So Boring: Here’s How to Move Past the Usual Objections to Upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0

Many articles, blog posts and marketing events have been devoted in recent months to why you should upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0. A half year later, we know the common new features by heart--for example, the three M's (multi currency, multi lingual and multi tenancy), the introduction of Workflow Foundation and Enterprise readiness.

A common scenario is a full working Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 application, often connected to back office systems and also integrated to intranet or internet applications. In most cases, the implementation is widely used in the company, but there are still wishes to enhance performance or functionality.

The decision maker, typically a financial type, usually has a conservative approach and isn't very amenable to upgrading to the new version. The decision maker's arguments: people are used to this system, upgrading costs are too high, we don't really need the new or extra functionality, and let's wait for the first Service Pack.

To make the right decision about upgrading to the latest version, you should consider two aspects of cost saving and the need for (new) functionality. Every decision maker is willing to hear about how to save costs, right? An upgrade will take time and money in the short term, but in the middle to long term, it could reduce costs and rapidly increase ROI.

The latest version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM gives you the ability to reduce costs via a more efficient architecture. It is possible to separate services to multiple servers, which increases performance due to more efficient use of resources. Also, choosing between on-premise, hosted or CRM Online could save on hardware investments; the life cycle of hardware is usually three years. Depending on your choice, you could also save on license fees, an often overlooked ...