ERP (Enterprise Resources Planning) software and CRM ( Customer Relationship Management) software are two digital tools for managing the company. If an ERP is a management platform for all business functions, a CRM tool will be entirely dedicated to marketing and customer relationship management functionalities. So which one to choose?
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ERP AND CRM?
ERP software ( such as Dynamics Nav, formerly navision) will allow you to have a global vision of your company, by grouping, for example, human resources, production and finance. For your data, it is a unification and reliability solution. The ERP is also used to harmonize your various IT tools around the same model, and therefore to simplify the management of the information exchanged. A major asset, in particular to facilitate and improve the growth of the company.
A CRM software will have the function of strengthening your contact database, by centralizing all your information there. A follow-up that begins from the first contact with your prospect and that you enrich with each new email, for example. Knowing your interlocutor means adapting your proposal to their needs, and gaining in commercial efficiency. In short, you strengthen your customer data through a global vision of your activity.
CRM TO DEVELOP YOUR BUSINESS STRATEGY
Salesforce with Sales Cloud or Microsoft with Dynamics CRM (now the Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales component) are today the two leading solutions on the CRM software market.
It is an eternal debate that opposes these two devices, CRM solution and ERP software. But the relevance of a single system or a dedicated solution depends on the structure of your company, your needs and your strategy.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is surely the answer to the opposition between global system and dedicated brick. The software thus integrates the functions of both software into different bricks, which operate on a common data model (CDM) to communicate fluidly.
In this way, the software responds to both the problems of ERP software and those of CRM software . A single platform, a harmonized interface for optimal user comfort. Something new since the environments were different and partitioned before the arrival of this tool.
However, the tool keeps this spirit of a specialized tool, since it works in a brick system. Each element has its own engineering, so as to be independent of the rest. A logic that justifies a more fragmented licensing system.
WHY CONNECT ERP AND CRM SOFTWARE?
There are several advantages to connecting ERP software with a CRM. If some data merges, its quality is improved because it is enriched. However, the solution works by a brick system. This means that each piece of software has its own engineering. Each business can therefore increase its productivity by simplifying the interface between the various departments.
In addition, each user of the solution has their own access and can remain independent of the others. This implies a fragmented licensing system and therefore an optimized cost. But in the end, the result obtained makes it possible to monitor all of the company’s operations in real time.
So to the question “why link your ERP to a CRM?” Here is the list of benefits:
- Improve data quality
- Increase productivity by facilitating data exchange
- Ensure operations visibility
- Optimize the cost of licenses with appropriate use
It started with Amazon and e-commerce sites, before becoming more democratic with ERP and CRM tools over time. Intelligent systems now indicate content and methods to us, to allow us to evolve. Suggestions that stick more and more to our uses and behaviors, thanks to the improvement of these artificial intelligence (AI) services such as those for the use of data.
Today, a large majority of software and applications have artificial intelligence. AI is integrated into the core of the system to facilitate navigation and improve the user experience. If it is mature enough, it can also constitute a real competitive advantage by offering useful and relevant substantive services. Cortana’s predictions in Dynamics NAV are concrete examples of this.
To make the software intelligent, artificial intelligence makes the link between the different items and the user. By exploiting all the history recorded by the CRM software, the AI will offer you relevant resources that you did not suspect. Thus, you will be able to achieve the main objectives of digital tools: program, automate, anticipate effectively and eliminate the risk of error.
For Microsoft solutions, the use of the Cortana artificial intelligence module brings real added value. Whether for the assistant, analytical or predictive aspect, AI modules make it possible to qualitatively improve human work. An added value that will continue to increase, with the new perspectives of the cloud and machine learning.
HOW TO DO CRM ERP INTEGRATION?
The Microsoft ERP fits perfectly with the Dynamics 365 CRM solution. In addition, the Sales component of Microsoft Dynamics 365 functions as a full-fledged CRM software. Linked to the other bricks, it can use data collected in Operations to expand a contact’s file. Thus, the management of the customer relationship is increased because it is better documented.
Sales teams can have the solution on the go with offline and cloud capabilities. Distributed in SaaS, this Microsoft Dynamics 365 solution has the advantage of lightness and mobility. Indeed, it allows access to the ERP and CRM functions without going through the installation box or the local network box.
Project management via the ERP solution is then facilitated and complete. Especially since the CRM software brings a new dimension, thanks to its operations monitoring dashboard.