Microsoft ( Nasdaq: MSFT - news) caught the CRM industry unawares in February, when it announced plans to roll out a full-fledged CRM application this fall. Since then, however, the software giant has taken pains to keep the industry apprised of its schedule, apparently in an effort to tantalize its target market by dropping product details well in advance of the launch date. Currently, the Microsoft CRM .NET-based application is in beta, David Thacher, general manager of CRM at Microsoft Business Solutions, told CRMDaily.com. By late summer, it will be in second beta, and by fall, it will have kicked off a large-scale partner channel training program. By the fourth quarter of 2002, it will be available in North America.
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