Microsoft is stepping up its aggressive competition in CRM. On Monday, the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant announced its Dynamics CRM Online, the cloud version of its 2011 product — and an introductory pricing of $34 per user.
The price, which is less than half that of comparable products from Salesforce and Oracle, is good for 12 months, after which it increases to $44 per user. The online version of the on-premise product, which offers integrated ERP and CRM applications, will become available at the end of February in 40 markets and in 41 languages. In addition, a Cloud CRM for Less offer provides up to $200 per user that can be applied to data-migration or customization services.
‘A Familiar User Experience’
In announcing the online version, CEO Steve Ballmer said Dynamics CRM is an industry leader because it gives “sales professionals a familiar user experience,” enables greater collaboration, and streamlines processes and access to real-time data.
The familiarity of the user experience is derived from the use of what Microsoft describes as a “next-generation native Microsoft Outlook client.” The product also features guided process dialogs, real-time dashboards, and in-line business intelligence for performance and goal management. There is integration with Windows Azure, contextual Microsoft SharePoint capabilities, and a new Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace for configuration and customization to particular business requirements.
The global availability and pricing structure are major efforts by Microsoft to take customers away from Salesforce.com and Oracle’s CRM products. Salesforce’s pricing starts at $75 per user, and Oracle’s CRM On Demand is $65 to $125 per user, depending on the configuration. Some observers are comparing Microsoft’s offering to the enterprise version of Salesforce.com, which is $125 per user monthly.
As part of its sales pitch, Microsoft Dynamics CRM director Bill Patterson told news media that his product offers “full sales, service and marketing…