Introducing Copilot for Dynamics 365 Field Service — Revolutionizing Frontline Operations

It was only a matter of time before Microsoft’s generative AI tool, Copilot, found its way into Dynamics 365 for Field Services. Copilot has already landed in Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Dynamics 365 Sales and Viva Sales, Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management — and most recently, Microsoft Windows. The early reviews are in. Copilot’s smart capabilities are transforming workflows within many organizations allowing them to reclaim time, drive innovation, and engage customers. We anticipate Copilot for Dynamics 365 Field Service— announced just this week — will have similar impacts.

Here’s a look at Copilot for Dynamics 365 Field Service — what it is, why it matters, and how it will help your field service operations maximize precious resources while providing better, faster service to your customers. Note that some features we highlight here are still in “preview” mode.

It All Starts In Outlook

Copilot for Dynamics 365 Field Service centers around an Outlook Add-in designed to assist frontline managers. The feature allows them to create, review, and edit work orders right from their email interface, using the information in a customer’s or colleague’s email. The manager can then check, revise, and save the new work order, saving valuable time and speeding your organization’s customer response time. An upcoming fall update to Copilot will allow the tool to offer technician recommendations based on travel time, availability, skillset, and more.

You can activate the Outlook Add-in for your entire organization or specific users and user groups.

It’s a Teams Effort

On a related note, Microsoft has also announced a Teams integration for Dynamics 365 Field Service. The integration will allow frontline managers to manage work orders without disrupting their workflow. They can create, view, and edit work orders directly in Teams. In addition, as your technicians start their day, they see upcoming work orders in their home experience in Teams. And when a technician requires additional support to achieve a first-time fix, they can tap into the Remote Assist app with one click.

Technology Is Your Key Differentiator

Why do we feel that Copilot’s launch into Dynamics 365 Field Service is so groundbreaking? Because technology is a great equalizer. It allows smaller service providers to compete with the larger players. Technology tools like Copilot save frontline managers and technicians time while providing them with the key information they need to service clients quickly and accurately. But don’t just take our word for it:

• Microsoft’s 2023 Work Trend Index Annual Report reveals that 63% of frontline workers struggle with doing repetitive or menial tasks that take time away from more meaningful work, and 66% feel that they don’t have enough time to complete work tasks. Copilot speeds the task of creating a work order, allowing your frontline managers more time to help customers and support their technicians.
• The Service Council’s Voice of the Field Service Engineer study found that 73% of field technicians say they spend too much of their day on paperwork. With the Teams interface and work order recap feature, technicians have instant access to the information they need to be “paperlessly” productive.
• The 2023 IFS State of Service found that the number one most important competitive differentiator for service companies today is technology superiority — cited by 29% of service industry executives responding to the survey. What’s especially interesting is that when the survey was conducted four years ago, just 11% selected technological superiority as their most significant differentiator.

It all makes sense — with thin margins and a shortage of skilled technicians, field service organizations constantly look for ways to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase profitability. Technology like Copilot is a critical enabler of those efficiencies.

We’re Here to Help

Velosio is here to help you navigate Copilot for Dynamics 365 Field Service, explore its capabilities, and maximize its value to your organization. We’re leveraging our elite status with Microsoft, our extensive experience working with field services companies, and our deep AI expertise to stay out in front of the technology and help you better understand its capabilities and how to incorporate them into your business.

Get rid of repetitive task, create creative content, and make data-driven decisions. Copilot is poised to deliver on the promise of technology. Understand Copilot’s capabilities and how they can best fit in your company’s workflow and goals. Contact us to learn more.