Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Dynamics CRM Blogs by John Eccles | Magnetism Solutions | NZ (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin)

All-in-one or Best-of-breed?

John Eccles, 03 September 2020

Which is better? An all-in-one system or an integrated best-of-breed system? The debate has been raging for years. Suppliers of all-in-one systems and ‘point’ systems both argue convincingly that their approach is superior while the consensus of those who profess to be independent is “it depends”. T
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How Can Software Developers Stay Up To Date?

John Eccles, 17 July 2020

Magnetism has long been committed to excellence through mastery. It’s a core value. Even in our specialisation (systems based on D365 and the Power Platform) the technology is advancing faster than ever before so ongoing professional development is crucial to our success. We make time for our entire
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Online Customer Self-Service - Why and How?

John Eccles, 03 June 2020

What is Online Customer Self-Service?This blog could have been about Online Self-Service because employees, students, partners, and other stakeholders might benefit from online self-service. But I am focusing on customer self-service because generally that is where the greatest opportunity lies.Cust
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Power Platform Licensing

John Eccles, 18 June 2019

Power Platform unlocks the potential of Dynamics 365 and Office 365. It opens the door for non-software developer users within organisations to manage data and electronic forms, automate business processes and enable mobility. An organisation needs licensing to use Power Platform. In this blog, I wa
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Voice of the Customer and CRM

John Eccles, 04 June 2019

Voice of the Customer (VoC) is not a new concept. It’s the marketing concept re-badged - the philosophy that firms should analyze the needs of their customers and then make decisions to satisfy those needs, better than the competition. It's the same, but it’s also different because we live in
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IT for High-Growth Companies

John Eccles, 30 May 2019

IT systems can be growth drivers or growth inhibitors. Information Technology should be scaleable and adaptable as well as enabling growth strategies. We’ll examine key features of IT systems consistent with the needs of high-growth companies. Cloud Fast, flexible and cost-effective means clou
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CRM and CX Strategies

John Eccles, 08 January 2018

Is Customer Experience (CX) going to replace CRM? Do I need a new system for CX? What does CX mean for my CRM system? To answer these questions, we need to review the fundamentals of CRM and CX and look at the software functionality required for each.What is CRM? CRM is the business strategy to acq
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Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Customer Retention

John Eccles, 06 October 2017

Depending on which study you believe, and what industry you’re in, acquiring a new customer is anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one. Not my words. I’m quoting Amy Gallo from Harvard Busines Review, October 29, 2014. As we already knew, keeping customers
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Do you need a CRM Vendor or a CRM Partner?

John Eccles, 12 August 2016

CRM vendors and partners provide different services, operate differently and think differently. It’s important to know which you need and how to work with either a vendor or a partner to maximise results The CRM vendor The CRM vendor’s business model is selling CRM services: they undertake CRM proj
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Ten Signs Your CRM System is Not Working as it Should

John Eccles, 02 February 2016

Your CRM system should be delivering outstanding value to your organisation, enabling you to know and serve your customers better and automating previously manual tasks. Your CRM users will be loving it! "It's not quite like that for us" I hear you say. Then perhaps your system is not working as i
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How to Narrow Your CRM Options

John Eccles, 25 January 2016

You need a CRM system but there are a baffling array of options. You want to quickly sift out those that are not going to work and arrive at a list that is manageable. This blog is for you. I will cover the broad categories of CRM without diving into the minutia of detailed functionality. Size of
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How to Ensure Your CRM Project Comes in on Budget

John Eccles, 11 December 2015

Your CRM project doesn’t have to be like this! Magnetism has done many CRM projects that were on-time and on budget. But you will need to be intentional because in general, CRM projects are like most projects and most projects go over budget. In July 1997, the proposed new Scottish Parliament bui
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Key Ingredients in a CRM Business Case

John Eccles, 01 December 2015

A business case for a CRM system must examine benefits and risks involved with implementing CRM and, conversely, not implementing CRM. Provided the benefits outweigh the costs and risks, the conclusion should be a compelling argument for implementation. Chances are your organisation has a Bus
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What Does A Great CRM System Look Like?

John Eccles, 13 November 2015

Whether you are evaluating your existing CRM system or considering embarking on a CRM project, it is worthwhile to step back and think about what a good CRM system looks like.Not the UI (user interface) although that’s important, I’m talking about what your organisation will be like when a good CRM
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Stay Involved in Your CRM Project

John Eccles, 29 October 2015

“To get a CRM system customised for my organisation, I need to find a competent CRM software development vendor, brief them on our requirements and leave it to them. After all, they are the experts.” Right? Wrong!! With that approach, you have a high chance of spending a lot of money on
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