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Now displaying: July, 2020
Jul 31, 2020

With Microsoft's big summertime virtual event, Inspire 2020, now behind us, the MSDW editorial team chats about some of the biggest news of the event, as well as some of our readers favorite new articles from recent weeks. Up for discussion are the newest Microsoft business applications product names: Customer Voice and Dataflex, as well as Azure cost management, Business Central DevOps, and more.

Show Notes:

Jul 27, 2020

Editor's Note: This episode is sponsored by Ingram Micro Cloud.

The coronavirus pandemic has become a core element of Microsoft's FY21 cloud strategy. And the company now expects their partners to align with goals around remote and returning workers, industry specialization, and digital transformation.

While that vision rings true in many ways, it presents challenges for sellers in the Microsoft channel who need to adapt what they sell and how they sell it. Mark Stuyt, chief engagement officer at Neural Impact, a sales and marketing consulting firm that applies behavioral economics, neuroscience, and persuasion psychology to the customer acquisition process, joins us to talk about the transformation that sales teams themselves should consider to close new business in this challenging climate.

Some selling techniques remain unchanged today, but Mark also emphasizes novel tactics like selling via Teams, using video at key times, thinking more about the advantages of industry specialization.

To learn more about today's sponsor, Ingram Micro, and their partner services please visit https://microsoft.ingrammicrocloud.com/dynamics/.

Show Notes:

  • 2:45 - How the pandemic has impacted organizations' investment decisions around tech
  • 4:00 - Unconscious decision making by buyers that leads to selecting a partner
  • 6:30 - Stresses of selling without the traditional early impressions of face to face meetings
  • 8:00 - The range of ways to take advantage of video, and how it taps into buyer psychology
  • 11:00 - Strategies that sales are using today to tap into video
  • 17:20 - Why should a sales team say yes to an industry?
  • 20:30 - The disadvantage that broadly-based partners will face over the next 12 to 18 months compared with industry-focused partners.
  • 22:30 - Why now is the time to be bold in selling
  • 24:30 - The challenge of driving an emotional connection with prospects and customers.
  • 26:30 - The role that  Microsoft Surface Hub can play for partners.
  • 28:00 - Neural Impact's work with Ingram Micro to develop tools to help partners sell remotely
Jul 25, 2020

Microsoft only revealed Dynamics 365 Commerce a year ago, but the offering is already evolving. In reality, Commerce came into existence as a rebrand of Dynamics 365 for Retail with a new e-commerce and content management tools introduced. Today's roadmap for Commerce calls for updates all over the wide ranging solution, from back office to warehouse to the storefront and the call center.

Amid such a wide ranging product, how does a customer train up their various users? To learn more, we welcome Elif Item, an AX and D365FO veteran who now focuses on training development and delivery through her company, Item by Item. Elif explains that Commerce is now delivered in a range of scenarios, and that variability is what can make training so challenging. Customer service agents and e-commerce management staff have very different experiences in the same system, for example. Training methods are also changing, and Elif talks about how her firm and clients are embracing different types of training content and platforms.

Show Notes

  • 2:00 - The evolution of Dynamics 365 Commerce and Elif's recent experiences
  • 5:00 - How the introduction of e-commerce capabiilties changed the product
  • 7:30 - The types of scenarios in which Commerce is deployed today
  • 11:00 - How Commerce differs from third party e-commerce solutions
  • 16:00 - The range of unique requirements and roles that Commerce aims to cover
  • 20:30 - How do you balance so many retail-related roles in a single system
  • 26:15 - Overlooked roles that still need training
  • 32:00 - Learning styles and training trends for today and the future
  • 39:00 - On embracing the changing roadmap of Dynamics 365 products
Jul 8, 2020

Editor's Note: This episode is sponsored by DXC Technology.

There is no single approach to successfully tackling challenges like project methodology, executive sponsorship, user adoption, or planning for post go-live support, but they are all absolutely critical to a successful Dynamics 365 project outcome.

This podcast episode explores some of the very real decisions organizations must face before and during an enterprise software project, and how they reckon with the factors that determine success. The responsibility – and the credit – for a successful project outcome is almost always shared between the services delivery team and the customer's own people. Microsoft MVP Rick McCutcheon speaks with Russ Riley and Greg Pierce of DXC Technology about the mindset of great project teams and what a strong partner relationship looks like during and after go-live.

If you’d like to speak with our guests or learn more about DXC Technology and how they can help your organization move your business applications from on-premises to the cloud with post go-live support, you can reach them at phone no#: 877-651-6193 or email: dxceclipse@dxc.com.

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