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Microsoft's CRM Catch-Up Plan
BusinessWeek - Jul 11, 2006
Starting in mid-2007, the company will host a service on its data center servers that will let customers manage business contacts and help them follow sales leads. The software will have the same look and feel that the packaged version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM has today. What's more, Microsoft (MSFT) will weave in its widely used Outlook e-mail, contact, and calendaring software... What's more, Microsoft (MSFT) will weave in its widely used Outlook e-mail, contact, and calendaring software. Already, its CRM software meshes inside Outlook, making it a snap to create a business lead right from an e-mail. But Microsoft has a lot of catching up to do. com (CRM) pioneered hosted CRM and remains the market leader. And other big rivals have jumped in recently. SAP (SAP) launched a hosted CRM service earlier this year (see BusinessWeek.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2006/tc20060711_108858.htm?chan=top+news_top+news
Microsoft Plans Web-Based CRM Offering
thestreet.com - Jul 11, 2006
com (CRM) and Oracle (ORCL) , Microsoft (MSFT) plans to offer a Web-based version of its customer relationship management software. The new products will be available in the second quarter of 2007 and will initially target small businesses, the software giant said Monday. Announcing a product a year early is a classic tactic aimed at freezing purchases by customers who may prefer to actually see the new Microsoft CRM application before deciding what software to buy, said Cowen analyst Peter Goldmacher. "This is Marketing 101," he said in an interview. "Near term, it isn't a threat, and it's questionable that Microsoft will be a long-term threat to Salesforce, since this looks like a low-end product," he said. Cowen does not have an investmen-banking relationship with Salesforce. Gartner software analyst Michael Maoz, who was briefed by Microsoft before Monday's announcement, says he doesn't expect the product to be in general circulation until 2008, even if Microsoft hits the formal 2007 deadline.
http://www.thestreet.com/p/pf/tech/software/10296128.html
Microsoft 'streamlines' ERP and CRM pricing
Register - Jul 12, 2006
The change comes as business application providers increasingly charge customers using a monthly or annual per-user-based subscription. Tuesday's change is Microsoft's latest attempt to harness the industry trend without actually fundamentally challenging its own revenue model by adopting pure subscriptions. Last December, Microsoft launched Dynamics CRM 3. 0 starting at $440 per user and $528 per server for the year, excluding software upgrades. At the time, Microsoft business division president Jeff Raikes said the package mean Microsoft's CRM was "easy to use, adaptable and affordable". However, Microsoft was still massively overpriced compared to the competition.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/12/microsoft_crm_erp_pricing/
Microsoft streamlines ERP pricing
CNET News.com - Jul 11, 2006
Included will be general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, fixed assets and consolidations, and "other core financial management and inventory functions," according to Gayle Hoshino, the general manager of Microsoft Business Solutions. The midrange Advanced Management edition will start at about $3,977 per user and will include more functionality in areas such as manufacturing, project management, and some integral customer relationship management (CRM) sales and marketing functions. Microsoft's own Dynamics CRM application is not included, though. Advanced Management Enterprise adds extra supply-chain planning software and will continue to be priced per server. Overall price depends on the modules purchased, Microsoft said.
http://news.com.com/Microsoft+streamlines+ERP+pricing/2100-1012_3-6092590.html
Microsoft looks to share security gains
CNET News.com - Jul 12, 2006
The incentive is part of a new "Microsoft Security Software Advisor Program" that the software giant plans to announce Wednesday at its Worldwide Partner Conference in Boston. Microsoft has a similar program for resellers of its software for customer relationship management, Microsoft Dynamics CRM. "Our goal is to build the industry's leading security partner ecosystem and to ensure that our customers have the best experience with our Forefront security products," said Steve Brown, the director of product management in the security, access and solutions division at Microsoft. "This is a fairly unique program that we're offering. "
In addition to offering partners an extra chunk of cash, Microsoft has set aside $15 million for marketing with partners as well as partner training and support, Brown said. The money is set to be spent over the next 12 months, he said.
http://news.com.com/Microsoft+looks+to+share+security+gains/2100-7355_3-6093069.html
MS details online CRM plans Michael Kahn in San Francisco
Australian IT - Jul 12, 2006
"This is one more affirmation that they are serious about competing and that they are not just content with competing in the client-server model. "
The new offering also is part of a larger Microsoft push into web services marked by its strategy to take on Google and Yahoo with its "Live" initiative ranging from Windows Live - an advertising-funded, one-stop shop for services like email and instant messaging - to Office Live business applications. Microsoft said it planned to introduce Microsoft Dynamics CRM Live in North America in the second quarter of 2007 and offer it on a monthly subscription basis. Both Oracle and SAP already offer their own versions of web-based CRM business applications. Microsoft's offering helps it challenge Oracle and SAP along with upstart Salesforce. com, which has seen growth as customers turn to its web-based software that is often easier to maintain and use than traditional applications installed on individual computers, analysts said. "It is part of a bigger trend that applications vendors need to offer as a deployment option," she said... Microsoft said it would disclose pricing and licensing details for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Live after it finishes testing the service with customers. The web-based service is also part of the "Microsoft Dynamics" brand software, which the company introduced last year as its latest line of business applications. Microsoft sells its CRM software on CDs or via the web through partners. The new service will give customers the choice to purchase it directly from Microsoft, said Brad Wilson, general manager for Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Microsoft executives have said CRM could represent the company's next billion-dollar business. Mr Wilson said web-based tools are critical. He predicted such applications would one day make up 25 per cent of the overall CRM market - giving Microsoft plenty of room to grow.
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,19764442%5E15318%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html
Microsoft asks partners to follow it into new areas
ITworld.com - Jul 11, 2006
Ballmer highlighted a number of new announcements from Microsoft in his keynote, notably the unveiling of Dynamics CRM Live, a hosted version of the company's CRM (customer relationship management) software. "This is the single most inevitable announcement in the history of Microsoft," he said. Microsoft used an early version of CRM Live to demonstrate a mashup of technologies for a fictitious property seller. The demonstration combines data from CRM Live with local maps and overlays to show the status of individual property lots, which had been sold and which were yet to be purchased. Ballmer and other Microsoft executives also showed off Windows Live Search Center, a future service that will combine desktop and online search results, and some of the capabilities of the upcoming Office Communications Server 2007 and Office Communicator 2007, which will facilitate multiperson audio and video conferencing and call management. As Microsoft moves to offer more hosted Live software, there will be plenty of opportunities for its partners, according to Ballmer. He announced the formation of a Live Partner Advisory Council to educate partners on Live.
http://www.itworld.com/App/255/071106mspartners/
Online apps take on office tasks
VNUNet.com - Jul 7, 2006
Now, Google and a posse ofsmaller firms have ambitions for office productivity tools to follow suit. With the recent release into beta testing of Google Spreadsheets, thisfledgling field is in the news again, just a few months after anothersignificant event when Google acquired Upstartle, the firm behind the Writelyweb-based word processor. As with Writely, Google Spreadsheets lets users replicate most deskboundfunctions but via an internet connection rather than from a hard drive. The mainadvantages of the model are that applications can be accessed through anyconnected PC and documents can be easily shared... Another suite is AdventNet’s Zoho, which includes a word processor,spreadsheet, organiser, CRM and collaborative tools. Yet another is South Koreancompany Haansoft’s ThinkFree suite with “Office-compatible” word processing,spreadsheet and presentations programs. Though the buzz around these programs is building, it is unlikely that thedevelopment of web-based client programs is going to knock Microsoft Office offits perch anytime soon. Many programs – in name or in effect – are still at thetesting stage, lack key features and have been developed using tools intendedfor web sites. Another major issue is compatibility. Many early users of web programscomplain that documents are frequently mangled when swapped with the dominantMicrosoft formats, or printed. Also, some programs are tied to specific webbrowsers; and privacy concerns and the requirement to receive advertisementsbased on inputted text will deter many potential users.
http://www.vnunet.com/itweek/analysis/2159865/online-apps-office-tasks
SaaS: The Last Software Stunt [Fool.com] July 06, 2006
Motley Fool - Jul 6, 2006
According to technology analysts AMR Research, more than 80% of CRM software deployments either don't add value, encounter user resistance, or fail outright. Such highly dangerous activity has created the software-as-a-service market, led by customer relationship specialists such as Salesforce.
http://www.fool.com/news/commentary/2006/commentary06070618.htm
The End Of Philanthropy As We Know It
Forbes - Jul 6, 2006
For Benioff, that third prong is the most important part of his "1% solution. " Employees get paid time off to pursue charitable pursuits, which often involve spreading the benefits of technology to poor areas. For Benioff, companies that just write checks are missing the big picture. "The value for philanthropy here is not the money; it's in these other assets... At Oracle, there was no integration between the company and the philanthropic work. Some of the most successful foundations in the world today--and, of course, the most successful is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation--do not practice integrated philanthropy. They are fully separate from Microsoft. Of course, they're giving away huge amounts of money and running very interesting programs. But Microsoft has a lot of very smart people. Bill Gates has spent the majority of his time in the last 30 years picking out the 100,000 smartest people he could find to work at his company. I think that is the most valuable asset you can unleash on the world.
http://www.forbes.com/2006/07/02/leadership-corporate-citizenship-cx_hc_0706endofphilanthropy.html?partner=links
SAP buys Praxis for use in Business One
InfoWorld - Jul 11, 2006
"This change will be seamless to all of the 100 customers using the products, all of whom run them with SAP," Kraus wrote. SAP is likely to continue offering Praxis software as stand-alone products as well as integrated with Business One, he added. SAP is hoping the Praxis technology will differentiate Business One from other low-end business applications from Microsoft Corp. and Sage Group PLC. "With the addition of this on-demand functionality, SAP Business One will stand out from other offerings by providing more comprehensive business management capabilities -- covering on-premise and remote users and multichannel sales -- in a single, integrated software product," Kraus wrote. SAP partners shouldn't be alarmed by the vendor buying a peer. "We have made it very clear that SAP will extend the core, horizontal functionality of Business One and leave the vertical extensions to partners," Kraus wrote... SAP partners shouldn't be alarmed by the vendor buying a peer. "We have made it very clear that SAP will extend the core, horizontal functionality of Business One and leave the vertical extensions to partners," Kraus wrote. E-commerce and CRM have become "core pieces of functionality" that the majority of SMBs need, he added. Therefore, SAP had to meet those user needs directly by providing the capabilities as part of its application suite, not as third-party add-ons. This isn't the first time that SAP has acquired a company specifically to boost the capabilities of Business One. In January 2005, the German software vendor closed its purchase of iLytix Systems AS to incorporate the Norwegian startup's XL Reporter business reporting and budgeting tool into Business One. Companies using Business One tend to have annual revenue of up to US$50 million and purchase the software through SAP's partners, Kraus wrote.
http://www.infoworld.com/archives/emailPrint.jsp?R=printThis&A=/article/06/07/11/HNsappraxis_1.html
Big Media Just Wants to Relate
BusinessWeek - Jul 11, 2006
IPG also created a user-generated content lab last month. "My task is to acquire propriety insights into what is happening with user-generated content, to engage with the media community and help them develop advertising models, and to help them execute specific programs," says Brian Monahan, director of the Los Angeles-based lab. The former Microsoft (MSFT) executive started work at the lab just two weeks ago. While the lab itself is young, IPG has had experience with digital advertising. It helped design www. com, a corporate social-networking site that promotes Nature Valley granola bars from General Mills (GIS).
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2006/tc20060711_184814.htm?chan=top+news_top+news
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