Takeaways from the 2015 Microsoft Dynamics CRM User Group Summit

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The theme of this year’s 2015 Microsoft Dynamics CRM User Group Summit was “Go ALL IN,” and as a premier sponsor of CRMUG, Cincom jumped headfirst into the action in Reno. With nearly 1,000 breakout sessions, an expo hall with 200 exhibitors and 4,000 attendees, this was the largest Summit yet. With so much going on and so many players in the space attending, this year’s event offered a pretty good glimpse into the CRM industry as a whole.

Here are some trends that I noticed at this year’s summit.

User Groups are Growing

During the keynote, each leader from the four user groups (AXUG, CRMUG, GPUG and NAVUG) was on stage talking about their various accomplishments over the last few years. What was amazing to see was the growth across all groups. Users are truly interested in improving their skills, learning how to use their systems better and helping others in the community.

CRM is Being Used Across Multiple Microsoft® ERP Platforms

Many of the people we talked to outside of CRM users, whether they had AX, GP or NAV typically, were also using Microsoft CRM. This speaks to the value companies are seeing from CRM.

CPQ (Configure-Price-Quote) is a Huge Focus

With Gartner mentioning CPQ and consumers’ growing focus on customized products, are getting a lot more traction and interest in the marketplace.

Companies have started to realize the positive effects that CPQ and guided selling can have on their businesses and their bottom lines. I spoke with many people about their initiatives to improve the customer experience and make things easier for their dealers.

Mobility is on Everyone’s Minds

Just about everyone I or my colleagues spoke with asked about mobile. Businesses are rapidly changing the way they operate thanks to mobile and remote technology. If they are going to invest in something like CPQ, they want to know that it’s going to accommodate their business operations as they continue to evolve.

These were just a few of the trends that the team and I noticed as we walked the event and spoke with attendees. Users have come to expect evolution in the technology, software and programs that they are using, and it’s important for vendors to make sure they are delivering on that front—whether it’s mobile functionality or something completely new. The user is smarter than ever, and they know what they want to get out of the technologies they use.

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