Summit EMEA News & Notes, Part 2: Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Customer Experience

In part one of our news and notes from Summit EMEA 2018, we explored some key updates related to Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations (D365FO) and related solutions like Talent. In this second part, we turn our attention to a few observations tied more closely to Dynamics 365 Customer Experience (D365CE). As you'll see below, categorizing these items as purely CRM-focused would be inaccurate, since many clearly touch D365FO or utilize other Microsoft cloud services.

The challenge of trying to separate out products, integration points, or even features relevant to one Microsoft product is no anomaly here. As was evident through Summit EMEA, Microsoft will continue to advance discrete capabilities among D365 apps like Sales and Marketing, but will also sell the benefits of integrations, app building tools, and analytics. And as noted below, not all of Microsoft's plans about future direction or product priority are well understood or embraced yet by the community.

Where is Microsoft taking Customer Experience (CRM) now?

While some CRM-watchers have given Microsoft credit for harmonizing its Customer Experience apps lineup in the last year, not everyone we spoke with at Summit EMEA was convinced. Issues of particular concern revolve around product leadership and the company's commitment to the newest offerings like Marketing and Sales Professional. And for all the cool new things being rolled out, from marketing campaigns to CDS for Apps, the saltiest of CRM vets still beg for Microsoft to shore up longstanding issues that they say hurt the core capabilities of the platform.

Recent departures of managers overseeing the sales, customer service, and marketing apps were discussed openly by Summit attendees. Microsoft personnel presenting on the various solutions at ...