How Microsoft Dynamics 365 can transform a business

Challenge 1: Users had started to work outside of the system

Previously, Fotech were using Salesforce as their CRM but it no longer supported the way they worked as a business. It lacked flexibility and restricted the way in which conducted day-to-day processes, resulting in employees working outside of the CRM in spreadsheets and disparate systems. Due to the lack of connection between systems, hours were lost to duplication of work and time spent switching between multiple applications to access information.

Solution: Implement a centralised solution; Microsoft Dynamics 365

We designed and implemented a bespoke solution built upon Dynamics 365 to centralise all of Fotech’s data, allowing departments across the company to access the information they require and improve their ability to provide a great experience at each stage of the customer journey. As a cloud-based solution, Dynamics 365 is accessible via the app on desktop, mobile, and tablet devices, ensuring that employees can access the solution from wherever they need it. The customisations we included within the CRM system were tailored around Fotech’s process and ensured that users no longer feel restricted and forced to work outside the system. We established seamless integrations with their other business software (Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 Business Central), allowing users to collaborate on documents in real-time and increase overall efficiency. For more information on the integration between Microsoft 365 & Dynamics 365 check out our blog Microsoft 365 + Dynamics 365: The Perfect Pairing.

Benefits

• 360-degree overview of business data
• Data centralised
• Increase productivity
• Increased efficiency
• Enhanced data security
• Time saved on administration
• Improve collaboration

Challenge 2: Salesforce no longer supported the sales teams

Unnecessary manual work was being generated due to the limitations within Fotech’s Salesforce CRM. Fotech’s sales team processes were not accurately reflected within the previous system, which presented challenges in day-to-day tasks, such as managing leads & opportunities. Additionally, document generation was a time-consuming task and inefficient use of employee time.

Solution: Implement Dynamics 365 Sales

Dynamics 365 Sales is fully customisable, meaning that we were able to tailor the solution to fit Fotech’s specific lead & opportunity management process. The capabilities within the solution accurately reflected their sales activity and included stakeholder management, opportunity management, evaluations and sales activity. Additionally, we implemented functionality to link opportunities to projects, increasing efficiency and user adoption as a result.

Benefits

• Reduce admin time
• Standardise processes
• Increase efficiency
• Provide secure data visibility

Challenge 3: Disconnected systems across the business

Not only did Fotech have a CRM that no longer met their needs, but there was also a disconnect between their previous CRM and their ERP systems. Employees had developed work-arounds but this involved manual processes and the use of disconnected systems/spreadsheets, that would often result in duplicated data and left room for human error.

Solution: Integrate Dynamics 365 with Business Central

As part of Fotech’s CRM Project, the business was also embarking on a Dynamics 365 Business Central (ERP) implementation. Therefore, when choosing a CRM, it was crucial that there was a seamless integration with the ERP set-up. For this reason, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales was established to be the best fit. As part of the Dynamics 365 eco-system, Dynamics 365 integrates seamlessly with Business Central as well as the other Microsoft products available, such as Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform. As a result, employee collaboration is due as they can access these tools wherever they are, increase productivity and be confident that the data they are working with is the latest version, as a result of real-time capabilities.

Benefits

• 360-degree overview of data
• Data centralised
• Increase productivity
• Increased efficiency
• Enhanced data security
• Time saved on administration

Challenge 4: Difficulties gaining insight from data

Due to the lack of connection between their systems and the disparity of data, generating reports had become challenging and was a manual admin-heavy task each month involving hours of work. Management would spend hours each month gathering and collating information to gain, only to gain limited insights.

Solution: Implement Power BI

We implemented Microsoft Power BI alongside Dynamics 365, enabling Fotech to view key data and metrics across Dynamics 365 Sales and Business Central in one platform. This provided management with a 360-degree overview of their data, which is refreshed in real-time ensuring that they can quickly and accurately gain insight into their sales activities, revenue, production capacity, and other KPI’s to make data-driven decisions.

Benefits

• 360-degree overview of data
• Real-time insights
• Interrogate data with ease

Challenge 5: Marketing activities were a challenge

Fotech recognised that their previous CRM was restricting their marketing potential and the impact that this was having on their sales funnel. The siloed data combined with the lack of insight from Salesforce made creating and implementing an effective marketing strategy extremely difficult.

Solution: Implement Dynamics 365 Marketing

Dynamics 365 Marketing is another of the core CRM applications available from Microsoft Dynamics 365 eco-system and works seamlessly alongside D365 Sales.

As a result, Fotech can create email campaigns, manage their social platforms, embed forms on their website and complete additional marketing tasks effectively and easily.

Benefits

• 360-degree view of data
• Improved marketing capabilities
• Save admin time
• Ensures accuracy of data