As CRM providers continue to focus on enhancing AI capabilities and automation, we saw a range of updates designed to streamline workflows and improve customer engagement introduced across September 2024. Below are some notable developments from major CRM platforms:
1. Microsoft Dynamics 365: Enhanced AI and Journey Automation
Microsoft significantly expanded its AI-driven features across Dynamics 365 and Power Platform. Noteworthy updates include:
- AI for Marketing Journeys: New AI-powered tools enable marketers to optimize campaign journeys, improving real-time customer engagement. The platform has boosted its efficiency for trigger-based journeys, ensuring faster, more targeted responses to customer actions.
- Advanced Customization: Dynamics 365 also introduced AI insights that analyze customer behavior across different devices. These insights allow for real-time optimization of email content, helping businesses tailor campaigns for enhanced personalization and better outcomes.
2. Beacon CRM: AI-Powered Features and API Management
Beacon CRM, known for supporting non-profit organizations, introduced Beacon AI—a suite of AI-assisted tools to simplify tasks like filtering data, generating reports, and creating emails. This update is designed to make data management and communication easier for non-technical users. Beacon also rolled out a self-service feature for generating API keys, enhancing security and giving users more control when integrating third-party applications.
3. Neon CRM: Volunteer Management Enhancements
Neon CRM focused on improving volunteer management with new updates that renamed “Volunteer Projects” to “Volunteer Opportunities.” This update introduced features like role tagging, shift creation, and improved volunteer time tracking, making it easier for organizations to manage their volunteer efforts. Additionally, Neon rolled out security updates for payment forms and prepared for GivingTuesday 2024 with pre-built templates for donation forms and email campaigns.
4. Oracle Siebel CRM: A Focus on AI and Automation
Oracle rolled out its Siebel CRM 24.9 update, focusing on AI and automation. This update improved workflow customization and introduced new machine learning models to predict customer behavior, aiming to enhance sales and marketing performance. The release also included better reporting tools for managers to track customer interactions.
5. HubSpot: Enhanced Customer Journey Mapping
HubSpot made strides in improving its Customer Journey Analytics. With its latest update, teams can gain deeper insights into customer behavior and refine journey-based interactions. These enhancements allow marketers to better map out customer interactions, leading to more personalized and efficient customer engagement..
6. Copilot for Sales Integration in Microsoft Teams
Microsoft’s Copilot for Sales received updates focused on integrating more seamlessly with Microsoft Teams. Users can now sign into their CRM directly from Teams without navigating through Outlook first, significantly improving the onboarding experience. Additionally, zero-click sign-ins for Copilot extensions were introduced, saving time and reducing friction for users managing external integrations.
The CRM landscape continues to evolve rapidly, with providers like Microsoft, Beacon, Neon, and HubSpot focusing on AI, automation, and enhanced user control. These September 2024 updates reflect the industry’s commitment to offering smarter, more efficient tools to help businesses manage and engage with their customers effectively. As AI and automation become central to these platforms, we can expect even more transformative features in the coming months, allowing businesses to improve customer relationships and drive growth.
