CRM MVP Podcast

On this episode, CRM Superstar Ulrik Carlsson (a.k.a. CRM Chart Guy) stops by our studio to discuss Business Intelligence.

But before we start our conversation, I share some news about the Podcast and the CRMUG Summit. If you want to skip the news and just listen to the discussion regarding Business Intelligence, you can fast forward to the 25 minute mark.

We discuss:

- What Business Intelligence really is vs. what some people think it is

- The 4 important steps to follow when implementing Business Intelligence solutions

- Available Business Intelligence Solutions

- Top 3 rules to deploy and adopt BI Solutions

Follow Ulrik on Twitter @CRMChartGuy and add his blog to your favorites: https://crmchartguy.wordpress.com/

This is Part 2 of a two-part series regarding Microsoft Dynamics 365 Deployment Platforms.

On this episode, we wrap up our analysis of each platform and provide 3 rules to follow when selecting the right plaform to deploy Microsoft Dynamics 365.

We will discuss:

- Pros and Cons of each Deployment Method

- Infrastructure Capabilities

- Security and Compliance

- Top 3 Rules to follow when selecting a platform for your organization

Like you, I had a lot of questions regarding the Microsoft Dynamics 365 July 2017 Update (v. 9.0), so I asked Param Kahlon (GM of Program Management, Dynamics 365 at Microsoft) to join me on a conversation to answer my questions.

I asked Param questions about:

• Dynamics 365 Strategy and Vision
• How does that strategy and vision compare with the competition's
• Key new capabilities of the July 2017 release
• Why so much emphasis on "Insights"
• Virtual Entities and the future of "Integration" for Dynamics 365
• His favorite feature of the new release
• What can MVPs, customers, users, and other professionals do to help his team continue to improve Dynamics 365 and its momentum
• Future events where he'll be speaking
• Encouraging words to those organizations who were "forced" (see what I did there? :)) into another CRM Solution and might be considering moving to Dynamics 365

This is Part 1 of a two-part series regarding Microsoft Dynamics 365 Deployment Platforms.

On this episode, we start disecting each platform and comparing On-Premises vs. Online vs. Partner Hosted in an effort to help organizations get some clarity on the advantages and disadvantages of each platform or method.

We will discuss:

- Deployment Platforms/Methods

- What is Saas, PaaS, and IaaS?

- Licensing

This episode is dedicated to exploring all of the secrets about the MVP program. 

Microsoft Business Solutions MVPs Gus Gonzalez and Feridun Kadir share their experiences before and after receiving the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award.

Topics discussed:

• What the MVP Award is and what does it mean
• How you become an MVP - Nomination Process
• MVP Summit
• Favorite MVP Benefits
• The 3 rules you need to follow to become an MVP
• Is the MVP award worth it?

"This is not what we thought we were going to get."

That statement is heard in many Microsoft Dynamics 365/CRM deployments, and most of the times is on the negative side. Either because the customer expected a different process or team dynamic during the deployment, or perhaps the business objectives the customer organization had at the beginning of the deployment are not being met.

Regardless of the reason, finding and working with the right partner is perhaps the most critical factor that can affect the success of a project or deployment.

This episode explores how important it is to find the right partner, the most popular reasons why some CRM deployments fail, the 3 things you need to know when selecting a partner, and how to find the right partner to work with.

For the first episode of the CRM MVP Podcast, Gus tackles an important topic for everyone working with Microsoft Dynamics CRM or Microsoft Dynamics 365, Training and Readiness.

We will not focus on discussing best practices on how to conduct training, or the right approach to deliver training during and after a deployment, we will instead focus on 3 main areas:

• Certifications: which certifications are out there, what is the best way to prepare for the exams, and how important it is to be certified.
• Training programs: what are the options out there on the community when it comes to training programs, and what kind of training should you focus on.
• Trainers: for every Qualified Trainer there are one or more "unqualified trainers" you should be aware off. We will talk about how to quickly identify and select the right trainer.

We will wrap up the show with some best practices regarding how to stay up to date with new functionality and how to engage the community to learn from others.