The client did not have a centralised CRM solution that their users could easily update and review to track the delivery of their services to their customers.

Data surrounding activities, leads and opportunities were kept in a plethora of separate systems, shared drives and spreadsheets. This made locating, accessing and updating client information, user activities or service progress challenging and inefficient.

Additionally, the team had limited access to existing customer information when working away from internal systems. And so, the client wanted a solution that would provide a central environment that was accessible for all users to make tracking and updating client information simple. 848 recommended implementing a unified Dynamics platform.

848 proposed and developed a SureStart Essentials project to deliver a Dynamics platform built on Dynamics 365 for Sales. This would provide a centralised location for client data and activities. SureStart is 848’s suite of services that provide a safe and effective way for clients to access a high-quality business application underpinned by Microsoft Dynamics. The project included the migration of any existing data that the client required be transferred into the new solution.

848 first licensed and configured an out-of-the-box Dynamics platform, before building sandbox and production environments. The sandbox environment enabled 848 to trial functionalities and configurations before going in the live production solution.

The project was delivered in a sprint format, where the tasks required for delivery and the areas/functions of the Dynamics 365 for Sales were separated out into day-long “sprints”. Each “sprint” day consisted of a morning discovery session between 848 and the client, where requirements and configurations were captured and confirmed, and demonstrations of relevant functionalities within the Dynamics platform were delivered.

848 then made the changes in the sandbox environment, communicating with the client and answering any queries along the way. The work completed was then demonstrated, discussed and – if required, tweaked – before being approved for the live solution.

848 also utilised the sandbox to perform a test data migration, to ensure its effectiveness and allow for any changes or issues to be addressed before the final import.

Once all the sprint days were completed, the changes that were built into the unmanaged solution in the sandbox environment were exported and imported into the production environment as part of a managed solution. The final data migration them took place and all data was imported into the production environment.

848 rounded off the project by delivering two user training sessions; one for the user base as a whole, and one for full or admin users (those with full Dynamics 365 professional licenses or system administrator privileges).

As a result of the solution, all staff on the team have a unified Dynamics platform that provides one place to access all documents, data, files and systems. Now, they can report on their service delivery centrally and see data on their clients in a single location, saving the team hours of valuable time. They no longer have to pull information together from multiple sources to get a full picture of their clients and how the delivery of their services are developing.

In addition to this, the client is now also able to easily track and update activity that takes place between their users and their clients. Through the Dynamics platform, users are now made aware of when tasks, phone calls, emails and appointments take place, as well as who they were with and which opportunity or lead they relate too.

Following the successful completion and handover of the project, a SurePath essentials support contract is now in place to further assist the client with the use and management of the solution going forward.