In a recent “Copilot Podcast” interview with David Humphreys, who is a Principal Technical Specialist and Global Black Belt for Field Service at Microsoft, he explained, “AI gives [customers] a way to actually utilize that [data] to make their business better, and help, in my case, frontline workers, be more efficient and have access to that information that previously was very difficult to mine and use in a productive way.”
This simple explanation struck me as the perfect way to describe the foundation of opportunities for customers who are using Microsoft Copilot for Dynamics 365 Field Service. However, what other opportunities exist?
Streamlined Work Order Creation and Assignment
Since work orders are at the core of field service, let’s pause and review their purpose:
- Work orders are created to manage service requests, maintenance tasks, or repairs. They capture critical information such as the type of work needed, location, priority, and customer details.
- Once created, work orders are assigned to field technicians. These assignments consider factors like technician availability, skill sets, and travel time. Efficient scheduling ensures timely service delivery.
- Field technicians use work orders to document their work. They record details about completed tasks, parts used, and any additional notes. Work orders also facilitate reporting and analytics, helping organizations track performance and identify areas for improvement.
Keeping these things in mind, you can imagine the need for accurate data collection and updating to keep everyone informed. This is where Microsoft Copilot steps in and provides the perfect opportunity to streamline the creation of work orders. For example, when service requests or questions arrive via emails, Copilot prepopulates relevant data directly within Outlook. The draft work orders, which contain summaries of customer escalations, are then reviewed by managers or other personnel. Then, after they are saved, the work orders sync automatically to Dynamics 365 Field Service.
According to Microsoft, there are additional opportunities for field workers by using Microsoft Teams. “Frontline technicians can now see upcoming work orders at-a-glance as Tasks in their Microsoft Viva Connections home experience and can easily drill into details such as location or issue type. Frontline technicians can also now share full work order details through cards in Teams and access the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Remote Assist app in one click via their home experience in Teams mobile to problem solve with remote experts in real time using 3D spatial annotations that lock to the physical world.”
Intelligent Technician Scheduling and Support
David shared another Copilot opportunity within the “Resource Scheduling Optimization” function. He explained that this is a “great tool for learning and helping [find] those resources to get the job done, increase that first-time fix rate, do the work quicker.”
I like that David emphasized the “first-time fix rate” as this is a key factor in customer success outcomes. But, in order to reach that goal, it’s important to recognize how Copilot helps streamline resource scheduling. Meaning, Copilot analyzes factors like travel time, availability, and skillsets to recommend optimal technician assignments. Managers then receive relevant work orders, review them, and create new ones. However, as customer needs evolve, work orders can be easily rescheduled or updated.
Another aspect that many don’t consider in resource optimization is travel efficiency. Copilot provides the best routes to take which minimizes fuel consumption and vehicle wear, and by combining this with the Dynamics 365 Field Service Mobile App, technicians have access to turn-by-turn directions to get to the customer location quickly.
By combining all the factors, Copilot is helping to provide enhanced customer satisfaction and retention by prioritizing higher-priority work orders to prevent service level agreement penalties and meet customer commitments.
Closing Thoughts
I wanted to share something else that David mentioned that extends the benefits beyond just the field service area. “Microsoft is ‘providing this AI toolset to anybody’ within Dynamics 365 Field Service. Then you add on some of the other things like Copilot for Sales and the ability to help that technician or that person in the field sell better or find upsell opportunities.”
What I really like about Copilot in the mix is that it brings cohesion to capabilities, surfacing possibilities, and unlocking opportunities.
Cautions and Considerations
I would be remiss if I didn’t share a few cautions and cost considerations as these are vital to any technological effort:
- First, make plans to equip external and internal resources with adequate training. New technology like Copilot may not be as intuitive to go to as people form technology habits – meaning, “I’ve done it this way and it works for me!” Show them the value of Copilot and where it can help before rolling it out across the organization.
- Second, keep in mind the licensing costs. Copilot for Dynamics 365 Field Service is available at $50 per user/month, which includes the Copilot for Microsoft 365 license. If you already have Copilot for Microsoft 365, adding Copilot for Sales or Service costs an additional $20 per user/month.
- Third, you’ll need to factor integration costs as Copilot can exist within your current Dynamics 365 Field Service and be customized to fit into other applications.
- Lastly, it’s vital to consider ongoing maintenance and support for all systems and applications. This is not a “set it and forget it” scenario. Business priorities, customer needs, and technologies all change and evolve which require you to be on top of necessary fixes, issues, enhancements, and updates.
The post Unlocking Opportunities with Copilot in Dynamics 365 Field Service appeared first on Dynamics Communities.