East Region Microsoft CRM Blog : Events

Dynamics User Groups Event in Atlanta coming up next week!!

chris.kahl — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:29:24 GMT

So for all of you Dynamics users, partners and especially CRM customers in the Greater Atlanta Area who yearn to learn, mark your calendars for Thursday, November 12th, 2009 for what promises to be a great event. The Microsoft Dynamics Customer Reference program team is offering a free one-year User Group membership to the Dynamics User Group of your choice:

“How do I get this wonderful gift?” you may ask…simply sign up to become a reference customer for Dynamics – especially Dynamics CRM (he said with shameless self-promotion!)

And if you really want to help Ben Vollmer win a free meal, go here to his website and read HIS shameless self-promotion! :)

- The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead - 4:30 to 6:30 pm

· 3434 Peachtree Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30326

- Mingle with Dynamics User Group Executive, Microsoft Dynamics Mgmt and Microsoft Dynamics peers

- Community outreach Toys for Tots collection – donate an unwrapped toy and receive a free copy of Office 2007 Professional as our thanks!

We hope to see you on Nov. 12^th!

Event ID: 1032430024

www.msevents.microsoft.com

OR # 1-877.673.8368

CRM on a friggin’ iPhone? Heard of it? (Going Mobile, Part 2)

chris.kahl — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:42:00 GMT

Much as it pains me to say it, there are actually people in this crazy world of ours who prefer the Apple iPhone to Windows Mobile devices. I KNOW, RIGHT!?!?! Hard to believe! Probably all “creative types” and such or maybe they work in K-12 education…I don’t know. Anyway since this device has been released I’ve had one or two people ask about using it for actual business purposes. [sarcasm off]

So while I was at WPC 2009 I ran into Erik Van Hoof, CEO of CWR Mobility, and he was catching me up on all the great stuff they’ve been working on. Things like making their excellent Windows Mobile CRM client work on a Blackberry and, in an effort to keep these iPhone whackos (note the sarcasm, Apple fanboys!) happily engaged with their CRM systems, the fine people over at CWR Mobility have developed an alpha version of an iPhone client. So while these things are still under development, they’re coming – along with a lot of other great capabilities for Dynamics CRM. While you’re waiting you might take a look over here and check out CWR’s blog for Jerry Seinfeld’s take on Blackberries and iPhones.

Mea Culpa, mea culpa…I’ve been a very bad blogger!

chris.kahl — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:55:26 GMT

There has been so much information coming out over the past couple of months it seemed like not a day went by that I didn’t say to myself, “I really ought to post something on that!” and yet with my travel schedule and sincere desire to try out this thing they call “work/life balance” and actually take a little summer vacation, I have yet to post much of anything. SO…fair warning – watch this space as I will be posting at a more brisk pace for the balance of August to try an catch all you East Region CRM fans up on what’s new for CRM customers and partners and who in the ISV community has been bringing the VALUE!! Stay tuned…!!

Where are you staying for Convergence?

Ben Vollmer — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:43:35 GMT

A bunch of from the East Region have ditched the hotels this year. :-) There is a new condo development about a 1/2 mile away from the convention center. My family stayed there for TechEd last May. I highly recommend it. We got a 3 bedroom 3 bath for about 200 a night, which was cheaper than the close in hotels. (And it is a townhouse. http://www.vistacayholidays.com/townhouse/index.htm)

Most of the condos are privately owned, so you can find them on a number of sites. We found ours at: http://www.vistacayholidays.com/

Drop me a line if this is where you book.... I know Ron, Craig and Chris are all booked here as are several partners..... Would love to have a block party.... :)

Postings....

Ben Vollmer — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 07:19:50 GMT

I just noticed I really haven't posted much in a month or two and then in one day four or five posts popped up. :-) Sorry about that. I have been super busy with getting stuff done and the blog was sorta kicked to the bottom of the to do list. Duly noted. Blog will be updated much more frequently. (And I didn't just want to cut and paste product announcements from the Product Team like some people....)

On my to do list is updating many of my code samples from 3.0 to 4.0 that used "unsupported" customizations. That will probably happen later next month.

In the mean time, in the East Region we are in full swing planning for the CRM 4.0 Launch events. Look for more details here next week as we have some East Region only events you will LOVE to participate in.

LiveMeeting for Partners: Multi Multi Multi

Ben Vollmer — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 07:10:57 GMT

I am doing a Live Meeting for partners on Wednesday. Come on and join in if you really are that bored. :-) The good news is that it is recorded and you can watch it to cure your insomnia. :-) Some of the features of 4.0 we have been talking about for about a year or so have been Multi Currency, Multi Language and Multi Tenancy. There is a whole series coming up covering a wide range of 4.0 "stuff" I am sure you will enjoy! Look forwarding to speaking with you on Wednesday!

Microsoft Partner Readiness Link for Live Meeting

Demo2Win is Coming! Register Today

Ben Vollmer — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 23:08:20 GMT

Demo2Win is one of the best classes I have ever been to. If you EVER give demo's to customers, this class is for you. These classes are heavily subsidized... So hurry up and register before they sell out. I am doing two of them as ain instructor, so watch out. :)

Registration quick link can be found at www.msreadiness.com/demo2win

The goal of the Demo2WIN!® workshop is simple: deliver a practical, proven set of skills, tools and procedures that both beginners and veterans can immediately put to use to improve their demo-to-win ratio.

The workshop focuses on the presentation elements of a Microsoft Dynamics software demonstration and is integrated with the Microsoft Solution Selling Process. Microsoft Partners learn numerous techniques for effectively engaging their audience, showing business processes to different personality types and delivering benefits. After modeling how a demonstration should be given, students are given an opportunity to practice what they learned. Throughout the workshop, video examples of Microsoft Dynamics demos are used that highlight the techniques being learned as well as the most common mistakes (Demo Crimes) committed by software demonstrators.

The workshop includes a number of small group exercises which provide each attendee an opportunity to 1) practice the skills they are learning and 2) apply them to a live deal they are working on or a case study that is provided with the workshop. At the end of each exercise attendees are selected at random to provide a short demonstration that leverages the results of each exercise.

Microsoft Solution Selling for Partners is coming... And there is still space...

Ben Vollmer — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 17:01:23 GMT

September 25^th & September 26^th 2007

9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Washington, DC office

To secure your seat today!

Register Now!

OVERVIEW:
To compete in today's tough marketplace, sales professionals need to:

Fully understand each customer's critical business issues
Quickly identify the real influencers in the decision process
Identify customer buying (purchasing?) procedures and protocols early in the sales cycle
Accurately predict the timing for closing of the sale
Minimize discounts and protect margins at closing

Microsoft Solution Selling addresses these selling issues by aligning the sales professional with the customer.

ABOUT THE TRAINING:
This two-day workshop facilitated by expert MSS instructors provides a balance of discussion, practice, exercises to apply the skills and techniques, and job aids from Microsoft Solution Selling.

At the conclusion of this workshop, you will be able to:

Generate interest for Microsoft Software and Solutions
Create a value proposition that supports the use of a Microsoft Solution
Identify and diagnose customer-critical business issues that can be addressed by Microsoft Software and Services
Create a desire for a solution that will address a customer’s critical business issue(s) based on the strengths of a Microsoft Solution
Change a customer’s biased vision of a competitive solution to that of a Microsoft Solution
Gain access to decision-making authority or influence
Differentiate yourself from the competition
Close more opportunities more effectively and efficiently
Qualify each step of the Microsoft sales cycle

TARGET AUDIENCE:
This course is intended for anyone involved in selling Microsoft Products and Solutions – sales, technical sales, sales support, and sales management.

Register Now!

Microsoft Dynamics CRM "Titan" Partner Readiness Tour

Ben Vollmer — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 13:14:46 GMT

Check out this URL for information around Titan for Partners. www.msreadiness.com/crm4 I would register early for these sessions as I am sure we will be overbooked. :-)

Overview:

Get ready to grow your business! The new version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is coming soon! To help you prepare for this exciting advancement in the market, Microsoft is hosting full-day, partner events in many major US cities. Take this opportunity to learn about the enhanced functionality now and be ready to help your customers take advantage of this innovative customer relationship management CRM solution.

With sessions for both technical and business roles, this event is designed to accelerate your Dynamics CRM business by building competency with process, technical, sales, and marketing expertise:

Technical sessions - Whether you are an implementer or developer, the technical track is right for you. Learn how to implement, configure and customize the new capabilities of the upcoming Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 release, including multi-tenancy, multi-lingual, Windows Workflow Foundation and more
Business sessions – Join us for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 marketing, sales and technical sales training. Topics include ‘What’s New in 4.0’, ‘How to Demo 4.0’, ‘4.0 Messaging and Value Proposition’, ‘Selling 4.0’and more.

About The Training:
This one-day event will provide Microsoft CRM partners a deeper understanding about Microsoft CRM 4.0. Partners will learn how to successfully position, market, and sell the value of the Microsoft CRM 4.0 solution to customers.

Target Audience:
This event is intended for CRM Practice Managers, Sales and Marketing roles, Project Managers, and Pre-Sales Technical Consultants.

Prerequisites:
Working knowledge of Microsoft CRM.
Event Agenda:

Keynote (Microsoft CRM roadmap update, Software as a Service, Solution Choice)
What’s new in CRM 4.0
Value Proposition Scenarios
Competitive Information
“How to Demo” CRM 4.0
Technical discussion surrounding Architecture & Configuration, Customization & Workflow, Data & Systems Management

Microsoft Partner Readiness

Microsoft Partner Events 101

Ben Vollmer — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:40:39 GMT

This is a LiveMeeting session you should attend if you do ANY events. MicrosoftPartnerEvents.com is a full-service Web site that offers Microsoft Partners the ease and convenience of scheduling, preparing and promoting events for their customers. Whether you're looking to hold a seminar, an event or a webcast, our service offers a variety of options for event support.

This MPE 101 Webcast will cover:

How to sign up for a free Microsoft Partner Events account
How to create your event with a customer registration page
Additional MPE Resources
Partner Roles & Responsibilities

Here are the benefits for you:

Accelerate sales cycle
Increase Marketing Efficiency
Build Your Pipeline
Stay connected to valuable resources

Get registered today!

Microsoft Partner Readiness

Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM 3.0 Blended Learning Boot Camp

Ben Vollmer — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 23:05:09 GMT

This is an AWESOME way for you to get certified. the cost is awesome as well. The next one in DC is the 15th of August. Book now space is VERY limited.

Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM 3.0 Blended Learning Boot Camp
Attend the Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM Blended Learning Boot Camp for Applications, Customization, or Installation & Configuration and you will receive the in-depth technical training you need to prepare for customer scenarios and exam preparation. The blended learning delivery allows you to pick the specific area, or combination of areas, you would like to train on and keep the out-of-office time to a minimum. With this training delivery format you’ll be able to take any combination of the three tracks available.
This blended learning approach combines three styles of learning:

Pre-Recorded Sessions & Self-Paced Study which includes courseware – you can start immediately!
E-Live Instructor-Led Training
Classroom Training which includes the exam

With this blended learning program, you will receive:

Ability to start curriculum at your own pace from your own desk
Online sessions with an instructor in a virtual training environment
Access to a live instructor for one day in a live training environment
Option to take the appropriate certification exam following the in-classroom review session

*The classroom engagement includes exam review and the ability to take the exam*

Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM 3.0 Blended Learning Boot Camp

Geeks abound...

Ben Vollmer — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 16:20:00 GMT

So I am at TechEd this week, which is a regular geek fest.... There where some scary looking geeks on the plane on the way down here and it turns out that this is now a major geek week. It also turns out that Disney is having Star Wars Weekend's during June...

Microsoft CRM Web Event - Transforming Information into Business Intelligence

Ben Vollmer — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 16:40:00 GMT

This event is being put on by Destination CRM and is sponsored by Microsoft. Would be a cool thing to have your customers, prospects or even you as a partner sit through... :-)

Business managers from the executive floor to the retail shop floor seek insight to spot unfilled customer needs, uncover sales, marketing and customer service opportunities, and understand both local market conditions and broad economic trends. In this webcast you will hear how Calence, LLC, one of the largest network solutions providers in the U.S., leverages Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM to gain the insight that drives competitive advantage.
With a diverse customer base (serving the enterprise, commercial, education and public sector markets) and an aggressive growth plan, Calence found that it needed to overcome some challenges enterprises commonly face when trying to effectively access and use raw data to improve performance:

Extracting actionable information can be difficult, slow and costly
The right presentation format may depend on the manager’s role
Certain business intelligence is most useful when received in real time
Business intelligence would be most powerful if it could help predict outcomes or suggest courses of action.
Calence recently selected Microsoft CRM and Avanade’s Performance Management solution to transform their raw CRM data into actionable intelligence. Calence now uses reporting across its Sales, Marketing and Service organizations and enables end users to become more self-sufficient in creating detailed reports, analyzing data and acting on new customer insights.

Source: destinationCRM.com | Web Events

CIO Briefing: Microsoft Enterprise Roadmap Webcast

Ben Vollmer — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:49:31 GMT

This event is for Mid Maket Accounts in the Mid Atlantic Area, which includes, DC, MD, VA & WV. :-) Christine Zmunda will be leading this... Should be awesome. I will be headed to the beach and miss it, but her content looks sweet and she is a great presenter.

Microsoft is releasing more products this year alone than it has in the last three years. Join the Microsoft team for an informative webcast that will be focused on the Microsoft server infrastructure and desktop roadmap. All attendees will receive a “Directions on Microsoft Enterprise Roadmap” for tuning in for the hour long web cast. In addition to other questions, this session will help you address the following:

What upgrades will I probably get if I cover Office on an Enterprise Agreement?
When will support end for Windows XP?
Where is Microsoft headed with Unified Communications and their Exchange messaging platform?
Where is Microsoft’s Virtualization strategy going?
What are the new software assurance benefits and how will they take real dollars off my bottom line?

Wednesday, March 21^st from 9:30 am to 10:30 am

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032331724&Culture=en-US

Navint Microsoft CRM Blog: Upstate New York CRM Summit 2007

Ben Vollmer — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 02:11:05 GMT

Seth over at Navint asked me to give his session in Upstate New York a quick mention... And since I grew up right between the two locations of the seminar, it was a great excuse to blog about it. :-) The good news is it in April, which means you are in the Mud Season for Upstate. :-)

They also have an interesting blog. Check it out and if you are in Rochester or Syracuse, check out their session.

Link to Navint Microsoft CRM Blog: Upstate New York CRM Summit 2007