Is your CRM connected to your Microsoft Office environment? Or are you working across siloed systems? This blog looks at the benefits of integrating CRM with Office 365, and solutions that make it easier and more affordable for businesses of all sizes long term.

Microsoft Office 365 is the central workspace for more than a million organisations worldwide. If you’re utilising Office 365 in your business, it’s important for it to be truly connected to your other critical business applications – including your CRM.

But why is it important? Because running multiple disparate systems increases the complexity and cost of IT maintenance. Having a disjointed IT landscape also leads to data silos, process inefficiencies, user errors and more. When you integrate your core business applications such as CRM and Office 365, you create a more productive, secure, and easy-to-manage workspace.

With so many CRM solutions available, you’d think that most of them work with Microsoft applications with minimal involvement. And while some of the enterprise systems do (with an enterprise price tag), many small business CRM solutions require a lot of time, money, and effort to ensure continuous and effective integration. This is because SMB systems often lack the advanced features and connectivity options needed, so integration becomes a continuous and time-consuming manual task.

So, if integrating your CRM and Office 365 is costly and complex – what can small businesses do to ensure they have a connected and scalable workspace without breaking the bank? And what are the risks of overlooking this integration?

The Problem with Disjointed Systems

When you’re running a range of disparate IT systems, managing and maintaining those systems can become arduous for your IT team. Fixes, IT changes, and software updates are all required at different times, and you don’t always know if an update on one system may have a detrimental impact on another. The amount of time and money needed to ensure the security, integration, and functionality of different applications can quickly spiral out of control.

A disjointed infrastructure isn’t just a pain for your technical team. Separate and disconnected systems can also negatively affect employee productivity. Users end up wasting valuable time switching between different pieces of software, and mistakes are made more easily as data isn’t centrally located. Important information can be duplicated or missed, which can have a big impact on customer experiences and sales opportunities.

Effective integration of critical IT systems like your ERP, CRM and Office 365 – or any other core workspace – helps to avoid these issues. And finding a solution that makes integration easier and more affordable long-term is key.

Dynamics 365 CRM: A Natural Extension of Office 365

As a Microsoft solution, Dynamics 365 offers native integration of your CRM and Office 365 environment. This inherent connectivity reduces the time and effort required by your IT team to maintain, update, and integrate these critical applications. What’s even better, Dynamics 365 is a future-proof solution. That’s because it offers advanced features, scalability, and extensibility that small business CRMs don’t. This means you not only have seamless CRM and Office 365 integration, but a system that’s ready to evolve alongside your business. Instead of having to spend money reinvesting and upgrading our small business solution, you have a CRM that’s prepared for future growth.

But isn’t Dynamics an Enterprise Tool?

Dynamics 365 is often viewed as an enterprise CRM solution, but that’s not quite the case. While it may have a higher cost than some of the small business competitors, the range of features, functionality, sustainable scalability makes it a more cost-effective investment in the long run.

Why Dynamics 365 for Small Businesses

• Seamless CRM and Office 365 Integration – Dynamics 365 offers unmatched connectivity with Office 365, ensuring a smooth workflow between CRM functionalities and productivity apps.
• Cost-Effective Solution – Eliminates the need for multiple, disparate systems, reducing the overhead costs associated with integrating and maintaining separate solutions.
• Scalability – Designed to grow with your business, Dynamics 365 can easily adapt to your changing needs without the need for a complete system overhaul.
• User-Friendly Interface – With an emphasis on ease of use, Dynamics 365 allows for quick adoption by team members, minimising disruption and training requirements.
• Customisation and Flexibility – Tailor-made for small businesses, it offers customisation options to fit niche needs, ensuring that the CRM aligns with your unique business processes.
• Advanced Features Without Complexity – Provides a range of advanced functionalities tailored for small businesses, without the complexity often associated with enterprise systems.
• Data Security and Compliance – Dynamics 365 adheres to Microsoft’s stringent security protocols, ensuring your business data is protected and compliant with regulations.
• Streamlined Operations – Automates and optimises business processes, from sales to customer service, improving efficiency and productivity across the board.

The Pros and Cons of SMB CRM Systems

Small businesses need solutions that are simple but effective, affordable, and easy to manage. To ensure affordability and simplicity, CRM systems targeted at small and mid-sized businesses offer a more streamlined set of features compared to enterprise alternatives. They typically have less functionality and ability to integrate with other solutions such as productivity and collaboration suites like Office 365. But many smaller organisations still choose them as on the surface they seem less expensive.

However, the limited features, extensibility, and compatibility with other applications can lead you to quickly outgrow an SMB solution. This means they become less affordable in the long term, as you need to upgrade and adopt a new system. While they can be cheaper to deploy initially, costs can quickly rise when you need to extend, integrate, and scale your CRM as your business grows.

Choosing a CRM with Office 365 integration as well as connectivity with your other business critical applications is a great way to both improve productivity and future-proof your IT investments. And Dynamics 365 is a great solution.

Simplifying CRM and Office 365 Integration for SMBs

Integrating CRM and Office 365 ensures a more efficient, productive, and easy to manage IT landscape. And with native integration, Dynamics 365 makes the whole thing easier. Dynamics 365 not only offers effortless connectivity with Office 365, but it also evolves with your small business as it grows. Instead of spending time and money investing in and integrating separate solutions, Dynamics 365 provides scalability and functionality that saves your small business money in the long run.

If you’re not sure your CRM is providing you the scalability, functionality, and integration capabilities you need, why not book a CRM review with the 848 team? A CRM review will help you uncover opportunities to save money, improve system integration, enhance processes and more. Book yours by contacting us today.