Digital Disruption from EX²

When properly analyzed and leveraged, big data enhances customer engagement through targeted, personalized and contextual marketing. The data also provides significant business intelligence that can help organizations achieve a variety of goals, including understanding their public image, increasing production efficiency or enhancing customer service. The primary problem with big data has always been the difficulty in correlating the information collected to obtain actionable insights. There is simply too much data for human analysts to find worthwhile information without the proper tools. Microsoft contends that humans need not be replaced in the process of extracting meaningful intelligence from big data, but they should be empowered to maximize the benefits that the data can provide. Adding support for Cortana and artificial intelligence to Dynamics 365 CRM is one way that Microsoft is attempting to give humans better tools for finding and using insights hidden in big data.

When Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in 2016, industry insiders immediately began to speculate on potential integrations. Although it is likely that Microsoft had performed a great deal of strategic planning prior to spending more than $26 billion for the acquisition, the company initially had little to say on how — or even if — LinkedIn would be integrated with existing products. Microsoft finally broke its silence in April 2017, announcing tools for sales and human resources that involved the integration of Dynamics 365 and LinkedIn.

Your sales team is the lifeblood of your company. Sales personnel are the ones who have the most opportunities to interact directly with customers, build solid relationships and present the right image of your mission and values. Given their importance, it only makes sense to ensure that they have the tools needed to convert leads into sales and customers into brand advocates. Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales can help your team be more productive and achieve the company's goals.