Last year, I posted a blog about Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype, and what that would mean for project managers using Microsoft CRM. Well it seems that the software giant may have even more to offer, with reports appearing in Forbes that Microsoft has also acquired the business social network tool, Yammer, for $1.2 billion.
Yammer was launched in 2008 in order to provide companies with a business focussed social network that was secure and private. It is now used by 200 000 companies and has around 4 million users. Microsoft’s acquisition of Yammer means Microsoft will integrate it with Office, Dynamics and Sharepoint, and bring Microsoft users even more tools for collaboration.
So what does this mean for project managers? Well, as more people are recognising the value of products like IPM, which are built on a CRM platform, we are seeing a bigger trend in collaboration and communication within project teams. As CRM is Microsoft based, it is easily integrated with other Microsoft products, such as Sharepoint and Outlook. This means that project managers using IPM and CRM to manage projects would get all the benefits Yammer has to offer as well.
Recent trends in project management are showing a heavy influence of social media on the way project teams operate and this is resulting in a definite shift towards a more team based, collaborative approach. Tools like Yammer can assist greatly in facilitating this. With Yammer, project team members could discuss ideas, ask questions and share information instantaneously with each other. And by having this tool integrated with Microsoft CRM, all this communication is seamlessly linked to other information stored in CRM and IPM, such as project data, contacts, accounts, schedules and budget.
What’s more, the acquisition of Yammer compliments nicely the acquisition of Skype last year to provide a well rounded collaborative communication tool for CRM and IPM users alike. If you’d like more information about using Microsoft CRM and IPM to manage your products, click on the icon below.
