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Microsoft launches Dynamics 365 to help companies grow in the cloud

Microsoft has launched a new range of business apps to help companies grow using the cloud.

Dynamics 365 combines services such as accounting, sales, marketing and customer service with data analysis tools, artificial intelligence and Power BI to give firms a unique insight into how they work.

Companies can choose which of the apps they adopt so they can “scale on demand to deal with [their] biggest business challenges” as well as “make field service operations more efficient, sell more effectively and ultimately deliver exceptional customer experiences”, according to

“With the app-based subscription you pay for the app you need, licensed to a particular user. With our new plan-based approach you can create roles that have access to all the apps and functions employees in that role need to perform their jobs,” Numoto added. “For instance, customer service representatives would be more productive with access to data and capabilities from the field service, customer service and sales apps. With traditional app-based subscriptions this would require three separate subscriptions for each customer service representative; however, using our new plans customers get one holistic subscription to have all the information at their fingertips, and customers could save four to five times the cost of traditional CRM providers.”

Marston’s, the UK pub chain, has used Dynamics 365 to better understand their customers by bringing together Wi-Fi registration data, point-of-sale transactions, table bookings, survey results and social media. Using Dynamics 365’s Customer Insights, Marston’s anticipates a £7.7 million increase to their bottom line.

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Microsoft has also launched AppSource, a marketplace boasting more than 250 apps where customers can try out services from the technology company and its partners.

Dynamics 365 will be available to customers in more than 135 markets and over 40 languages.

It is Microsoft’s latest example of helping people and businesses use the cloud to achieve more. The company recently opened multiple data centres in the UK, while chief executive Satya Nadella and president Brad Smith launched a Cloud for Good blueprint that advises governments and lawmakers on how to use the cloud to benefit everyone.