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In briefShow moreShow lessDynamics 365 Contact Center is a cloud-based omnichannel solution that brings all customer service together in one place, regardless of channel.
- Dynamics 365 Contact Center is a cloud-based omnichannel solution that brings all customer service together in one place, regardless of channel.
- The solution uses Microsoft's advanced technology to provide AI-assisted service to both customers and customer service representatives.
- A shared solution for calls and digital enquiries can give staff better access to customer history.
The story
Dynamics 365 Contact Center is a cloud-based omnichannel solution that brings all customer service together in one place, regardless of channel.
What this means for the work
The solution uses Microsoft's advanced technology to provide AI-assisted service to both customers and customer service representatives.
Contact Center is suitable for organizations that handle a high volume of customer or member inquiries, including membership organizations, B2C/B2B companies, the public sector, and finance and insurance.
The demonstration or announcement describes platform capabilities; it does not show that every organisation will obtain the same result. Forrester reported high CRM adoption but low overall satisfaction in August 2023, a useful counterweight when assessing new features.
A 2022 Forrester analysis linked weak CRM outcomes to unclear strategy, insufficient governance and poor change management. Technology has to be tied to defined processes, roles and outcomes. Training and follow-up after launch are part of the implementation.
A bounded trial is often more informative than a long feature list. Leaders can choose one process, agree what data must be recorded and measure whether the work becomes easier or more accurate. Integration, access control and long-term process ownership should be decided at the same time.
Sources and perspectives
Primary source: vendor announcement or product update
Forrester: High CRM Adoption But Low Satisfaction (15 August 2023)
Forrester: Poor Change Management Kills CRM Success (3 October 2022)
Forrester: Knowing When To Migrate To An Industry CRM (26 April 2024)
Practical follow-up
A shared solution for calls and digital enquiries can give staff better access to customer history. Before implementation, the organisation needs to decide how cases are recorded, assigned and handed over between channels. This work must fit the existing customer system.
NBER: Generative AI at Work, 2023
Join the discussion
How do you determine whether a new solution actually helps customers? Share the measures you use.
A 2023 NBER working paper studied AI assistance for customer support staff. Results varied with experience. This provides a useful starting point for measuring how a tool affects different members of a team.
