The Advantages and Disadvantages of Microsoft Dynamics CRM

A data-driven software solution, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) improves how your business communicates and interacts with your customers. The software itself can help you track sale leads, maintain customer relationships, make informed marketing decisions, and deliver actionable data.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a multifaceted platform that allows you to store your customer’s data and increase productivity while managing your customer relationship all in one place. The program has been designed to allow other staff to take over the customer relationship if necessary and continue to maintain it.

If you’re interested in how Microsoft Dynamics CRM can improve your business’s Customer Relationship Management, check out these advantages and disadvantages of using the platform.

Advantages of Using Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Familiar user-experience and interface

If you are a frequent user of Microsoft products, you’ll find that Dynamics CRM has the same traditional look and feel. The platform itself has a clean, simple layout making it easy for less technology-savvy users to learn how to use the platform. The simplicity of the platform means that you can keep training requirements to a minimum.

Save costs on infrastructure

With Microsoft Dynamics CRM, there is no need to worry about purchasing additional hardware to use this platform. Microsoft will also maintain the platform on their end, meaning that you can spend more time collating meaningful data and using it to maintain your relationships with customers. Overall, investing in Dynamics CRM works out to be cheaper than investing in infrastructure for a CRM which would include the server, additional IT equipment and ongoing maintenance costs as well as updating the equipment every few years.

Universal access options 

If you plan on licencing multiple named users, you will see an added benefit allowing your employees to access any customer data they require universally. Employees can connect to CRM from any device provided they can log-in to their account. This will create further productivity as your employees can log their sales in real-time, follow up on any leads immediately and create additional opportunities.

Customisable templates to get you started

When you begin using the CRM platform, you can customise with templates that reflect how your business operates. You then also have further options to add in additional pages based on your business’s needs. The various structures include a customer portal, a customer self-service portal, an employee service portal, a community portal or a partnership portal. Depending on the template structure you choose, each will have its specific strengths that will help make your internal data flow quicker and become more reliable.

Disadvantages of Using Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Non-Microsoft users

If your business doesn’t primarily use Microsoft products to provide goods or services, you will potentially fall into some compatibility issues. This may result in your employees spending too much time inputting data.

If you don’t have an existing process in place

You may find using the platform a struggle if you don’t already have a sales process in place. If you are planning on using Dynamics CR, it’s vital to develop a procedure to capture customers data, potential leads and other critical sales information. The platform will work better in your favour if you have a pre-defined process in place that supports your customers which you can turn into actionable data.

If you would like to know more about how Microsoft Dynamics CRM can work for your business, we can provide you with a free demo and consultation.