Microsoft Dynamics 365 vs Zoho CRM

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. Zoho introduced Bigin - pipeline-centric CRM for small business



Alongside the widely-used Zoho CRM, Zoho has introduced Bigin, a new pipeline-centric CRM specifically designed and priced for the requirements of small and micro businesses. Bigin revolutionizes CRM by incorporating a user-friendly interface reminiscent of spreadsheets, making it accessible to anyone without prior CRM knowledge or the need for additional resources to implement the software. During the development of this product, Zoho identified that small businesses were often misled by vendors who offered stripped-down CRM features under the guise of being suitable for their needs. In contrast, Bigin includes crucial features such as multiple pipelines, integrated telephony, and workflow automation, providing small businesses with an optimal feature set for managing comprehensive customer-facing processes within their CRM. Notably, Bigin distinguishes itself as the most cost-effective CRM system currently available, priced at $7 per user per month with annual billing.


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.


2018. Zoho CRM enables to convert website live-chats to phone conversations



Zoho has introduced significant updates to its integrated customer experience platform, Zoho CRM Plus. The latest version not only allows customers to engage with businesses through their preferred channels but also enables seamless channel switching for internal teams. Sales representatives can effortlessly transition from website live chats to phone conversations, support agents can handle calls directly from their ticket interface, and marketers can convert social media interactions into tickets for expedited issue resolution. With the new ASAP plug-in for Desk, customers gain access to quick answers from the company's knowledge base, the ability to create support tickets, and the convenience of chatting with support agents directly on the company website or mobile app. The introduction of Blueprint empowers businesses to build and automate processes that span sales, marketing, and support teams. For instance, a sales order Blueprint can involve both sales and support teams, automatically creating a ticket in Desk when a sales order is approved in CRM, and updating the sales order status to "Delivered" in CRM upon completion of the delivery process in Desk.


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.


2018. Zoho's Zia learned to speak like Cortana


Zoho CRM 2018 has introduced a new update that enhances its AI-powered sales assistant, Zia, by adding voice capabilities. With this update, Zia can now interact with users through both voice commands and chat messages to perform various actions within Zoho CRM. Need to check your schedule for the day? Simply ask Zia. On the move and want to verify if you have enough inventory of a specific product before meeting a customer? Just ask Zia. Want to quickly mark a deal as Closed-Won after a phone call? Let Zia handle it for you. You can engage with Zia using either the voice interface in the Zoho CRM app on your iPhone or Android device, or through the chat bar in Zoho CRM on your desktop web browser. It's worth noting that Microsoft integrated its voice assistant, Cortana, into Dynamics CRM nearly three years ago.


2017. Zoho CRM Plus gets fresh new design



Zoho has introduced an update to its all-in-one customer engagement suite, Zoho CRM Plus. The latest version brings a refreshed interface and a streamlined user experience by eliminating unnecessary clutter. The app selector has been replaced with a new navigation bar located on the left side, offering improved accessibility. With the new Quick Links feature, users can quickly navigate to the specific part of the product they wish to access. Additionally, Zoho CRM Plus intelligently adapts to user behavior, prioritizing recently accessed records and placing them prominently under Recent Items. Furthermore, users now have the convenience of configuring settings for all Zoho CRM Plus apps in one centralized location. The update also introduces advanced filters for cross-app searches, allowing users to retrieve relevant data from different teams within their organization.


2017. Zoho CRM gets a Chrome extension for Gmail



Zoho has developed a Chrome extension that intelligently extracts relevant information from your Gmail and allows you to save it as leads or contacts in Zoho CRM. With Zoho CRM for Gmail, you can instantly view a comprehensive customer profile as soon as you open an email from them. This extension provides various functionalities, enabling you to perform multiple actions. You can choose to convert the extracted details into leads or contacts, and easily access additional information like attached tasks, previous call details, or notes from Zoho CRM. Furthermore, when you click on an email from existing leads or contacts, it displays their associated details. Available in 21 languages, Zoho CRM for Gmail facilitates the timely and accurate entry of lead and contact information into your CRM system, ultimately assisting you in enhancing your ROI.


2017. Zoho CRM gets sticky notes



Post-it notes have emerged as one of the most fortuitous inventions of our time. Numerous companies strive to replicate the influential nature of sticky notes in the digital realm. Zoho has now made this possible by incorporating them directly into Zoho CRM. These digital sticky notes are conveniently placed on top of your dashboard, serving as your personal workspace. Whether you want to jot down spontaneous ideas, organize your daily schedule, or record tasks and reminders, these sticky notes provide a space for capturing all the information you may need to reference later. Accessible in all editions of Zoho CRM, the sticky notes you create remain private and are not visible to other users within your CRM account.