For many businesses, the operations that make the cash flow and the wheels turn don’t take place in an office. Often, it’s the people in the field who are out solving client problems onsite who are the profit centres.
Operating a business like this effectively requires the collaboration and coordination of staff, vehicles and assets scattered across cities, countries and even the globe.
This is where the smart businesses turn to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service. It is an application of the leading Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP and CRM platform that is designed to help your business to effectively and responsively deliver onsite service to customers, wherever they are.
Through workflow automation, scheduling algorithms and mobility, you’re able to set field workers up for success as they address and respond to customer needs onsite on real time.
Here’s a quick rundown of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service: what it is, how it works and how it can benefit your business.
What is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service?
Dynamics 365 Field Service is a business application designed to help organisations deliver onsite service to various customer locations. It comes with a range of capabilities, including:
Work orders
Work orders help organisations like yours define the service work needed at customer locations.
Scheduling and dispatch
Scheduling and dispatch tools are essential for managing the resources and equipment needed for customer service. They’re also required for visualising onsite appointments and optimising service schedules.
Communication tools
Communication in the field is essential for the smooth running of a project. With the proper communication tools, a collaboration between customer service agents, dispatchers, customers, field technicians and other stakeholders is able to progress without delay or confusion, ensuring the success of the onsite work.
An easy-to-use mobile application
Working mobile is often a necessity of doing business in today’s busy world. This is why Dynamics 365 Field Service comes with a fully fledged, easy-to-use mobile application that guides technicians through service work and schedule changes.
Asset management capabilities
Keeping track of customer equipment and service history are both essential in the field. This is why Field Service dedicates itself to tracking both in a comprehensive and easy-to-understand manner.
Preventative maintenance
Prevention is better than a fix. With Field Service, you’re able to automatically generate recurring maintenance appointments for customer equipment – all to take the confusion out of ongoing care.
Inventory, purchasing and returns capabilities
Field Service’s inventory, purchasing and returns capabilities allow you to manage purchase order requests, fulfillment, stock tracking and product returns, all in one easy-to-use interface.
Billing capabilities
Invoicing can be one of the more tedious parts of business, but it’s also one of the most essential. This is why Field Service allows you to generate invoices based on products and services delivered to customers in the field.
Time tracking
Field work can be complicated: there’s the time spent on the job itself as well as the travel and breaks. Field Service’s time tracking component lets you stay on top of how staff are spending their time.
Business Analytics
Business analytics are all-important tools when it comes to measuring the effectiveness of your operations. Field Service’s analytics capabilities allow you to report on key performance indicators for scheduling activities, managing work orders, billing and customer interaction.
How Dynamics 365 Field Service can benefit your business
Dynamics 365 Field Service comes with a slew of benefits for your business. These include:
1. Automated scheduling
Field Service is the king when it comes to automated scheduling. Through a combination of exceptional resource planning, analytics and work order planning, you’re able to assign technicians with the right skills and optimal location to jobs that allow for the most appointments in a day.
2. Exceptional inventory management
Field service is able to provide real-time visibility and intelligent forecasting, allowing you to synchronise and track inventory down to the individual vehicle level. With this degree of oversight, your business will see an increase in first-time fix rates.
3. On-time appointments
Field Service doesn’t just handle the onsite logistics, it also helps your field staff and technicians be where they need to be. When routing optimisation and turn-by-turn directions are combined with dynamic work order details updated in real time, it means Field Service ensures your staff are where they need to be when they need to be.
4. More effective customer interactions
Of course Field Service also includes CRM capabilities: your field staff literally embody your entire organisation whenever they’re onsite with a client. You have to put your best foot forward. As such, the application includes a 360-degree view of your customer history and preferences, allowing your technician to personalise their approach.
InteliSense IT can get you started with Dynamics 365 Field Service today
We have found that Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service is the best onsite management application currently available. Deploy it effectively and you’ll be able to deliver stellar onsite solutions to your customers, no matter the location or logistics.
If you want to find out more about what Field Service can do for you, InteliSense IT are masters at implementing Dynamics 365 Field Service. Get in touch today to find out more.
