Microsoft might be busy explaining to the world how they are helping Christmas tree vendors sell more trees using Dynamics CRM, but here at Conspicuous, we’re eagerly looking ahead to 2016 to see where Dynamics CRM and ERP solutions might be heading.
Of course, most of the job has been done for us. There have been plenty of fantastic reveals this year that produce a picture of a Microsoft Dynamics suite that is geared towards customer UX, UI and scalability. All we really need to do is piece together the year’s big stories and we’ll have a pretty accurate vision of how 2016 is going to pan out. Here goes nothing.
CRM 2016 in a Nutshell
In our recent post about Convergence 2015 in Barcelona, we explored the features in the new Dynamics CRM. Of course, it’s packed to the brim with new additions that make it the perfect realisation of Satya Nadella’s vision for the ‘mobile-first, cloud-first’ future that the organisation has strived towards.
Some of those features include Azure-powered CRM with integrated Machine Learning, ensuring relevant contacts and leads are always within easy reach, regardless of where you are. CRM 2016 will also be pulled into Windows 10’s Cortana to produce results without even needing to launch the application.
All of this drives efficiency, better collaboration and better relationship building – attributes highly sought after by businesses and sales people of all size and verticals.
Of course, rather than us just tell you about Dynamics CRM again, why don’t you take a look at this handy summative video:
With an initial global release of December 1st, it’s been great to see Microsoft roll out their premium CRM to the whole world without much of a problem. We suspect that 2016 will now see a steady roll out of patches that make the user experience smoother, removes glitches and improves functionality. Instead of waiting for the next big update, a web-first CRM means that updates can be generated more rapidly and pushed live at any point.
Dynamics AX: the Next Leap
Microsoft’s most popular enterprise resource planning solution, Dynamics AX is about to get a new release, aptly called Dynamics AX. The lack of a date at the end of the new name was heralded as some kind of marker, and that turned out to be right.
The big news is that AX will be going through a similar cloud-based transformation to Dynamics CRM, meaning it’s been designed from the ground-up to work online. This means it offers a single codebase for both Azure and on-premises versions of the ERP for the first time.
Dynamics AX will also be fully integrated with services like Skype for Business (which now has the capability of offering live conferencing to 10,000 people), and offer a new “guided experience” that looks a lot like Office 365.
Dynamics NAV Remains… Dynamics NAV
Dynamics NAV hasn’t had as much coverage as Dynamics AX this year as AX expands to become Microsoft’s premier ERP solution. However, NAV 2016 did launch in October, offering users more cloud functionality and deeper analytics.
According to Wayne Morris, corporate VP of Microsoft Dynamics division:
"SMBs worldwide are looking to lower costs and compete more effectively with larger organisations, and are turning to technology to help streamline processes, empower workers with insights anywhere and on any device, and scale securely through the power of the cloud." he said.
We’d agree with that, for sure.
Making True on a Fundamental Promise
These changes add up a simple fact: 2016 is the year where Microsoft really does, finally, begin to make true on its promise of mobile-first, cloud-first.
With CRM and ERP solutions built for an increasingly agile, remote yet highly connected user base, Microsoft is rising to the challenge of building tools that suit this lifestyle. How end-users respond to these new, flexible CRM and ERP platforms, only time will tell.
If you’re looking for a new Dynamics CRM or Dynamics AX role, get in touch with our specialist consultants in the UK and US on +44(0)1483 233 000 and +1 646 878 6426 respectively or contact us today.