Microsoft CRM Integration with Microsoft Retail Management System (RMS) overview

Microsoft Client Relation Management system (Microsoft CRM) and Microsoft RMS are both Microsoft SQL Server based applications, however historically Microsoft was purchasing industry leading software applications, such as QuickSell which is now Microsoft RMS.  So, RMS design fundamentals were minted a long time before Microsoft CRM.  But, still integration between the two is straightforward and what you need is consultant, who is familiar with both systems structures and customization scenarios

Microsoft Client Relation Management system (Microsoft CRM) and Microsoft RMS are both Microsoft SQL Server based applications, however historically Microsoft was purchasing industry leading software applications, such as QuickSell which is now Microsoft RMS.  So, RMS design fundamentals were minted a long time before Microsoft CRM.  But, still integration between the two is straightforward and what you need is consultant, who is familiar with both systems structures and customization scenarios

Microsoft CRM is currently integrated with Microsoft Great Plains and will be integrated with Microsoft Navision in the close future, RMS integration is not planned to our knowledge, so you should seek third party solutions or create your own integration.  We see the need for such the integration when you sell on account in RMS and have customer support call center automated with Microsoft CRM.  Let us give you highlights:

• Microsoft CRM custom lookup.  More likely you will nee lookup to your RMS headquarters or store records for the customer transactions from Account screen.  Microsoft CRM allows you to have custom navigation bar on Account screen by clicking on this bar you could call your custom web .Net application, which will call Microsoft RMS database and return you the grid of customer transactions
  
• RMS architecture excurse.  Microsoft RMS has Headquarters and Store databases.  The exchange between the two types of databases uses worksheet mechanism.  Most of the transaction types are initiated on the store level and transferred to the Headquarters database (with some global data exception, global customers for example are handled on HQ level and then propagated down to the stores). 
  
• Data Inquiry and Update.  The MS RMS architecture suggests you to query primarily Headquarters database and do not change data in HQ database.  If you need to change data on the store level from Microsoft CRM custom screen you should consider placing web service on the SQL Server hardware in the store to deal with the store-initiated transaction
  
• Microsoft CRM programming.  Microsoft CRM has MS CRM SDK (Software Development Kit).  This is open source tool, you can download it from Microsoft site and it is description of Microsoft CRM classes and methods with sample codes in C# and VB.Net.  Microsoft technical support encourages you to use Microsoft CRM SDK objects and discourages you from direct SQL server programming.  If you need to query MS CRM database you should create your custom database and place your objects: SQL views and stored procedures there.  Do not place custom object into MS CRM databases

Do your homework in integration and if you have issues or concerns we are here to help! If you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, serving clients  in Chicago, California, Texas, Florida, New York, Georgia, Arizona, Minnesota, UK, Australia and having locations in multiple states and internationally ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ), he is CMA, Great Plains Certified Master, Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer. You can contact Andrew: andrewk@albaspectrum.com

 

3 Reasons Why CRM Strategies Fail

Customer relationship management (CRM) is one of the most effective tools for improving customer relationships and therefore increasing revenue, customer satisfaction, and customer retention. Unfortunately, some CRM strategies fail. This leaves CRM vendors and their customers baffled, but there a few common reasons why a CRM strategy will fail.

1. Too much focus on the CRM vendor and technology. Some companies get too caught up in having the best possible CRM strategy out there. Some companies want entire call-centers, On-Demand CRM, Web-based, and Blackberry devices which allow their IT people to enter customer information wirelessly. While these technologies are extremely helpful, too much emphasis on them can lead any company astray. It is naturally very important to select the best CRM vendor for your company, but best does not always mean flashiest.

2. Not enough focus on the customer. Companies can focus too much on technology and strategy, and not enough on what is at the core of CRM: the customer. The first letter in CRM stands for Customer and so the customer should be first when thinking about any CRM strategy. A call-center can be wonderful if it is customer friendly. However, some call centers are too complicated and alienate the customer from the company. Alienation is the exact opposite of what companies want to achieve when implementing CRM. The real ROI of CRM is found in customer retention and the acquisition of new customers. In order to have success with CRM, a company must work towards building a strong relationship with its customers. CRM is the path through which the customer and the company can understand each other. Focusing on technologies and ignoring the basics of customer service will cause even the most technologically advanced CRM strategy to go wrong.

3. Rushing into CRM adaptation. Sometimes, company presidents get the idea of CRM into their head and decide that their entire company must be CRM-ready as fast as possible. Rushing into CRM is a recipe for disaster. IT workers need to understand the concept of CRM. Someone who understands the importance of CRM will be better suited to deal with customers and reach the companys goals concerning CRM. Rushing into CRM does not allow ample time for all IT people to be briefed on the basics of CRM and how it will be implemented within the business. Some companies implementing CRM have to create entire departments that never existed before. The greatest care must always be taken when creating an entire new section of a company. CRM should generally be implemented across the entire company. If this is rushed, it can lead to all sorts of compatibility issues, customer confusion, and even employee confusion. Data collected must be viewed across many applications, and ample time must be given for networks to be set up. Companies using CRM technology such as Blackberry devices, or Call-centers must be even more careful when implementing CRM for the first time. Technology is not perfect, and problems can occur at any time. Any company that sends their sales force out into the market with unchecked technology is asking for disaster.

Some say that it is impossible to determine whether CRM is a success or a failure. The true ROI of CRM lies with the customer. A company that avoids the pitfalls of CRM implementation will notice a dramatic increase in customer satisfaction, retention, and acquisition. CRM can help any company significantly if it is used correctly, carefully, but still efficiently. CRM technology can also help companies if it is used thoughtfully and timely. The entire company must be prepared for CRM when it is implemented. A company cannot expect exact numbers immediately after putting CRM into effect. CRM is a long-term strategy that will help achieve long-term goals of a company. Customer focus is essential and will help any CRM strategy to become a success.

Matt Hogansworth enjoys writing about CRM topics and CRM software vendors such as Salesforce ( http://www.salesforce.com)

Hosted CRM: What is it?

San Francisco, CA (ARTICLEMARKETER) August 09, 2005 -- When hosted CRM was first introduced, concerns were voiced about its drawbacks: the lack of customization, integration with other applications, support, third party storage, control over data control and the performance of service reps - not to mention the all-important security issue. Hostings biggest drawback is that your most important data is in a third-partys hands.

Although CRM, as hosted solutions are also known, are not as difficult or as costly to install as packaged solutions, they still require an infrastructure, significant IT resources, and time to deploy.

Application integration has been another challenge for ASPs. Since ASPs unilaterally update their code bases, this opens the possibility that an integrated business process could be broken by a change that you dont control.

Privacy and privacy laws are another concern: you must investigate what safeguards an ASP offers to protect your data. As you can see, hosted CRM isnt perfect. Aberdeen researchers found that when considering these problems, support for hosting dampens. One way around this might be a hybrid approach: rent now, buy later.


It Does Not Have To Be Either-Or

Another emerging trend is that companies adopt hosted solutions as a low-risk way of evaluating a CRM solutions capabilities before they buy into an in-house set up. This approach allows companies to mitigate risk and experience the benefits of rapid time-to-value. Once companies see a ROI, then they can choose to bring the solution in-house.

The decision between an in-house implementation and a hosted solution is based on many factors. It is important to evaluate your business plan, technology strategy, risk profile, IT budgets, IT resources, opportunity costs, customization requirements and industry-sector requirements.


Visit http://www.sales-force-software.com for more information.

About the author:
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David Cowgill
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Small Business CRM Is Here To Stay

If you ask most small business owners what priority CRM has in their short-term business plans, chances are youll get more than one blank stare. The fact is that most small business owners dont even know what CRM is not to mention how significantly it can benefit their growing company. This prevailing ignorance of small business CRM (customer relationship management) usually stems from just a few basic causes.

Excuses not to invest in small business CRM
The first and most common reason for disinterest in small business CRM is the very nature of small business. With limited financial and personnel resources at their disposal, business owners believe they cant afford the money or time that a small business CRM system would require to show a significant ROI. Often times the chief concern is just staying afloat long enough to sign that big contract or receive a large product order.

Still other owners of new businesses believe that they can build and maintain quality customer relations simply by the virtue of the their cordial personality or particular market niche. They see small business CRM as an unessential luxury to be enjoyed exclusively by their larger competitors. What these owners often find is that without sufficient small business CRM support their business will never expand beyond the number of customer names they can remember. The problem is compounded when the company expands into internet sales (an essential move by any growing company) and suddenly finds its present customer tracking system overwhelmed by the sheer amount of incoming customer information.

The Bottom Line
The bottom line, as all successful small business owners have learned, is that it takes more than one good idea to build long-term business growth and stability. You may be great at attracting new customers to your business, but if you fail to care for, track, and understand your customer base, not only will you hemorrhage your hard-won clientele, you will also fail to capitalize on future opportunities by not anticipating future market trends.

The Solution
The good news about small business CRM is that there is an increasing number of automated systems available at prices that most smaller companies can afford without too much difficulty, usually around $2000 a year. Some CRM companies, effectively eliminating the need for small business owners to micromanage their CRM system, largely manage newer small business CRM systems. Now small business owners can reap the benefits of a smooth running CRM system with a minimal time/financial investment.

Features to look for in a small business CRM system
There are many features available to small business CRM users designed to not only track sales, but also cause sales. Here are some features to look for.
Power Dialing-This feature allows your outbound sales agents to place 300%-400% as many sales calls, effectively quadrupling your workforce.
Voice Messaging System-Allows you to automatically record and send sales calls designed to elicit a customer call back.
Custom Fax and Email-Following up on leads with timely fax and email can mean the difference between closing sales and missing out on potential revenue.

Other must-have features include:

Calendaring
Marketing management
Sales management
Order and quote management
Service management

With the ability to outsource these business functions, small business owners can concentrate on implementing strategies that theyve had to hold off on due to lack of customer information and/or time.

Cameron Brown is an internet marketer specializing in phone sales. For more information on small business CRM, please visit Inside Sales.

Building Customer Relationships by Staying in Contact

Do your customers see you often enough? Do you have a regular system of contact that makes sure your products and services are consistently in front of your customers? Businesses lose out on more sales than they know because their customers forget about them.

Experts say it takes 7 contacts to turn someone from a stranger into a customer. But don?t stop making contact after you?ve made the first sale. The first sale should be the foundation for a real relationship between you and your customers. And relationship selling is in many ways the easiest: you know the customers?needs, often before they do, and your customers feel comfortable going to you when they have needs.

I believe a certain amount of our business should come just because we are the most visible vendor on our customers? radar. We keep our products and services in front of customers, which makes us the easiest and most convenient choice. Here are a few ways you can keep your business in your customers? line of sight:

1) Acknowledge customer milestones. When something important happens for a customer, congratulate them. Did they successfully introduce a new product into the market? Did their corporate VP get an award for industry excellence? These are great opportunities to show these customers that you are paying attention to what?s important to them.

2) Keep them informed about your company?s big events. Are you putting out a product that one of your potential customers might need? Have you expanded your service so that your customer can get product sooner than before? Customers can?t take advantage of your superior product or service unless they know about it. Use some sort of regular communication, like a newsletter, to let your customers know what you have to offer.

3) Technology is your friend! Many companies are having success with newer forms of communication, like blogs and podcasts. The secrets for using these to reach customers are simple: pick topics that interest your customers, and keep your posts and podcasts short, informative, and on topic.

4) Short and simple is good. Not every contact with your customers needs to be elaborate and involved. A simple phone call or written note lets your customers know you have them in mind. It?s better to have more, regular contact than more involved contact that makes a bigger impression.

Woody Allen was right when he said, ?Eighty percent of success is showing up.? If your company keeps ?showing up,? you are likely to get business that your competitors miss. There are many ways to stay in touch. Just be sure you do it consistently. Keep reminding your customers that you are uniquely qualified to solve their problems. They?ll come to you first for solutions!

Richard Jarman works with small and medium-sized businesses who aspire to communicate with their target audience. He helps clients highlight their company's unique strengths, so they can attract and keep customers. See what he can do to improve your business! Visit his web site today at http://www.jarmanbusinesswriting.com. Sign up for the free newsletter, The Next Step, and receive the special report, Essential Keys to Successfully Marketing to Business.

Sales Force Management and Leadership: Increase Profitability By Understanding Your Sales Team

Have you ever closely examined why some people are wildly successful at selling, meeting and exceeding every goal placed in front of them, while others lack either the self motivation or certain key skill sets to get them to their next level of growth and performance? After all, they all have the same product, the same tools, and the same compensation structure. They?ve all been through the same sales management-training program. In my experience of 25 years selling, building sales organizations and leading and managing thousands of salespeople, the answer has to do with the fact that virtually all sales? organizations are comprised of four different kinds of salespeople:

1. The Performers ? The Top Producers

These high achieving sales executives are the best at bringing in the numbers, but chances are that you spend a fair share of your time cleaning up her messes. Seems like they?re either sky-high or down in the dumps. When the performer is down, they are out of their selling zone, and productivity comes to a standstill. But when the performer is up, look out world!

2. The Professional ? Another Top Producer

This top producer is very consistent, a total team player, even tempered, patient, and consistently bringing in the numbers. Professionals are also part of the elite members on the sales team, but they seem to be missing some opportunities that would catapult them to super stardom if they made some slight changes to their selling game. Instead, they stick to self-proven conservative approaches.

3. The Caretaker ? Stuck In A Major Comfort

These are the sales executives that are simply stuck in their lackluster comfort zones -- giving you a solid month about every third month, or giving you about seventy percent of what they have all the time. They have the potential, but they?re consistently mediocre. You just can?t get them to perform the difficult tasks that it takes to produce at top levels with any regularity. Worse yet, they?re passive aggressive. You say to yourself, ?If I could only wake them up, they?d be right up there with the best.?

I was giving a speech on ?Four People, Four Paths? to a leading company in the California real estate industry where I was emphasizing the importance of knowing exactly who you are. While I was quoting my book The Four Kinds of Sales People and explaining in detail the struggles and breakthrough opportunities for each of the four kinds of sales people, a woman in the audience yelled out, ?Oh my God, I?m a Caretaker!? The crowd laughed and I congratulated her on her honesty and pointed out to her (and others who were not so forthright) the tremendous opportunity that existed if she made the conscious decision to change and begin doing the difficult things that it takes to produce top results on a consistent basis.

4. The Searcher ? The One That Belongs In Any Career But Sales

All sales leaders have made some bad hiring decisions that result in sales reps that just don?t belong in sales. They perceived a sales career to be easy and they were wrong. Producing top sales is hard work. These misfits are consumed with fear, and if truth be told, they honestly hate sales. They have no real intention of making the necessary changes to be successful. You?re better off helping them find more fulfilling careers.

My point is that while the individual make-up of sales forces may vary, there are always only four kinds. Management?s goal is to get the best to keep getting better while building a team with as many top producers as possible. That means management must influence those that are ?stuck? in their comfort zone to break through to the next level. That means management must perform the unenviable task of helping those that don?t belong to find other career paths. In my experience, management gets too preoccupied with these two challenges and neglects the opportunity to get their top producers to reach for their next level of achievement. They have more potential. That?s why they?re the best. And can be even better.

If you want sales to improve, particularly in highly competitive sales environments, then leaders must create a growth-oriented atmosphere that thrives on constant improvement, regardless of market conditions. By the way, that means leaders and managers must also be striving to break through to their next level as well. Sales is about creating and sustaining momentum, and then creating even more of it. Consistently.
Breakthrough mentor and sales guru, Chuck Mache, has more than 25 years experience in selling, managing, building and leading sales organizations regionally as well as internationally. Use his transforming knowledge and expertise in building heavy-hitter sales organizations, by buying his book, "The Four Kinds of Sales People" today at http://www.thefourkindsofsalespeople.com/PR/ and increase your organization?s productivity and profitability.