A couple of years ago, I implemented a CRM system for my former company, and just as I am writing this blog article, I’m in the middle of rethinking my company’s pipeline management strategy and systems. Through these projects, I have realized that developing opportunities can easily be done within Salesforce and other CRM systems because often the process starts there. However in order to deliver great service to your customers in the long term, you need to integrate your ERP and CRM systems.
When companies start looking into integrating Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce, their primary wish list is very straight forward and simple. Even very simple integrations can provide a lot of value to a customer-centric or sales-driven organization. However, when they realize how fast integrations can be setup nowadays with the RapidiOnline data integration platform, they start being interested in exploring new possibilities to optimize and automate processes by utilizing workflows and data integration.
Salesforce-Microsoft Dynamics NAV integration benefits: 4 real-life examples
In my work, I benefit from being inspired by what others have already accomplished, and there is a lot to learn from companies that have already integrated Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce. I have taken four random cases that might inspire you help you understand how you can benefit from integrating your systems.
Reduce manual data entry and free resources to focus on value-adding tasks
US-based family-owned manufacturer and distributor of Premium Beverages On Tap, Sea Breeze Syrups had built a solid reputation for being customer-centric. However, as their reach and customer base expanded they looked for even better ways to place their customers at the center of all their efforts. Sea Breeze already managed much of its back-office with Microsoft Dynamics NAV and chose Salesforce to enhance customer service, truly believing that access to timely, accurate customer data would drive better customer service. Although happy with the two systems as such, Sea Breeze found themselves doubling up the manual data entry exercises and started looking for a Salesforce-Microsoft Dynamics NAV integration solution to enable real-time synchronization and streamline their operations. By providing their field teams with timely relevant data, the integration finally allowed them to focus their time and efforts on activities that brought real value to their customers.
Read the full story here.
Optimize and automate sales processes in a dealer channel setup
Australian “King of the off-road” Kimberly Kampers produces an impressive range of caravans, campers, drive-yourself campers and roof-top tents. Kimberly Kampers had used Microsoft Dynamics NAV as their ERP system for years when they found themselves faced to a challenge getting information out to a rapidly increasing number of dealers. They opted for Salesforce to handle their customer relations and dealer network, but they knew that they would only get the full value of their investment if they integrated the two systems. Today, they have a fully integrated support of their dealers’ processes. Dealers can enter new opportunities, convert them into orders, see order status, invoices and open entries. Because Salesforce is integrated with Microsoft Dynamics NAV, new orders are automatically created in Dynamics NAV. Delivery date and status information are automatically transferred back into Salesforce, giving the dealers always up-to-date information to act upon. Not only do they love the system, they are also able to close more sales, faster.
Read the full story here.
Make better informed decisions
Danish-based Netop Solutions develops marketing software solutions sold in more than 80 countries. When Netop Solutions chose Salesforce to improve their customer activities, Netop had already implemented Microsoft Dynamics NAV in their subsidiaries in several countries. They quickly realized that they were entering valuable information in two systems, and since the systems were not connected, the information was either kept in only one system or had to be re-entered manually. They needed a Salesforce-Microsoft Dynamics NAV integration to make sure that any relevant information about customers, products and prices would be automatically transferred and kept up-to-date between the two systems. Linking the two systems saved Netop sales teams a lot of time by cutting on the number of manual work processes previously required to enter the same data several times. Ultimately, it gave them updated information and sales figures allowing them to make faster, better informed decisions about each customer.
Read the full story here.
Improve customer service
Designer and producer of high-end jewelry Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen had made its name and reputation in the Scandinavian countries but was rapidly expanding to other countries worldwide. They used Microsoft Dynamics NAV for order registration, invoicing, production and all the administrative work, and had changed CRM system to implement Salesforce for their salespeople around the world with a goal to give them a valuable sales tool. They knew that the best way to do that was to make sure that all the data inside salesforce was accurate and up-to-date. This could not happen without an integration between the two systems. The integration removed a large number of manual processes and gave their sales people access to a system where data is easily accessible. Today they can easily and rapidly enter new customer, create and update orders. They can access it from anywhere and whenever they want, which gives them a much higher work flexibility and more importantly allows them to be always very well prepared before talking to customers, which naturally translates into better customer service.
Read the full story here.
Now, these benefits are all taken from companies that have integrated Salesforce with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The benefits would probably be very similar for companies looking to integrate Salesforce with any product in the Microsoft Dynamics ERP product suite (AX, NAV or GP), or for that matter for any company looking to integrate an ERP system with a CRM system.
