Authored by: The SingleStone CRM Team
In the realm of U.S. public sector data management, the role of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is significant. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is an integrated CRM platform designed to empower organizations in managing citizen data and drive informed decision-making.
Discover the power of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for your government organization.
What Is Microsoft Dynamics 365?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is an integrated CRM platform that helps organizations manage customer or citizen data, drive engagement, and make more informed decisions.
As a cloud-based solution, Microsoft Dynamics 365 is an upgraded version of Microsoft CRM software with purpose-built applications that extend the functionality of its predecessor.
With Microsoft Dynamics 365, government organizations can access advantageous features like:
- 360° view of citizen data: Dynamics 365 centralizes important data to enable improved communication, request tracking, and customer satisfaction. With a bird’s-eye view of critical information from first contact onward, you can initiate more productive conversations, resolve issues more effectively, and ultimately improve citizen welfare.
- Customization: The platform provides agility with end-to-end connectivity that accelerates time to value. Your team can create applications on the platform or integrate third-party apps you already use.
- Automation: With Dynamics 365, you can automate routine tasks like updating citizen records, freeing up more time to communicate with citizens and work on resolving their issues.
Why More Governments Are Using Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft Dynamics 365 US Government, specifically designed for the government and public sector, provides a central data repository that enables administrators and agents to manage citizen requests faster. Its financial and reporting tools also provide a better way to manage budget and cost challenges.
The top public sector organizations are using Microsoft Dynamics 365 because it provides:
- Faster resolution of issues: The cloud-based solution offers automatic, real-time alerts regarding issues or questions from citizens.
- Proactive communication: It provides citizens with timely updates (e.g., temporary road closures, and water outages) to help them stay safe and informed.
- Secure and compliant operations: Built on the world’s most advanced cloud platforms, Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers security and peace of mind.
A real-world scenario of a government entity using Microsoft Dynamics 365 is VDOT. Read how SingleStone Consulting assisted the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in migrating its CRM system to Microsoft Dynamics 365.
The Value of Microsoft Dynamics 365
Let’s explore the benefits of Microsoft Dynamics 365 to understand how to fully leverage the value from your investment.
Benefits
- The low-code platform is simple to use and configure to your needs. When migrating government data and reports, you can rest assured Microsoft Dynamics 365 unifies your needs and elevates efficiency.
- The platform easily integrates with other Microsoft products your team uses. This enhances data visibility and streamlines across different government departments such as finance, procurement, and citizen services.
- You can develop custom applications on the platform or integrate third-party applications to further align your public sector operations with Microsoft Dynamics 365. The CRM can connect with legacy systems.
- Various business units (e.g., finance, marketing, customer service) across government departments can work together seamlessly.
- Data from various sources is consolidated into a single location, allowing for advanced analytics. This also improves citizen engagement and streamlines workflows such as your procurement processes.
- The platform can scale with your needs.
- The solution is fully compliant with GDPR and other data privacy legislation.
Considerations
- Thoroughly discuss your requirements with your Microsoft Dynamics partner. A good partner will ask the right questions to assess your needs and provide a customized demo. This will help you understand potential costs, especially if you need certain customizations or high data storage.
- A trusted Microsoft Dynamics partner will have a help team readily available for any roadblocks your team may encounter, such as assistance needed with the mobile app.
8 Powerful Features of Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers a wealth of features that enable your government organization to automate and expedite various CRM processes:
1. Citizen Request Tracking & Response
Microsoft Dynamics 365 includes a citizen portal feature. This feature enables public sector professionals to provide a platform where citizens can access information, submit requests, and track the status of their queries. The citizen portal feature mitigates miscommunications and offers an improved customer experience for both parties.
2. Procurement and Contract Management
The feature for procurement and contract management allows government organizations to streamline purchasing processes, oversee vendor relationships, and uphold compliance with procurement standards.
3. Field Service Management
For public sector agencies involved in field services (e.g. manufacturing, utilities, healthcare, equipment maintenance), deploying personnel for various tasks is made easier. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service optimizes scheduling, dispatching, and resource management.
4. Editable Grid
The editable grid feature provides inline editing capabilities. This means you no longer have to switch records or views—you can group, sort, and filter data within the same grid. This feature makes updating information and navigating through the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform easier.
5. Web API Enhancements
Web API enhancements offer developers more flexibility, allowing them to:
- Retrieve specific metadata records (rather than the full list).
- Access local data in Dynamics 365 for Outlook even when offline. This also enables developers to retrieve entities immediately after creating or updating them.
6. Activity Sorting Control
You can set the “sort date” field to sort activities depending on citizen or team requirements.
7. Sitemap Editor
This feature enables grouping different functional areas into “apps” and displaying them only to specific users, depending on their roles and responsibilities. The developer can define a modular app’s access permission by recovering and associating or dissociating a modular app with security roles. This eliminates the need to edit sitemaps in XML.
8. Client-Side Scripting
Developers can leverage custom business process logic in Dynamics 365 by using client-side scripting with JavaScript. This allows them to display data on a form containing items like fields, a quick form, or a grid. Developers can also use form scripting to add icons with tooltip text based on the column value in the view.
3-Layer Data Security Model in Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM
Security is a top concern when integrating any new software into a government organization. Fortunately, Microsoft Dynamics 365 provides a three-layer data security model that includes:
- Role-based security: This layer categorizes users by roles, ensuring individuals only gain access to information and functionalities pertaining to their role.
- Record-based security: There are seven types of privileges available when it comes to access rights to records. Each user’s access level depends on what they can or cannot do with a particular Dynamics 365 entity.
- Field-based security: Field-based security in Microsoft Dynamics 365 allows administrators to establish restrictions, ensuring only authorized users or teams can access the data within fields.
The Benefits of Integrating Microsoft Dynamics with Other Public Sector Solutions
A great way to fully leverage the functionalities of Microsoft Dynamics 365 is to integrate it with your government organization’s other solutions. This creates several advantages, such as:
- Improved customer relationship management
- Enhanced organization management and control
- Access to Microsoft’s huge ecosystem
- Technological scalability
- Increased efficiency and productivity
- Better decision-making
Any government organization that uses multiple software applications should find a way to integrate those applications. This is especially true for complex operations that merit timely communication and streamlined processes.
The 5 Crucial Skills to Look for in a Microsoft Dynamics Consultant
A Microsoft Dynamics government consultant can provide your organization many types of assistance with the platform, from training to troubleshooting to data analysis. Here are five crucial skills to look for in a government consultant:
- Functional knowledge: Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a comprehensive platform. A skilled consultant possesses proven knowledge of how its diverse functional modules, features, and integration capabilities can elevate the performance of your public sector team. Whether your organization is involved in manufacturing or healthcare, your consultant understands the exact Dynamics 365 elements you need to leverage to create a bigger impact.
- Business understanding and requirements analysis: Your consultant needs to have a strong understanding of your government organization’s needs and the ability to translate them into detailed design specifications. No government agency is the same. The right government consultant will find the strategic sweet spot to deliver a solution that accommodates policy, service, and technology.
- Communication skills: Can your potential Microsoft Dynamics 365 consultant handle challenging stakeholders during delays or communicate project changes to multiple teams? These responsibilities demand strong communication and people skills.
- Multi-tasking and time management skills: Government projects entail meticulous project management to ensure punctual delivery and adherence to financial limitations. A Microsoft Dynamics 365 consultant manages various responsibilities with agility. Successful navigation of all these functions in a Microsoft Dynamics 365 project requires multi-tasking and time management skills.
- Problem-solving skills: There are certainly complex challenges and requirements in public sector initiatives; in addition to risks, it’s likely that delays and errors will arise during your project. Your consultant should have strong problem-solving and decision-making skills that mitigate damages to the overall quality or timeliness of the project.
Chat with a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Consultant
SingleStone is proud to be a trusted partner for ambitious and visionary organizations. From achieving a 39% increase in lead generation to enabling a 90% reduction in time spent deploying communication updates, we’ve helped many organizations achieve their goals—and we can help your government team achieve its unique objectives.
SingleStone’s approach begins with understanding our government clients’ CRM goals, identifying citizen-centric objectives, and establishing accurate baselines. We then work with our clients’ teams to create implementation plans and models that can scale and deliver benefits.
Learn more about what we do and contact our team to unlock the full potential of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for your government organization.