There’s no doubt that Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a very powerful tool that can almost single handedly boost company profitability to new levels. At the same time, our OMI team has seen many businesses finding it complicated both to fine tune when installing the CRM and managing it when installed.
And while some companies employ in-house specialists for Dynamics 365 CRM service management, we recommend considering the simpler, more reliable, and sometimes even cheaper option – an outsourced team.
In this article, we’ll be covering the basics of Dynamics CRM managed services – what it is, why you may want it and how to choose the right team to do it.
What Are Dynamics CRM Managed Services?
In short, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Managed Services is a set of outsourced services provided by a specialized company and aimed at helping businesses effectively manage and maintain their Microsoft Dynamics CRM system.
According to this approach, a company does not hire in-house employees to service the Microsoft Dynamics CRM software; instead, it invites a proven dedicated team of Dynamics CRM managed services specialists. This highly skilled team is then placed in charge of the Dynamics CRM setup, upkeep, and technical support, allowing the core team to fully concentrate on their core business activities.
Why You Should Consider Managed Services For Your Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM
The main reason why a managed service team is often the better choice is overall improved business efficiency. And that is true not only for Microsoft Dynamics, but also for other similar products, for instance we’ve also talked about the benefits of a Salesforce managed team before.
Let’s break down what improved business efficiency means and see why a Dynamics 365 managed services team tends to do better than in-house staff:
- More expertise: from working with many clients over many years, the outsourced team is very likely to have the best know-how; in most cases, considerably better than in-house employees can offer. This is especially important when circumstances call for sophisticated or intricate customizations;
- Less expenses: there exists a misconception that hiring an outsourced team costs more than regular members of staff; if you take into account the additional spend on taxation, company perks, training, and even onboarding, more often than not a Dynamics CRM managed services team will be cheaper;
- No distractions: changing your company’s organizational structure to accommodate Dynamics CRM service management takes away a lot of resources from core business tasks. This contradicts the platform’s fundamental idea, which is to improve rather than disturb your business’ operations. By utilizing managed services, your business may concentrate solely on its activities without interruptions.
- System always up to date: outsourced teams will often be better at keeping up with latest software updates and best practices; if they spot a new technique or method that works really well for one of their clients, they’ll be sure to check if they can use it for others.
Key Components Of Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Managed Services
The key components of Dynamics 365 managed services include:
- Dynamics CRM consulting services
- Implementation services
- Integration services
- Administration services
- CRM development services
Next, we will delve into these services to understand what they entail.
1. Dynamics CRM Consulting Services
First, managed service companies closely collaborate with their clients to get a good grasp of their particular company needs, problems, and objectives. The consulting team pinpoints areas where Dynamics 365 CRM can be used to a company’s benefit through workshops, interviews, and business analysis.
Then, to adapt the CRM system properly, they provide advice on CRM customization, setup, data management, and process automation. Note that if you decide to only use the consulting services, you will need to perform all the recommended optimization yourself.
2. Implementation Services
Implementation services cover the end-to-end process of deploying and configuring the Dynamics 365 CRM system. This entails setting up the CRM instance, configuring security roles, and managing user access permissions, among other things.
The team also facilitates smooth data migration from legacy systems to the new platform, so that no vital information is lost during the implementation process. And, of course, customization of the CRM system is also in order – creating custom entities, fields, and forms, as well as implementing workflows and automations to align with existing business processes.
3. Integration Services
Our team’s integration experience shows that companies operate much more efficiently when they connect their Dynamics CRM system with other capable solutions.
Managed services teams like ourselves sync data between the CRM and third-party software such customer service, marketing, and enterprise resource planning systems. Some of the main benefits of this activity are real-time data updates, elimination of manual data entry, and a 360 degree view of client information across all systems.
4. Administration Services
Dynamics 365 managed services also include continuous management and maintenance of the CRM. For instance, the outsourced team can handle user administration which includes adding new users, updating user roles, and maintaining security settings. Additionally, they keep an eye out for performance problems, update and patch the system to guarantee its security and dependability, and offer proactive technical support and troubleshooting.
5. CRM Development
Businesses can also benefit from development services, which means creating entirely new custom entities, fields, forms, workflows, and plugins to boost the CRM capabilities. All of these improvements tend to make businesses more flexible and efficient as they start operating with more data and having their processes even more streamlined.
Finding The Right Services Provider For Dynamics 365 CRM
Just like you would be when hiring an employee, you’ll need to be very selective about the managed services provider if you decide to go the outsourced team route. We recommend paying the most attention to the following aspects:
- Flexible Pricing: some teams charge more than they should simply because they don’t offer many pricing ranges for their services – make sure your partner is willing to consider your particular needs and adjust their pricing accordingly;
- Effective Communication: it’s a good sign when the team is very quick and open to respond to all your questions during the sales process; even better – when you get to work, they can communicate through channels your company already uses;
- Proven Track Record: look at what the team’s clients have to say about them – and not only on the team’s website itself (those reviews aren’t always trustworthy), but also reputable review aggregators such as Clutch;
- Detailed SLA: a good team will provide you with a very in-depth service level agreement so that every action that take responsibility for is put in writing; in this case you can rest assured that your customer rights are protected;
- Certified Professionals: don’t hesitate to ask the CRM managed services team about whether they have universally recognized credentials or certificates.
Why Choose OMI’s Dynamics CRM Managed Services?
OMI has been at the forefront of software implementation and business intelligence for more than two decades now, being founded in 1997. Even before Microsoft Dynamics was introduced, our team had already made our reputation as one of the top Salesforce consulting firms.
And with the Dynamics’ launch, we took all of our experience and used it to become some of the best Dynamics 365 managed services teams as well (you can learn more about our value proposition here). We’re an official Microsoft Dynamics CRM partner and our team members are certified, seasoned, well-trained professionals that have made possible many success stories. Want specific numbers and examples? See our Ebook and learn how we’re helping businesses be successful.
On top of our know-how, we also know how to be your people. We’ve always taken pride in our communication and how efficiently we deal with potential issues and problematic situations together with our clients. Don’t believe us? Get in touch with us and see for yourself!
Conclusion
A Dynamics CRM service management team will always be a viable option for your Dynamics CRM needs; in many ways being even better than in-house specialists. The outsourced team will often have more knowledge about the system, cost less money, and allow your team to focus on your primary business tasks.
Depending on their value proposition, they will be able to provide advisory, implementation, integration, administration and product development services. When deciding what team to choose, look at their track record, credentials, communication skills, and reputation. And if you want to be sure that your potential Dynamics CRM partner will check all of these boxes, look no further than OMI.
FAQs:
What is the difference between managed and unmanaged in Dynamics 365?
Managed solutions are complete products that are ready for export or distribution, while unmanaged solutions are the ones that are still in development. Managed solution components can’t be altered in the environment to which they are imported. At the same time, unmanaged ones can be altered and have their components modified; for them to become a managed solution and to be distributed, they need to be finished and then exported.
What are some examples of Dynamics CRM managed services?
Dynamics 365 managed services mainly include, but not limited to, advisory, implementation, integration, administration and product development services. The main purpose of these services is to ensure the highest possible operational efficiency of the CRM software for the company that is using it.