Microsoft Dynamics 365 vs SugarCRM

2023. Microsoft brings an AI-powered Copilot to Dynamics 365



Microsoft is introducing a new AI tool called Copilot, which aims to automate repetitive tasks in sales and customer service. In applications such as Dynamics 365 Sales and Viva Sales, Copilot can assist in composing email responses to customers and generate an email summary of Teams meetings in Outlook. The meeting summary incorporates information from the seller's CRM, including product details and pricing, and combines them with insights gathered during the recorded Teams call. In Dynamics 365 Customer Service, Copilot can draft "contextual answers" for customer queries in chat or email formats. It also provides an interactive chat experience for customer service agents, drawing from knowledge bases and case history. Additionally, Microsoft's AI Builder tool features a new "GPT" model that enables organizations to integrate text-generation capabilities into their Power Automate and Power Apps solutions, complementing the conversation boosters provided by Copilot.


2021. Microsoft announces new tools to modernize supply chain and manufacturing



Microsoft is introducing the Microsoft Cloud for Manufacturing, a new solution tailored for the manufacturing industry. Additionally, they are launching Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Insights, a tool that enhances supply chain visibility and provides intelligence to address issues proactively. The manufacturing cloud aims to gather signals and alert manufacturers about potential supply shortages, while the Supply Chain Insights tool helps identify and resolve issues along the supply chain before they become bottlenecks. Together, these solutions enhance agility and flexibility for manufacturing companies.


2020. SugarCRM acquires Node to gain predictive customer intelligence



SugarCRM made an announcement today about its acquisition of Node, a customer intelligence startup. This strategic move not only brings valuable AI expertise to SugarCRM but also introduces a customer prediction component to its platform. This means that SugarCRM will now have the capability to identify customers who are most likely to convert or churn. As a result, SugarCRM enters into direct competition with industry players like Adobe and Salesforce, who have long offered predictive intelligence layers. Established in 2014 and having raised over $43 million, Node fills a significant gap for SugarCRM by enhancing engagement analytics and enabling action across various stages of the business. Simultaneously, it serves as a unique market differentiator for the company.


2020. Microsoft introduced its customer data platform inside Dynamics 365



Microsoft has made a significant announcement regarding its Dynamics 365 product line, in response to the growing volume of enterprise data and the need to collect and analyze it effectively to enhance customer experiences. The company is introducing new features to its customer data platform (CDP), a concept that has gained traction among major vendors and a growing number of startups. The CDP consolidates customer data from various systems into a single location, simplifying the understanding of customer interactions. The ultimate objective is to leverage this knowledge to deliver enhanced customer experiences. Microsoft's CDP is known as Customer Insights. It is important to note that Microsoft is not the only player in this domain. Other prominent companies like Adobe, Salesforce, and SAP offer similar products for similar reasons, as part of their marketing toolsets.


2019. SugarCRM moved into marketing automation with Salesfusion acquisition



In an effort to strengthen its marketing automation capabilities, SugarCRM has made the acquisition of Salesfusion. Recognizing the need for improvements in the marketing automation aspect of their platform, SugarCRM CEO Craig Charlton opted to acquire a company rather than building the functionality from scratch, considering it a faster approach. SugarCRM has been undergoing a transitional phase as it faces challenges in keeping pace with industry giants, especially Salesforce. Last summer, the company entered the private equity market and secured a significant investment from Accel-KKR, reportedly a nine-figure deal according to various reports and characterized as a leveraged buyout by PitchBook.


2018. Microsoft launches new AI applications for Dynamics 365 CRM



A year ago, Microsoft made its debut in the field of AI solutions with its first offering in the Dynamics 365 portfolio. Today, Microsoft is expanding this portfolio by introducing three new products: Dynamics 365 AI for Sales, Customer Service, and Market Insights. Dynamics 365 AI for Sales is designed to empower sales teams by providing them with deeper insights into their prospects through sentiment analysis. While sentiment analysis may be considered a fundamental application of machine learning, AI for Sales goes beyond by assisting salespeople in determining the appropriate actions to take and prioritizing prospects effectively. Similarly, the Customer Service application employs natural language understanding to comprehend and predict customer service issues, leveraging virtual agents to reduce costs. Lastly, Dynamics 365 AI for Market Insights fulfills its name by equipping teams with valuable data on social sentiment, but it goes a step further by offering more comprehensive insights.


2017. Microsoft integrated LinkedIn with Dynamics 365



Microsoft has unveiled significant integrations between its acquired professional social network, LinkedIn, and Microsoft Dynamics 365, the company's comprehensive CRM and ERP suite. These integrations bring forth several noteworthy enhancements. Firstly, Microsoft is bridging the gap between Dynamics 365 and the LinkedIn Sales Navigator tool, enabling sales professionals to leverage LinkedIn's extensive database of 500 million users. This integration empowers sales teams with valuable insights and connections to enhance their customer engagement strategies. Furthermore, Microsoft is introducing a specialized tool within Dynamics 365 for HR professionals, known as Dynamics 365 for Talent. This tool enables users of Dynamics 365 ERP to seamlessly access LinkedIn's Recruiter and Learning solutions. HR professionals can now conveniently search for new talent directly from LinkedIn and effectively manage employees throughout their entire journey with the company, from recruitment to ongoing development and engagement. By merging the power of LinkedIn and Microsoft Dynamics 365, Microsoft aims to provide enhanced capabilities for sales teams and HR professionals, fostering improved customer relationship management and talent acquisition processes. These integrations signify Microsoft's commitment to delivering comprehensive solutions that streamline business operations and leverage the vast potential of professional networking platforms.


2016. Microsoft Dynamics 365 became generally available


Microsoft has officially launched Dynamics 365, a comprehensive cloud solution that combines its ERP and CRM functionalities, positioning itself as a direct competitor to Salesforce. With pricing starting at $70 per user per month, Dynamics 365 offers a web interface as well as a mobile app and can also be seamlessly integrated within the familiar Outlook applications. In this release, Microsoft has incorporated intelligent features specifically designed for sales and service professionals. The first is Customer Insights, an independent cloud service that enables users to aggregate diverse internal and external data sources, including platforms like Facebook and Trip Advisor. The second feature, Relationship Insights, equips salespeople with real-time information about the state of their customer relationships. Powered by the Cortana Intelligence Suite, which Microsoft introduced in 2015, Relationship Insights utilizes tools such as sentiment analysis to assess the likelihood of closing a deal and determine the best course of action. Microsoft has taken steps to consolidate its artificial intelligence tools into a cohesive division, aligning with the industry trend of integrating intelligence into various product offerings, extending beyond CRM vendors alone.


2016. Microsoft to merge CRM and ERP into integrated cloud platform Dynamics 365


Microsoft has unveiled its plans to integrate the Dynamics CRM and ERP products into a cohesive platform called Dynamics 365. This integrated platform aims to provide a foundation for third-party developers to build applications. Dynamics 365 will be closely connected to the cloud office suite, Cortana voice intelligence, and PowerBI data visualization. To simplify this comprehensive system, Microsoft is offering individual applications that sit atop the platform. These include finance, field service, sales, operations, marketing, project service automation, and customer service applications. Furthermore, Microsoft has introduced Microsoft AppSource, an app store where developers can create and distribute their own applications, offering a comprehensive solution. The store will initially feature over 200 apps developed by early adopters.


2016. IBM tightens integration with SugarCRM



SugarCRM has partnered with IBM Cloud to enhance the security and control of its customer relationship management platform. This joint offering enables Sugar's platform to be deployed on IBM's dedicated, private bare metal clouds, resulting in improved overall security and performance, according to SugarCRM. With IBM's expansive network of 46 cloud data centers worldwide, Sugar users can benefit from a larger and faster network. IBM and SugarCRM have maintained an ongoing relationship, as evidenced by their previous collaboration in September, where they introduced IBM Marketing Cloud for SugarCRM, integrating marketing and sales operations to enhance the customer experience.