Microsoft CRM Customization - processing in/out-going email messages

We would like to give you several situations, when you may need custom development and programming to improve Microsoft CRM functionality. This overview is for programmer, software developer, IT specialist, database administrator.

Microsoft CRM, the CRM application from Microsoft Business Solutions utilizes almost all the recent Microsoft technologies: .Net (it is actually written in C#.Net with HTML and Javascript at the web client side plus has Microsoft CRM SDK with C# and partially VB.Net samples), Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Exchange 2003/2000 and others. Now to give you brief review from the workflow and messages - you can send email directly from Account, Contact or Lead and it will be processed by Microsoft CRM-Exchange connector. This email will have GUID in the message header. When addressee answers the email - it will be processed by the connector - it will recognize the GUID and will find the original activity and will attach this email as closed activity to the original object: contact, account or lead. This is very nice feature, but in the real world you may have these situations:

1. CRM user will not use CRM interface and will send email from his/her Outlook. Addressee will receive and respond and these emails will not be handled by Microsoft CRM-Exchange connector. They will not have GUID and connector has no idea on what to do with them.

2. Imagine, that you have Account Best Corporation, with contact person John john@bestcorporation.com. Now new person in Best Corporation, Susan sends you message from susan@bestcorporation.com - and her email will not be connected to your Best Corporation account, because this email doesn't have GUID and it also doesn't have matching email in the contact person. So - it is probably nice to catch emails by domain name as well, say - all the emails, coming from www.bestcorporation.com should be attached to Best Corporation account.

3. Now - your sales rep initiated the first email to the client from Microsoft CRM and got response, transferred back into CRM account. Then he occasionally replied on the reply from outlook - this reply, having GUID will be replied back and not transferred into MS CRM, because MS Exchange connector "thinks" that this message was already replied by the first reply.

4. To decrease the possibility that users will use outlook to send new messages and answer the messages from there - you would probably like the idea to delete them from MS Exchange database when they are transferred to the CRM. In this case they will not be seen in MS Outlook (We are not talking about Microsoft CRM Outlook client, where you actually see CRM data and objects)

If you are programmer or software developer - you can actually program these advancements and we'll give you the direction.

This technique is COM+ applications, registered as Microsoft Exchange sinks or handlers. You can use VisualStudio.Net, but you will not have debugging available, because these applications will work as event handlers. Microsoft Exchange allows you to alter it's logic in the events, exposed for custom handling. Incoming emails should be handled, when ONSYNCSAVE Microsoft Exchange Database event is fired before the commitment. You use Microsoft CRM SDK to create the email activity. You should use direct SQL update to flag the activity as closed (however not recommended by Microsoft - but Microsoft CRM SDK doesn't have the method to close the activity - so you really don't have an option from SDK side). Outgoing emails should be handled with so-called transport events firing, which is more complex and less documented part of Microsoft Exchange SDK.

Happy customizing! 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 Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization partner, based in Chicago, California, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, Minnesota, New York, Georgia and Florida, Canada, UK, Australia and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is Great Plains Dexterity, SQL, C# and VB.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.akarasev@albaspectrum.com

Microsoft CRM messaging through Lotus Domino email server - balanced solution

Microsoft CRM and IBM Lotus Notes Domino seem to be taking completely different paths and if company is Microsoft oriented - we see MS CRM, MS Exchange, MS SQL Server, SharePoint, etc. In the case of Lotus Domino - it is opposite - Lotus is corporate Information Media and could technically play CRM role with internal messaging coming through Lotus Domino server. However realities of modern corporation give us multiple examples when Microsoft CRM and Lotus Domino should coexist in compromise. There are several reasons why corporation doesn't like to stick to one platform:
1. Balancing several platforms not to be trapped to the one-vendor solution. Imagine, that you placed all the eggs into one basket and then this basket went into the trouble (lawsuit, bankruptcy, mismanagement, hostile takeover - to name a few in the life of the modern American corporation)
2. Legacy-dependence. If your corporation uses such product as Lotus Notes/Domino for 10 plus years - you can expect that majority of documents are stored in the Lotus databases. Just conversion of this legacy database is multi-million dollars project. And again - we could not predict the future accurately - who will win or lose - IBM or Microsoft - or maybe they will merge
3. Procedures and flowcharts. Nowadays corporation works and builds its business model around computer business system, consider things like users training, functional flowcharts/diagrams, reporting to investors, IDE with company vendors and customer. And we'd dare to say that these things are computer application platform dependent (even being designed in the heads of corporation founding leaders as abstract business processes - then they were placed into the computer platform and had to fit to its pluses and minuses)
Considering these arguments and having multiple requests from Microsoft Business Solutions and directly from our prospects and customer, we have realized the connector, which allows Microsoft CRM use Lotus Domino email server with similar messaging functionality as Microsoft Exchange 2003/2000
Microsoft CRM Exchange connector needs to be installed and its DLL based functionality is superceded by our own DLL, which communicates with Lotus Domino server via Java Agents
You can always have us help you with the integration and customization. Call us: 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918.

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

Customer Relationship Management System

Customer Relationship Management Systems is a tactical and strategic tool. If used correctly, this tool can forecast trends and help a company with the top and bottom lines. Today, many businesses do not look the same as they may have many years ago. They have definitely left their core competency to move onto something more profitable. The internet and information technology have made that possible.

General Motors and eBay are two companies who have reduced focus from their original purpose to reflect financing. They have both learned that keeping the customer in debt through interest bearing finance for longer periods of time is more beneficial to the business. Another example is from the best seller Good to Great. This book lists Kimberly Clark as a successful company that thrived in a dying industry. This company moved from being a supplier of coated paper to consumer goods like Huggies and Kleenex.

How did these companies transform to this kind of success? I believe it was from a keen insight into customer relationship management. Even at its primitive form, before current software availability, the astute business leaders recognized the trend in the market place. It wasn?t hard for the visionaries at places like GM, eBay and Kimberly-Clark to see the potential for huge profits. Like many explorers and adventurers, each of the CEOs and other leaders received harsh criticism and ne?er do wells from peers and medial alike. Many engrained in tradition expressed disappointment. The leaders were left with dreams, plans, execution and the true possibilities displayed in sales history, demographics, profiles, and shifts in buying trends.

This CRM uses sales force automation to expedite sales and assist the sales force, customer service and support to align sales with suppliers, and marketing management and analysis to find the market. These interact to align the business with customers? needs and meeting them more promptly at the point of sale.

With evolving technology and high tech consumers, we can expect many more companies to leave their original core competencies to ones that earn them more money with fewer costs. Much business is growing on-line. Without the proper risk of visionaries, and data used properly from CRM a company may die in its antiquity.

Jeffrey W. Bennett is the Founder and director of LayMentor Ministries. This ministry is dedicated to training church and other volunteer leaders to be more effective. Jeff speaks and writes on similar concepts taught in most MBA courses and makes it easy to adapt to all leadership levels. The volunteer drives our churches and communities and the impact can be amazing. For PowerPoint presentations of this article, visit http://www.jeffreywbennett.com/index_files/resources.htm He is also the author of the Missionary/Adventure novel Under the Lontar Palm available on line at http://www.jeffreywbennett.com or in major and online bookstores.

Customer-Service Provider Relationships-Is Yours A Blessing Or A Nightmare?

We are all dependent on service providers for our businesses to succeed. The better you manage that relationship, the more successful you will be in achieving your goals in a cost-effective manner. The relationship is two-way street. Service providers also depend on customers to enable a successful deliverable. So, prepare:

Initial planning: spend a good amount of time upfront reviewing your business strategy, your marketing goals and your budget with your service provider. Confirm in writing the critical issues, e.g., the expectations, the implementation phases, required deadlines and deliverables. Indicate your preferences.

Strategic vs. tactical goals: Plan the project with a long-term strategic perspective, but implement in smaller phases. By breaking down a project into smaller deliverables, you are giving yourself a chance to review progress in a manageable approach. Once you are comfortable with the results of one phase, then you can proceed with the next step (this may help your budget process too.) A critical benefit to this approach is that things change rapidly and you may no longer want the original approach. With a phased approach, you are cutting your losses and allowing yourself and your provider to change directions in a more cost-effective manner.

Documentation is critical. The larger the project, the more critical documentation becomes. Samples include account information, login information, vendor contacts, a list of directories where everything is located, a list of all the hardware and software products that have been used in the implementation, and, where appropriate, how to use the solution. Imagine transitioning to a new service provider in the middle of a project without such documentation or getting a deliverable that you don?t know how to use!

Solution alternatives: When a service provider presents an approach or a solution, make sure the benefits, alternatives and issues are presented to you before committing to that solution. This analysis brings many benefits. Half the battle is in knowing what to ask! This analysis enables customers to realize what they really want in their project deliverables. This reduces much misinterpretation. It also shows your service provider?s abilities.

In my 20 years of experience with global, multi-million dollar initiatives, as well as with low-cost projects, I found the careful management of the services is critical to the success of the projects. Whether large or small, the same principles apply.

Dahlia Benaroya has had over 20 years of experience in business and technology fields. She is currently the founder and president of Dahlia Web Designs LLC. Her company provides innovative marketing and business solutions for the Too Busy!. She offers clients cost-effective solutions with her consultation, web design and organizational management strategies and services. Previously, Dahlia was a director at a major international company, with responsibility over multi-million dollar initiatives. Her current special project is to help motivate children to write by offering inexpensive online publishing opportunities for children through her website http://www.KidsLoveToWrite.com

CRM - Customer Relationship Management

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a strategy employed at corporate level. For any company, it is the focus on the creation and maintenance of lasting and meaningful relationships with its customers. It can perhaps be described as a holistic approach of a company's philosophy where the emphasis is placed primarily on the customer.

To simplify this process, there are a number of commercial software packages available. Two of the market leaders are GoldMine? and ACT!?. Their programs allow a high degree of mechanization through a central database. Many tasks can also be automated, which allows greater overall control and sophistication.

However, simply installing and integrating a CRM such as the GoldMine? software, or the ACT!? software is not enough by its own. A successful CRM strategy requires the correct response at all levels to reshape a company's business activities to incorporate a fully customer-driven approach. In the design stage of implementing a CRM, it may be wise if a decision is made to retain greater and more extensive information on primary customers, and keep less information on clients with a low margin.

Sales, marketing and customer service all need to be seamlessly integrated. In this way the contact management software can keep track of all the relevant aspects involved in selling to customers, or following up on leads and prospects. The success factors in gaining customers can be highlighted for re-use, and the approaches that failed, or were marginal, can be abandoned, or even revisited for further evaluation at a later time.

A CRM can be considered in three distinct but equally important parts. There is the operational part, which focuses on basic business processes such as sales and marketing, as well as customer service. There is the analytical part, which can analyze the behavior of customers and produce reports, show returns on investment, and report on the pattern of the sales team, either individually or as a whole. Finally, there is the collaborative part, which focuses on the basic contact with the customer. This can be direct, or through automated follow-up emails, for example.

Any company considering scaling up to utilize a CRM software should think equally about staff training. Only through properly identified and properly delivered training will a CRM, such as the GoldMIne? software, or the ACT!? software, be found to be cost effective and worth the expense and trouble of implementing. While a good CRM can be worth its weight in gold, it will only be as good as the management who run it, and the sales team who use it.

A good CRM software will provide reporting and analytical tools, which can be used as highly effective feedback. Analysis of sales can identify hidden opportunities, expose weaknesses, highlight areas of strength, and reveal the current performance level of sales people. Using intelligent reporting facilities to maximize strengths and eliminate or minimize weaknesses, is indeed a powerful tool to have at your disposal.

That, coupled with the proper training in how to put the tools to their best use, will provide any company with a solid customer relationship management strategy that will prove to be highly effective.

Syed Ali, is the lead CRM consultant for a Toronto based company. His company offers, GoldMine CRM and ACT! Software CRM Syed can be reached at Tel : (905) 815- 1995 ext 22, email :asyed@cqsolutions.com

Customer Service: Stop Sabotaging Your Customer Relationships

If you've called for customer service recently you're familiar
with this recorded message "This call may be recorded or
monitored for quality purposes." I immediately think to
myself, "Oh great, here comes the game of 20 questions."

Now don't get me wrong. I spent many, many years training
Customer Service Reps. (CSR's). I'm all for making sure
customers receive the best possible service. What I'm not
for is the pre-scripted list of questions CSR's are required
to ask, regardless of whether they are applicable to the
situation at hand. I've seen some checklists with as many
as 25 pre-scripted "call quality" standards that CSR's are
required to use. If they don't, and someone happens to
monitor the call, they get marked down. Ludicrous I say!

Let me give you a few highlights from a recent call I made
to my well-known auto club:

CSR: What is the year, make and model of your vehicle?
Me: 2000, GMC, Yukon, Denali
CSR: There is no 2000, GMC, Yukon, Denali (obviously
it couldn't be found in her list of computer options so
she needed to tell me I was wrong)
Me: Yes there is, I drive it every day
CSR: What's wrong with your vehicle?
Me: I don't know. It won't start.
CSR: Does it need to be towed or jumped?
Me: I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with it.
CSR: Well do you think it needs to be towed or jumped?
Me: I have no clue.
CSR: Where is your vehicle?
Me: In my garage.
CSR: Can you push it out of the garage into the
driveway or the street?
Me: No. It's a full size SUV. I can't push it
anywhere.
CSR: Is there another way you can get it out of the
garage?
Me: No. It won't start.

Eventually, after I'd jumped through enough hoops,
the call finally ended.

Chances are it wasn't the CSR's idea to get her
laughs for the day by asking me stupid questions.
Instead, her own company sabotaged her ability to
quickly and efficiently take care of her customer,
by requiring she use a scripted questioning process.

What Could Have Gone Better?
For starters, rather than telling me that the make
and model of my vehicle didn't exist, she could have
said that she was having trouble finding it in her
database, and then asked for verification.

Next, instead of asking me twice about whether the
truck needed to be "jumped or towed", she might
have asked if I had any ideas about what could be
wrong with it.

And finally, considering that she already knew the
vehicle wouldn't start, asking a woman to push a
truck out of a garage seems a little unreasonable.

What Needs To Change?
First, re-think your call quality standards. You may
have too many standards; they may be too focused on
internally created "shoulds", with very little focus
on what matters most to your customers. Involve your
CSR's and customers in the process.

Secondly, empower and train your CSR's to think, act
and personalize service to best accommodate the given
situation. One size does not fit all, or even most!
Teach your CSR's how to recognize different communication
styles, and then how to adapt their personal style so they
can best relate to the customer as an individual. In
other words, teach CSR's how to treat customers how THEY
want to be treated.

And thirdly, continually ask for feedback from CSR's as
well as customers. Make time to find out what's working
and what's not working. Pay attention to what they have
to say. Make ongoing improvements that benefit everyone.
Repeat the cycle.

Companies spend thousands, if not millions of dollars each
year to acquire new customers, yet sometimes they forget
about how to best take care of the customers they already have.

Everyday your customers and your CSR's make decisions about
whether to stay with your company or go to your competitor.
Loyalty is built on good, solid relationships. Your company
relies on the loyalty of your CSR's to service your customers.
And great customer service can set you apart from your
competition. Take action now! Stop sabotaging those
relationships with unnecessary standards that don't really
matter to your customers. Your customers and your CSR's
will love you for it.
with this recorded message "This call may be recorded or
monitored for quality purposes." I immediately think to
myself, "Oh great, here comes the game of 20 questions."

Now don't get me wrong. I spent many, many years training
Customer Service Reps. (CSR's). I'm all for making sure
customers receive the best possible service. What I'm not
for is the pre-scripted list of questions CSR's are required
to ask, regardless of whether they are applicable to the
situation at hand. I've seen some checklists with as many
as 25 pre-scripted "call quality" standards that CSR's are
required to use. If they don't, and someone happens to
monitor the call, they get marked down. Ludicrous I say!

Let me give you a few highlights from a recent call I made
to my well-known auto club:

CSR: What is the year, make and model of your vehicle?
Me: 2000, GMC, Yukon, Denali
CSR: There is no 2000, GMC, Yukon, Denali (obviously
it couldn't be found in her list of computer options so
she needed to tell me I was wrong)
Me: Yes there is, I drive it every day
CSR: What's wrong with your vehicle?
Me: I don't know. It won't start.
CSR: Does it need to be towed or jumped?
Me: I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with it.
CSR: Well do you think it needs to be towed or jumped?
Me: I have no clue.
CSR: Where is your vehicle?
Me: In my garage.
CSR: Can you push it out of the garage into the
driveway or the street?
Me: No. It's a full size SUV. I can't push it
anywhere.
CSR: Is there another way you can get it out of the
garage?
Me: No. It won't start.

Eventually, after I'd jumped through enough hoops,
the call finally ended.

Chances are it wasn't the CSR's idea to get her
laughs for the day by asking me stupid questions.
Instead, her own company sabotaged her ability to
quickly and efficiently take care of her customer,
by requiring she use a scripted questioning process.

What Could Have Gone Better?
For starters, rather than telling me that the make
and model of my vehicle didn't exist, she could have
said that she was having trouble finding it in her
database, and then asked for verification.

Next, instead of asking me twice about whether the
truck needed to be "jumped or towed", she might
have asked if I had any ideas about what could be
wrong with it.

And finally, considering that she already knew the
vehicle wouldn't start, asking a woman to push a
truck out of a garage seems a little unreasonable.

What Needs To Change?
First, re-think your call quality standards. You may
have too many standards; they may be too focused on
internally created "shoulds", with very little focus
on what matters most to your customers. Involve your
CSR's and customers in the process.

Secondly, empower and train your CSR's to think, act
and personalize service to best accommodate the given
situation. One size does not fit all, or even most!
Teach your CSR's how to recognize different communication
styles, and then how to adapt their personal style so they
can best relate to the customer as an individual. In
other words, teach CSR's how to treat customers how THEY
want to be treated.

And thirdly, continually ask for feedback from CSR's as
well as customers. Make time to find out what's working
and what's not working. Pay attention to what they have
to say. Make ongoing improvements that benefit everyone.
Repeat the cycle.

Companies spend thousands, if not millions of dollars each
year to acquire new customers, yet sometimes they forget
about how to best take care of the customers they already have.

Everyday your customers and your CSR's make decisions about
whether to stay with your company or go to your competitor.
Loyalty is built on good, solid relationships. Your company
relies on the loyalty of your CSR's to service your customers.
And great customer service can set you apart from your
competition. Take action now! Stop sabotaging those
relationships with unnecessary standards that don't really
matter to your customers. Your customers and your CSR's
will love you for it.

Lora Adrianse is passionate about helping people build
dynamic business relationships in the workplace and with
their customers. She can be reached through her website
www.connectionscoach.com .

Sales Force Automation Using Lotus Notes

Sales force automation is the process by which all day to day activities and events in the sales department are automated using the help of Information Technology. It includes the automation of all the activities like daily reports of individual sales executives, order tracking, sharing information among all sales executives, inventory control and monitoring, sales forecast, etc. This will be very helpful for organisations that are geographically spread across the length and breadth of a country or even across different countries. With the right choice of software and network support, centralized control is easily possible. Access to data becomes easier and quicker without having to wait for days to get updates from sales executives.

If you have a well defined sales process, automating it becomes very productive as it can help avoiding unnecessary delay in getting each process done manually. For instance, if a sales executive located in a remote place sends a proposal to be approved by his sales manager by post or courier it will take at least 3 to 4 days to get it done. This can be avoided if the salesman uses a system and an appropriate software which could alert the manager immediately when a request has been sent to him. The manager can reply to it immediately and the whole activity can be completed in minutes. There are a numerous instances like this where unnecessary delays could be avoided and help the sales people close the orders immediately.It can also help you track the employees performance in a more organised way. Lotus Notes can be a very useful platform on which this application can be built. It can help you develop an application exactly in the way you want instead of purchasing conventional Sales Fore Automation software which may not suit your requirement.

Why is Lotus Notes appropriate for building SFA tool?
Lotus Notes is an Ideal choice for the SFA because of its unique feature called Replication. The information can be accessed from a laptop computer of a sales executive even if he is not connected to your central network. This is possible because Lotus Notes can be configured in such a way that information can be saved in a local machine and accessed even if it is not connected to the server. The modifications made in the database can be updated into the central network by a process called as "Replication".

How Does this help?
Assume that a salesman is in a remote location and not connected to any network. He can access critical information about the prospects available in the database on his local system and use it to close the deal. He can make changes in them and edit information as appropriate and save them. Once he is back where he gets access to internet he can update it to your central database and the subsequent processes can start immediately without having to wait for the salesman to return back to office. Another advantage is that you can easily assign access privileges to various users based on their hierarchy and necessity to use the application. The overall administration of the application can also be very easy with Lotus Notes.

Lotus Notes applications can be web enabled and can be accessed through ordinary web browsers to either control or access information. Notes' security is impeccable and the safety of the information is assured.