Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Available Worldwide

Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 is now available both online and on-premise in 130 markets and in 44 languages. The release, which Redmond is touting as its "most comprehensive ever," is aimed at helping companies deliver "intelligent customer engagement."

"Over the past few years, we have been focused on transforming our CRM offerings to leverage the full power of Microsoft - harnessing the strength of the intelligent cloud to help companies deliver amazing customer experiences across the breadth of sales, service, marketing and social engagements," said Jujhar Singh, the new general manager of Dynamics CRM.

Last month, Singh was tapped to head up Dynamics CRM following the departure of Bob Stutz, who moved to rival Salesforce to fill the role of chief analytics officer.

Microsoft's strategy for the new version of Dynamics CRM has been to allow organizations to be more proactive, deliver more personalized experiences to customers, as well as better predict trends and identify patterns; that is, to know what customers need and want before they do, Singh said in a new blog post.

"We're bringing all Microsoft has to offer in productivity and intelligence into a single experience," he said. "We're bringing the advanced analytics and machine learning capabilities of the Cortana Analytics Suite to preview our first intelligent, adaptive processes for sales, customer service and social." 

The integration with Cortana will enable "intelligent selling" with cross-sell recommendations so sales reps can predict which products and services customers will need at various stages of the sales cycle, according to Singh.