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The MSDW Podcast

The MSDynamicsWorld.com (MSDW) podcast explores news, ideas, and events in the Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM community.
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Now displaying: November, 2018
Nov 27, 2018

The MVP collaboration known as PowerISV is all about the business opportunities of Microsoft's Power platform - PowerApps, Power BI, Flow, and the Common Data Service. On this episode we talk with two members of the group, Mark Smith, aka nz365guy, and returning guest Steve Mordue, to discuss why the group got together, what value they provide, and who needs to understand the opportunity for developing solutions on Microsoft's still-emerging cloud application infrastructure.

Show Notes:

  • 3:00 – Why do partners need to start understanding the Power platform as a product platform
  • 4:40 – What kinds of questions are SIs and ISVs asking today?
  • 7:30 – Tracking Microsoft's product and partnership decisions and how that will impact companies building against the Power platform ecosystem.
  • 9:40 – The biggest mistakes that ISV partners are making today
  • 11:45 – What is solid today? Where do we know it will be in the near future? And where do we think it will be farther down the road?
  • 14:00 – Why connectors are a huge part of the future opportunity.
  • 17:00 – What partners need to understand about the freedom of building standalone on the Power platform rather than starting with Microsoft first party apps.
  • 21:00 – Why you might bet that the platform will win out over Microsoft's first party apps over the long term.
  • 25:00 – What is the future of ISV solutions built atop the first party D365 apps?
  • 30:30 – Why Microsoft's efforts with Power platform recruitment are different from past initiatives to lure ISV investment.
  • 34:45 – Why the citizen developer is a huge part of the story.
  • 41:30 – Why partners struggle with change management as much as their clients
  • 46:00 – Why AppSource could be so much more than it is today
  • 50:30 – The importance of learning to "work the system" as a Microsoft partner in order to be successful

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Nov 20, 2018

Marko Peresic has now stepped down from his role at Microsoft in the Business Applications group, and the former general manager sat down with MSDW for an exit interview of sorts. On this MSDW Podcast episode he discusses his twelve years at Microsoft and reflects on both his own growth and the evolution of the company's business applications group.

Leaving the company was not a decision he took lightly, he says. The company's talented employees, as well as the intensity of its partner and customer bases it a unique place to work. He weighed different potential job offers, both inside and outside the company before landing on a new role at a yet-to-be-identified HR software firm. And he advised that the search for his replacement, which is ongoing, is expected to result in a new leader with same general manager roles and responsibilities. Other topics of our conversation included some of the feedback he heard from within Microsoft when he announced his plans, how he has adapted to handling conflict with stakeholders in the community, shifting from a technology focus to a customer success focus, and why Microsoft needs to better develop its executive talent pool internationally rather than centered in Redmond.

Show Notes:

  • 1:30 – A warm response from the community to the news of Marko's departure
  • 3:15 - Did the latest progress with Business Central impact the decision to move on?
  • 6:00 - Why he spent such a long time at Microsoft after years of shorter term roles at startups
  • 12:15 - Recommendations for new hires at Microsoft, including the strengths of the culture and the need to get in front of partners and customers
  • 15:00 – Notable shifts resulting from the company's leadership change.
  • 20:00 – How his attitude and approach has changed, from "excessive self-confidence" in the early years to something more refined.
  • 25:00 – The impact of the partner channel on a Microsoft manager's role
  • 29:00 – Shifting from a technology focus to a business and customer success attitude.
  • 31:30 – Defining the role of Marko's replacement's
  • 33:00 – Why Microsoft needs more managers based internationally.
  • 36:00 – Where Marko is most excited about the direction of enterprise apps technology, including ERP, HR, and beyond.
Nov 2, 2018

Andrew King of WebSan Solutions joins us once again to talk building and selling Microsoft business solutions to SMBs. Andrew and his team have been working with clients on a range of the latest Microsoft technology, from the Business Applications suite to Power BI, Office 365, SharePoint, Teams, and Azure products.

On this episode we cover a range of topics including what types of solutions are resonating with new and existing clients, the technology on which his team is building expertise, the types of conversations he is having with NAV and GP customers these days, and WebSan's upcoming webcast for MSDW on November 20 about moving GP solutions to the cloud.

Show notes:

  • 1:30 – Introducing D365 Business Central to the market
  • 3:45 – What it takes to blend Microsoft technology together for a full vision when talking to prospects
  • 5:15 – Top scenarios with today's tech (Building AI chatbots, PowerApps, and more)
  • 8:45 – The bot, customer service, and field service opportunity
  • 12:00 – Why PSA and Field Service capabilities must integrate more comprehensively with Business Central.
  • 14:00 – Using Flow, Teams, Power BI, SharePoint, and more in solutions today.
  • 19:45 – Why Business Central is not sold by itself, and why competition doesn't allow for it.
  • 21:00 – Investing in PowerApps development services
  • 22:00 – The GP cloud migration opportunity (webcast)
  • 27:00 – The personnel challenges of ERP upgrades
  • 29:00 – Communicating the contrast between GP and Business Central and offering realistic guidance
  • 36:00 – Microsoft Tech Summit in Halifax
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