Microsoft Dynamics CRM goes mobile with iOS, Android, BlackBerry apps
If 2011 was all about integrating social media relationships to CRM software, 2012 looks like it will be all about taking relationships to the mobile realm, and mobilizing sales, service and marketing teams with powerful CRM apps.
Microsoft on Monday announced the next update to its customer relationship management product Microsoft Dynamics CRM will include a new native mobile client for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone 7.
The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Q2 2012 service update brings a cloud-based mobile CRM service that communicates with these native CRM apps for smartphones and tablets to give them the huge volumes of data and important customer graphs and metrics that are available to desktop users.
The applications allow users to access Dynamics CRM either remotely or on-premise, and include offline syncing functionality so users can keep their customer data handy even when their data connection is severed, like when they're on an airplane.
The mobile service is centrally managed, and administrators can configure the record types, forms, views, offline synchronization rules and navigation structure for the mobile application. Admins even have the ability to remotely wipe all of the CRM data from the mobile device if it's lost, stolen, or simply loaded onto the user's personal device.
Furthermore, extended CRM applications built in xRM are also integrated into Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile.
"We want to be revolutionary, not evolutionary, and the market is moving fast. Our customers are tackling CRM initiatives like never before. They can't afford to be casual. They are serious. They don't flinch," said Dennis Michalis, General Manager of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. "The most successful customers are innovating with mobility, using every kind of device they can deploy CRM functionality on, and they are going deeper with Microsoft Dynamics CRM flexibility for their specific needs than ever before."
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile will cost $30 per user per month, and each user license includes three simultaneous mobile installs. The mobile client apps will be available on Windows Phone 7.5+, iOS 5+, Android 2.2+, and BlackBerry 6.x and 7.x.
The only tablets to support the application at launch will be Apple's iPad family.