Microsoft CRM app store on the way; tips to help clarify CRM selection

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Dynamics CRM 2011, formerly code-named CRM 5, will be released as an online offering for public beta in September, according to an announcement which coincided with the company's Worldwide Partner Conference on July 12.

Supporting the new release will be the September launch of Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace, where developers and partners can sell applications built around the program. Of the new features expected in the upcoming release, the Marketplace is the most notable for its similarity to CRM market-leader, Salesforce.com's AppExchange.

Other updates include interfaces that can be tailored to job function and better integration with Outlook, Office and SharePoint.

The new release, and corresponding app-based approach to CRM, "unlocks new opportunities and provides a single development environment for cloud-based and on-premise deployments. Together, this new release raises the bar in the CRM market," said Brad Wilson, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Given Microsoft's reach in the enterprise, many analysts suspect it could give Salesforce a run for its money come September. One thing is certain: the list of features and updates offered by CRM vendors expands with each release. When assessing CRM solutions, David Taber, CEO of SalesLogistix, suggests CIOs and content managers use a checklist for weeding through vendor proposals.

In an article on CIO.com, Taber outlines 10 must-have components of a solid CRM proposal. He also outlines three reg flags in a proposal, namely: "Large requirements discovery phases at the beginning, with accompanying requirement tomes," "boil-the-ocean data history" and "feature-itis."

What do you seek and avoid when CRM proposals come across your desk? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

For more:
- see the Microsoft press release
- see this IDG News article on Microsoft's CRM app store
- see this article from David Taber at CIO

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