Dynamics 365 Field Service: From Visionary to Leader
Microsoft has consistently been moving Dynamics 365 and all its components forward ever since its inception. No one should be shocked therefore, that yet another D365 solution has garnered clout from the Gartner Magic Quadrant. Dynamics 365 Field Service made the jump from “Visionary” in the 2019, to “Leader” in 2020. In 2019, that meant the solution was already in the top half of competition for completeness of vision, but not for the ability to execute said vision. 2020 has seen Microsoft significantly rectify their shortcomings for ability to execute in the Field Service management arena, and Gartner has clearly taken notice.
Gartner evaluated three key product areas as strengths that helped push Dynamics 365 Field Service into the Leader category this year:
- Azure IoT – Azure IoT Hub and Azure IoT Central enable field service oriented companies to take a proactive (predictive) approach where industry practice has traditionally been largely reactive (break-fix).
- Power Platform – Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate and the overarching Common Data Service make it possible to see relevant data across multiple business applications clearly visualized. Mobile workforces have the ability to access and interact with data while in the field, as well as integrate and automate common processes by creating flows.
- Mixed Reality – Dynamics 365 Remote Assist and HoloLens support are quickly developing into useful tools that allow home office and in the field workers to be more connected than ever.
Wondering if Microsoft will get complacent now that they have achieved Leader status? We wouldn’t bet on it. According to a recent blog from the Microsoft team, Dynamics 365 Field Service has plenty more coming down the line as they push for innovation. Further enhancements to proactive service delivery, resource scheduling, and a new mobile app for technicians highlight changes arriving with release wave 2 this October.
Interestingly enough, one of the few cautions from Gartner on D365 Field Service was reliance on the Microsoft Partner network for expertise. The good news for you? You are in the right place already. We are a Partner and we are pretty great at this, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns!