Microsoft tossed its hat into the growing customer relationship management ring when it previewed its first CRM product here Thursday.
Due for release by the year"s end, Microsoft Customer Relationship Management has two modules: one for sales people and the other for customer service representatives.
The software will exchange data with Microsoft"s desktop applications including its Outlook and Internet Explorer, as well as with its back-office applications, such as accounting and financial packages.
Microsoft CRM will be priced from $395 per user to $1,295 per user, depending on the features people pick, the company said. It will run on a Windows 2000 server.
David Thacher, general manager for Microsoft CRM, demonstrated how the tool tracks leads, accounts and orders--features he said can improve sales force productivity and customer satisfaction. Microsoft CRM will also help service reps track and resolve customer service cases, he said.