The current business landscape is more complex than ever. For example, local and federal regulations impact how eCommerce businesses handle customer data. Global events impact the supply chain, which can affect a company’s ability to deliver products on time. You need business applications capable of helping your company users navigate these changes.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 eCommerce helps your organization do everything from building a new storefront to managing payment transactions. You can easily streamline your eCommerce operations. Let’s look at different ways you can use Dynamics 365 Business Central to optimize your eCommerce functions.
What is Dynamics 365?
To reduce Dynamics 365 to a mere enterprise resource planning (ERP) tool severely undersells what it brings to the table. It also provides customer relationship management (CRM) functionality through a modular design that lets customers tailor Dynamics 365 to fit their needs.
In addition to building a new website, you can connect your online and physical stores. That means customers can find a product in a store, then go online and purchase it later from that location. Dynamics 365’s enhanced AI capabilities help you monitor customer behavior and figure out the purchasing trends of different audiences.
You can also adapt your online solution to provide personalized user experiences. All information collected is stored in a single source to help you gain insights that improve operations. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central eCommerce is also ideal for managing operations, tracking available resources, and figuring out the best way to scale your business.
How Dynamics 365 Benefits Ecommerce Businesses
Like most companies, eCommerce businesses deal with a lot of data. There are customer profiles and transaction histories. They must also track inventory levels and metrics outlining how well companies perform in marketing their brand to consumers. One of the benefits Dynamics offers is centralizing all of this information into a single source of truth.
That means employees in every department can access relevant and factual information. No more data siloes that can result in disparate reports that don’t put out accurate results. Managers and executives can tap into this resource and make fast, accurate, data-driven decisions.
You can use customer information to tailor their experience with your online site. For example, you can display products of interest as soon as they hit the home page or send notifications when an item a customer showed interest in previously goes on sale.
Operations get more complex as an eCommerce business expands. Dynamics 365 Business Central eCommerce’s cloud infrastructure simplifies the process of extending functionality. You can request more server space, add licenses for new users, or integrate tools without interrupting users performing operational tasks.
6 Ways You Can Leverage Dynamics 365 for Ecommerce
Now that we understand eCommerce for Dynamics 365 business central's advantages, let's explore how eCommerce businesses can use it to make things easier for themselves.
1. Data Centralization
You can save data collected on customer interactions and feedback from other channels, like social media, and store it in a single location. This makes it easier for eCommerce businesses to track a customer’s purchase history and browsing behavior, which can help refine the marketing and sales pitches used to attract new business.
You can perform analytics to detect engagement patterns and help understand user preferences. The same data can help identify a customer’s lifetime value and buying potential. All this plays a big part in creating better customer experiences, leading to stronger relationships.
2. Lead Management and Conversion
Viable leads are critical to allowing an eCommerce business to thrive. Use Dynamics 365 Sales to track customer interactions in any channel. For example, you can keep up with purchases that someone makes directly from your website or through a social media marketing link.
It also provides features like lead scoring and lets sales professionals automate follow-ups. That way, your sales team can easily keep up with and prioritize high-value prospects. AI insights help you identify opportunities most likely to help convert a lead into a customer.
You can also send tailored emails and set up automated workflows to respond to customer activity. If they leave items behind in their cart, you can quickly send an email letting them know the items are still available to purchase.
3. Improved Customer Engagement
Timing is key, especially when contacting customers. Dynamics 365 provides actionable sales insights that generate product suggestions based on a customer’s purchase history. The platform that powers this feature also highlights cross-selling opportunities.
You can notify customers about these opportunities through chat, SMS, or their favorite social media site. Ecommerce businesses can set triggers that inform customers about sales opportunities and provide order updates. In addition, Dynamics 365 lets you establish and manage customer loyalty programs that encourage repeat purchases.
4. Seamless Integrations
Dynamics 365 integrates with other popular eCommerce platforms, like Shopify. By setting up a connection between the two, you can streamline inventory management and order processing. Power Platform users can build Power Apps to facilitate integrations by setting up automated workflows that synchronize data without requiring a lot of extra coding.
Expand Ecommerce Opportunities With Dynamics 365
The automation capabilities of Dynamics 365 eCommerce can be a game changer when handling sales and CRM processes. You can reduce the time it takes your workforce to complete basic tasks and reduce errors that can impact data integrity.
You can foster long-term relationships with customers by tracking feedback and using it to improve their interactions with your company. If customers have fallen out of contact, you can reengage them using Dynamics 365’s advanced analytics to find ways to tailor offers to their interests.
One of the best things an eCommerce business can do is partner with a company that understands the Dynamics 365 ecosystem. Internet eBusiness Solutions (IES) can help you find the right mix when setting up your subscription model.
Click here to contact IES and learn to use Dynamics 365 to its fullest benefit.
