The CRM Business - BlogSite » Hosted http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress News Blog from The CRM Business Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:12:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Customer Portal Accelerator released for Microsoft Dynamics CRM http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/index.php/2010/05/10/customer-portal-accelerator-released-for-microsoft-dynamics-crm/ http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/index.php/2010/05/10/customer-portal-accelerator-released-for-microsoft-dynamics-crm/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 10:28:16 +0000 BeckyCarr http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/?p=300 A new Customer Portal accelerator has just been released for Dynamics CRM 4.0 systems, combining all of the functionality previously released in the eService, Event Management and Portal Integration accelerators with powerful new Content Management capabilities.

This exciting new functionality for Microsoft CRM works with all deployment models (currently on-premise and partner hosted in the UK) and can be turned on or off to meet customer requirements.

Customers can choose to deploy their portal either in the cloud with Windows Azure, or on their own existing web servers.

Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss how this latest functionality could be added to your existing Microsoft CRM systems.

]]> http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/index.php/2010/05/10/customer-portal-accelerator-released-for-microsoft-dynamics-crm/feed/ 0 Microsoft Dynamics CRM software: Hosted vs. On-Premise http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/index.php/2009/10/14/microsoft-dynamics-crm-software-hosted-vs-on-premise/ http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/index.php/2009/10/14/microsoft-dynamics-crm-software-hosted-vs-on-premise/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:04:39 +0000 BeckyCarr http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/?p=207 Selecting the best CRM software solution to meet your company’s needs now and in the future can be a tricky business – the decision can seem overwhelming at first.  Should you buy the software licences and host the solution on your own servers, giving you full control of the system?  Or would it perhaps be [...]]]> Selecting the best CRM software solution to meet your company’s needs now and in the future can be a tricky business – the decision can seem overwhelming at first.  Should you buy the software licences and host the solution on your own servers, giving you full control of the system?  Or would it perhaps be better to rent a hosted CRM solution and save yourself the hassle of hardware maintenance and upgrades?

Hosted CRM software

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 is available as a SaaS (Software as a Service) product, delivered over the internet as a subscription service.  Customers opting for this solution pay a simple monthly per-user fee for access to the system, and do not have to worry about maintaining servers or performing upgrades as everything is taken care of for them.  A Hosted Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4 system is quick to get up and running as there is no hardware to install / configure.  The data stored within the system is secure in an ISO27001 accredited data centre whilst being accessible from practically anywhere with an internet connection.  This hosted subscription-based model is attractive for many businesses as the up-front cost is generally much lower than with more traditional on-premise solutions, and the time needed to get up and running is minimal.

On the downside, Hosted CRM solutions are reliant on having a working internet connection, though the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Outlook Client does also allow for offline data synchronisation to users’ laptops and workstations.

Hosted Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 solutions do allow for some customisation, however customers with complex software customisation and development requirements may be better suited to an on-premise deployment to allow full server access.

On-Premise CRM software

Delivered as an On-Premise solution, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 allows the customer complete control.  Companies managing their own CRM solution on their own servers have more options when it comes to customising the software than those using Hosted CRM, and are able to decide themselves whether to apply upgrades.  Some businesses simply prefer their infrastructure to be managed in-house, keeping everything within their control.  It is still possible to allow users to access On-Premise Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions over the internet if desired.

Installing CRM On-Premise does have a higher up-front cost, as in addition to the CRM licences companies also need to allow for the server hardware purchase, installation and ongoing maintenance as well as the implementation costs.

On-Premise Microsoft Dynamics CRM implementations use Active Directory for user authentication, meaning that users do not need to remember a separate username and password for CRM.

The best of both worlds

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 software is very flexible, and has been designed to change and grow with organisations over time.  Data and customisations can be migrated from a hosted solution to On-Premise and vice-versa as business needs change, eliminating the need to start again from scratch in the future.

 

So, which is better?

No two businesses are the same, and neither are two CRM systems.  Whether a hosted or on-premise CRM implementation is a better fit for your business depends upon your requirements, company size, existing in-house skills / resources and existing infrastructure.  On-Premise CRM software and Hosted CRM solutions both have their pros and cons – the key is identifying which option is the best fit for your business and your needs.

Contact us to discuss your needs or request a free trial

The CRM Business has a wealth of experience providing both On-Premise and Hosted CRM solutions for clients across all industry sectors, from small businesses with just a handful of users to large organisations with several hundred.  We understand that a successful CRM solution begins with understanding the people and processes involved and then shaping the technology to suit.

If you would like to discuss your requirements please don’t hesitate to contact us.  Alternatively, sign up for your free 30-day hosted CRM trial on our website.

]]> http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/index.php/2009/10/14/microsoft-dynamics-crm-software-hosted-vs-on-premise/feed/ 0 50% discount for new Microsoft BPOS customers through The CRM Business http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/index.php/2009/05/12/50-discount-for-new-microsoft-bpos-customers-through-the-crm-business/ http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/index.php/2009/05/12/50-discount-for-new-microsoft-bpos-customers-through-the-crm-business/#comments Tue, 12 May 2009 09:37:46 +0000 BeckyCarr http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/?p=95 Until 24 May 2009, or until Microsoft’s customer limit is reached, we are able to offer the entire Business Productivity Online Suite (Exchange Online, Sharepoint Online, Live Meeting and Office Communications) to customers for the heavily discounted price of just £5.02/user/month for the first 12 months.

This offer is valid for BPOS purchases of 25 seats [...]]]> Until 24 May 2009, or until Microsoft’s customer limit is reached, we are able to offer the entire Business Productivity Online Suite (Exchange Online, Sharepoint Online, Live Meeting and Office Communications) to customers for the heavily discounted price of just £5.02/user/month for the first 12 months.

This offer is valid for BPOS purchases of 25 seats or more – please contact us today to take advantage of this limited offer or to request a no-obligation 30 day free trial.

]]> http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/index.php/2009/05/12/50-discount-for-new-microsoft-bpos-customers-through-the-crm-business/feed/ 0 Full Microsoft BPOS suite now available to UK customers http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/index.php/2009/04/28/full-microsoft-bpos-suite-now-available-to-uk-customers-from-the-crm-business/ http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/index.php/2009/04/28/full-microsoft-bpos-suite-now-available-to-uk-customers-from-the-crm-business/#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:36:43 +0000 BeckyCarr http://thecrmbusiness.com/wordpress/?p=75 Following successful trials in the UK, Microsoft has now released the full Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) to UK customers as a subscription service.

The CRM Business are proud to be one of the first Microsoft partners to offer these exciting new products, having participated in the trials ourselves to gain first-hand knowledge and experience using [...]]]> Following successful trials in the UK, Microsoft has now released the full Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) to UK customers as a subscription service.

The CRM Business are proud to be one of the first Microsoft partners to offer these exciting new products, having participated in the trials ourselves to gain first-hand knowledge and experience using them prior to launch.

The suite provides Microsoft’s market-leading Exchange, Sharepoint, Live Meeting and Online Communications software as an online service, hosted in Microsoft datacentres. Users connect to the BPOS applications using the same rich clients (e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Communicator) that they are already familiar with, allowing them to quickly benefit from the software without the need for additional learning.

Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite allows you to quickly deploy tools to your business or to extend existing capability without straining internal resources, regardless of whether you have 10 employees or 5000. Being completely flexible, the Microsoft BPOS suite allows you to adjust your deployment model as your needs change over time.

The offering is priced very competitively at just £10.04/user per month for access to the entire suite, though components can also be subscribed to individually. This simple, flexible pricing model allows customers to scale the solution as required, enabling the suite to grow and change with the business.

A downloadable datasheet is available from our Microsoft BPOS website.

Please feel free to also contact us to discuss the product further, request a demonstration or arrange a 30-day free trial.

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