What is the best way to cope with the crisis currently affecting so many American businesses? We are now working with clients affected by COVID-19 and its impacts on employees, customers, finances and operations. The full organization is affected, so solutions are fundamentally people- and culture-oriented. However, technology is also critical for success. Indeed, working with platforms like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, it is possible to stay strong and even grow despite today’s serious challenges. With that in mind, here are 7 Ways Microsoft Dynamics helps you thrive in the crisis:
#1 Make remote workers productive
Employees may be struggling to collaborate effectively as entire organizations switch to remote work. Dynamics 365 Business Central enables workers to be productive while working from home by combining the functionality of Microsoft Teams with Dynamics Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Your people can use video to meet in virtual conference rooms and collaborate across multiple projects. Connectivity to the Microsoft Office system, e.g. SharePoint, Word, Excel, etc. further enhances productivity and teamwork.
#2 Refine and automate business processes
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced changes in the way companies operate. These include new ways of working with customers as well as modifications to supply chain management. To stay competitive, you will need to adapt, refine and automate business processes. Dynamics ERP and CRM are able to streamline even very complex processes with the goal of bolstering team productivity. Examples include assigning and tracking project tasks and automating approval processes and purchasing workflows.
#3 Perform better in the field
The ability to visit customer sites may be limited during this time. As a result, technologies that facilitate remote field service can augment the customer relationship. Dynamics leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) to support equipment at your customer locations with predictive maintenance and more. The technology can also improve field technicians’ capabilities with real time views of customer issues.
#4 Tighten up your finance and accounting operations
It’s probable that the crisis will create a more intense focus on your cash flow. Dynamics ERP has tools that enable you to tighten your cash flow controls, offering visibility into receivables and payables. So armed, your finance team can work with customers and suppliers to create a more stable, predictable cash flow. It is also possible to automate accounting workflows in order to run more efficiently.
#5 Scale quickly to meet demand
It’s possible the pandemic will lead to a surge in business. This is a good thing, but only if you’re ready for it. For sure, some businesses, such as those that offer home delivery, got overwhelmed by a surge in orders in the last few months. Dynamics helps you scale quickly enough to meet demand with automated workflows, visibility into operations and remote workforce collaboration.
#6 Become more data-driven
The rapidly shifting conditions of the pandemic make it imperative that you have access to timely and accurate data on the state of your business. This is a good time to become more data-driven. If your data is in siloes or hard to access, you may find it hard to get a clear sense of what’s happening inside your operation—as well as in the broader market. Dynamics gives you rich, real time data on operations and accounting. Integration with Microsoft PowerBI offers intuitive data visualization and reporting.
#7 Hone or even reinvent your business model
This might even be a good moment to think about reinventing your business model. It may not seem intuitive, but a crisis often creates unforeseen opportunities. With Dynamics ERP and CRM, you can adapt your business model with relative ease. For instance, if you want to shift from in-store retail to home delivery, Dynamics makes that possible without the need to reconfigure entire systems.
This is not an easy time. Yet, it could be a season of positive change if you have the right organizational mindset, culture and tools. We can help you pull all of these essential elements together for continued success, despite the gravity of the external situation. If you want to understand how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central can enable you to thrive in the current moment, let’s talk.
