Microsoft has announced the expansion of its artificial intelligence (AI) technology into a new software designed to streamline processes for frontline workers to improve efficiency, enhance customer experience, and enable faster decision-making. The global technology leader is committed to investing in innovative solutions to help boost productivity for frontline workers, those who work directly with customers or are involved in the production and delivery of products and services. Microsoft recently introduced new tools and integrations that bring the power of next-generation AI to the frontline across the areas of intelligent operations, effortless communication, and trusted experiences.
Bringing Microsoft Copilot to Dynamics 365
Microsoft infuses the productivity applications frontline managers use every day with the robust data and intelligence of underlying business applications. It is bringing AI Copilot to the new Dynamics 365 Field Service with Outlook and Microsoft Teams integrations to help streamline the frontline experience and drive efficiency with operations. Through this integration, frontline service managers who receive customer escalations in Outlook or Microsoft Teams can use Copilot in Dynamics 365 to streamline work order creation with relevant details pre-populated from emails or chats, optimize technician scheduling with data-driven recommendations based on factors such as travel time, availability and skillset, as well as generate draft responses to customer messages summarizing next steps without switching apps.
Meanwhile, Dynamics 365 Field Service app in Microsoft Teams will enable frontline technicians to access key work order functionality in their flow of work. Technicians will now be able to see upcoming work orders at a glance in their home experience in Teams, share full work order details and easily access Dynamics 365 Remote Assist in one click to troubleshoot with remote experts in real time if they need additional support to complete jobs.
Soon, Microsoft 365 Copilot can ground prompts and retrieve insights for frontline managers, leveraging data from the Shifts app with a new Shifts plugin for Microsoft 365 Copilot, in addition to user and company data it has access to such as Teams chat history, SharePoint, emails and more. This will maintain end-to-end visibility on operations, enabling frontline managers to quickly get a list of important items specific to their team and location to speed up time-consuming tasks like covering shifts and onboarding new employees.
Strengthening communication on Microsoft Viva
Microsoft Viva is also getting major AI-powered updates. Announcements in Viva Connections enables corporate communicators to draft, schedule and target important announcements like urgent communications, role-specific updates and safety policy changes to frontline workers. Communicators can quickly send messages directly from Viva Connections without having to leave Teams. Messages are delivered to the frontline through push notifications on their mobile devices and announcement cards in their Teams home experience.
Another update is Targeted Campaigns in Viva Engage, which powers communicators to create campaigns that promote company-wide initiatives targeted to frontline audiences.
Building trusted experiences on Microsoft Windows 365 Frontline
Many on the frontline work across multiple devices and often hand them over after a shift ends. Microsoft developed Windows 365 Frontline to enable shift and part-time workers to be productive from the moment they log in, making it easy and affordable to extend the power of Cloud PCs to employees on the frontline so they can securely access their personalized Windows experience on any device, no matter where they work.
“At Microsoft, we believe that technology can be a powerful force to reimagine how work gets done. By investing in innovative solutions for the frontline workforce, we are helping to drive positive change for client-facing employees, customers, and the bottom line,” said Peter Maquera, chief executive officer of Microsoft Philippines. “Frontline innovations across Dynamics 365, Microsoft 365, Windows 365 Frontline, and partner endpoint management solutions push the boundaries of what is possible and work toward a brighter future for all.”