Press Release Archive

Integrated Cisco and Microsoft CRM Offering Translated with Extensive Partner Tools

Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS, November 1, 2006 - Cisco Systems®, Inc. today announced, with the support of Microsoft, that the Cisco® Unified CRM Connector 3.0 is now available in 20 languages. These are Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese (Brazil & Portuguese), Spanish, Swedish, UK English, US English, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Chinese (simplified) and Japanese.

The Cisco® Unified CRM Connector 3.0 is a customer relationship management (CRM) application tightly integrated with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0. The solution helps small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) quickly gain access to customer information on inbound and outbound calls, with a view to increasing operational efficiency and providing an improved customer experience.

The Cisco Unified CRM Connector 3.0 provides users with a complete view of the customer, including current and past purchases, sales information, order status, account relationships and billing information. Allowing companies to focus their entire operations on customers, the solution helps SMBs develop customer service excellence by providing all employees with access to caller data quickly and simply. This helps companies build stronger, more profitable relationships with their clients, increase competitiveness and minimise costs as part of long-term IT development.

When a call is received by an SMB using Cisco Unified CallManager or Cisco Unified CallManager Express, the Cisco Unified CRM Connector 3.0 automatically links to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM system and provides onscreen pop-up windows of the customer contact record and phone call activity so that the service agent can track the call. The same information and capabilities are also accessible remotely, so sales and service personnel in the field can also connect into the network quickly. New customer data or phone call information is uploaded back into the system, so the next interaction with the customer picks up where the last one left off.

Steve Frost, Market Manager for Unified Communications, Cisco UK and Ireland said: “Seventy per cent of all customer interactions take place over the phone. Companies that fail to establish strong relationships with their customers via this vital means of communication will not be as competitive as they could be.”

“Historically SMBs have not had access to solutions that provide real-time and in-depth information about their customers. With the Unified CRM Connector 3.0 available in 20 languages, SMBs can now benefit from a smart, simple and reliable solution that should allow them to increase operational efficiency, reduce costs and speed up responses to their customers. This development illustrates our ongoing commitment to SMBs.”

“The combination of Cisco Unified Communications with Microsoft Dynamics CRM helps companies increase employee productivity and customer satisfaction while reducing costs,” said Brad Wilson, General Manager, Microsoft Dynamics CRM at Microsoft Corp. “Our collaboration with Cisco allows us to provide a proven and integrated solution that helps businesses build stronger more profitable relationships with their customers.”

Direct Visual is a Yorkshire based provider of video conferencing services to businesses across the country, with some 50 employees. It has integrated its Cisco Unified Communications system with its Microsoft CRM package, to help it manage marketing and sales more effectively, as well as continuously improve the service it provides to customers. Direct Visual is also a Cisco SMB Select Partner, designing and implementing similar Cisco solutions for its customers.

Glen Sykes, Technical Services Manager for Direct Visual, said: “We needed a more efficient communications system to manage new and increasing business activity. Cisco provided us with a shining example of the best unified communications system, but it also gave us the ability to develop a complete and integrated communications solution because of the simple and effective integration between Cisco and our customer relationship management system.”

The Cisco Unified CRM Connector 3.0 is available for Cisco Unified CallManager Express, Cisco Unified CallManager, and Cisco Unified Contact Center Express. The new CRM application is now equipped with auto detect, which identifies which Cisco IP platform is currently being used. A wide range of Cisco Unified IP phones are supported, from the entrylevel Cisco Unified IP Phone 7902G to the advanced Cisco Unified IP Phone 7970G.

Channel Partner Tool Launched in Local Languages
The newly translated Cisco Unified CRM Connector 3.0 is delivered through a unique alliance of Cisco and Microsoft SMB focused distribution partners. To assist these companies, Cisco has introduced the Fast Start programme. This is now available in 10 of the most common languages, providing resources to help partners sell Cisco Unified Communications and Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions. In collaboration, the two companies have introduced a comprehensive channel and partner self-service website to support the effective delivery of complete solutions to SMBs. This reduces the time taken to get a solution installed, with a view to companies benefiting from their investment quickly and simply.

Joseph Kort, President and CEO of distribution partner Activeo, based in France, said: “Cisco's Unified CRM Connector for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 gives Activeo the capability to deliver unique business value to its customers.”

The Fast Start website includes self-service resources such as Cisco Unified CRM Connector 3.0 Flash demonstration, the Cisco and Microsoft partner locator, sales tools and demonstration script, the event-in-a-box and demand-generation campaign kit and end-user content.