Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service – Overview and Industry Focus

You may not be aware, but Microsoft Dynamics 365 has been a strong competitor in the field service management space for several years now.

The Field Service Management software platform provides full work order management including:

• Full visibility to a customer’s service history including case and work order management
• Asset management to track configuration history and work completed on a specific asset
• Service, warranty and maintenance contracts including SLA management
• Tracking customer identified issues, automatically creating maintenance tickets, or integrating IoT alerts to proactively manage work orders from all areas of your business
• Automated processes for dispatching and service scheduling including easy drag and drop scheduling boards
• Mobile access to process work order through the mobile app including scanning of bar codes, pictures, inventory management, expense and time management

A key strength of the Field Service Management application is the flexible platform for custom processes to be incorporated into the system.  This flexibility, along with strong customer references and sales execution, has led Gartner to identify Microsoft as a Leader in its most recent Magic Quadrant for Field Service management.  Gartner estimates 400,000 Microsoft Field Service Management users in North America alone.  Customer industries are diverse, including energy, manufacturing, telecom, public sector, insurance and high-tech industries.

Source: Gartner (June 2020)

Crowe has implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service in several different industries including a:

• High Tech company needing to better schedule and dispatch technicians to buildings in order to fix and maintain security systems. With building and other access issues being a high priority, streamlining the processes to provide faster dispatch was a key process improvement focus.  Providing mobile entry of work orders with integration of completed work order to their billing systems streamlined processes and reduced the end-to-end process for completing a work order by multiple days.
• Telecom provider needing to simplify and automate complex routing rules and escalation of customer issues and troubles to field technicians. Scope of work orders also includes automated scheduling boards and work order dispatch.  Mobile access to plant, tower and customer information allows technicians to complete tickets without needing to call back in for additional information.  Mobile completion of work orders streamlines the process and allows for automation of handoffs, eliminating addition phone calls and missed handoffs from group to group.
• Metals Industry machine builder with multiple types of machines with warranty and service contracts. When a machine that is critical to your customer goes down, getting it fixed fast and accurately the first time is important.  This machine builder schedules issues as well as preventive maintenance through the automated scheduling boards.  Mobile access to the contract and the machine/asset information provides a history for the technician to work from while on site.  The mobile app allows for inventory and time capture to ensure proper billing, including using the camera to capture pictures.  Automated routing and integration of the work orders to billing reduces days out of the processing and closing of work orders.

Microsoft + Crowe: Proven technology, specialized for your industry.

If you are like these companies and are looking to automate your work order processes, provide better scheduling, and provide mobile applications for your field service teams, Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Field Service Management is a good option.

For more information on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service contact Crowe at 877-600-2253 or crminfo@crowe.com.

By Cullen Hunter, Crowe, a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Gold Partner www.CroweCRM.com