Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (on-premises) CRM

Back in 2019, the tech industry witnessed a revolution (yes, really!). That’s to say because the latest version of Microsoft Dynamics 365 was launched. A cloud-based platform that brings integration of ERP and CRM features along with the modern cloud features and functions.

Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement has become a top-notch Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution (the cloud-based solutions) that brings various benefits to businesses. It’s the consumer-centric solution that helps improve marketing, drive better sales, improve business productivity, and manage the marketing campaign. Below in this blog, we are sharing the Dynamics 365 apps associated with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement and how these apps can improve business productivity!

Top Microsoft Dynamics 365 Implementation Partner

Folio3 has years of experience in assisting businesses worldwide to improve their core processes. We understand your company’s need to deliver quality services to your customers while remaining flexible in order to cater to the rapidly changing business processes. Our strong expertise as Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementation partner enables us to deliver quality solutions effectively. At Folio3, our main goal is to empower you to expand, enhance and manage your Microsoft Dynamics 365 competence so you can run your business effortlessly.

The Apps 

The platform is designed with a broad range of functionalities and apps. The apps are designed to deliver specific functions and caters to diverse business requirements. With the Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions, the businesses will be empowered to manage the functions and operations in an accessible and comprehensive manner. So, let’s check the apps associated with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement plan!

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations

This is the enterprise resource planning app, which is also famous as Dynamics AX. The app is designed to manage the business-centric process aptly. The Dynamics AX is integrated with the features that allow the businesses to plan, manage, and oversee the annual business finances. It also helps keep a close eye on financial operations, warehousing, logistics, and inventory. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

This ERP is also known as NAV and is designed for small-scale and medium-scale businesses. The ERP is designed with business tools for enterprises that allow them to manage different operations. These operations include back-end operations, accounting, warehousing, and supply chain management. Also, it helps manage the manufacturing niche of businesses. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales

Earlier, Microsoft Dynamics 365 for sales was known to be the CRM. The CRM revolves around the sales niche and delivers efficient and convenient sales management. The sales management system promises better functionality and productivity. As a result, the businesses can retain positive customer relationships. Even more, it helps with the generation and conversion of business leads. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Customer Service

This is another form of customer relationship management solution. However, it has an online configuration and delivers top-notch customer engagement. It has a wide range of customer-centric services and associated features. As far as the features are concerned, they include recommendations, information about scripting, and quick access to knowledge. Also, it delivers high-end personalization and high-speed customer generation.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Field Service

The businesses are incomplete without the information and data. Even more, the employees and teams need this information to work seamlessly and deliver productive outcomes. That being said, Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Field Service allows the teams to access resources and information on a real-time basis, hence better standards of productivity. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Retail

The businesses with retail niches have to keep a close eye on the retails. The information about retail information helps outline and oversee the business growth. In particular, it is suitable for every business, irrespective of their size. This app is designed to deliver a positive and affirmative customer experience by offering top-notch operations and services. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Retail is designed to cover the back-end as well as front-end operations. This is because they deliver unified services in the retail process. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Talent

To begin with, this app is integrated with LinkedIn, the most famous job networking podium. The prime aim of this app is to help procure the right talent or personnel for the vacancy. That being said, it also simplifies the recruiting and onboarding processes. It helps with employee engagement, better satisfaction, and business-related growth. Even more, it has the HR modules, hence a great help for HR departments. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Marketing

The marketing app is designed to substitute (or replace) the marketing app. It has an incredible range of features that helps business growth. The app can help plan and execute marketing strategies. It has event management and email campaigning features, along with on-site page and webpage management. 

The best part of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Marketing is that it not only manages the marketing functions but it also has multiple marketing automation tools. These tools help with intelligent marketing for the customer base. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights

This is another solution designed within Microsoft Dynamics 365. Customer Insights helps integrate data from multiple sources. As a result, the users can access the single and unified view for improving business engagement. This tool helps unearth in-depth insights into the development of personalized experiences. As a result, the businesses have the capacity to grow. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service

These insights include deep learning and machine learning concepts. These concepts are responsible for interactive and effective customer services that enable businesses to access improved customer services across various channels. It helps businesses to get access to data utilization and data analysis for better performance evaluation and customer service. Overall, it improves customer service through artificial intelligence features. 

Microsoft Social Engagement

It’s another Microsoft app that helps license sales, customer services, and social engagement activities. In addition, it helps with field services and automation of project service for improving the business-customer engagement. It can be integrated with various social media handles, hence better and improved digital brand presence. 

Microsoft Power Platform

As the name suggests, this platform is integrated with a variety of Microsoft PowerApps. These apps allow businesses to create personalized, useful, and beneficial experiences through data collection. It’s safe to say that Microsoft Power Platform helps create the flow from different apps, hence better app integration. In addition, it helps automate the workflow!  

The bottom line is that Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement is designed to deliver streamlined business operations and improve customer engagement. The system comes with the credibility of Microsoft and is packed with advanced tools, and functionalities to help improve all major business functions. 

What Is Customer Engagement?

For the most part, customer engagement (CE) is an elusive term and it’s more about interactions between the brand and customer. There are hundreds of definitions of customer engagement but the core idea remains the same. For instance, it’s an ever-going interaction that’s offered by the company and is chosen by the customers. 

Some experts also state customer engagement as the estimate of depth and degree of customer interaction against specific goals. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that customer engagement is mostly brand-focused that’s chosen by the customers. Customer engagement focuses on the quantitative as well as qualitative engagement that’s attained by the brands. 

If you can find ways to improve value to the customer experience will result in a higher engagement rate. That’s because when customers feel they can get something from the brand by engaging, your brand or business will experience reciprocity which results in an emotional connection with the brand. 

Online Customer Engagement 

Online customer engagement is generally different from offline engagement; the changes lie in the nature of interactions with customers, brands, and companies. Customer engagement on the internet is different. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that capturing online customer engagement is easier but it’s hard to retain it. In the section below, we are sharing the ways to enhance online customer engagement, such as;

• Announcing New Features 

The brands must announce new features of the products and make timely announcements for celebrating the feature releases. The customers must be educated on the utilization of new features as well as other changes. The product announcements will tell the customers about how the product has improved and how it provides more value. 

• In-App Surveys

The surveys have become an apt tool to gain practical feedback for improving the product and engaging with the customers. The in-app surveys show customers that their input is valuable and will help outline the customers who need extra attention from the brand. When it comes down to online customer engagement, you can try using in-app surveys to gain efficient feedback. 

• Validating The Roadmap 

When you get the results of in-app surveys and feedback, you can use the information for validating the brand roadmap. With the survey, you can also ask your customers to request the features and additions in the products. As a result, the customers will not only be engaged but also show that their opinions are valued. Also, it helps you know the in-demand features that will be liked by the customers. 

• Segmenting The Customer Feedback 

Once you’ve received the customer feedback, you need to segmentize them to understand the type of feedback according to the specific customer segment. It’s no secret that some customers are more valuable to the brands than others. That being said, you have to prioritize the feedback according to the customers and make sure to invest extra effort in following up with the customers. 

• Utilize Data for Making Informed Decisions 

When you start receiving feedback from the customers, it is essential that you trust the data. In the majority of cases, the product teams are attached to the features that are made through effort and time. However, the prime goal is to create the best product that can be utilized as well as the product that delivers higher benefits to the customers. 

Digital Customer Engagement 

Digital customer engagement is the phenomenon of interacting with the current as well as potential customers through digital channels. These digital channels help build a relationship with the customers. Generally, digital channels include social media, messaging, and email. Keep in mind that digital customer engagement is more about retaining the customers rather than securing new customers. 

Modern customers are looking for memorable and informative customer experiences rather than making a quick purchasing decision. So, if your brand is trying to improve digital customer engagement, they must provide something meaningful. The best way of increasing digital customer engagement is by providing a personalized experience. 

Customer Engagement Platform 

The customer engagement platform is known to be software that helps engage with the customers through a specific touchpoint (every brand knows the organization). It generally has a database of content and is responsible for tracking the audience. For the most part, the touchpoint is about how people are interacting with the brand. 

As far as the customers are concerned, it begins with the discovery of your business. In the majority of cases, the brands are discovered online through SEO, paid advertising campaigns, and social media posts. You can depend on Folio3 for providing the best customer engagement platform because it helps understand the touchpoints and nurture the leads. 

Customer Engagement Software

The customer engagement software is an abroad term but it’s software that manages the customer interactions and communication through touchpoints and channels. When it comes down to the customer engagement software, it includes the webchat, CRM system, marketing, social media handles, and self-service for customers. 

The customer engagement software includes a range of customer interactions that guides the customers through the journey. It also provides the right information to the authorized staff at the right time. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that customer engagement software helps provide value to the consumer base. 

The customer engagement software empowers the companies to achieve the title of market leader when it comes down to customer experience. It has self-service technology which allows the customers to find answers to their queries through the knowledge base. In addition, it eventually helps reduce the email and call frequency. Some of the top customer engagement software include;

• Freshdesk – This is the cloud-based system that delivers promising solutions for customer service purposes. It integrated conversations from the web, phone, email, and social media to fix the issues. The brands will be able to automate the workflows 
• Zendesk – This software can be used to build an improved customer experience since users can interact with the customers through various communication channels. With Zendesk, responding to the customer queries will be efficient and the software is pretty easy to use and implement 
• LiveChat – This software is the fastest possible way to help business consumers. This is the help desk software where customers and users can engage with each other without compromising on ease. You can also help customers who have questions and queries to ask you. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that it’s the fastest option for communicating with the customers 
• ChurnZero – With this software, the brands can access the health scores of customers, access real-time alerts, communicate, and segmentize the customers. It is the best software for subscription businesses as well as SaaS business. It is extremely easy to implement and can be integrated with third-party platforms. Also, it’s perfect for mapping and tracking the customer journey

Customer Engagement Portal 

The customer engagement portals are defined to provide a secured and logged-in environment. It promises relevant yet exclusive content to the software members. In addition, it includes gamified features to improve the customer experience. Customer engagement is the predictor of organic business growth and the portal makes customer experience valuable and entertaining. 

Customer Engagement Specialist 

The customer engagement specialist generally works in product marketing, prospecting, customer service, and customer relations. They are responsible for encouraging the customers to use and expand the service and products. In this context, the customer engagement specialist will eventually develop relationships with online customers.

Customer Engagement Manager 

The customer engagement managers are responsible for managing the clients and scheduling meetings. They are responsible for communicating with the current consumer base and researching the potential customer base. In the majority of cases, the customer engagement manager collaborates with the sales team and serves as the contact point for clients. 

The customer engagement managers are responsible for engaging the customers through brand services and products. It’s their responsibility to maintain customers’ interest in the company’s products and services. 

Customer Engagement Plan 

The customer engagement plan outlines the personalized customer engagement strategies that are responsible for creating customer relationships. It’s needless to say that customer engagement plays an influential role in helping brands understand and comprehend customer behaviors. The customer engagement plan is responsible for outlining the strategies that increase customer satisfaction. 

Customer Engagement Strategy

To begin with, the customer engagement strategy is known to be a plan for increasing customer satisfaction in improving interactions. It is responsible for curating positive customer interactions. The strategy includes how the team is interacting with customers whenever they reach out to the customers. In addition, a customer engagement strategy helps take an initiative and engage with the consumer base. 

Customer Engagement Strategies

When it comes down to ensure higher customer engagement, there are various customer engagement strategies that can be utilized by the customers. In the section below, we are sharing some strategies, such as;

• Running The “Tag A Friend” Competition On Social Media 

It doesn’t matter if you are a large-scale business or a small business, you can deploy social media for starting the “tag a friend” competition. You can simply ask your followers to tag their friends, like your brand page, and set a prize or reward for it. 

• Engaging Across Various Channels 

When it comes down to creating higher customer engagement, keep in mind that agility is an essential point. That being said, you need to use various channels for responding to the customers or attracting the customers. In addition, it helps streamline business communication. 

• Shoutout The Reviews 

The brands can easily gain reviews on Google and Yelp. So, if you have positive screenshots of your products or services, you can take a screenshot and share them on social media platforms. When other customers on the social media handle check out the positive reviews, they will be motivated to buy from you. 

• Engage With Quiet Customers

Every brand has a quiet customer base, and as a business, you must engage with them to ensure they are buying from you. In addition, you can ask them about the concerns and fix their concerns. This will make them feel valued. 

• Rewarding The Engagement 

Whenever you see that certain customers are engaging with your brand, you must offer small prizes or gifts to them. For instance, you can host a giveaway to reward your customers who constantly engage with your brand. 

Customer Engagement Model

The customer engagement model is the procedure that’s used by businesses to approach the continuous relationship with the customers. Usually, the brands use this model after sales but it’s best to create a holistic customer engagement model that should be deployed with the first business-customer interaction. 

Customer Engagement Examples 

• Duolingo – This is the language learning app that allows the customers/users to set the personalized learning journey whenever they sign up on the app. Duolingo asks your reasons behind learning a new language and will create the exercises accordingly
• Casper – It is the mattress company that has curated an engaging method of gathering customer information while developing leads. They have designed a free-to-use chatbot for customers struggling with insomnia. This helped them send promotional messages and deals to the customers, so they can sleep
• Polaroid Originals – They are rewarding the customers whenever they purchase something which helps them gain back the investments. It helps gamify and incentivize the brand and business interactions which bring customers closer to the brand 
• Netflix – Even if you don’t know the already mentioned examples, you would be aware of Netflix. Netflix has designed an algorithm that depends on the customers interacting with the platform. As a result, they provide the list of seasons and movies based on what you usually watch 

Measuring Customer Engagement 

The customer engagement metrics are responsible for measuring how the consumer base is interacting with the marketing department. When it comes down to the email campaigns, the engagement metrics tend to be click rates and open. In the case of paid Facebook ads, you have to focus on the number of people who are clicking the CTA button. 

For the most part, customer engagement can be measured by conversion rate, pages per session, net promoter score (it helps measure the customer trust and loyalty). In addition, customer engagement can be measured by session time which determines the time that a website visitor is spending on the landing page or an article. 

Customer Engagement Management 

Customer engagement management is responsible for providing ways to drive higher customer value. It is essential for businesses to improve customer retention and product adoption as it helps increase the brand reputation. With proper customer engagement management, the brands’ referenceability and referral driving from the consumers is improved. 

Customer Engagement Marketing

To be honest, customer engagement marketing isn’t a new concept because it must be taken as the marketing goal. The majority of brands tend to ensure higher customer engagement. Customer engagement marketing will ensure that customers feel recognized. In addition, it will encourage loyalty while reducing the churn count for customers.