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The DynamicsCenter Proof of Concept Program

A trial implementation plan to prove application suitability of Microsoft Dynamics CRM to client’s specific business needs.

The DynamicsCenter Proof of Concept program “PoC” is a way for prospective Microsoft Dynamics CRM customers to get “Proof” that the solution can be customized to suit their needs to their satisfaction.  The following discusses the program offering:

Overview
Examples of Proof Requirements of Client Concern
How the “Proof of Concept” Program Works
The Project Plan and Objective Addendum

Overview:

The DynamicsCenter Proof of Concept program “PoC” is a contracted minimum implementation of Microsoft CRM that proves the suitability of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM application to a client’s specific requirements.  PoC efforts are typically focused on a small subset of unique functionality, but could be a broad process area at a particular throughput or as part of an integrated enterprise process.

Often Microsoft Dynamics CRM has been “Short listed” high on a client’s choices for the Customer Relationship Management solution for their business’s sales, marketing, and customer service operations because of an easily observed suitability or good fit for much or most of the operational areas, however many businesses have defined one or more areas or important business functions, that are typically line of business processes, that they can not easily see how Microsoft CRM solves the issue to their desired satisfaction.  In most cases DynamicsCenter can discuss a solution, outline a solution based on recognizable technologies – product options – or external components, or even demonstrate a solution by custom configuring one of our standard pre-configured demonstration environments sufficiently, and at no cost, to justify the “Go-Ahead” of the CRM project.

In a business circumstance where the business decision maker or selection team simply can not reach a “Go-ahead” point of comfort due to a well defined area of concern, but do yet have high regard for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM platform is where the DynamicsCenter Proof of Concept program can make the difference.

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Examples of Proof Requirements of Client Concern:

Areas of concern vary widely with the vast area of client businesses that are looking at the Microsoft Dynamics CRM platform as the backbone of their CRM operational solution. Common areas are:

·         Legacy system integration or legacy elimination viability

·         “Entity Relationship” tracking scenarios like property to buyer and seller, or manufacturer to end-user and re-seller.

·         Unique multi-function Work flow requirements

·         External workflow requirements                                  

·         Analytical reporting requirements where perhaps rapid decision support is needed or dissimilar data must be correlated.

·         Familiar custom reporting requirements desired to be duplicated

·         Time tracking or unique unit management are required.

·         Back-office accounting integration particularity viability

·         Communications integration particularity viability

And many more unique requirements that have arisen in the past as well as undoubtedly many new areas that are as of yet not encountered.  What is your unique requirement?

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How the “Proof of Concept” Program Works:

The Proof of Concept (PoC) program is a fee based pre-sales effort that does involve many of the aspects of the resulting full-blown implementation in terms of software and hardware resources, professional implementation resources, and potentially highly specialized resources like DBA’s (Data Base Administrators), CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) specialists, data migration professionals, .Net software programmers, and senior business process consultants.

The Proof of Concept implementation can be performed on MTC demonstration servers for a fee but it is recommended that client’s take advantage of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 90-Day Trial software program and download here.

The CRM trial is an excellent way to go because it typically allows clients to utilize underused hardware resources and test the software in their environment at no cost. Even better it allows a very easy progression to the production environment implementation by simply applying the purchased CRM licenses to the trial installation to bring it to live status.

The DynamicsCenter “PoC” project starts with an agreement that is the subset of the desired production implementation project and CRM solution. This agreement is an expansion of the proposal process that DynamicsCenter client’s have typically already received in the available Excel based user planning tool Microsoft CRM Solution Investment Calculator also available here.

The PoC program typically runs only a couple thousand dollars and typically 65% of the expense is not repeated in the production implementation. A PoC program before the production implementation can significantly reduce the total time frame of a production implementation by more than the sum of both projects because of the intensity and rapid priority work of the Proof of Concept project.

The PoC agreement is designed to relieve final hurtles to beginning the client’s CRM solution implementation.  As such, the PoC agreement’s completion triggers the inherent solution agreement and the beginning of the proved solutions implementation within the client’s sales, marketing, and customer services operations as defined by the agreement.

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The Project Plan and Objective Addendum:

The PoC agreement adds a short form project plan simply called the “Proof Process Project Plan” to the general agreement that outlines the specific tasks of the proof process as well as a subset scope of work addendum called the “Proof of Concept Objective Addendum”.  These documents define exactly what is done in the PoC implementation and what the goal of the PoC is, which allows an agreed trigger of the beginning of production implementation.  The project plan has a date for a demonstration of the functionality that is defined as the proof of suitability for the client’s business. Should this proof not pass the client’s requirements for any reason the production implementation agreement is not triggered. Examples of the addendums:

• Proof Process Project Plan
• Proof of Concept Objective Addendum

Once the PoC agreement is signed activity begins immediately with the intention of completing the PoC process in as short a time as possible – typically 2 to 4 weeks although less time in simpler proofs is possible and more time in longer proof projects where substantial customization is required.

The PoC is always performed with a small amount of the client’s actual data which in itself often proves out simple customization requirements and the data migration process. The PoC unless otherwise specified typically utilizes only 10-25 of the client's records. 

PoC projects are quoted and delivered based on DynamicsCenter's published standard hourly rates. Where hourly rates may vary based on the discipline of each component of the PoC project. Pricing takes advantage published volume pricing programs based on the opportunity of the production implementation. The DynamicsCenter "CRM Starter Value" pricing program is not applicable for PoC projects even if the resulting production implementation does qualify.

The PoC does not typically involve the delivery of any documentation, specialized to the client’s process, or the MTC working documents of the project.

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