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Building a cloud business with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online

  • Article

Almost 80% of businesses are deploying or fully embracing the cloud. With the majority of customers now adopting cloud services, it’s critical that partners adapt to stay relevant to their customer base.

Cloud budgets are growing.  Over the next 24 months, IDC predicts big shifts:

  • 44% growth in the move from non-cloud to cloud delivery
  • 11% growth in the move from customer-site to provider-site

This is especially good news for managed service providers and cloud-oriented partners.

Cloud intelligence is maturing. Customers want to leverage the cloud, and the push for maturity signals real opportunities for partners to help.  IT buying centres are shifting to line of business and business now funds 61% of technology projects.

 

Growing partner profitability with the cloud.

Our charter is to enable partners to profitably deliver the cloud solutions customers are looking for.

Demand for cloud services is growing fast, with $500B projected for greater cloud spending by 2020*. Partners with over 50% of their revenue from the cloud see 2X growth, 1.5X gross profit, and 1.8X recurring revenue.

The cloud is a significant growth opportunity for partners, and we help them gain a competitive advantage with the best technology and partner program.

 

The Cloud Customer Relationship Management Competency is perfect for partners who deploy Dynamics CRM Online solutions. Partners who attain this competency, not only differentiate and showcase themselves as the top Dynamics CRM Online partners, they also continue to gain benefits through the competency that help them continue to grow their Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online business.

Below I have outlined three phases of building a cloud business with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online – Start, Grow and Optimize - to help you grow your Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online business.

 

Start Phase

Priorities

  • Use small scale pilot projects and build expertise
  • Use blogs, Pinpoint, and websites to build online presence
  • Find other firms to partner with who have experience in areas where you don’t
  • Train and develop your staff to deliver cloud
  • Enhance your credibility with customer references
  • Introduce a specific cloud sales process

Target Activities

Assessing business processes and determining which problems need to be solved is key for CRM customers. Build team skills around:

  • Understanding customers’ business process needs
  • How business processes can be improved with CRM
  • Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online components and typical areas of customization
  • Demoing CRM Online to customers

Recommended Program

  • Microsoft Action Pack. Watch a video to find out more about MAPS.

Top Assets

 

Grow Phase

Priorities

  • Prioritize growing your customer base
  • Focus on your business, adding additional components, attach new services and IP. Automate to drive down costs
  • Generate leads through digital marketing
  • Expand solution offerings through broader partnerships
  • Target selling to BDMs for long-term impact
  • Implement CRM internally so you can successfully handle the increased volume of work expected at this stage

Target Activities

Provide additional value-added services on top of license margin to improve your total value proposition, get access to business owner level, and safeguard your current customer base by deploying and customizing:

  • Sales force automation
  • Marketing automation
  • Customer service
  • Social media insights

Recommended Program

  • Silver Cloud CRM competency

Top Assets

 

Optimize Phase

Priorities

  • Become one stop shop for customers’ cloud needs
  • Differentiate offerings with vertical expertise
  • Strengthen your digital profile as cloud thought leader to ensure consistent flow of inbound leads
  • Scale cloud solutions through strategic partnerships –consider channel or geo expansion
  • Be an early adopter and monitor industry trends

Target Activities

  • Increase your solution offering with additional IP/templates:-
  • Packaged implementations-
  • Standard scenarios out of the box
  • Additional functionality
  • Provide more robust capabilities with Microsoft Dynamics Marketing

Recommended Program

  • Gold Cloud CRM competency

Top Assets

 

What stage am I in?

To help evaluate what stage you are in and for more great ideas about ways to grow a profitable business, read the Cloud Productivity Benchmark Tool and Playbook.

Drive deals with Active Use

Customers get the most from their investment when they actively use all the features and workloads they are entitled to with their cloud subscription, leading to stronger retention and increased loyalty. It’s also the route to increased partner profits and a pathway to cloud competencies.

It’s very important that partners get credit for all subscriptions, including Open License, when customers assign them as their Digital Partner of Record. See a user step-by-step video.

Monitor customer subscriptions to more effectively and proactively drive demand, deployment, and renewals with the Cloud Services Dashboard.

Build expertise Activate and use Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online internal use rights , to enhance team skills. IURs are available to Action Pack partners after their first CRM Online deal, and included with MPN competencies.

Use Partner University for training plus cloud profitability fundamentals.

Showcase your skills with a Cloud CRM competency

Earning a Cloud CRM competency certifies you as an expert in deploying Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online business solutions.

Our research* shows that terms like “gold level” and “silver level” give buyers confidence. When you achieve a Cloud CRM competency, you’re letting customers know that Microsoft stands behind your solution. Plus, you’ll gain a host of valuable benefits to help you grow your CRM Online business.

Your competency checklist

  1. Meet the Performance requirements
  2. Complete your certifications or assessments requirements
  3. Complete your references – 3 for Silver, 5 for Gold
  4. Pay your competency Fees

If you are interested in more information on Cloud CRM competency visit the Cloud Profitability Toolbox. Also review the offer on specially priced MPN Competency Value Packs that contains a voucher for one team member to use toward up to three (3) exams in your chosen competency (with up to 15 total attempts).

If you are already a member of the Microsoft Partner Network you can contact the Regional Service Center at 1-800-676-7658 for any MPN related questions.

 

References:

*IDC White Paper: The Business Value of the Microsoft Partner Network Core Benefits (July, 2012); IDC #235671

**IDC. Successful Cloud Partners 2.0. 2014