Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM & Customer Engagement

FormusPro helps organisations design, implement and improve Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM solutions, connecting customer data, sales, service and engagement.

FormusPro helps organisations design, implement and improve Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM and customer engagement solutions. We connect customer data, sales, marketing, service and business processes using Dynamics 365, the Power Platform, Copilot and related Microsoft technologies.

FormusPro has delivered CRM solutions since 2008, helping organisations get more value from Microsoft Dynamics 365 by connecting people, processes and data around the relationships that matter to them.

That could mean customers and prospects, but it could also mean donors, members, citizens, patients, students or service users.

What is Dynamics 365 CRM graphic showing connectivity

What Is Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM?

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a suite of business applications that includes powerful CRM capabilities for sales, customer service, customer insights and field service.

Rather than treating a CRM as a standalone database, the organisations we work with can now connect all these capabilities around shared customer information and business processes.

That means a sales team can understand previous interactions. A service team can see relevant customer history. Marketing teams can use relationship data to create more relevant journeys. Managers can use connected information to understand performance and identify opportunities for improvement.

The right Dynamics 365 CRM solution depends on how your organisation works, the relationships you manage and the outcomes you need to achieve.

FormusPro helps organisations determine which Dynamics 365 capabilities they need, how they should work together and where other Microsoft technologies can add value.

CRM Is More Than A Sales Database

Traditional CRM systems often focused on contacts, opportunities and sales activity.

Modern CRMs need to support the wider relationship.

When A customer interacts with marketing before speaking to sales for instance. They might then contact customer service, receive support from a field engineer and later renew or expand their relationship.

If each interaction sits in a different system, your teams won’t have the context they need.

A connected CRM brings relevant information together so authorised teams can understand what has happened and decide what should happen next.

For organisations managing donors, members, citizens, patients, students or service users, the same principle applies.

The terminology changes, but the challenge remains similar: how do you build a reliable understanding of each relationship and use it to deliver a better experience?

How Does Dynamics 365 Improve Customer Engagement?

Customer data only creates value when people use it appropriately.

Dynamics 365 provides different applications for different parts of the relationship, whilst the wider Microsoft technology platform can connect information and processes between them.

Dynamics 365 Sales

Dynamics 365 Sales helps teams manage prospects, leads, opportunities and accounts through structured sales processes.

Teams can record interactions, plan follow-up activity and understand the history of an opportunity. The goal is not simply to record sales activity. It is to give people the information they need to have better conversations and make better decisions.

D365 Customer Insights

Dynamics 365 Customer Insights helps organisations understand audiences and create more relevant customer journeys.

Teams can use customer data, interests, behaviours, and preferences to create more targeted communications. Move away from sending the same message to everyone and towards communications that reflect different needs and stages of the relationship.

D365 Customer Service

Dynamics 365 Customer Service helps service teams manage enquiries, cases, customer history and knowledge.

When service teams can see relevant context, they can spend less time searching for information and more time resolving the issue. Connected customer information also helps organisations identify recurring problems and improve the services they provide.

Dynamics 365 Field Service

For organisations delivering services away from the office, Dynamics 365 Field Service extends customer engagement into field operations.

Engineers and field teams can access relevant information, manage work, and update records while delivering services on-site. That helps connect what happens in the field with the broader customer relationship, driving a single source of truth.

Automate Repetitive CRM Processes in Dynamics 365 CRM

Automate Repetitive CRM Processes

CRM teams spend far too much  time on administrative work.

That can include creating follow-up activities, routing enquiries, updating records, sending notifications and moving information between systems.

Power Automate and other Power Platform capabilities can automate many of these processes. Automation can help:

  • Route enquiries to the right team
  • Create follow-up activities
  • Update records between connected systems
  • Notify people when action is required
  • Trigger processes from changes in customer information
  • Reduce repetitive data entry

But the aim is never to automate everything. Good CRM automation removes unnecessary administration while keeping people involved where judgement, empathy or decision-making matters.

Use AI And Copilot Where It Adds Value

AI can make CRM information more useful, but adding AI doesnt automatically improve customer engagement.

The underlying data still needs to be reliable, accessible and governed appropriately.

Microsoft Copilot can help people work with the information in your CRM, prepare communications, summarise information and complete routine tasks.

AI-supported analytics can also help organisations identify patterns in customer behaviour, service demand and engagement.

FormusPro helps organisations consider where AI can create practical value within their existing CRM and data environment.

The starting point should be the problem you want to solve, rather than the technology you want to deploy.

Use AI And Copilot Where It Adds Value in Dynamics 365 CRM
Build A Single Customer View

Build A Single Customer View

Customer information rarely lives in one system. It can be spread across spreadsheets, inboxes, finance systems, websites, marketing platforms, legacy databases and specialist applications. That creates more than an IT problem.

When information is fragmented, people spend time searching for context, duplicating work or waste time asking others to provide information they’ve already supplied. A single customer view brings relevant information together so authorised users can work from a more consistent understanding of the relationship. That includes:

  • Integrations regularly fail
  • Nobody owns the project anymore
  • Testing never seems to finish
  • Executive confidence has reduced
  • Users avoid the new system
  • Your deadlines continue to move
  • Costs continue to increase
  • Reporting cannot be trusted
  • Data migration has created problems
  • Customisations have become difficult to support

Creating that view isn’t simply a matter of moving information into Dynamics 365 though.

Organisations also need to address duplicate records, inconsistent data, ownership, permissions, integration and data governance.

FormusPro helps organisations understand these issues before designing their CRM solution. The result is a stronger foundation for customer engagement, reporting and future development.

Connect Your CRM With The Rest Of Your Organisation

A CRM system can’t provide a complete view if important information remains locked away in other systems.

Many organisations need to connect Dynamics 365 with finance, websites, marketing platforms, document management systems, data platforms and specialist applications.

Microsoft Power Platform can help connect these systems and extend Dynamics 365 with applications, automation, analytics and workflows.

FormusPro designs integrations around the business process rather than connecting systems simply because an integration is technically possible.

That distinction matters.

A successful integration should make information easier to use, reduce unnecessary manual work and improve the experience for both employees and the people they serve.

CRM Migration Moving From Legacy Systems

CRM Migration: Moving From Legacy Systems

Replacing an existing CRM often creates one of the most important questions:

What happens to our existing data?

Legacy systems contain years of customer history, duplicate records, outdated information and data that no longer fits the way an organisation works.

Migrating everything without reviewing it first simply moves old problems into a new platform.

A better approach starts by understanding what information the organisation actually needs.

FormusPro helps organisations assess existing data, identify migration requirements, plan the target structure and move relevant information into Dynamics 365.

Good migration planning also considers what should not be moved. Keeping unnecessary historical data can increase complexity, cost and governance requirements without creating additional value.

What Does A CRM Implementation Involve?

A successful CRM implementation involves much more than configuring Microsoft Dynamics 365. The technology is only one part of the change.

A typical CRM programme needs to consider:

Strategy and requirements

What needs to improve, which processes matter most and what should the new CRM achieve?

Data

What needs to improve, which processes matter most and what should the new CRM achieve?

Processes

How should teams manage leads, opportunities, enquiries, cases, communications and other interactions?

Integration

Which existing systems need to exchange information with Dynamics 365?

Security and governance

Who should have access to which information, and how should the organisation manage data responsibly?

Adoption and training

How will people understand the change and use their new CRM effectively?

Continuous improvement

How will the organisation measure performance and improve the platform after launch?

Implementation Partner

FormusPro works across these areas rather than treating implementation as a software installation.

CRMs For Different Types Of Organisations

CRM means something different depending on the relationships an organisation manages.

Commercial organisations

CRMs can connect marketing, sales, service and account management around the customer lifecycle. That supports lead generation, conversion, retention, account development and customer service.

CRMs can help charities manage supporters, donors, fundraising activity, communications and engagement. A connected view of supporter relationships can help teams understand and build long engagement.

Membership CRM can connect recruitment, member communications, events, services, participation and renewals. That gives teams a clearer view of the member lifecycle and the factors that influence engagement.

Public services

A good CRM will help public-sector organisations manage citizen interactions, cases, communications and services across departments. It should be less about selling and more about providing joined-up services.

A modern CRM will support relationships across the student lifecycle, from prospective students through applications, enrolment, engagement and alumni relationships.

Healthcare

CRM capabilities help organisations manage complex relationships across patients, service users, and professionals, subject to their regulatory and governance requirements.

How We Approach CRM Projects

Every organisation starts from a different position.

Some need to replace a legacy CRM. Others already have Dynamics 365 but need to improve it. Some need to connect separate systems or introduce automation. Others need a new CRM across several departments. FormusPro starts by understanding the organisation, its relationships and the problems it needs to solve.

We then work through the data, processes, technology and people involved.

Our approach typically considers:

1 – Understand

We identify the business goals, customer journeys, current processes and pain points.

2 – Design

We define the CRM architecture, processes, data model and Microsoft technologies needed.

3 – Implement

We configure and develop the solution, migrate data and connect relevant systems.

4 – Adopt

We help users understand and adopt the new ways of working through training and support.

5 – Improve

We use feedback, data and performance measures to identify further improvements.

Why Choose FormusPro For Your Dynamics 365 CRM Project?

FormusPro has delivered CRM solutions since 2008 for organisations such as Anthony Nolan, Wilshees, HWCC, Premium Credit and many more. 

We work with organisations across the commercial, NonProfit, membership, public-sector, higher-education and healthcare environments, with our CRM expertise sitting within the wider Microsoft technology ecosystem.

Organisations We Help

Frequently Asked Questions

Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM & Customer Engagement

  • Is Microsoft Dynamics 365 a CRM system?

    Yes. Microsoft Dynamics 365 includes several applications that provide CRM and customer engagement capabilities.

    Dynamics 365 Sales supports sales and opportunity management. Dynamics 365 Customer Service supports enquiries and cases. Dynamics 365 Customer Insights supports customer data and customer journeys. Dynamics 365 Field Service supports services delivered at customer locations.

    Organisations can use individual applications or connect several around shared data and processes.

  • What is the difference between Microsoft CRM and Dynamics 365?

    Microsoft Dynamics CRM was Microsoft’s earlier CRM product. Microsoft later evolved its CRM capabilities into the broader Dynamics 365 family of business applications.

    Today, organisations typically use Dynamics 365 applications such as Sales, Customer Service, Customer Insights and Field Service to support different aspects of CRM and customer engagement.

  • Do we need every Dynamics 365 CRM application?

    No. The right combination depends on your organisation, users, processes and goals.

    Some organisations may need sales CRM. Others may need customer service, customer insights or field service. Larger organisations may benefit from connecting several applications.

    The objective should be to implement the capabilities that solve genuine business problems, rather than deploying technology simply because it is available.

  • How long does a Dynamics 365 CRM implementation take?

    There is no standard implementation timeframe.

    A focused CRM project can be significantly simpler than a programme involving several applications, complex data migration and multiple integrations.

    The main factors include scope, data quality, integrations, number of users, process complexity, customisation and organisational readiness.

    A phased implementation can help organisations deliver priority capabilities sooner while creating a foundation for future development.

  • Can Dynamics 365 integrate with our existing systems?

    Yes. Dynamics 365 can connect with other Microsoft services and a wide range of business applications.

    The appropriate integration approach depends on the systems involved, the information that needs to move, how frequently it needs to move and the organisation’s security and governance requirements.

    The important question is not simply whether two systems can connect. It is whether the integration improves the business process.

  • How do you migrate data into Dynamics 365?

    Data migration normally starts with understanding the existing information.

    Organisations should identify which data needs to be retained, assess its quality, resolve duplicates and map it to the new CRM structure.

    The migration approach then needs to account for testing, validation, security and governance.

    Not every record from a legacy system necessarily needs to move into the new CRM.

  • How do you encourage people to use a new CRM?

    Adoption starts before implementation finishes.

    Users need to understand why the organisation is changing, how the CRM will help them and how their day-to-day work will change.

    Good CRM adoption also depends on sensible processes, usable interfaces, relevant training and accessible support.

    The system should make important work easier rather than simply adding another administrative task.

Further Reading

Anthony Nolan

It’s been 14+ years since we first embarked on a digital transformation journey to Dynamics 365 together. With a range of implementations and solutions over the years, this transformation is constantly evolving.

FormusPro supported a full migration to Microsoft Dynamics 365, using the Microsoft FastTrack programme to ensure a smooth transition.

We didn’t just lift and shift. Existing solutions, integrations and processes were carefully migrated, key functionality was enhanced to take advantage of cloud capabilities and performance, scalability and usability were improved across the platform

Ready To Improve Your CRM?

Whether you’re replacing a legacy CRM, planning a new Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementation or trying to get more value from an existing platform, FormusPro can help you understand what needs to change.

We combine CRM expertise with Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power Platform, data, AI and wider Microsoft technologies to create solutions around the way your organisation actually works.

Talk to FormusPro about your CRM and customer engagement requirements

Tel: 01432 345191

A quick call might be all you need, but just in case it isn’t, we’re happy to go a step further by popping by to see you.

We travel all over the UK.

Just ask.

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