A midsize Microsoft Dynamics 365 CE (CRM) consulting company wanted their support contracts offering to be sticky with their clients so they're always on top of mind and have consistent recurring revenue. This is when they turned to VisualSP to help them automate their training and support offering for Dynamics 365 CE and stand out from other partners. Read on to see exactly how they did it.
This Microsoft Dynamics 365 CE focused Microsoft partner (whom we will refer to as Globex in this article) performs numerous amounts of Dynamics implementations in the year. Globex's customers encompass all different industries including health care, finance, manufacturing, retail and more.
Globex also provides their own software called "Globex CRM" built on the same core technology as Dynamics 365.
As part of every Dynamics CRM engagement, Globex has support contracts with each customer.
Globex provided traditional form of training to their customers when they deployed Dynamics. In that training, they trained the users on the interface showing them how to use various tables, views and forms.
Microsoft rolls out two updates to Dynamics in a year and Globex also customizes their customers' environments as warranted which all makes for a lot of changes throughout the year.
Globex has also created documentation for each customer. The documentation as well as the recording of the trainings they conduct for customers are usually hosted in each customer's SharePoint environment, but hardly any users actually use this documentation not knowing where it is.
Globex has support contracts with each of its customers that they can use for further ad-hoc training as well as calling Globex when they need additional support. Customers usually end up calling for very basic things.
Globex also used to create a video portal that they would roll out in each customer's environment where the users could go to watch short how-to video tutorials as they need them. But since it would reside in the customers own environment, Globex would have to manage the content and keep it updated themselves - something had been painful keep updated to say the least.
Most of Globex customers say that Dynamics 365 CE as well as their own Globex CRM has not been as "sticky" for their users. Users keep on finding workarounds such as keeping their information in spreadsheets and Word documents instead of using the CRM where it would be centrally located and easily discoverable and visible to the team.
Also since Globex has no visibility into their customers' environments most of the times, they cannot anticipate when their customers need them so they can help them proactively.
The training Globex provides after rolling out Globex CRM or Dynamics 365 is usually a one time thing where they walk the customers' users through the whole environment . None of the Globex engineers enjoy delivering the training since that's not their core competency. They do it because they have to.
They have trouble supporting their users on the systems they sell and support. They realize that creating mountains of documentation that they would then have to keep updated is not the answer.
Globex wants to automate the process of providing self help type of Tier 1 support built inside Globex CRM and Dynamics 365 CE. They want this service to be a part of their support contracts for their customers.
They also want it to be very easy for their customers to reach back out to Globex when needed and not have to struggle to find their contact information.
Globex also wants to be able to communicate updates and changes to their software easily to their customers.
Globex chooses VisualSP To differentiate themselves in the market by providing innovative in-app guidance and support to their customers - for both their Globex CRM app as well as within the Dynamics 365 CE installations they perform.
Globex also uses VisualSP to provide in-app communications, such as updates, within Globex CRM to their customers.
Two solutions are provided by VisualSP to Globex:
A managed solution is uploaded to Globex CRM which instantly starts providing in-app guidance to their Globex CRM users.
This makes it super easy for Globex to provide help and support to their customers at their moment of need and within the context of their environment.
Globex also uses the announcement banner functionality provided by VisualSP that lets Globex push out announcements, such as new updates, to their Globex CRM users.
Also, for the new users of Globex CRM, they've created an auto loaded onboarding walkthrough to interactively onboard their customers onto Globex CRM.
VisualSP has also set up a "master subscription" for Globex. This master subscription allows Globex to have child subscriptions underneath it which represents each of their customers.
Once VisualSP is deployed to each customer (through uploading a simple managed solution), immediately Globex can see a bird's eye view of customers to see how many user seats are assigned to each customer and what their usage is.
Over the years, Globex has created and maintained a set of tutorial how-to content for Dynamics 365 CE including some reference documentation and a few videos which they have been rolling out to clients individually.
Now VisualSP helps them create a content pack using this master set of content which then automatically appears for each customer. As soon as Globex makes any changes to their master content, all their customers see the content changes immediately making it super simple to keep things updated and charge for this ongoing service.
Globex has rolled in the cost of the in-app support service within their managed solution monthly cost for their customers and their clients Love the self-help capability for their users.
Globex has also placed a "Contact Globex for Additional Help" link that only appears to the administrators of the system. That way the customers can always contact Globex easily for additional services needed. Their brand now is front and center to their customers who can reach them anytime easily.
In a crowded Microsoft partner ecosystem, globex has been able to differentiate themselves from other CRM providers by providing innovative context sensitive micro-assist technology from VisualSP.
It has also now become very easy for Globex to communicate updates and other announcements directly within their Globex CRM.
In addition to the obvious benefits, Globex has increased their recurring subscription income from their customers by adding VisualSP to their service contracts.
Globex has been able to easily prove the return on investment of VisualSP with built-in rich analytics.
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