Microsoft offers CRM on subscription to UK SMEs

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has announced it has partnered with Microsoft to offer hosted CRM solutions to SMEs in the UK.

All 52,000 members of the IoD will be offered a subscription-based service to a hosted version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Although the offer is also available to every UK business, IoD members will have exclusive subscription rates and the first month's service free if they sign up before June 2008.

"The collaboration demonstrates our shared focus on putting customers at the centre of everything we do. For small and medium businesses the critical importance of understanding their customers, Dynamics CRM is a great solution," said Paul White, director of the Dynamics Product Group at Microsoft.

The IoD said it wanted to enable UK members to have access to an advanced business level CRM system without the risks associated with up-front implementation costs. It also wanted to offer flexibility in terms of adding and removing users.

"As the business environment becomes ever more competitive, our members need the tools and support to attract new customers while retaining their existing ones," said Andrew Main Wilson, chief operating officer at the IoD.

Microsoft Dynamics 4.0 debuted in January. IT PRO has already reported on Microsoft signing a worldwide CRM partnership deal with EDS.

The service will be hosted by Microsoft partner Rackspace.

The CRM offer will cost IoD members £35 per user, per month while non-members can subscribe for £45 per user, per month.

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