"Spray and Pray" is still a term used with derision among sales hands in describing the penchant of some in sales to vomit up features, functions, and related gobbledygook when they are desperate to sell to a customer but don't know what that customer is buying. Yet we're being told that "social selling" is the wave of the future when it comes to selling. Isn't this just the same old spray and pray, but this time using Twitter and Facebook?

Gamification is becoming a hot topic in companies that use CRM, in part because the areas where CRM is frequently used lend themselves well to competitive environments, but also because CRM itself is an enabler of gamification.

Often times it makes sense to have a development CRM environment where you can make changes without affecting users.

Here is an excellent resource that tells step-by-step how to backup and restore a CRM Organization:

http://msdynamics2011.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-to-copy-microsoft-crm-2011.html

Industry estimates tell us that as many of 80% of leads are lost through inadequate follow up -- and most of those people buy from someone within two years after we lose them.

Your CRM can change those figures for you.

You're upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Online, and you're going to love it! Out of the box integration with Sharepoint, multiple dashboards with complex reporting, and new customization options make the new version of MS Dynamics CRM as powerful and versatile as Salesforce or SAP. Yet it still lets you work in your own comfortable Outlook and Office work environment.

Here's what you need to do.

Upgrade the Outlook Client on each machine:

1. Uninstall CRM 4 Outlook Client

2. Download Link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=22dc423a-7194-491e-a169-6ace16bfdd36

3. Choose appropriate version (64-bit or 32-bit) for installed version of Outlook.

Now upgrade the E-Mail Router (if installed) and any third-party add-ons (if applicable).

Training is the final step – make sure you don’t lose users to the new interface/design.

...

You've met people like Sally. She knows exactly where that customer's order is on the shop floor, who is working on it right now, and just how much profit the company is going to make on it. When a new order comes in, Sally can gaze around the facility, calculate how fast the current jobs can be finished and where the next one can be fitted in, tell you whether the price the customer is asking for is feasible, and remind you about the problems that came up last time a similar job arose.

What if everyone in the company had that kind of knowledge available, all the time?

A customer calls, and everyone who answers the phone -- not just Sally -- can see where the order is. The likely outcome of a change can be forecast, approvals can be arranged quickly, and communication of the changes goes to everyone whose work is affected by it.

This is the beauty of ERP: Enterprise Resource Planning. For manufacturers, combining Visual Manufacturing (VMFG) with Microsoft Dynamics CRM brings everything...

If you're doing without customer relationship management (CRM) software, you're missing some important benefits for your company: Automation of sales and relationship cycles ensures that all your customers are taken care of equally, even when you're busy or they're quiet. Data collection and report writing are simplified, so they get done, increasing both accountability and success. Continuity is assured, even when staff members leave, go on vacation, or change positions. Planning, time management, and team coordination are easier when you always have decision making data handy. Immediate access to client information increases responsiveness to customer's needs and increased customer satisfaction. The result is happier customers, lower costs, and better return on your investment in your staff. So why are you doing without a CRM solution? Some of the more common reasons are these: You're not ready to make a major capital investment in hardware and software. You've heard (or experienced for yourself) that people won't use a CRM solution....