Tag: Dynamics 365 for Sales

Overview of Microsoft Relationship Sales

This blog post continues with the study related material for MB-900 and focuses on Microsoft Relationship Sales. Microsoft Relationship Sales is an additional module in Dynamics 365 which links LinkedIn Sales Navigator with Dynamics 365 for Sales by leveraging LinkedIn relationships and company information. This integration between LinkedIn and Dynamics 365 will allow sales associates access to powerful relationship information from within Dynamics 365 for Sales.

Unifying the Seller Experience from Microsoft Learn
Unifying the Seller Experience from Microsoft Learn

LinkedIn Sales Navigator integration allows users to see headlines, activities, news and other related information about their contact directly inside Dynamics 365. Users can see shared contacts in order to facilitate icebreakers and encourage introductions to new prospects. LinkedIn InMail and PointDrive can be shown as activities and the LinkedIn user images can be displayed directly inside Dynamics 365. All this information can then be used in Dynamics 365 sales playbooks and with the AI for sales to strengthen the relationships between the sales associate and their contacts.

Embedded Intelligence is included as part of Dynamics 365 for Sales and adds powerful features for helping to manage relationships with contacts, especially in conjunction with Microsoft Relationship Sales. This is a suite of features that works in conjunction with data stored in Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Exchange. These features include relationship assistant, email engagement and auto capture. Relationship assistant analyzes data to generate cards detailing recommended actions to take based on the current context of the user. Email engagement will help users to keep track of emails that are sent, viewed, responded to, as well as attachments and links viewed as activities. Auto capture analyzes relevant email addresses in Microsoft Exchange and tracks them from within Dynamics 365.

Embedded Intelligence Diagram from Microsoft Learn
Embedded Intelligence Diagram from Microsoft Learn

All the data collected from LinkedIn, Exchange, and Dynamics 365 can be uniquely analyzed with Dynamics 365 AI for Sales. The sales specific AI can analyze relationship information, predict lead and opportunity scores, analyze notes, and even offer talking points to customers and prospects.

Relationship Sales Video from Microsoft Learn

Overview of Dynamics 365 for Sales

Continuing with the study for MB-900 is an overview of Dynamics 365 for Sales. Dynamics 365 for Sales is built on top of Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE) but is also available as an individual module at a lower cost per user. As the name implies, it is a sales focused application designed to help sales associates drive business and sales managers to dive deeper into the sales data generated.

Example Sales Process
Example Sales Process from Microsoft Learn

The image above, provided by Microsoft, shows an example of the typical sales process. The sales associate will start by qualifying leads. They contact the lead, gather information, and determine if the lead is a good fit, both for the potential customer and the organization as a whole. All actions, such as emails and phone calls, can be tracked against the lead. This information then becomes available to other sales associates and sales managers along the way. This process can be further enhanced by AI for Sales to create custom scoring models and analyze existing organization relationships to improve the likelihood of qualifying leads.

Once a lead is qualified, the lead can be converted to an opportunity. The lead can be linked to an existing contact and/or account. If one does not exist, it will be created and linked automatically during the qualification process. This begins the development cycle, where the opportunity is worked by determining what products and/or services are of interest to the customer. The data collected during this process can be tailored to meet the organizations unique business process flow. That data is then available to other team members on the opportunity record, increasing the chances of closing the opportunity. Like the lead, AI for Sales can be utilized to help increase the chances of closing the deal.

Once all the data is required and the products/services selected, a quote can be generated directly from the opportunity. This quote is sent as a proposal to the customer. The customer can then work with the sales associate to make any changes. Quotes are able to be revised and sent to the customer with the updated information. This feedback loop can happen several times through the life of the quote until the customer accepts the quote.

An accepted quote can automatically generate the sales order and the associated opportunity is closed as won. Integrations into other ERP systems can keep track of current inventory levels required to fulfill the sales order. Once the order is fulfilled, an invoice is generated in order to bill the customer. The invoice generation can come from Dynamics 365 for Sales, but it is not uncommon for it to come from the backend ERP system, such as Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations.

Video overview of Dynamics 365 for Sales from Microsoft Learn

While this process is similar among many organizations, it is by no means a unique process. Every organization has its own data points that are needed and their own strategies designed to qualify leads and close sales. Dynamics 365 for Sales allows for the creation of new fields and even new entities for gathering information. These new data points can be used in reports, shown on dashboards, and included anywhere in the sales process. With this data, whether from existing entities or custom entities, the industry and business requirements can be filled and the ability of the organization to drive business can be improved.