Who has been your biggest influence/s in Microsoft Dynamics?
I wouldn't cite any one person. I have worked amongst some great teams of consultants and
developers and you absorb from all of them. Mostly, the products themselves taught me because of their
open technology. If you have an enquiring mind you can learn them easily.
What is your biggest achievement/s in Microsoft Dynamics?
It has to be setting up my own consultancy business, Applico, around NAV and CRM. In the past I
have worked as consultancy manager with one of the biggest 'Gold Partners' in the UK with >100
clients. However, I prefer to offer a 'Gold Service' to a smaller number of clients who get measurable
benefits from the products.
Applico is a hybrid that allows a group of freelance associates to work together, whilst we also
work with other Partners and as a Partner ourselves, we have a number of user/customers who we
support.
What is the best thing Microsoft has brought to the community?
Interoperability of the product stack. Whether it is the platform, database, email, web tools, ERP
engine or CRM, you can get them to work together relatively easily and add value to that process. To
that end, Microsoft also brings a great business opportunity.
Why should an end user purchase Microsoft Dynamics?
Return on investment and future-proof investment. Microsoft's level of investment is legendary,
and although some Dynamics World contributors may feel that their particular product is not being
developed as much as they would like, MS will continue to provide competitive products in future.
What are the biggest challenges facing Microsoft Dynamics?
I think it is product convergence in the ERP group of products. They are different and have their
own strengths and have very devoted followers. I'm a NAV fan but for example, it doesn't have the
multi-national appeal of AX where different countries' business rules can co-exist in the same
database.
