Senior Executives: Are You Unknowingly Sabotaging Your CRM Success?

You’ve invested in a powerful CRM perhaps Microsoft Dynamics 365, expecting it to magically solve all your problems – and deliver massive returns.  But if results are underwhelming, the culprit might not be the technology —it could be people(cue dramatic music 🎶).

💣 Here’s how senior executives unintentionally sabotage CRM success:

Deleting images in Dynamics 365 should be simple, right?

Well, not it is not always as simple as it should be.

Recently, I had a requirement to allow image deletion in a controlled way—not just a free-for-all delete-fest.   Naturally, my first thought was security roles or column security profiles.  But no dice.

Our developer, brimming with enthusiasm, was all set to unleash JavaScript.  But as anyone who's ever inherited a CRM system knows, JavaScript solutions can age about as well as unrefrigerated seafood.  I prefer solutions that are robust and maintainable, even after the original developer has vanished into the ether.

What's in the Box - comparing different levels of the Microsoft Partnership in 2025

Opsis has proudly been a Microsoft Partner since our foundation in 2004—yes, that’s over 20 years of partnership (our celebration posts https://opsis.com.au/resources/blog/celebrating-twenty-years-opsis) and plenty of changes to keep us on our toes. (Who else remembers Action Pack CDs arriving in the mail? Ah, the nostalgia!)

Fast forward to 2025, and things have changed again. Which of these new packages suit your and your organisation best? As of late last week, the trusty Action Pack has been retired.  Instead, we now have a shiny new trio of options to choose from:

• Partner Launch Benefits
• Partner Success Core Benefits
• Partner Success Expanded Benefits

But here’s the twist: figuring out the difference between these three was like trying to follow a recipe with steamed up glasses. I spent a chunk of my weekend scouring Microsoft Learn documentation only to realise… some of the instructions might be missing! (Spoiler alert: I created a support ticket.)

Pricing

Now let’s talk pricing, because it’s a doozy.  You cannot buy more than one of these partner packs, and there does not appear to be upgrade paths from one to another.  So here they are - all fantastic value, but nevertheless not cheap:

• Partner Launch Benefits: AU$516.00
• Partner Success Core Benefits: AU$1,339.20
• Partner Success Expanded Benefits: AU$5,978.40

To make sense of it all, I finally managed to pull together this table (after a small adventure involving documentation gaps and a lot of refreshment!). If anyone else felt like they were playing a game of “Spot the Difference” with the benefit levels, you’re not alone!

Cut Your CRM Project Costs by Half

Let’s face it – CRM projects have a notorious reputation for going over budget. Why?

If you want to slash your CRM project costs - maybe save up to half of the potential budget, you want to avoid costly traps like:

• Poorly structured budgets disconnected from project scope.
• Weak change management and lack of education and training – which are not the same thing!
• Rushed or inadequate design processes.
• Last-minute changes that snowball into expensive problems.

But the biggest culprit? WASTE.

Waste of time, talent, and resources.

🎁 CRM: The Gift That Keeps on Giving🎁
🎁 (For Better or Worse!) 🎁

Successful CRM can be your secret weapon for exceptional customer engagement, streamlined operations, and excellent data-driven decisions. For example: