5/15/2006 -- Cisco Systems Inc. last month cozied up once again to Microsoft Corp., this time in an effort to improve its connectivity into the software giant's Microsoft Dynamics CRM system. Cisco announced an updated connector for Microsoft CRM, and established a partnership teaming program with Microsoft to help push Cisco contact center and telephony products (bundled, of course, with Microsoft CRM) to United States-based SMBs.

Cisco says its Unified CRM Connector 3.0 is available as a free download from its Web site. The connector is designed to link Cisco Unified Call Manager Express, Cisco Unified Call Manager or Cisco Unified Contact Center Express systems with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 and associated applications.

Cisco says the revamped connector helps improve interoperability in joint Cisco-Microsoft environments, particularly with respect to Unified Call Manager or Unified Contact Center Express applications. Unified CRM Connector 3.0 supports the ability to display CRM-specific customer information on Cisco IP phones; click-to-dial from CRM records; and automatically screen-pop CRM records to an agent's desktop when recognized customers call in.

Elsewhere, Cisco announced a FastStart program for IPC Specialized channel partners, who are matched with Microsoft CRM Certified channel partners to conduct joint SMB-focused sales seminars. The duo plans to conduct 64 paired-partner sales events in major U.S. cities over the next three months.

Analysts say the partnership is a good move on Cisco's part. "Cisco gains increased SMB sales opportunities through its new FastStart partner pairing program with Microsoft CRM partners. Microsoft's track record of success in the SMB markets brings Cisco and its partners additional SMB credibility by association," says Joe Outlaw, an analyst with consultancy Current Analysis. "Cisco's new Unified CRM Connector 3.0 supports some unique capabilities which help differentiate Cisco telephone and contact center solutions from its competitors," he continues, citing the ability to display Microsoft CRM data on Cisco IP phones or click-to-dial from within Microsoft CRM records. "Cisco will gain by building stronger and more committed SMB-focused contact center solutions partners from their increased success participating in this FastStart program with Microsoft CRM partners," he comments.

The new Cisco-Microsoft partnership is by no means a coup, however. "[A]ll of Cisco's contact center competitors also support Microsoft CRM connectors; many also participate in joint marketing programs with Microsoft," Outloaw concludes. "Alcatel has begun a similar Microsoft CRM partner pairing program outside of North America and is planning [or] running three joint partner seminars per country with [its] Alcatel OmniTouch Contact Center Premium Edition partners and Microsoft CRM partners." Elsewhere, Outlaw suggests, Cisco's IP phones aren't the cheapest products on the market, either: "Cisco's IP phones require a relatively expensive specialized add-on XML functionality support in order to support the display of CRM data." -Stephen Swoyer