Building Your Business Technology Foundation with Vision

The Short-Sighted Search

Picture this: A growing SMB owner types “cheap CRM software” into Google at 11 PM, hoping to solve their customer management chaos. They find a basic solution for $10/month per user, implement it quickly, and six months later realize they’ve hit a wall. Sound familiar?

This scenario plays out thousands of times across small businesses every year. The problem isn’t the urgency to find a solution—it’s the lack of strategic vision for where the business is heading.

Understanding the CRM vs ERP Landscape

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems focus on:

• Managing customer interactions
• Sales pipelines
• Marketing activities

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems integrate:

• Finance
• Inventory
• HR
• Supply chain

Key Insight: Your CRM choice today determines your ERP possibilities tomorrow.

The Evolution Strategy: Starting Smart

Phase 1: CRM Foundation (Months 1–6)

• Lead and opportunity management
• Contact and account tracking
• Sales pipeline visualization
• Basic reporting and analytics

Phase 2: Enhanced Customer Experience (Months 6–12)

• Case management
• Knowledge base integration
• Customer portal access
• SLA tracking

Phase 3: Marketing Automation (Year 2)

• Email campaigns
• Lead scoring and nurturing
• Marketing analytics
• Customer journey mapping

Phase 4: Financial Integration (Year 2–3)

• Quote-to-cash
• Invoice generation
• Financial reporting
• Budget planning

Phase 5: Full ERP Capabilities (Year 3+)

• Inventory management
• Supply chain optimization
• HR
• Advanced analytics and AI

Why “Cheap” CRM Solutions Fail the Vision Test

Common limitations of basic CRMs:

• Limited Customization – Rigid systems that don’t fit your processes
• Data Silos – Isolated systems create communication gaps
• Scalability Constraints – Systems lag as your business grows
• Integration Challenges – Expensive and clunky custom development
• Vendor Lock-in – Difficult and costly to migrate

Nucleus Research reports 47% of CRM implementations fail due to poor planning and system selection.

The Dynamics 365 Advantage: Built for Evolution

Seamless Data Integration

All modules share a unified data model. When sales updates a customer record, that info is instantly available to marketing, service, and finance.

Modular Growth Strategy

Start small and expand as needed:

• Sales: $65/user/month
• Customer Service: $95/user/month
• Marketing: $1,500/month (10,000 contacts)
• Finance/Supply Chain: $180/user/month

View the full Microsoft Dynamics 365 pricing guide

Power Platform Integration

• Power Apps – Build custom tools
• Power Automate – Automate processes
• Power BI – Analytics & dashboards
• Power Virtual Agents – AI-powered chat

Industry-Specific Solutions

Get faster time-to-value with prebuilt templates tailored to your industry.

Cultural Transformation Through Technology

Dynamics 365 is more than a platform—it’s a driver for change:

• Collaboration: Teams work from shared data
• Insightful Decisions: Analytics empower leaders
• Customer Focus: 360° views drive better service
• Efficiency: Standardized workflows reduce error
• Scalability: Future-proof your business

Harvard Business Review found integrated CRM/ERP systems yield 23% higher customer satisfaction and 18% faster revenue growth.

Total Cost of Ownership: The Real Numbers

“Cheap” CRM Stack (3 Years, 20 Employees)

• Basic CRM: $2,400/year
• Accounting: $3,600/year
• Email marketing: $1,200/year
• Custom integrations: $15,000 (one-time)
• Data migration (Year 3): $25,000

Total: $46,600

Dynamics 365 Approach

• D365 Sales (10 users): $7,800/year
• D365 Service (5 users): $5,700/year
• D365 Finance (5 users): $10,800/year
• Implementation: $20,000 (one-time)

Total: $92,900

Forrester: 162% ROI over 3 years with Dynamics 365

Implementation Best Practices

1. Start with Strategic Planning
   • Define a 3–5 year vision
   • Map current workflows
   • Outline integrations
   • Plan rollout stages
2. Focus on User Adoption
   • Offer hands-on training
   • Roll out gradually
   • Listen to users
   • Celebrate small wins
3. Plan for Growth
   • Build scalable architecture
   • Create governance standards
   • Prepare for new modules
   • Monitor performance

Making the Strategic Choice

The difference between successful and stagnant SMBs? Technology vision.

While basic CRMs solve immediate issues, they often hinder long-term growth. Dynamics 365 demands more upfront, but delivers a scalable foundation.

As a Microsoft Partner, TEKZYS guides SMBs through this strategic journey—designing and implementing business platforms that evolve with you.

Next Steps for Your Business

Before selecting any CRM/ERP platform:

• Assess Your Current State – Document systems and workflows
• Define Your Vision – Where do you want to be in 5 years?
• Calculate True Costs – Include integration and future needs
• Plan Implementation – Use a phased, strategic approach

💡 Choose a platform that grows with your vision—not one that limits your future.