Is your Dynamics 365 partner helping you achieve success, or are they a roadblock to your progress?
Let’s explore typical constraints to see if it might be worth evaluating your partnership.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 applications are powerful enablers to transform operational efficiency, but are you getting the most out of it?
Sometimes, the limitations aren’t with the technology but with your IT partner. Here’s how to identify if they are holding you back and what to do about it.
1. Passive, inactive relationship
Your partner should engage with you and actively support your objectives, but over time, they may fall into the trap of behaving purely as a break-fix team.
When the partnership is strongest, they offer effective consultancy that proactively guides you. When a requested change is made, an engaged partner may suggest an alternative approach based on their understanding of your configuration that may take less time and minimise complexity.
Inactive partners are order takers who accept tasks at face value. They don’t challenge assumptions or share unprompted ideas.
Consider if your current partner…
- Proactively engages with you, or the other way round?
- Do they have a ‘go to’ person who understands your processes and system configuration?
- Anticipates your needs or reacts to issues?
- Suggest improvements and optimisations, or only do what’s asked?
2. One-size-fits-all all solutions
Every business has unique challenges and objectives, so your Dynamics 365 implementation should reflect that.
If your partner provides cookie-cutter solutions without tailoring them to your specific needs, they’re not adding value. Customisation and personalisation are essential for maximising the value of Dynamics 365 and the Microsoft platform.
Ask yourself the following:
- Do they have experience in your industry?
- How flexible have they been in accommodating unique requirements?
- How effective are their customisations and integrations?
- Do they understand your workflows and terminology?
3. Slow Response Times and Inadequate Support
Timely support is crucial for resolving issues and minimising downtime. If your partner is slow to respond or provides ineffective support, this can significantly impact your operations.
Effective partners recognise this, and understand how to prioritise issues and communicate outcomes effectively.
When evaluating your partner’s support, consider:
- Are their response times meeting the agreed SLAs?
- Do they resolve issues within the expected time frames?
- How often do you have to chase for updates?
- Are they proactive in identifying and addressing potential problems before they escalate?
- How comprehensive is their knowledge of your system and configurations?
4. Limited Expertise and Innovation
Dynamics 365 is built on a connected cloud platform, requiring a partner with broad expertise across these integrated products.
If your partner isn’t keeping up with the latest features, Microsoft updates, and industry trends, you might miss out on opportunities to increase competitiveness.
For example, Copilo Studio and AI agents are transforming business processes through advanced automation to save time and reduce costs.
A partner who doesn’t understand how to apply these new capabilities to your organisation will limit your growth.
Does your partner specialise in Dynamics 365, or are they IT support generalists? Many IT providers claim to provide Dynamics expertise, but their knowledge and capacity are shallow.
When evaluating your partner’s ability, ask yourself:
- Do they actively inform you about new updates and advancements relevant to your business?
- How quickly do they answer your Dynamics 365 questions and resolve issues?
- Have they successfully implemented new technologies in similar businesses or industries?
- Are they consistently updating their knowledge and skills with the latest Dynamics 365 features?
5. Poor project management
Effective project management is key to successful Dynamics 365 implementations and upgrades. If your projects frequently go over budget, miss deadlines, or fail to meet expectations, it’s a sign that your partner’s project management capabilities could be lacking.
A competent project management team will establish clear objectives, develop a realistic project plan, allocate resources effectively, monitor progress closely, communicate transparently, and adapt to changes as needed throughout the project lifecycle.
With best-practice project management, you can minimise risks, maximise project success, and achieve your desired business outcomes with Dynamics 365.
Read our recommendations for overcoming frequent project challenges.
Have any of your projects suffered from the following?
- Scope creep
- Missed deadlines
- Budget overruns
- Quality issues
- Relationship tensions
Partnerships are built on trust, and when that is damaged, it isn’t easy to repair.
Projects can be intensive and test the strength of the partner relationship. Project outcomes can serve as a critical benchmark for assessing the compatibility of your Dynamics partner with your business moving forward.
Are you exploring partnership options?
Choosing the right Dynamics 365 partner is crucial for maximising the long-term value of your technology.
If you recognise signs that your current partner is holding you back, it might be time to consider a change. By finding a partner who offers proactive support, deep expertise, and a commitment to your success, you can better use Dynamics 365 to improve performance.
If any of these points reflect your situation, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We have supported businesses with bespoke solutions for over 25 years and are a highly experienced Microsoft partner with experience across numerous sectors.
