For public agencies, Microsoft Dynamics CRM integration success starts with smart strategy

Public sector agencies are facing increasing pressure to cut costs while improving services. To accomplish those goals, organizations are turning to Microsoft Dynamics CRM to replace legacy IT environments. At a recent online meeting of CRMUG, Libby Bishop, the Public Sector Sales Manager for Scribe Software, shared how data integration can drive the success and user adoption of new CRM systems. With a 360-degree view of their constituents, agencies can effectively communicate and collaborate to deliver services, Bishop said

"So whether the information is from a single agency or you're collaborating across agencies, the CRM system is only going to be as useful as the data that's in it," Bishop said. "So integration is critical to pull this data together in a meaningful way to be able to share it across agencies."

Once users realize they have this integrated data, they'll be more likely to use the CRM system.

"When CRM users have this integrated data at their fingertips, they're going to see benefits like improved responsiveness, they're able to deliver services and solutions faster to their constituents," Bishop said. "And many times they're going to have fewer complaints because the response time has dramatically been cut for them as they interact with their constituents."

While there's agreement that data integration is beneficial, beginning the process can be a challenge.

"With all the data out there and all the complex systems, how do you get started? You need to plan strategically and implement tactically," Bishop said.

Bishop recommends using a top-down approach and separating the integration into manageable components. When the roadmap is in place, an agency must decide what integration is going to deliver, and identify the immediate or ...