B
Bryan
Hi,
Our sales guy is trying to evaluate Microsoft's BCM for Outlook
and had a few questions/queries.
We are trying to replace Act and would like something integrated with
outlook/exchange but aren't sure that BCM is the solution.
Judging from past experience with some MS technologies, BCM appears to be a
beta type product that got commercialized but doesn't really have a future
in MS's big picture plans. Is that the case here? If not, where does MS plan
to take BCM and what does it plan to leave to the CRM stuff? Specifically,
are there any plans to add features that allow for:
1) Multi user environments (more than one connection)
2) Syncronization between a server DB and a personal DB say on a laptop that
can run disconnected from the network.
3) Any plans to allow for the tracking of opportunity costs (as well as
revenue) in the Opportunity information?
4) Any ability to customize the reports?
From what I read, the CRM stuff can only run on a server and still cannot be
syncronized to a laptop for offline use. Also, it still does not appear to
be integrated with Exchange which absolutely baffles me. Does the Outlook
client for the CRM program at least have the ability for us to use the same
profile as our exchange connection so we can use global contact lists, etc?
Just so you know what we are trying to do. We are just a small consulting
shop with about 6 partners and 14 employees. What we want the ability to do
is for the partners that are out generating sales leads to be able to enter
that data so that marketing and business development can follow up on them.
I think the CRM package might be a bit of overkill on that front.
Also, can anyone tell me how many licenses for the BCM and the CRM software
come with the action pack?
Kind regards,
Bryan
Our sales guy is trying to evaluate Microsoft's BCM for Outlook
and had a few questions/queries.
We are trying to replace Act and would like something integrated with
outlook/exchange but aren't sure that BCM is the solution.
Judging from past experience with some MS technologies, BCM appears to be a
beta type product that got commercialized but doesn't really have a future
in MS's big picture plans. Is that the case here? If not, where does MS plan
to take BCM and what does it plan to leave to the CRM stuff? Specifically,
are there any plans to add features that allow for:
1) Multi user environments (more than one connection)
2) Syncronization between a server DB and a personal DB say on a laptop that
can run disconnected from the network.
3) Any plans to allow for the tracking of opportunity costs (as well as
revenue) in the Opportunity information?
4) Any ability to customize the reports?
From what I read, the CRM stuff can only run on a server and still cannot be
syncronized to a laptop for offline use. Also, it still does not appear to
be integrated with Exchange which absolutely baffles me. Does the Outlook
client for the CRM program at least have the ability for us to use the same
profile as our exchange connection so we can use global contact lists, etc?
Just so you know what we are trying to do. We are just a small consulting
shop with about 6 partners and 14 employees. What we want the ability to do
is for the partners that are out generating sales leads to be able to enter
that data so that marketing and business development can follow up on them.
I think the CRM package might be a bit of overkill on that front.
Also, can anyone tell me how many licenses for the BCM and the CRM software
come with the action pack?
Kind regards,
Bryan