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The Buyer Journey7 stages for ERP & CRM

Questions that reveal where you stand in the Dynamics 365 buyer journey (ERP and CRM). We stand on the buyer's side when you choose a Microsoft Dynamics 365 partner.

Not sure which partner fits? Create your buyer brief and compare partners against your own needs.

I
Personal maturity profile

Your position on five dimensions: needs, internal alignment, risk awareness, partner market, decision structure.

II
Peer benchmark

Comparison against other buyer groups that have completed the diagnostic.

III
Three concrete recommendations

Focused where the effect is greatest in your current stage, not on your weaknesses.

Start Decision Maturity Index8–10 minutes · 25 questions · confidential

The typical procurement journey

Click the stage you recognise yourselves in, details and next steps open up.

The seven stages of an ERP and CRM buying journey

Click the stage that most resembles your situation right now.

EARLY SIGNALS
Stage 1

Everything works, but you want to stay informed

The business is running. Operations are stable. Nothing forces an evaluation right now. But you want to understand how the market for business systems and customer-facing systems (ERP, Sales, Marketing/Customer Insights, Customer Service, Field Service, Contact Center) is moving, what other organisations see early on, and which signals usually precede an actual change.

Stage 2

There is friction day to day, but you do not know where the problem sits

Reporting takes too long. Manual work is growing. Sales reps work in Excel next to the CRM, marketing has no grip on leads, customer service loses cases between channels, or field technicians run their own lists. Something is slowing you down, the question is whether it is ERP, CRM, the customer service platform, the process, data quality, or a combination.

NEED ACTIVATED
Stage 3

Something has happened that forces an evaluation

An acquisition, a new owner, a version going out of support, a regulatory requirement, a group consolidation, a new commercial strategy, or a stated goal of a better customer experience. It can concern ERP just as much as Sales, Marketing/Customer Insights, Customer Service, Field Service or Contact Center. The question is no longer if, but when and how. The time window is usually tighter than the decision group first realises.

Stage 4

We need to structure what we actually need

The mandate exists. But the requirements are scattered. Finance sees one problem. IT sees another. Operations, sales, marketing, customer service and field service have their own priorities, and requirements on ERP, CRM and the customer service platforms are more connected than most assume. The risk is going to market with a requirement picture that does not represent the whole business.

Stage 5

We are weighing different paths forward

Upgrade what you have? Replace the system? Consolidate several systems into one platform? Run ERP and CRM in the same programme or on separate tracks? Add Customer Insights, Field Service or Contact Center on top of what you already have? Every path has a different risk profile, different competence requirements on the partner, and different consequences for the business during implementation.

PRODUCT & PARTNER CHOICE
Stage 6

We are comparing partners, or about to

The partner dialogue has started. Or you are about to set a shortlist. The question is who actually fits your industry, your size, the area you prioritise (ERP, Sales, Marketing/Customer Insights, Customer Service, Field Service or Contact Center) and your methodology, and how you compare them on fair terms.

Stage 7

We are close to a decision, but it has to hold over time

There is internal alignment. Budget and direction are set. One partner is in the lead. But the decision has to be defended both in the boardroom and over the next three to five years.

Step 1 · What do you need?

Get started with your requirements specification

Get a structured document that helps you describe needs, processes, and priorities ahead of dialogue with Dynamics 365 partners. Pick an area and start right away.

Free · Enter email for PDF · Document you can share internally

Step 2 · Who should you talk to?

Find the right type of Dynamics 365 partner

Answer a few questions about your business, needs, and situation. In just a couple of minutes you get a buyer-side recommendation on which type of partner fits best.

2 min
To complete
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Buyer's side
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Find the right partner