Extending Dynamics CRM to Non-CRM Users

If your Dynamics CRM users are limited to your Sales, Marketing and Support teams, you may be missing the bigger picture. Hold on a second! Isn't that exactly what CRM is designed for: Sales, Marketing and Support? Actually, CRM has the potential to touch many other departments within your organization which interface with these teams. If it did, your CRM's relevance would increase exponentially. Here's an example:

You have a Customer On-boarding process in place that ensures that new customers are:

1. Created within CRM as Account and Contacts.

2. Given support and knowledge base system logins.

3. Invoiced for products and services ordered.

4. Invoiced for support and maintenance contracts.

5. Added to marketing lists for existing customer newsletters, communications, etc.

So far so good - you've got the basics down pat. But here's what you're missing:

1. Product Training and Certification should be provided for the new customer.

2. HR Dept. needs to allocate more work time or make new hires to support the new work (or at least be notified).

3. CFO needs to approve invoices and other finance aspects.

4. R&D team needs to be aware of new requirements of a major customer.

5. Most importantly: Implementation Team needs to be mobilized to provide the product/service to the customer.

None of the above users or teams are CRM users. But all of them need to take part in customer on-boarding. So...how can you extend the CRM process to these non-CRM users?

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

One option is a BPM software. BPM workflows sit above/between CRM and other systems and people. A BPM workflow which is tightly integrated with CRM can be managed outside CRM, for example, in your SharePoint portal, to which every user has access. There, it can give non-CRM users and teams access to the process. It can send them tasks and notifications which they must complete as part of this process. It can connect ERP data with CRM, creating a data tunnel between your two most important systems. In short, it can extend your CRM's reach much further than beforehand, creating a company-wide CRM-related process.

PNMsoft SCE is a BPM suite which integrates with Dynamics CRM. Here's more on our CRM workflow integration: http://www.pnmsoft.com/technology/bpm-for-dynamics-crm/

Thanks,

Eli Stutz

Head of Knowledge and Collaboration

PNMsoft

www.pnmsoft.com

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.