security permissions.
• Access anything you capture in OneNote directly from a Dynamics 365 customer record.
• View SharePoint calendars and documents directly from Dynamics 365.
• Empower your business’s Dynamics 365 users to share files and documents quickly through a Microsoft Teams integration. Additionally, Teams’ audio and video calls help keep your team connected.
• See your Microsoft 365 Groups calendars and documents in Dynamics 365 next to the relevant customer information.
• Integrate the CRM with other Dynamics 365 apps, including Marketing, Customer Service, and Field Service.

Outlook Integration

Dynamics 365 CRM integrates effortlessly with Outlook, allowing you to view customer information, sales activities, and opportunities directly within your email client. This integration means you can complete CRM tasks such as adding new leads, scheduling appointments, or tracking emails without leaving Outlook. This experience ensures that your workflow remains uninterrupted.

Enhanced productivity

The integration extends beyond just viewing information. You can perform various CRM tasks directly from Outlook, such as:

• Adding new leads.
• Scheduling tasks, appointments, or phone calls.
• Tracking emails to CRM records.

This functionality streamlines your daily operations, making managing customer relationships and sales activities easier.

Just as Dynamics 365 CRM integrates with Microsoft 365, it also integrates with all other Dynamics 365 applications, including Marketing, Customer Service, Field Service, and Business Central. This means you can pick and choose which applications your business will use. Updating your Microsoft license is simple if you ever want to add another Microsoft software solution. Furthermore, Microsoft takes responsibility for upgrading its software. If you’re working with a Microsoft-exclusive suite of programs, you don’t have to worry about managing integrations with third-party solutions.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Software Interface

Assistant: The assistant, known previously as “Relationship Assistant,” tracks your activities, opportunities, and messages. Based on this information, the assistant generates action cards that will appear on your dashboard and relevant records in Dynamics 365. It can alert you to upcoming meetings, remind you to follow up on an opportunity, or notify you of a customer question or request. In addition to alerts and reminders, it also connects to Outlook and can track email activity, such as opens, replies, attachment views, and link clicks, storing this data in Dynamics 365. Plus, it will suggest emails from your Outlook account that you may want to track in Dynamics 365.

Custom-built workflows: Dynamics 365 CRM offers flexibility to configure workflows to automate processes, such as sending emails, scheduling follow-up activities, and updating record statuses. However, Microsoft’s custom workflow builder (PowerAutomate) helps you create powerful and flexible workflows within the software and between the other applications you use. PowerAutomate syncs with Office 365, Dynamics 365, and other Microsoft products, which means it can handle several paperless tasks.

Microsoft ERP Solutions

Business Central is Microsoft’s cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution for managing finances, operations, and supply chain processes. It is an upgraded version of Dynamics NAV, Microsoft’s legacy ERP tool. Business Central includes new features like artificial intelligence (AI), customizable reports and dashboards, and machine learning-based forecasting. 

Companies often pair CRM and ERP software to synchronize data across systems. This automated flow saves teams time and helps businesses communicate across departments and office locations.

Microsoft Power Platform

Microsoft’s Power Platform helps teams build unique workflows, manage complex processes, and view data uniquely. When synced with Dynamics CRM, the Power Platform’s drag-and-drop interface opens new possibilities for using the software. Users can use Dynamics CRM to analyze data, create campaign triggers, and build apps for maximum efficiency. These Dynamics 365 features become even more robust with help from Power BI.

Microsoft Power Automate

Microsoft Power Automate is a cloud-based automation service that creates automated workflows between applications and services. It is part of the Microsoft Power Platform suite of products, which also includes Power BI and Power Apps.

Expand your CRM’s reach with third-party integrations

While Dynamics 365 CRM is a powerful tool, integrating it with other applications can supercharge its capabilities. Connecting your CRM to other software allows you to streamline workflows, access more data, and enhance overall productivity.

Popular integration options

• LinkedIn Sales Navigator: This powerful combination turns your CRM into a lead generation powerhouse. Search for potential customers, access detailed profiles, and build relationships directly within Dynamics 365.
• HubSpot Marketing Hub: If you need advanced marketing automation features, HubSpot is an excellent choice. Integrate it with Dynamics 365 for a seamless lead management and nurturing process.
• Mailchimp: Simplify email marketing by syncing your contact lists between Dynamics 365 and Mailchimp. Easily create and send targeted email campaigns.
• PandaDoc: Streamline the proposal and contract process by integrating with PandaDoc. Create, send, and track documents directly from your CRM.

Remember, these are just a few examples; the possibilities are vast. It is essential to evaluate your business needs and explore different integration options.

Partnering for success

Implementing and optimizing Dynamics 365 CRM often requires expert guidance. A Microsoft partner can provide valuable assistance throughout the process. Our team possesses in-depth platform knowledge and can tailor solutions to your requirements. By working with a trusted partner, you can ensure a smooth implementation, maximize the benefits of your CRM, and receive ongoing support.

Why LevelShift

Demand Dynamics is a certified Microsoft Solutions partner with seasoned expertise to simplify Dynamics 365 CRM implementations for exceptional customer-centric growth. We can help you maximize the benefits of this powerful platform while customizing and integrating it smoothly into your workflow.

• Smooth Implementation: Our streamlined process ensures a hassle-free transition to Dynamics 365 CRM.
• Integration with AI: Leverage the power of AI to enhance your CRM’s capabilities and drive better results.
• Customized Solutions: Your business is unique, and so are your requirements. We create tailored solutions that fit perfectly.
• Expert Guidance: Benefit from our team of certified consultants with years of experience.

We work on a no-subscription basis, where companies can utilize services on-demand. The key benefit of this model is that you only pay for what you use with zero commitments. With over 50 successful projects completed and a team of 40+ certified consultants boasting 70+ certifications, we’re your trusted partner for Dynamics 365 CRM. Let’s transform your business together.