Lokale besturen

Destelbergen Local Council streamlines processes with Dynamics 365 Field Service

Assigning tasks to staff more efficiently, streamlining the scheduling of work orders and improving visibility in the warehouse: these were the challenges that the local council in Destelbergen wanted to tackle. With the help of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service, support from Savaco and guidance from LB365, they succeeded in doing so.

Situation

Manual planning leads to frustration

In Destelbergen, a municipality with around 20,000 inhabitants in the heart of East Flanders, some 150 people work for the local council. One of the local council’s key principles is: gentle with people, rigorous with processes, and strict about results. Consequently, there is a strong focus on ensuring efficient processes and smooth operations.

It was precisely in this area that the local authority faced a number of challenges. A lack of clarity in the planning of work assignments was one of them. Tasks were often assigned manually and there was little insight into staff availability, which meant that work was sometimes carried out inefficiently, fell behind schedule or was not properly monitored.

In addition, stock management was also a problem. There was insufficient visibility of stock levels for materials and tools, meaning that staff sometimes arrived on site without the correct equipment. This led to wasted time and frustration for both staff and the public.

Approach

Centrally manage planning with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service

As the existing on-premises IT platform was no longer meeting Destelbergen’s needs, the company began looking for an integrated solution to manage tasks, resources and staff. They found it in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service, a powerful platform that centrally manages the planning, execution and follow-up of field service assignments, and which is offered within the LB365 consortium. An integrated rental module was also added to the new platform, enabling residents and local organisations to easily hire municipal equipment.

The implementation was carried out with the necessary support from Savaco and followed an agile project methodology, with progress being made in short, iterative phases. In each phase, sufficient time was set aside for feedback from all the teams involved, and adjustments could be made quickly. This enabled the system to be fully tailored to the specific needs of the staff and the local authority.

Result

An overview of the schedule at a glance

Thanks to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service, staff now have a much clearer overview of their own schedules. They can see at a glance which tasks are on their schedule, view photos or videos where necessary, and get an overview of the materials required. This enables them to manage their time more effectively and meet deadlines more easily.

What’s more, staff can view and manage all of this via a mobile app. Via this app, they can start, track and complete their work orders on site, directly from their smartphone. This real-time functionality makes it possible to respond quickly to ad-hoc situations. At the same time, the app also links directly back to the back office, so that office staff can intervene where necessary. This ensures seamless communication between the field and the office.

Furthermore, Dynamics 365 Field Service also allows for a rapid response to reports from residents. Thanks to the central platform, reports can be quickly assigned to the right staff members, enabling problems to be resolved more swiftly. And that, in turn, ensures satisfied residents of Destelberg.

Are you ready for a more efficient field service team too?

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service has not only improved operational efficiency at Destelbergen Council, but has also taken the service provided to residents to a higher level.

Are you looking to streamline your field service operations? Put us to the test!

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