Microsoft Canada and The Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto Unveil Centre for CRM Excellence
First of its kind, the merging of technical and academic expertise creates global hub for thought leadership and research; executive program to start in November 2010
TORONTO, ON, July 5, 2010 - Microsoft Canada Inc. and The University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management today announced the creation of the Rotman Executive Programs Centre for CRM Excellence (CRM Centre), a joint initiative housed within Rotman Executive Programs with a focus on research, building intellectual capital, and developing unique, powerful and interactive CRM educational programs.
Set to launch with an Executive Program in November 2010, the CRM Centre is unique in that it will leverage the expertise of both organizations to build a globally recognized hub for CRM thought leadership and research. The first offering of the Centre will be a three-day program designed for executives with responsibility for CRM initiatives, with a special emphasis on Social CRM. The program will help participants build organizations that satisfy the needs of their customers.
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"There's never been a better time to launch this kind of program, and we're proud to work with Microsoft Canada to set a new bar for CRM leadership and best practices," says Dilip Soman, who holds the Corus Chair in Communication Strategy and is a professor of marketing at the Rotman School of Management."Rotman graduates are renowned for helping organizations maximize their value. The new Centre of Excellence will help executives sharpen their CRM skills and help companies transform their customer strategies."
"The practice of CRM is evolving as businesses increasingly tap into the power of social networks and real-time feedback. The days of simply providing better service are gone - today CRM is social, driven by personal interactions and by customers who expect control over their engagement with companies. Programs like this will help companies learn to be more responsive, transparent, and personal in their dealings with customers" says Frank Falcone, CRM Lead, Microsoft Canada.
"Bringing together the world's software makers with one of Canada's leading business schools makes this program unique in North America. CRM is evolving, and the launch of this program demonstrates that it has become critical to business success," says Michael Fauscette, Group Vice President, Software Business Solutions, IDC.
"The creation of the University of Toronto CRM Centre of Excellence isn't just important, it's seminal. As recognition for this business strategy and methodology grows, a neutral body that supports the evolution of Social CRM is important," says Paul Greenberg, author, CRM at the Speed of Light and President, The 56 Group LLC. "Thanks to the University of Toronto, the new ideas, approaches, practices and refinements of this mission-critical business science have an indisputable home."
CRM Executive Program
The CRM Centre will be grounded in the same unwavering academic rigour as other Executive Programs, and focused on developing a community of business leaders. Professor Dilip Soman is the Centre's Academic Director and Frank Falcone will be Executive Program Director.
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About Rotman
The Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto is redesigning business education for the 21st century with a curriculum based on Integrative Thinking. Located in the world's most diverse city, the Rotman School fosters a new way to think that enables the design of creative business solutions. For more information, visit http://www.rotman.utoronto.ca.
About Microsoft Canada
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Inc. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq "MSFT") the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has nine regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. For more information on Microsoft Canada, please visit www.microsoft.ca.
For more information, please contact:
Allison Colalillo, on behalf of Microsoft Canada
416-368-8348, acolalillo@highroad.com
