Microsoft is once again revving its engines and preparing a range of upcoming features to boost its CCaaS platform: Dynamics 365 Customer Service.
Of its latest CCaaS updates, Microsoft is including a trove of enhancements, seemingly focusing on three central themes: omnichannel, agent experience, and AI, with emphasis on Copilot.
Dynamics 365: Omnichannel Upgrades
Firstly, consider the several updates Microsoft has made to its omnichannel support.
The firm is introducing a caller ID number system that stops service providers from marking outbound calls as fraudulent. This is particularly important for enabling anonymous business-critical calling that compiles with identification laws in regions such as Australia and Europe. Microsoft is introducing this feature in October 2023.
Microsoft is also introducing OAuth 2.0 support in live chat for its Omnichannel customers. The updated service provides enhanced security measures that account for customer privacy and information security. Microsoft is again releasing this update as part of its 2023 release wave 2 in October 2023.
For Canadian numbers, Microsoft is introducing support for emergency calling E911 as a public preview feature in October 2023. Additionally, the firm is introducing an accompanying feature that supports admin notification during emergency calls, ready for February 2024.
Also available for public preview in October are improvements to the call dialer, including number typing, editing, formatting, country detection, contact lookup, contact management, and the ability for agents to select outbound numbers.
In the same month, Microsoft will add new operational telemetry insights, allowing omnichannel customers to monitor, identify, and troubleshoot system performance.
Moreover, in November, Microsoft will add the ability for service agents to transfer omnichannel calls to Teams users without phone numbers. This feature reduces the cost for callers to a third of current expenses.
Finally, for omnichannel customers, Dynamics 365 will introduce Azure virtual desktop-powered voice channels to improve management and onboarding efficiencies. Microsoft will debut this feature in December.
Improved Agent Experience
Improving agent experience, speed, and quality-of-life/work is critical to enhancing CX outcomes – and Microsoft knows this.
To pursue improved agent outcomes, Microsoft is also debuting a series of quality-of-life updates for CX service agents, all of which will be ready for general availability in October 2023.
The firm is introducing a communication panel for Dynamics 365, enabling service agents to personalize conversational controls for Microsoft’s Customer Service workspace. Therefore allowing for greater agent control and flexibility during mission-critical calls.
Additionally, Dynamics 365 Customer Service will soon include an enhanced search control for categorizing service cases, knowledge base articles, and products. The update consists of an “easy-to-view” subject tree hierarchy, parent subjects/child nodes search options, and the ability to highlight search results.
Microsoft is also adding more features to drive usability via improved UI elements for its conversation control interface.
Moreover, Dynamics 365 will soon include inbox centralization for live chat and voice calls.
Copilot and AI Additions
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Microsoft recently partially acquired Chat GPT parent firm Open AI and with it, the firm is introducing its Co-Pilot generative AI solution across its product portfolio.
Available for general users between October 2023 and January 2024, Microsoft is adding various Co-Pilot features to simplify CX agent operations.
For example, Microsoft is adding generative AI features that allow agents to summarise conversations and support cases.
Moreover, new Co-Pilot features will allow organizations to view analytics, discover knowledge resources, draft emails, and draft messaging replies with increased efficiency thanks to AI considerations.
Additional Dynamics 365 CX Features
Customer support agents operating remotely will also gain more features on top of those mentioned.
Agents leveraging Teams, starting October 2023, will be able to embed CX chats into the service without needing admin authorization – therefore improving the speed of customer issues that span across departments, leading to enhanced interdepartmental collaboration.
Moreover, on the admin side, Microsoft is introducing improved administrator experiences, including tools to help CX leaders solve issues autonomously and a feature to help handle overflowed customer queues – available in September and October 2023.
Microsoft also introduced unified routing tools that redirect customer calls to idle agents. Microsoft noted that this redirection will lead to improved use of agents, customer satisfaction, and agent engagement.
Finally, Microsoft is adding enhanced APIs to optimize service support by applying agents to unauthenticated chats negating long wait times for customers.
