Unlocking AI: Practical Usage for Everyday Businesses

Working at Crayon sees me engage with a diverse range of businesses, both large and small. I frequently assist clients in understanding how to effectively utilise the various Microsoft Dynamics 365 modules, while mostly this revolves around the Dynamics 365 and Power Platform suite, due to the extensibility of the products I need to know a little of everything outside of this. Part of my role includes conducting sessions with partners on strategies for selling software and can even include advice on structuring their software practice, methodologies and even helping them pitch to clients.

Lately, as per the 'AI mega wave' (as I'll call it), I've observed an increasing interest among individuals from various sectors in leveraging AI for their businesses where they might have been too worried or busy to even consider it. However, due to the vast number of options available, the complexity often leads to postponement of these initiatives. I wanted to write this article today to explain the many ways that an everyday business can make use of the latest tech in the simplest ways.

While I've written a couple of different articles now, one on the human influence on AI (https://bit.ly/4bm8pGJ) and another slightly more technical on how to make use of my beloved Machine learning for Dynamics 365 Customer Insights (https://bit.ly/4dxQeiL) - these articles only cover only a subsection of use cases that AI can help with in a workday. Allow me to pass on a few ideas... You just never know right?

We are essentially having it drummed into us that we need to use AI, sometimes it can be a little overwhelming to think about when you are just trying to pay the bills and get through the back-to-back meeting fatigue that many of us suffer from. As we all know, businesses are increasingly adopting AI to improve efficiencies, save time, and reduce costs, but where do you even start? Let's look at some of the ways in which AI can help.

Here are some common practical applications and their associated products:

Customer Service and Customer Experience:

AI can significantly boost agent productivity. By automating routine tasks and handling simple inquiries, chatbots allow human agents to focus on more complex customer issues. Additionally, AI analyses customer interactions, understands sentiment, and accurately routes tickets to the right agents.

• AI leverages customer data to provide personalised responses. Whether recommending relevant products or addressing specific inquiries, AI ensures tailored communication based on individual preferences. Sentiment analysis also helps agents understand customer emotions during interactions.
• AI-powered chatbots provide round-the-clock support. Customers can receive instant answers to common queries, even outside regular business hours. Chatbots handle routine tasks, freeing up human agents for more critical issues. AI categorises and routes tickets automatically based on content and urgency. This ensures that the right agent handles each request promptly. Sentiment-based routing prevents escalations and ensures a smoother customer experience.
• By analysing historical data, AI predicts potential issues. Businesses can proactively address customer concerns before they escalate. For instance, if AI detects a recurring problem, it can trigger notifications to relevant teams for preventive action. AI-powered self-service portals allow customers to find answers independently. Natural language processing (NLP) ensures accurate search results. Dynamic FAQs can be updated based on customer queries, improving the overall knowledge base.
• AI handles routine email inquiries, categorises them, and suggests appropriate responses. This streamlines email communication and reduces manual effort. AI language models provide customer service in multiple languages, accommodating diverse customer bases.
• AI monitors customer interactions, identifies trends, and provides actionable insights. Businesses can optimise processes and enhance customer satisfaction.

Products: See Copilot for Sales, Dynamics 365 Customer Insights, D365 Sales, Azure Machine Learning

Cybersecurity and Fraud Management:

AI-powered fraud detection systems analyze vast amounts of transactional and behavioral data. These systems establish a baseline of normal patterns and continuously monitor for deviations. By training machine learning models on historical data, businesses can identify anomalies that may indicate fraudulent behavior. Whether it’s spotting unusual transaction amounts, irregular user behavior, or suspicious patterns, AI helps prevent financial losses due to fraud.

• AI algorithms analyse user behavior across various digital channels. By understanding typical patterns, such as login times, navigation paths, and transaction frequencies, AI can detect deviations. For instance, if an account suddenly exhibits unusual activity (e.g., large fund transfers or access from an unfamiliar location), the system can trigger alerts for further investigation.
• AI enables real-time monitoring of network traffic, system logs, and user interactions. Anomaly detection algorithms identify unexpected patterns, such as unauthorised access attempts or abnormal data transfers. By promptly flagging potential threats, businesses can respond swiftly to mitigate risks.
• Machine learning models learn from historical data to predict future events. In cybersecurity, these models can forecast potential attacks based on patterns observed in past incidents. For example, predicting Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks or identifying vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
• AI-powered Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms analyse email content to identify phishing attempts. By examining language, context, and sender behavior, these tools filter out suspicious emails. They reduce false positives and allow security teams to focus on genuine threats.
• User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) leverages AI to create profiles of normal user behavior. When deviations occur (e.g., an employee accessing sensitive data at odd hours), the system raises alerts. UEBA helps detect insider threats, compromised accounts, and unauthorised access
• AI analyses transaction data to identify potentially fraudulent activities. Whether it’s credit card transactions, wire transfers, or online purchases, AI algorithms assess risk factors and trigger alerts for further investigation.
• AI streamlines incident response by automating routine tasks. For example, when a security breach occurs, AI can isolate affected systems, block malicious IP addresses, and initiate recovery processes. This reduces manual effort and minimises the impact of security incidents.

Products: See Copilot for Security, Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Purview and Microsoft Entra

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Not just my field of Dynamics 365, but in all relational systems.

AI’s ability to process large volumes of data quickly and accurately is a game-changer for CRM reporting and predictive analytics. By analysing historical data, AI models can predict customer behavior, identify trends, and provide actionable insights. Businesses can make informed decisions based on these predictions.

• AI-powered tools assist with writing personalised emails, responses, and communication. Natural language processing (NLP) ensures that messages are relevant and tailored to individual customers. Whether it’s drafting follow-up emails or composing personalized marketing content, AI can streamline communication.
• AI automates routine tasks. AI reduces manual data entry by extracting relevant information from emails, forms, and other sources. AI driven workflows can also automate processes like lead nurturing, follow-ups, and reminders.
• AI analyses customer data to segment leads and existing customers based on various criteria (e.g., demographics, behavior, purchase history). This segmentation enables targeted marketing campaigns, personalised offers, and better customer engagement
• AI mines customer interactions, social media, and other data sources to understand preferences, sentiment, and pain points. By combining structured and unstructured data, businesses gain a holistic view of their customers. This insight informs personalised recommendations and proactive support.
• AI tailors marketing messages, product recommendations, and content based on individual preferences. Whether it’s suggesting relevant products or customising email campaigns, personalisation drives engagement and loyalty.
• AI helps route customer inquiries to the right agents, reducing resolution times. It also suggests relevant knowledge base articles to support agents during interactions.

Products: See Copilot for Sales, Dynamics 365 Customer Insights, Dynamics 365 Sales and Dynamics 365 Service

Digital Personal Assistants:

DPAs can handle repetitive and time-consuming tasks, freeing up employees to focus on more strategic activities. For instance, scheduling meetings, setting reminders, and managing calendars can all be automated by a DPA. Not to mention creating a Power Point presentation when it needs to be done by this afternoon in the case of M365 Copilot! There are a few different ones on the market that have different strengths, however M365 Copilot stands out as it integrates with other Office programs.

• DPAs facilitate seamless communication within teams and across departments. They can draft emails, send messages, and even summarize important information from lengthy documents.
• Copilot can adapt to each user’s needs. it can provide personalized recommendations, such as suggesting relevant articles, courses, or resources based upon your input.

• DPAs can quickly retrieve information from databases, reports, or knowledge bases. Employees can ask questions like, “What were last quarter’s sales numbers?” or “Show me the latest customer feedback.”
• Copilot can assist with travel arrangements, booking flights, hotels, and rental cars. It can also track expenses, generate reports, and ensure compliance with company policies not to mention Itinerary creation.
• Copilot can handle customer inquiries, resolve common issues, and provide self-service options. Chatbots, which are a type of DPA, offer 24/7 support and improve response times and can even be built by you in Copilot Studio.
• Copilot can also schedule follow-up calls and reminders.
• Products: See Copilot Studio, M365 Copilot

Inventory and Supply Chain Management:

AI revolutionises demand forecasting by leveraging diverse data sources, including past sales data, market trends, and economic indicators. By analysing this wealth of information, businesses can estimate future demand for specific products more accurately.

• With AI’s predictive capabilities, companies can avoid situations of excess inventory (which leads to increased storage costs) or shortages (which result in missed sales opportunities and dissatisfied customers)
• AI collaborates with other advanced technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), to enable real-time inventory monitoring. Sensors and IoT devices track inventory movement and conditions.
• AI-driven algorithms automate repetitive tasks related to order processing, tracking, and replenishment. By analysing historical data and current trends, AI predicts variations in demand.
• AI analyses critical areas such as lead times, supplier performance, and transportation costs. By optimising these factors, supply chain managers allocate resources more efficiently.
• Efficient inventory management directly impacts costs. AI helps minimize excess inventory, reduce storage expenses, and prevent the dreaded ''out of stock'' notification that everyone despises!
• AI-powered recommendation systems have proven to be game-changers for businesses aiming to boost sales and revenue. By suggesting complementary or similar products, AI encourages cross-selling and upselling and assists with targeted selling.
• Products: See Copilot for Supply Chain Management and the Inventory Visibility app (preview)

Content Production:

Integrating AI into content creation offers a significant boost in efficiency. AI can automate tasks that previously demanded considerable human input and brain drain trying to be creative, freeing up resources and attention for more strategic endeavors.

• AI can parse through extensive social media data quickly to detect consumer trends and preferences.
• AI-facilitated market research, through customer feedback and sentiment analysis, equips businesses with deep insights.
• AI can create initial content versions, saving time and labor previously invested in manual tasks this also goes with working out a topic to discuss. Use AI to discover trends.
• AI optimises content distribution by analysing audience behavior, preferences, and channel effectiveness. It can recommend the best platforms, posting schedules, and personalised content delivery.
• AI tools assist in grammar and style checks, ensuring error-free content. They can also suggest improvements in tone, readability, and coherence.
• AI-powered natural language processing (NLP) models can generate coherent and contextually relevant content. Whether it’s creating product descriptions, blog posts, or social media updates, AI enhances content creation
• Products: See M365 Copilot, Microsoft Designer, Dynamics 365 Customer Insights

App and Website Building

• AI allows you to build an app (in Power Apps) or website (in Power Pages) by describing what you need through natural language conversation, you can create an app or a website, define the data model, and design screens—all by conversing in natural language.
• Users can discover relevant information and insights through conversation, rather than relying solely on mouse-clicks
• By automating repetitive tasks and providing intuitive guidance, Copilot boosts productivity for content creators that want a little help with text or style of the interface.
• Automations seamlessly integrate with other Microsoft products using an AI automation designer.
• Products: See Power Apps, Power Pages and for automations Power Automate

Accounting and Finance:

AI-powered accounting systems automate repetitive tasks, such as data entry, invoice processing, and reconciliation. This saves valuable time for accountants and financial professionals.

• AI technologies enhance financial data analysis. With sophisticated algorithms, AI can process large datasets swiftly, providing insightful insights.
• Implementing AI reduces operational costs. By automating tasks, organizations save resources and allocate them to more strategic activities.
• AI ensures adherence to regulatory requirements. It monitors transactions, identifies discrepancies, and alerts professionals to potential compliance issues
• Copilot simplifies variance analysis by providing accurate commentary, reports, and insights sourced from various data records.
• Copilot turns data into presentation-ready visuals and reports. You can easily share these insights in Outlook or Teams
• AI-generated insights assist financial professionals in strategic planning, whether this is cash flows, investments or evaluating business performance.
• Products: Copilot for Finance, Copilot for Business Central

Reporting and Data Analysis

• Copilot for Power BI combines advanced generative AI with your data, allowing you to create reports automatically. Copilot generates narrative visuals that summarise your report using AI, making it easier to communicate data insights.
• Whether you’re working in Power BI Desktop or collaborating online, Copilot assists you throughout the process. It provides smart suggestions, enhances your natural language query experience, and helps you uncover hidden patterns in your data

So, all this is great, but there is one other thing I wanted to bring up. In a world full of numbers and data, sometimes I just want to look at a picture to explain things.

Image Generation with Microsoft Designer

• AI image generation has revolutionised the way we conceive and produce visual content. By employing generative models, businesses can create images that resonate with their brand identity and communicate complex ideas effortlessly. The technology operates on machine learning algorithms that analyse vast datasets of images, learning to generate new visuals that align with the desired aesthetics and themes.
• The implications for marketing, product design, and customer engagement are huge, offering a blend of efficiency and creativity that traditional methods cannot match. How about asking designer for new logo ideas?
• Before a product hits the market, AI can help visualise its design, allowing for rapid prototyping and feedback incorporation
• Microsoft Designer can add motion to static data, creating presentations that capture attention and convey messages powerfully
• Users can input their business statistics and let Microsoft Designer's AI propose various design templates that best represent the data
• Microsoft Designer emerges as a potent tool for businesses seeking to harness the power of AI for visualising data. It simplifies the design process, allowing users to input their requirements and receive design suggestions instantly. With its AI-driven capabilities, Microsoft Designer can transform raw business statistics into compelling visual stories, making data accessible and engaging for stakeholders at all levels.
• The best part is - Microsoft Designer is free to use! Its still in preview, but it's awesome. Just have a Microsoft account to use it. Microsoft Designer - Stunning designs in a flash

Remember, harnessing the power of AI requires thoughtful planning, continuous learning, and adaptability. I hope this has given you some ideas about how AI can help your business grow. Rome wasn't built in a day and sometimes small steps are what makes the difference for user adoption. Have fun exploring!

A little about me: I've had well over two decades in the IT industry so far, with over 12 years building business applications within the Dynamics 365 Sales and Customer Service space. Having worked my way up to Solution Architecture in the partner space, I then moved to an ISV working my way up to Senior Territory Channel Manager for APAC. I now work for Crayon as a Business Success Manager who mentors businesses in the areas I have worked in my entire career. I have a special interest in AI and love to share my thoughts.

Let me know if you'd like to get in touch! ??

The article that spawned this essay to begin with: How Businesses Are Using Artificial Intelligence In 2024 – Forbes Advisor