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Originally Posted On: https://www.infinitygroup.co.uk/blog/co-pilot-for-dynamics-365/
The last couple of months have been inundated with interesting discussions about Artificial Intelligence. The fast-growing nature of AI can no longer be ignored. Its relevance to individuals and organisations at large has become pronounced, as tech giants continue to announce AI tools across the board. In the context of businesses, there have been several use cases put forward for the use of AI across a range of different departments. As with many of us now, we are all wondering what all this talk about AI means for a business and how it can it be applied.
Microsoft are leading the way with AI in the workplace_
Back in March 2023, Microsoft introduced Dynamics 365 Copilot. Staking claim to the world’s first AI assistant across both CRM and ERP applications.
What is Dynamics 365 Copilot?
Copilot is Microsoft’s unique AI iteration that’s set to provide organisations with high powered assistance across all functions. With this resource, employees will be empowered to carry out business tasks more efficiently within their respective departments such as finance, customer service, operations and sales.
Why is Artificial Intelligence such a big deal?
AI has become a game changer for many cooperations worldwide. According to a report, in recent years, artificial intelligence has become an intricate part of human life, providing solutions to mundane and repetitive activities. The functionalities of the technology aid in integral decision making and planning. Driving both personal and professional responsibilities, AI machinery enhances creativity, experience and learning. It also cuts costs through streamlining and the remodelling of irrelevant business activities.
The case for Dynamics 365 Copilot_
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Copilot takes the hustle out of everyday business functions by incorporating CRM and ERP systems to improve upon overall results. Its progressive nature works perfectly for business owners looking to enhance their hybrid and remote working activities.
Copilot offers a range of services across core business units, freeing up valuable time for people across Sales, Customer Service, Marketing, Operations and Supply chain roles. The most compelling aspect of Copilot is that it simplifies dull and complex tasks to allow for teams to operate at their utmost capacity. Who wouldn’t want that?
Dynamics 365 Copilot is built to improve customer experience_
Dynamics 365 Copilot’s generative AI technology empowers users to render excellence in customer service. Copilot in Dynamics 365 Customer Service provides relevant answers to email and chat queries. The AI powered interactive chat experience, delivered through Power Virtual Agents, is built to enhance communication with customers. Ultimately this leads to an improvement in service delivery. Tools such as chatbots are always available to answer simple or complex client questions. With customers at the heart of your operation, being able to provide the best experience, though natural language will genuinely set you apart from your competition. Microsoft has also announced that it is making it possible for customer service departments to build virtual agents via conversation boosters in Power Virtual Agents. This feature makes use of Azure OpenAI Service and Bing to curate answers from websites and internal knowledge bases.
Time saving with Copilot_
The value of time is a necessity to all. We’ve seen Microsoft invest heavily over the last five years in technology that helps save you time, but this is now taking it to the next level. Dynamics Copilot in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales and Viva Sales uses AI methodologies to reduce the amount of time sellers spend on recurring tasks. It provides replies to existing and potential clients. The enhanced communication and interaction also contributes to an improvement in sales pipelines. One of the most compelling use cases here is Copilot being able to look at organisational documents, and create pitches, PowerPoint decks and summarise information in a clear and concise way. Copilot can also create email summaries of Teams meetings in Outlook, thereby streamlining various functions within a business. Sales executives will also be pleased to hear that it pulls insights including product and pricing information from Sales CRM to enhance customer relations and communication. We should say here that the role of the person is still key with Copilot, but it certainly does help speed up the process. So although we can’t get AI to do it all for us, what can do is use AI to supplement our activity and provide the foundations for us, as users to build on.
Streamlining of workflows_
Copilot in Dynamics 365 Customer Insights and Dynamics 365 Marketing empowers users to simplify complex workflows across various these functions respectively. With Copilot in Dynamics 365 Customer Insights, information can be gathered on customers using targeted customer segments to improve upon the mode of communication between users and clients. It equips marketers with tools that are needed to create bespoke customer profiles. Additionally, Copilot in Dynamics 365 Marketing allows for marketers to easily describe customer segments using the query assist feature. Campaigns can be designed from AI based suggestions. This innovation makes sure marketing is focused on serving the right audience through intelligent messaging and compiling of data including assets, copy and images. It also ensures that information is accessible, thereby facilitating marketers in improving messaging and efficiency. This leads to the right customers gaining access to relevant information. It’s fair to say here that marketers have had a lot of fun with ChatGPT since it was launched. The use case for a tool this powerful, that integrates directly with day-to-day working applications, business data and powerful MarTech is something that we are excited to see in practice.
Enhanced business capabilities_
Microsoft Copilot’s AI machinery streamlines business activities for enhanced productivity. Citing the example of Copilot in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, it enables users to interact seamlessly across the various arms of business including supply chain management, human resources, inventory management and finance. For organisations using Business Central, Copilot can actually streamline the creation of product listings for eCommerce. It can add product attributes, change colours, change imagery and create unique product descriptions – all using natural language. We also have no doubt that co-pilot will be of great use to Finance teams, being able to support with complex financial modelling, forecasting and reporting.
Supercharged reporting, powered by AI_
The Dynamics 365 Copilot platform is embedded with intelligent insights which allows you to gather data easily for quick reporting. Systems and databases can be accessed efficiently to reduce the complexity in understanding information. With the help of AI, you’ll no longer need to sieve through huge chunks of data for reporting and decision making. The Microsoft Copilot system curates and presents data for effective reporting.
A look into the future_
Gone are the days when workers had to plough through manual tasks. Artificial intelligence is the answer to these problems. We believe that AI is not just a buzzword that’s taken over the airwaves. It possesses the ability to use data and information to make logical decisions for the benefit of both business owners and their various workforce. It also enhances both personal and professional landscapes. The next stage of remote working largely depends on the effectiveness of AI and what it has to offer. As a collaborative tool, Copilot is set to power the next generation of business applications through fine tuning and innovation. We want to help you make the right decision for your organisation. With Copilot still in Private Preview, there’s no doubt going to be further updates and enhancements to come. As a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Business Applications, we’re here to answer any questions that you may have around Dynamics 365 Copilot, and support your organisation with drive to AI adoption.
Want to find out more about how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Copilot can benefit your organisation? Contact our specialists today.
