Microsoft Dynamics CRM* its a CRM package (Customer relationship management ) in MS Dynamics suite ( MS Dynamics is a combination of 4 Enterprise resource planning suites ) * Its a late entrant to the on-demand CRM software market, yet gathered more users than all other CRM vendors in recent years * Dynamics has 10% CRM market share and is continuously increasing user base * Dynamics CRM is offered as a server solution as well as SAAS (software as a service offer in cloud ) service * Microsoft Dynamics is offered as on premise hosted, Saas, partner hosted, however most of the Dynamics customers are running it as on premise on their own servers. Also its possible to host Dynamics CRM in virtual mode like Hyper V or other virtual servers. * In 2012 Dynamics CRM and Dynamics CRM Online has around 33,000 customers amounting to 1.5 million users * Better technology offering is going to come in Dynamics CRM related technologies since microsoft is investing a whopping 90% of its R&D budget of about 8.5 billion dollars to cloud R&D projects. Microsoft's Azure cloud operating system and cloud platform are highly scalable and highly promising on which the Microsoft Dynamics CRM SAaS is built upon. Microsoft is investing billions of dollars to make datacenters around the world which will give fast reponse time and will improve efficiency for its cloud platform. * Major competeters to MS Dynamics CRM are RightNow Technologies, Oracle CRM on Demand, SAP Sales On Demand, saleforce.com and open source initiated sugar CRM * Microsoft Dynamics is based on the xRM framework. xRM framework involves the server software, Dynmics SDK and SQL server. * But even with all these microsoft initiatives microsoft is lacking experience ( Dynamics CRM came 6 years ago while competitors like salesforce and Sugarcrm has more than 8 years experience), and is lagging behind competitors in CRM features offered but in recent future the scenario may change. Currently microsoft is lacking in features related with social CRM and mobile CRM due to its late and reluctant entrance to SAS market, also due to its technolgical inclination towards microsoft only technologies. * Dynamics offered direct mobile CRM is mostly limited to windows mobile platforms, strikingly less offered in IPhone, Android platform support, however third party support is available through microsoft partners like TenDigits, CWR Mobility and Resco which extend support to other platform smart phones. * Dynamics addons ie. Addons to extend Dynamics features are available freely from microsoft open source site codeplex for download * Dynamics CRM supports 42 regions and more than 40 languages for local support * Dynamics CRM supports only simple campaign management, for a full scale campaign management, third party lead management sytems like Eloqua or Pardot are required. * Microsoft Dynamics Updates -> Generally new Microsoft dynamics versions are released in every 2 years. * Dynamics is built with .NET Framework 4 and its possible to extend with microsoft Visual studio and other programming GUI with related technologies and services like SQL Server Reports, Reporting Services, Windows Workflow Foundation (WWF) and Windows Communication foundation (WCF), silverlight. Currently the graphical capability is heavily dependent on silverlight which requires a browser plugin and has certain issues with other browsers which may give way for more standard, popular technology like Html 5 which is gaining momentum as open presentation platform in future. * Dynamics CRM online is priced in a subscription model with per month charge of $44 per user, for online registered CRM partner offer for $19 is available. On premise Dynamics solution is offered in a license model where various choices are available depending on modules and number of users. While SAAS model is good for testing purposes & low investment Dynamics CRM adoption, the on-premise model may be viable from an enterprise point of view considering the monthly subscription model, however server maintainance, software updation, downtime, virus issues has to be self managed, also microsoft is pushing for CAL (client access licenses). Two On premise Server Editions are available for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 namely MICROSOFT DYNAMICS CRM WORKGROUP SERVER 2011, MICROSOFT DYNAMICS CRM SERVER 2011. Microsoft Dynamics CRM workgroup server 2011 is priced at $1500-$2200. Microsoft Dynamics CRM server 2011 is priced at $3100-$4400. For both server client access sercices are charged additionally depending on the client access type. Client Access Licences (CAL):$622 - $880, Limited CAL: $186 - $263, Employee Self Service CAL: $62 - $88 |
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