Stop Buying Software, Start Buying Outcomes

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM    This episode dives into why large CRM and ERP projects keep failing and how AI is reshaping consulting, software delivery, and platform decisions. The core insight is simple. Organisations fail when they buy software instead of outcomes. With AI, experienced teams can move faster, strip away legacy complexity, and build only what the business actually needs. The conversation explores outcome-based thinking, flawed RFP processes, and why AI is accelerating the gap between great and average practitioners.  👉 Full Show Notes https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/836    🎙️ What you’ll learn    • How to frame technology decisions around outcomes, not vendors or features  • Why traditional RFP processes drive cost blowouts and failed projects  • The four core business problems most systems are really trying to solve  • How AI tools are changing the speed and shape of consulting work  • When building custom solutions now beats buying off-the-shelf software  👉 Chapters • 6:29 Why “Buying Software” Is the Wrong Question • 6:55 The Four Business Problems Every System Should Solve • 11:23 How RFPs Quietly Eliminate the Best Partners • 14:43 The Hidden Tax That Turns $1M Projects Into $30M Failures • 19:45 AI Is Doing to Consultants What IDEs Did to Developers • 26:16 Why Low‑Code Is Being Quietly Replaced by “Vibe Coding” • 35:47 The Future of CRM: Everything Reduces to a Person and a Signal ✅ Find Dustin Online: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-domerese-a0039011/ • X: https://x.com/dustindomerese • Personal Blog: https://dustindomereseconsulting.kinsta.cloud/ 🔴 Highlights  • “So many people are still buying software like it’s a software decision rather than a business decision.”  • “You’re really only trying to solve one of four business problems.”  • “Most organizations aren’t even thinking in terms of what is the root of what I’m trying to solve.”  • “Your highest qualified people are not even in the game because you’ve already excluded quality.”  • “AI is now to the developer what Visual Studio was in the 90s.”  • “It made the good developers really good and the bad developers a lot faster.”  • “Low code was developed because we couldn’t get enough developers.”  • “There’s a third option now, and that is vibe code your own add-on.”  • “I think we’re less than 18 months away from this changing enterprise software.”  🧰 Mentioned  • Microsoft Power Platform: https://learn.microsoft.com/power-platform   • Microsoft Dynamics CRM (Dynamics 365 CRM): https://www.microsoft.com/dynamics-365/solutions/crm   • Microsoft Finance and Operations (Dynamics 365 Finance): https://www.microsoft.com/dynamics-365/products/finance  • Notebook LM: https://notebooklm.google (https://notebooklm.google/)   ✅Keywords    ai in consulting, outcome-based software, crm failures, erp projects, power platform, low code vs pro code, vibe coding, rfp process, enterprise software, applied ai skills, digital transformation, consulting strategy Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoption 🔴 Subscribe for all the latest Microsoft Power Platform News: https://www.youtube.com/nz365guy?sub_confirmation=1 🔴 Share this video with a Youtuber friend: https://youtu.be/6rOOmYt1eBg ✅ Recommended Playlist: Hear the latest from Senior Microsoft Staff 👉 Power 365 Show - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqyy0tYMOozNcXsEdVn4sqh 👉 Copilot Show - https://studio.youtube.com/playlist/PLzf0yupPbVkqPyRqPii192UiJuT-SQHw-/videos ✅ All our Microsoft Innovation Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkoEIfkNYZ0dModTR5aLbRh3 ✅ Let’s Connect: Collaborate with me here – https://cloverbase.com YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/nz365guy Website: http://www.nz365guy.com/subscribe LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nz365guy X – https://twitter.com/nz365guy Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nz365guy Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nz365guy Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.nz/nz365guy I’m Mark Smith - nz365guy - Helping people reach their full potential I have been a Microsoft Business Applications MVP for over 14 years. I am passionate about helping people reach their full potential, through training, coaching and mentorship. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge (https://www.90daymc.com/) Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/nz365guy) If you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nz365guy). Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith