Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)

Erik P. Ernst about Navision and the Dynamics Community

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In my blog last week I documented the fact that Microsoft is Killing Navision. That has led to a lot of comments, both here and in many other blogs and on LinkedIn.

But I think that many people didn't read all of my blog post, as many thought that I said that they where killing Navision because it was a bad product, or that they where planning to dump it any day soon.

But do not doubt. NAV or Navision is a great product! And the guys and girls working with the product are all doing a great job. If I would bet on which product that would survive the longest in a free market - where all the Dynamics products had the same conditions and financial situation (not bound to Microsoft), then I would think that Navision would be the one. That's not the problem!

The problem is the branding! Navision is simply disapearing from the mind of everyone, when Microsoft is not doing their part of the work.I think the plan of renaming the products was also to save money - it gotta be cheaper to do marketing for one brand name instead of 5 brand names.

In fact I also think that they have a good strategy with Microsoft Dynamics. If they can keep 5 different products on the same basic platform then it will be much cheaper in the long term. Just like the car factories, where you use the same platform for many different cars (even from different brands). But I think that they have forgotten that each of the 5 products have it's own and very different profile. The way they have been doing their marketing in the last 2 years basically have forgotten all about that. And many people have heard about the example of the Microsoft sales person who simply said to the customer "Oh you just need Dynamics", and then continues to talk about the one product he knw (Axapta), when what he really was asking about was Navision.

I have now started a group on Facebook Give us back Navision. I hope that you will join me and start ask for Navision. And when you talk to someone from Microsoft don't say NAV, say Navision. Tell them that you want the name Navision back.

Posted Jun 29, 2009 15:43 by Erik P. Ernst
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Comments

DynamicsUser.NET Admin's Blog wrote Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jun 29, 2009 16:01

In my blog last week I documented the fact that Microsoft is Killing Navision. That has led to a lot

Alex Chow wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jun 30, 2009 5:20

The problem is not with the name. It's the inability (or unwillingness) for Microsoft to promote Dynamics NAV.

Most of the MBS staff are still Great Plains people, unless the MBS finally come to realize that NAV is a superior product than GP, NAV will not get the exposure it deserves irregardless of what you call it!

David Singleton wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jun 30, 2009 18:26

Hi Erik, although I admire what you are doing, I think Alex is right. The are far deeper rooted issues than just the name.

The GP people want their baby like we want ours, and anyone new wants what ever is most expensive (AX) so they can make more money.

Alex Chow wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jun 30, 2009 21:32

In addition, I think by making a post with a title like this gives ammunition to competing products to make misquotes based on what you wrote.

I think your intention is great, but my opinion is that insisting a name change is a step back rather than forward.

The focus and attention for all who loves NAV, should be to e-mail, blog, publicly speak how great NAV is compared to all the other Dynamics product. Hopefully, this will give more attention to MSFT to promote NAV as the Dynamics of choice.

Erik P. Ernst wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jul 1, 2009 9:20

I understand what you both are saying. But changing the names back means every that you say. At a signal from Microsoft to say that Navision is a good enough product to carry it's own name. That they don't want to "hide it" among the other Dynamics products, confusing even their own employees, who thinks "oh Dynamics - that's just one product - and five different marketing setups", then the truth is the opposite: five different products with one marketing setup!

@Alex: Please understand that I do love Navision, and the only reason why I'm requesting this change is that love Navision and I want to keep working with Navision for many years to come. But the fact is that both Navision and Dynamics is disappearing in the minds of the future customers.

So if Microsoft don't want to change the name back, then they need to do a whole lot more. They need to grow their marketing budget with 3-4 times of what they are spending now. And a lot of it needs to be used internally to educate their own staff. And then bring back their evangelists - why fire the few people they have who do a good job learning people about the product

Blue Sky wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jul 1, 2009 10:41

Hi Erik & Others,

Atleast for me, it's always "Navision" that I hear and I always call it just "Navision" atleast in Asia, Navision name has a better branding than any other Microsoft ERP Products. GP, Solomon is rarely heard and now, Navision is getting more polpular in ASIA due to the Recession hit as most companies want to go with a Software that is competent enough.  So, let's start to call it "Microsoft Navision" rather than "Dynamics Navision" I'm with you Erik.................

iceborg wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jul 1, 2009 16:04

So I recon you refer to your "TV" as Television instead of just TV as well or to Coca-Cola and not just Coke?

I don't see the confusion really. What's wrong with changing the name a bit?

Blue Sky wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jul 2, 2009 10:52

Hello Folks,

I took a little more time to read all of your comments..... from my point of view, I have no say on how Navision can be named call it "Navision" or "Dymanics Navision" I was just tyring to say how popular is Navision in Asia and how it should be promoted.  Anyway, earlier it was Navision and now it is Microsoft Dynamics Navision and this didn't tamper the Image of Navision but rather become more popular in Asia becausce of Microsoft brand Image. But if Microsoft wants to completley eliminate "Navision" and project GP or Solomon instead of Navision then it's wrong.. co'z each is an application itself with it's own features and uniqueness!! just like Toyota-Altis, Camray & Lexus.

So I strongly support Navision as an Application and it best suits mid size companies except for the reporting.

I also agree with David & Alex on how the communication channel can be improved to potray Navision via blog, emails..etc.

Cheers!

Reddy.

Singapore.

David Singleton wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jul 10, 2009 21:10

@iceborg. To answer your question. Have you heard of a web site called www.google.com go there and do a search for "navision" and then for "nav".

What do you see.

www.google.com/search

- If you search Navision, you can go for 10 pages, and only find 5 or so posts that are not related to Navision.

www.google.com/search

- If you search for NAV you can go for 10 pages and only find about 5 hits that are for Navision, and the first 4 are hits to Microsoft.

What it means is that people are being encouraged to just search for Microsoft and then Microsoft will decide what product they should buy.

Alex Chow wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jul 25, 2009 1:14

@Erik: You're right. Dynamics NAV is a poor name for Navision. Most partners and end users (new and old) are still calling the product Navision.

But doing a name change will not solve much... I still believe Microsoft needs to get their butts together and realize Navision is a superior product.

Susan Dumont - USA wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jul 30, 2009 19:23

Alex, it is more than which is the superior product, it that is then case then Axapta beats Navision hands down.

The Sales and Marketing concept should be what is the best fit for the customers needs.

Alex Chow wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jul 30, 2009 20:43

Susan, I understand. But we need to take pricing into consideration. When looking at the software and implementation cost, all of a sudden AX doesn't seem all that attractive.

Erik P. Ernst wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Jul 30, 2009 22:38

No doubt Axapta is a great product! In many senses it might even be superior to Navision. But if cost didn't matter then I bet that we would all live in bigger houses and driver smarter cars. In regards to Axapta, then it's not only the license prices which are much higher, but especially the implementation costs, that sometimes is getting close to SAP (a badly managed AX project)

themave wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)
on Aug 18, 2009 1:23

"David Singleton wrote re: Microsoft is Killing Navision (part 2)

on Fri, Jul 10 2009 12:10

@iceborg. To answer your question. Have you heard of a web site called www.google.com go there and do a search for "navision" and then for "nav".

What do you see.

www.google.com/search

- If you search Navision, you can go for 10 pages, and only find 5 or so posts that are not related to Navision.

www.google.com/search

- If you search for NAV you can go for 10 pages and only find about 5 hits that are for Navision, and the first 4 are hits to Microsoft.

What it means is that people are being encouraged to just search for Microsoft and then Microsoft will decide what product they should buy.

"  David said it exactly right, my company is a small cog in a big multinational, I just recently sat throught a microsoft presentation on the future of ERP, when it got the Q & A session, and people asked about specific products, and which was best, the Microsoft reps, said don't worry about which product is what, we will determine the proper product for your company.  word for word what David is saying