Microsoft Ships Customer Relationship Tool

Originally slated to debut last year, Microsoft Customer Relationship Management was released to manufacturing on Tuesday. The new software, accessed via Microsoft Outlook and on the Web, targets mid-sized businesses looking to better manage their sales force and customer contact. Microsoft CRM has been in beta testing with numerous Redmond partners and will ship to resellers starting this week.

Built on .NET, Microsoft CRM has a modular design that enables the company to extend functionality of the software using add-on components. Sales and customer modules will initially ship with Microsoft CRM, and a module adding support for Microsoft's Great Plains accounting applications is expected by April.

"Microsoft CRM is a key component of Microsoft Business Solutions' overall mission to give midmarket businesses the tools they need to succeed on their terms, their schedules and their budgets," said David Thacher, Microsoft's general manager of Customer Relationship Management. "Microsoft CRM empowers businesses to deliver the kind of superior service that keeps customers coming back for more."

Pricing for Microsoft CRM will start at $395 USD per user for the Standard Edition and $1,295 USD per user for the Professional Suite. Businesses can setup Microsoft CRM internally, or sign up for a hosted solution through a Microsoft reseller. A frequently asked questions document containing details on Microsoft CRM is available from Microsoft's Business Solutions Web site.