8 December 2023

People traveling by sharing transport using online application. Business persons with city map finding direction to auto, car rental flat vector illustration. Car sharing, transportation concept

Map plugins have become a big part of the recent changes in the technology. From crude physical maps to precise and useful digital maps, maps have come a long way. With the evolution of maps, people’s travel patterns and business have also changed.

Businesses are ensuring their success by joining the digital revolution, which is being made possible by CRMs like Dynamics 365. With the use of Dynamics 365 Map, businesses have been able to improve their operational, marketing, sales, and customer service efficiency.

By combining the adaptability of Dynamics CRM with the strength of maps, businesses can profit from the best of both worlds. This enables businesses to access location knowledge within Dynamics CRM for improved data visualization and analytics by integrating Maps with MS Dynamics 365. Read below to level up your CRM strategy using Dynamics 365 Maps:

CRM data geocoding

Making a CRM client list while developing strategies or preparing for a transfer will not help you see things clearly. You will not likely get the expected results from your strategy if the data is not visualized. 

The list might not accurately depict the low or high-performing regions. So, if you have a plan that would be most effective in a region with high performance and if you implement it in a region with fewer clients, the outcomes will not be as expected. This shows the significance of data visualization. 

You can visualize all of your CRM records on a map with the Dynamics 365 Map plugin. In place of a list, you will see a map with all the records drawn on it. It enhances visualization and supports managers in making better choices. Regions with low or high sales can be identified easily. Viewing records on the heat map is the next alternative. For each density level, the map will display a distinct color. 

Optimizing your route

Being late for a meeting, especially if it is your first meeting with the client, gives a bad impression. Giving an excuse won’t undo the harm you have already done by being late. So, you must take time management seriously. You must use the routes you select to get there on time. The map plugin is the right answer for carrying out all of these.

Map plugin displays routes that are optimized with the assistance of Maps provided by search engines. An algorithm will be used to create the routes. It will also indicate how long it will take to get there. 

Live tracking

Managers can provide advice and help sales representatives about fresh opportunities nearby by knowing where they are at any given time. However, it is not practical to call the field team to find out where they are right now. So, managers are completely unaware of what their on-field teams do during the day. 

If the managers were aware of what was happening, several misses in a day may have been prevented. Managers would be unaware of any fraudulent information entered by the sales representatives. Live tracking of the on-field sales team with Dynamics 365 Map is the solution. Each on-field sales team’s location could be shown at any time with the Map plugin.

To keep track of all the meetings, there is also an automatic check-in/check-out tool. The tool will automatically check in with the sales representatives whenever they arrive close to the client’s location on or before the meeting time. 

When they go, the plugin will automatically check them out and prompt the sales representatives to enter the meeting notes. The managers can then view what is discussed in the meeting and offer advice to help them be ready for the next meeting. Managers are able to track how much time sales representatives spend in meetings, how many clients they have already seen, and the meeting’s outcome. 

Proximity search for nearby clients

The best feature to inform field sales representatives of any nearby fresh opportunity is a proximity search. Sales representatives can meet clients close to them and reduce travel time by using the proximity search, which displays sales representatives and nearby customers.

They have three options for searching for clients:

  • Time

You can look for nearby clients whom you can reach within the allotted time. The Maps will display all the clients you can meet in that time range if you specify a time frame.

  • Distance

When you enter a distance in miles, the Dynamics 365 Map plugin will display all of your clients who are nearby. Sales representatives won’t have to go far as it will cut down on travel time

  • Location

You can give a location to find out how many clients are in the area. The on-field team will be able to maximize their time with the help of proximity search. With this, fuel usage and travel time will both be reduced.

Custom features

The plugin can be customized completely. You have complete control over the information you want to display on your dashboard, the information that your resources can view, and the features you want to use with the map plugin. 

It is not required to grant each of your staff full viewing privileges as there can be data manipulation. There are security template options in map plugins that you can use to make various types of templates. 

Language should not ever be a barrier to communication. Map plugin supports various languages, so making the most of the map plugin’s features is possible by choosing your favorite language.

The global-level setting can be changed at any time so that the map plugin will appear to all users in that manner. However, you can provide a personalization option. The level of customization you choose for them to perform will depend on your available resources.

Map plugin advantages

Making data more visually appealing

For your marketing initiatives to be effective and your sales to increase, you must first have the right insights into your data. Having data in a list is not ideal when you need to conduct business in person or run a campaign in a specific area. 

This is because location information is crucial in these circumstances. When making judgments based on location-related data, a list view is also not the ideal choice. With Dynamics 365 Map, you can assign one sales agent to a particular area so they wouldn’t have to travel as far.

Use route optimization 

You may have used maps, and you would be familiar with how it has made your life easier in finding routes and locations. To get to their next site, sales professionals can use the Map plugin in Dynamics 365. 

On the route, busy streets are given enough notification so if there are any traffic changes, the fastest routes are noted. It works much like your phone’s maps, even though you don’t need to add any locations. When the CRM is used to gather all relevant location data, an optimal route is made.

Keep map records

For designing and choosing plans, data visualization is important. You might have tens of thousands of clients, among many other things. It would be difficult to build a plan based on a product, client type, day, or month while establishing clarity on one particular thing.

With map integration, you can see every CRM entity. If you need information from a certain location to carry out a marketing campaign, you can use filters like location and territory and draw conclusions. The entire database for the selected location is displayed on a map.

Use simple check-in and check-out tracking.

With Dynamics 365 map integration, the check-in and check-out information for each member of your team will be shown on the map, together with their location and time. You can see a map that displays the location of your team right now. When the salesperson gives you an update, you will be aware of everything, including whether they are in a meeting. 

Easy scheduling of appointments

Customers judge your brand depending on how you make an appointment with them and whether or not you follow them. It is crucial for the growth and enhancement of your business’s sales. 

The way you conduct yourself can improve your present client relationships and make it easier for future contacts to increase sales. The Dynamics 365 map integration functionality allows you to plan meetings with clients from a certain region. The employees will find it easier to plan local appointments because they won’t have to travel longer.

Final thoughts

Dynamics 365 users have the option to purchase a map plugin rather than a stand-alone application. They won’t need to use a mapping tool as an additional tool because this plugin will interact with their Dynamics CRM. 

The plugin will easily interact with CRM and display all the information on a map. For customers of Dynamics 365, using Dynamics 365 Map is the most economical way to use a mapping tool.

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