A Preview of Convergence Copenhagen 2008: Promoting Microsoft Dynamics Under an Economic Dark Cloud

Convergence Copenhagen 2008 officially launches tomorrow under the cloud of a rapidly spreading global recession that has Microsoft Dynamics officials concerned.

So far, they have expressed their concern most obviously by initiating a 0 percent financing program, for up to $1 million credit, for all new customers of Microsoft Dynamics applications. But they are understood, based on conversations with partners at sessions today to be concerned that the robust growth experienced by Dynamics applications over the last few years could be caught in the downdraft of cutbacks that companies around the globe are currently undertaking. An estimated 4,000 attendees are expected to attend this European version of the larger American-based conference, which last March attracted about 10,000 attendees in Orlando, FL.

Partly as a consequence of economic concerns, the planned sessions at Convergence Copenhagen have a heavy sales and marketing orientation. Many of the two dozen or so sessions associated with Microsoft Dynamics AX are geared toward promoting adoption of AX 2009, which was launched earlier this year, including special sessions on how various industry segments can use the product.

For Microsoft Dynamics CRM, the emphasis is on highlighting its flexibility and its ability to generate an ever increasing amount of sales and marketing data. The sessions examine online vs onpremises capabilities, mobile CRM, manufacturing applications, capabilities for generating business intelligence, and how it integrates with other Microsoft applications like Sharepoint and Office.

While there are fewer than a dozen sessions for Dynamics NAV, a couple feature customers who have been early adopters of NAV 2009; others provide guidance on generating business intelligence and using NAV in an online environment.

Because of its largely American customer base, there are no sessions for Microsoft Dynamics GP.

In tune ...