Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Unleashed

Chapter 2. Why Businesses Need a CRM System

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• Managing Your Business, Customers, and Resources

• People Versus Resource Management

• CRM Versus ERP

• Historical Data and Legal Requirements

• Real-Time/All-the-Time Need for Data

• Lead/Opportunity Management

• Marketing

• Challenges of CRM

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As we move beyond a world of data “on-demand” to one where data can provide us with forecasts and complex analysis, our expectations of information that is “necessary” to do business has changed.

No longer can a customer be told to wait while the accounting department searches for previous invoices or orders. Nor can salespeople be expected to schedule appointments without having access to their delivery and/or route schedules. Now we ...