Microsoft Introduces CRM for Small Businesses with Outlook Customer Manager

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) has just introduced a new Customer relationship management (CRM) tool for small businesses called Outlook Customer Manager. The release Follows the launch of the new customer scheduling tool Bookings earlier this year.

In a post on its official Office Blogs, Microsoft's outlook team describes the tool as, '”Relationships made easy for small businesses.”

As more small businesses deploy Office 365, many of the cloud productivity and collaboration tools within the suite of products can now be used for seamless CRM integration.

Bookings simplified the way small businesses schedule appointments with customers. With the new Outlook Customer Manager, you can now manage your customer relationship just as easily, the company claims.

The Outlook Customer Manager platform lets you track reminders, deals in progress, tasks and other ways in which you interact with a customer in a complete view. You will now be able to see everything you do with your customers at all times, the Outlook claims. And best of all, the company says you don't have to learn or install another application because it all takes place within Outlook inbox with a single click on the icon.

The platform is designed to let you get all of your customer's information on the same page and in one place next to your inbox. The idea is that if you need to take action on an item, you are less likely to forget this way.

You can also access Outlook Customer Manager on the go with your mobile device. The mobile app lets you access the same information as on your desktop, the Outlook team says.  This enables you to check the latest information about your customer before you meet them. It also gives you the option to add more notes after the meeting has taken place. The company says you can even use the app to scan documents and business cards using your phone's camera.  The mobile app is currently only available for iOS, with other platforms coming soon.

Outlook Customer Manager is available at no extra cost with an Office 365 Business Premium subscription starting with those in First Release. Global availability will be in the coming months, with availability to E3 and E5 subscribers coming in the future.

Images: Microsoft

This article, "Microsoft Introduces CRM for Small Businesses with Outlook Customer Manager" was first published on Small Business Trends