Comparison of Microsoft Dynamics 4.0 CRM and Microsoft Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager and decisive criteria for the selection of a more appropriate tool for a company

Peter Hazler (2009) Comparison of Microsoft Dynamics 4.0 CRM and Microsoft Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager and decisive criteria for the selection of a more appropriate tool for a company. EngD thesis.

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Abstract

With the development of the human society, came the development of the way the products are made and sold. When the first market and the stores developed, the customers did not have a lot of choice; all the products were fairly easily sold due to their small number. In the today world, the number of the companies is growing on a daily basis and the competition on the market is getting more and more fierce. With a view of succeeding and entering the market, the companies help themselves with various means and tools, often relying on the information technology, which is at present an indispensable part of the operation and organization of a company. One of such tools is the Customer Relationship Management (CRM). It enables the storage of a data base on clients and partners, enables communication and business with customers and clients. In the diploma work titled Comparison of Microsoft Dynamics 4.0 CRM and Microsoft Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager and decisive criteria for the selection of a more appropriate tool for a company, is presented the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology. Two other CRM tools that companies can use at their operation are also presented. These are the Microsoft Dynamics 4.0 CRM and Microsoft Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager. The premise of the diploma work is that both program tools cannot be equally effective and equally useful in all areas of work for which they were designed. Due to the latter, this work does not contain merely the presentation, but also a comparison of the two tools. This comparison presents the comparison criteria offered by the company selling the tools to the company who is deciding to purchase one of them. In addition, the comparison criteria set by the company buying a program tool are also presented. Before the purchase, the company buying the product, must get information from the seller on the program tools he sells, their functions, requirements, quality and price. It is also wise to ask about additional items or services that the purchase of a certain tool includes. When comparing the different CRM tools, the purchasing companies can decide which different functions the new tool must support. They must be familiar with the requirements of the CRM tool for a proper operation as well as with available tool packages and licences. One of the functions the purchasing company can decide for is that the tool must support the company’s customer service, if the company provides such services. The requirements of the tools necessary for their operation must also be taken into account. Nonetheless, it is the price that usually dictates the purchase. It has been established that both tools, the Microsoft Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager and Microsoft Dynamics 4.0 CRM basically comply with the CRM requirements and offer the companies a well centralized support at making business with their clients. It is therefore possible to recommend to all the companies that would like to organize and manage their own customer management with computer technology, to purchase one of the CRM tools, since the work in the company will be better organized which in consequence means better business results. On the basis of these comparisons it is possible to suggest a certain company, which program tool is most suitable for it, given its size, organization, vision and the way of making business.

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