Microsoft Dynamics CRM Steps Forward in the Marketing Automation Space

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM team continues to execute against a vision to help organizations better attract, retain, and grow their customers. Our goal is to deliver more compelling finished applications, modern user experiences with simplified user interfaces, and an open and extensible platform for Cloud and On-premise deployments.

With the explosion of new channels, emerging markets, and shifts to online and digital customer engagement, there’s tremendous opportunity ahead in the marketing automation space. In fact, according to IDC, “Marketing Automation is expected to grow faster than any other segment of CRM over the next 4 years,” and according to Gartner, by 2017, CMOs may have a bigger IT budget than CIOs do.” More and more, marketers are being asked to drive the overall strategy and execution of customer interactions across multiple channels and touch points, and to measure ROI on those interactions.

As part of these industry trends and emerging business opportunities, I am excited to announce that Dynamics CRM has closed on the acquisition of MarketingPilot. MarketingPilot provides Integrated Marketing Management solutions that allow organizations to better understand their customers, manage and streamline marketing operations and create automated and measurable multi-channel marketing campaigns.  This acquisition is a very exciting step forward for us, and will accelerate our ability to better meet the needs of CMO’s through rich business intelligence, and better enable marketers to successfully plan, execute, monitor, and optimize customer interactions across digital, social and traditional channels, and measure ROI.

Microsoft, along with our partners, has been helping marketing organizations for several years now.  Customers like Volvo Construction Equipment and the Portland Trailblazers are using Microsoft Dynamics CRM today to better attract and retain their customers. We are committed to helping marketers plan, execute, monitor and optimize customer interactions across digital, social and traditional channels and measure the impact on revenue. With this acquisition, we believe we will be well positioned to deliver highly valuable marketing automation solutions to new and existing customers.

Please join me in welcoming MarketingPilot employees and customers to the Microsoft Business Solutions Division and the broader Microsoft family.  At Convergence, this coming March, we will further describe our product vision in this area, including our plans with MarketingPilot.

Today’s news is a welcome step forward for Microsoft Dynamics CRM and our customers.  We look forward to MarketingPilot contributions in this exciting emerging space, and delivering highly valuable marketing automation solutions to our customers and partners.

Bob Stutz
Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Dynamics CRM