Microsoft ERP Aims to Dominate the SMB Market
Microsoft’s Dynamics ERP may never have the enterprise-market potential touted by SAP and Oracle, but the company is aiming to dominate the small- to medium-sized business market.
Microsoft doesn’t break down revenue reports from its Dynamics line by segment, but Ray Wang, a partner at the Altimeter Group analyst firm, estimates that Dynamics ERP brings in between $1.1-$1.2 billion per year. Dynamics EMEA’s director of ERP field marketing, Phil Battersby, calls the midmarket their “sweet spot,†and states that Microsoft isn’t trying to poach enterprise customers from SAP and Oracle. Battersby acknowledges that those companies have been giants in that market for a while, and now Microsoft wants to carve its niche in the SMB space.
According to Computer World, there is plenty of room for Microsoft in the SMB market. For one, many midsize companies are looking for on-demand replacements for legacy systems. In addition, smaller companies who are expanding will likely be looking for unified ERP systems, and here Microsoft Dynamics ERP has an advantage: their user interface closely resembles that of the MS Office Suite applications these businesses are likely already using for business management.
Another factor boosting sales in Dynamics ERP: it’s done entirely through a partner system, where partners polish the system for local sales. This locality also adds a personal touch that is apt for dealing with SMBs. Of the partner system, Battersby also noted that it helps Dynamics ERP expand into more verticals.
Comments (0)
Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed