Dynamics Matters Podcast -
A '10-minute' podcast series on everything Microsoft Dynamics

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Episodes

Episode 57 – Introducing the Homes for Ukraine click to place solution

In war, there are no winners. And from the outside looking in it is tough to see where you can help change the course of things. But for the devasted Ukrainian families coming to the UK for refuge, our solution experts in HSO felt there was something we could do. Combining Dataverse and the Power Platform, the team built a solution to enable local authorities to streamline the process of rehoming Ukrainian families making this part of their journey a more comfortable one.

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Episode 56 – How to solve the problem of a bulging order book

Not long ago, warehouses emptying as manufacturers reigned in cost across the supply chain. Lower stock holding meant lower cost. Today, we’ve come full circle. Manufacturers struggle to fulfil bulging order books because materials are difficult to source or simply cost prohibitive. And delivery times are slipping as a result. Manufacturers need a new way of thinking to meet and sustain demand. To shed light on how manufacturers can adjust, Managing Director of The Manufacturer, Henry Anson, lends us his wisdom on this very current, and very disruptive challenge.

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Episode 55 – Microsoft Excel vs Microsoft Power BI

Microsoft Excel, the tool for every (and almost any) occasion. Excel has become many organisations wonderfully helpful hindrance. With an ability to solve problems and present information quickly, it also creates irksome silos and data disconnect. Microsoft Power BI – an interactive data visualisation tool – alleviates these challenges. Presenting a unified view of data in highly visual and interactive dashboards. But when would you use one over the other, and what are the pros and cons of Microsoft Power BI? Here to answer these questions is HSOs resident Power BI expert and Microsoft MVP, Laura Graham-Brown.

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Episode 54 – How data can improve manufacturing productivity

Investment in Digital Transformation systems to improve efficiencies in the manufacturing process, is forecasted to grow 20% – £554 billion – by 2026. As well as efficiencies, new digital technologies also create huge volumes of data. Being able to manage this data and use the insight within to drive behaviour will determine whether the transformation strategy is a success, or an expensive failure. Discover how you can reduce the risk of this happening by joining HSOs Head of Data and Analytics, Doug McConchie, as he describes how manufacturers can develop the right data strategy to sit alongside their digital transformation programme.

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Episode 53 – How to manage Microsoft Dynamics 365 updates

As a cloud platform, one of the major advantages of Microsoft Dynamics 365 is the continuous updates and improvements organisations can benefit from. But these are not mandatory. And some organisation don’t bring through new functionality they are entitled to. But why? We talk to HSO Head of Optimisations, Mark Carey, to find out what’s holding some back, and how they can go about increasing the value from their investments in Microsoft Dynamics 365.

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Episode 52 – How Power Apps changed the life of a bus driver (part 2)

As a child, you grow up with big dreams. Pilot, space traveller or detective: anything is possible. And that’s the thing about Power Apps, they make anything possible. Keith Whatling, this episode’s guest on the Dynamics Matters podcast, describes how armed with nothing more than imagination, and a license to drive a bus, Power Apps provides the tools to solve almost any challenge you can conceive, whilst opening doors to possibilities you may not have dreamt up yet.

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Episode 51 – How Power Apps changed the life of a bus driver (part 1)

As a child, you grow up with big dreams. Pilot, space traveller or detective: anything is possible. And that’s the thing about Power Apps, they make anything possible. Keith Whatling, this episode’s guest on the Dynamics Matters podcast, describes how armed with nothing more than imagination, and a license to drive a bus, Power Apps provides the tools to solve almost any challenge you can conceive, whilst opening doors to possibilities you may not have dreamt up yet.

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Episode 50 – Special Edition Episode

In 49 editions of the Dynamics podcast series, we’ve covered industries from Local Government and retail to Field Services and manufacturing and beyond. And in 49 editions we’ve discussed topics from how to get value from your data and how to develop the best team, through to how to deliver personal customer experiences and how to build the right partnerships to foster innovation. You name it, we’ve covered it. But among it all there was a consistent theme that came through in almost every edition. Themes you will recognise within your own organisation. Discover what they were in this special 50th edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast series.

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Episode 49 – What the health and social integration bill means for local government

Joining up services, and data, is key to managing and solving Local Governments most pressing issues around supporting people to live healthier, happier lives. So how has Microsoft turned this into a commitment that means providing the tools needed to enable local authorities and their health and care counterparts to meet the goals of the ‘Joining up care for people, places and populations’, paper while keeping people and those who support them front of mind?

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Episode 48 – The impact of a learning culture on business success

Richard Branson once said: “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” Instilling a training culture gives workers additional skills to solve more problems, in more ways and with less effort. It also allows them to advance their career through your organisation. For the organisation, you increase your talent pool giving you more people with the skills to help you achieve more. But how do you create and then maintain a training culture? Rebecca Fox – Head of Learning & Development – joins the podcast to offer some pearls of wisdom.

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Episode 47 – How to create a connected customer experience in Financial Services

Your customers want to feel valued. To believe that the services you’re providing are personal to them. Achieve this and they’re likely to buy more and stay with you longer. But to realise this you need to know your customer. And for this you need well managed, well organised, easily accessible, centralised data, that connects each of your operational systems. So, how do you achieve this, what is the benefit to your organisation, and most importantly, why is investing in technology that enhances the customer experience of benefit to them?

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Episode 46 – How to create a personal customer experience

The more you know your customers, the more personal you can make each interaction. Whether that’s shoppers in a store or citizens sat at home. Insight into each engagement means you can anticipate future actions and provide an experience that leads to outcomes that benefit your organisation. In this edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast series, HSOs Customer Experience expert, Kevin Brown, details the benefits of a compelling customer experience and how you can achieve it.

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Episode 45 – Is County Council collaboration key to success?

As the black cloud of COVID drifts away, a semblance of normal service has resumed. Yet there are lessons left that councils must refer to if they are to maintain their digital momentum. Momentum that will help improve the delivery and range of services within the confines of budget, resource, and skill. One of these lessons is the power of collaboration for the benefit of citizens. Giving his thoughts on the benefits of collaboration is Suffolk County Councils Deputy Chief Executive, Chris Bally.

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Episode 44 – The shift from point solutions to a platform-first approach

The way organisations buy and use technology continues to evolve. Disconnected point solutions are becoming a thing of the past, replaced by a platform-first approach. An approach that makes it easier to deploy solutions that deliver value in less time and cost. And an approach better integrated with other processes and data. This is the stuff of dreams as Andrew Welch, enthuses on this episode of the Dynamics Matters podcast.

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Episode 43 – Creating a data driven insurance marketplace

Sharing risk reduces risk, allowing organisations with complex security needs to operate with freedom. This is the basis on which the Lloyds insurance marketplace was formed. But the very marketplace designed to provide security operates on a foundation of legacy systems, software and practices. Thus creating risk for a globally connected insurance market. In this edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast series, we chat with Hamilton Insurance Head of Business Operations, Bent Isachsen, to learn how the Lloyds market is turning to data to become insight led. And, as you’ll discover, it’s a problem/solution topic you may well recognise in your own organisation.

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Episode 42 – How to reduce fraud

Better digital access has created a whole new set of front doors for criminals to unlock. And in the same way you’ll lock your doors at night to prevent burglary, and so you need to treat your online assets in the same way. The challenge is, fighting fraud is a constant arms race. As you add new locks, fraudsters will find loopholes to break in. Microsoft’s Fraud expert, Sondra Feinberg, joins us to discuss the approach Microsoft is taking to help organisations overcome the challenge.

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Episode 41 – How to get more value from your Microsoft investments

Technology being installed is only one part of a successful project it. How you support, manage and build upon it are the key drivers of its value. In this edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast series, HSOs Adrian McNay delves into more than thirty years of experience to explain why having the right managed service support is often the difference between technology value and technology failure.

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Episode 40 – The future of business applications and Microsoft Dynamics 365

It’s typical for large scale ERP projects to take two to three years. And when the project is finished, has it met the goals established from the outset? Is it delivering value? Much can happen in two to three years. And it’s not uncommon to find inertia and fatigue has caused a well-meaning project to drift off course. So how can you ensure your ERP project remains laser focused on value? Discover the approach Microsoft is taking to solve this challenge in the latest Dynamics Matters podcast.

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Episode 39 – £2.3bn lost to fraud in 2021

As much as becoming a digitally diverse world has been largely of benefit to many, it has created opportunities for less savoury characters to exploit. Online fraud was up a third during the pandemic, and £2.3bn was reported lost by consumers. So how organisations tackle this problem and reduce its threat while continuing to take advantage of all that digital technology offers?

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Episode 38 – The benefits of a blended workforce

Your closest tech could be 100 miles away and you’re not going to have your technician travel 200 miles every day to service one customer because it’s just not cost effective. That’s where a blended workforce comes into play. We discover the numerous benefits to the blended workforce approach and how companies have embraced this concept to harness the external elements of the blended workforce model.

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Episode 37 – The future of technology enabled care

Progress has been made in sharing information and developing an infrastructure to enable local government, and the organisations that support them, to work together to deliver better care. And technology companies like Microsoft remain focused on developing open interfaces which enable effective information sharing without the need for manual intervention. In this episode of Dynamics Matters, we discuss why technology is so important when it comes to the future of care.

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Episode 36 – Technology, the great 2022 enabler

2021 was a little like ground hog year, rolling on from the trials of 2020. But advancements in how we tackle COVID has at least helped many adjust to the changes the pandemic instigated. So, what does 2022 look like for business, for Microsoft, and for HSO. And does technology remain one of the key tools in continuing our adaption to the world around us? Find out in this Dynamics Matters podcast episode with HSOs Managing Director David Little.

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Episode 35 – How to choose the right finance system

A good finance system is central to a well-run business. It’s also central to maintaining operational efficiency. From it you can check and monitor the health of your business, gathering insight to make proactive decisions. But with many systems to choose from, how do you ensure the right fit? In this episode of the Dynamics Matters podcast series, Mark Reed, CFO of Hunter Boot, shares his views on what to look for and how to assess options as a fit to the business needs.

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Episode 34 – How to juggle emergencies by doing one thing differently

The world feels like it’s in multiple emergency mode. And for many local government authorities, and those in the private sector, some of these emergencies could go on for a while yet. Like dealing with COVID, speeding up economic recovery, managing the climate agenda, and overcoming inequality. In this edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast, I’m joined by Paul Najsarek, Chief Executive of Ealing London Borough Council, to discover how they have approached addressing them.

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Episode 33 – How to measure return from your data efforts: highlighting value

How do you know when your data strategy is working and delivering value, meeting the original goals you set? Being able to measure return on your data activities remains one of the biggest challenges in justifying investment in data projects. Data has a value but how can you calculate and record it? Your executive sponsors will likely be keen to know the detail behind the data investment, and in this short podcast you will learn how to identify, monitor and report back data ROI.

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Episode 32 – How to land your data strategy: increasing adoption

You now have a fit for purpose data strategy. One shaped to help achieve your business goals. But unless it lands well with users – those instrumental in managing data and following the strategy – your hard work will be undone. And should you land your data strategy well, how best to ensure it remains an integral part of business operation, and retains its key role and importance in directing the business to success? All will be revealed in this short podcast.

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Episode 31 – Confessions of a Data Man

In this edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast we’re turning the tables on usual presenter Michael. Having recently launched his book ‘Confessions of a Data Man’, we wanted to find out what inspired it, who should read it, and what they’ll get from it when they do.

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Episode 30 – How to build your data strategy: Where to begin

Without a strategy to guide you, your data efforts will be directionless; its value limited. You know this. But when building your data strategy, where do you begin? Your business is different to another, as will your strategy be. And yet there are a small number of things you must consider to ensure your data strategy lands well, is accepted and adopted by all, and delivers value from the off. This short podcast shows you the things to include when first setting your data strategy.

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Episode 29 – What Smart Maintenance Is And How You Get Started

By the end of 2021, 90% of manufacturers will have invested in technology to improve resiliency, and 20% will treat assets as internal customers resulting in 40% reduced downtime. And by 2023, 20% will support EaaS (Everything as a Service) with remote IoT. In other words, Smart Maintenance. But what is it, how does it extend the life of your assets, and how do you get started?

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Episode 28 – Transformation lessons from a CTO

A simple system set-up helps workers become productive quickly. For charities, this is an important part of operating a well-run organisation. For example, with stores manned by volunteers, this creates a challenge with turnover. As new volunteers come in, it’s important they’re able to get up and running with store systems quickly. Able to serve customers and report problems with ease.  In this edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast series, we chat with British Heart Foundation CTO, Ursula Dolton, to find out what challenges they face and how technology is helping overcome them.

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Episode 27 – How to create a data strategy

Data is an asset that, when managed well, can provide insight from which to make more profitable decisions. But as with any asset, data needs careful nurturing and direction if it’s to fulfil its potential. To achieve this, implementing a data strategy is one of the first and most critical steps. In this edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast, HSO Solution Specialist and MVP Laura Graham-Brown, details why a data strategy is critical and how to put it together.

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Episode 26 – How to measure RoI from your technology projects

The three things’ executives care about is more revenue, more growth and more efficiency. These are the three things your technology projects must be seen to be contributing towards in order to get the green light. But how do you measure the RoI of your projects in relation to these goals? Without the ability to do so, it becomes impossible to justify the time and expense of your projects. Thankfully there some methods for measuring return as we discuss in this podcast.

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Episode 25 – The benefits of automation

The field service management software market is growing, fast. According to recent estimates, the FSM market is currently worth $3.5b and expected to hit $5.9b by 2024. And it’s clear why. Advancements in technology is enabling automation of traditionally manual services. But automation doesn’t just have benefits for Field Service organisations. And in this edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast series we discuss what advantages automation offers.

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Episode 24 – The secret to creating a personal retail experience

The more personal you can make the buying experience, the greater the likelihood of repeat purchases and recommendation. If you think about the last purchase you made, this makes sense, right? And managing your data well is key to this because it allows you to create a 360-degree of each customer and their buying preferences. In this podcast we caught up with Microsoft’s Business Applications lead for Retail, Stacy Keen, to find out the simple secret to delivering more personal experiences for your customers.

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Episode 23 – 3 steps to get the most from your Microsoft 365 investment

Used correctly and Teams can save everyone 140 minutes a week. And Teams is just one of the tools you can find within Microsoft 365. The challenge is, not everyone is aware of the other tools available as part of their license, and if they are, not everyone is able to manage these tools in such a way they provide value. In this podcast, HSO Modern Workplace lead Sergio Giusti, talks us through his 3 top tips for getting the most value from these tools, and your investment.

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Episode 22 – The importance of innovation

Business leaders have never had such a fantastic opportunity to adapt and transform – to understand their customers and to harness the power of technology to create new products and services through innovation. In this Dynamics Matters podcast, HSOs Senior Account Manager, Brian Hynes, explains that whatever the mechanism, innovation and change require the correct strategy, leadership, investment, and the guts to push yourself over the technology tipping point to succeed.

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Episode 21 – Maintaining the innovation momentum in local government

Despite the tumult and heartache, the pandemic has led to a rapid – often positive – shift in the way local government authorities support and interact with their communities. It has forced each to find new and innovative ways to solve unique challenges of service delivery. Centre to this has been technology. Microsoft’s Business Applications Solutions director for the public sector, Sam Bramwell, joins us to tell us why it’s important to use this momentum to continue to improve the support and care citizens receive.

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Episode 20 – The Importance Of Data Management

Good data management is the result of many elements coming together and being managed in the right way. The right processes to govern how data is collected, managed, and used. The right technology to support this and deliver the insight to influence change. And the right people to drive change forward. In this edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast we discuss why it’s important to manage your data well, and how it benefits all concerned.

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Episode 19 – How retailers can get ahead and stay ahead

As customer buying behaviours evolve, so must a retailer’s ability to serve their needs. But ripping out and replacing technology is not cost effective, or indeed practical. So how can you continue to cater for changing needs in the most cost-effective way, whilst continuing to deliver the best and most consistent retail experience possible? Microsoft’s Colm McArdle reveals all.

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Episode 18 – How your business can benefit from mixed reality

The term Mixed Reality was introduced in 1994, used in reference to the merging of real and virtual worlds. Its practical applications have long been wide ranging and difficult to define, particularly in commercial value terms. But today, Mixed Reality, through tools such as Microsoft HoloLens, offers businesses new ways to reduce time and money in creating and supporting new products, as we’ll look into in this edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast with Microsoft’s Global Sales Director for Dynamics 365 Mixed Reality, Anna Waight.

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Episode 17 – The surprising things to consider before choosing your ERP

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Episode 16 – How to create a modern workplace

Having a Modern Workplace enables users to increase contribution and value. But what is it, what technologies reside within and how can you get the most value from it? The fact is, it’s not just one thing, it’s a combination – so what combination do you need and how can you extract the most value from it? All things we discuss in today’s Dynamics Matters podcast with HSOs Office 365 Productivity and Cloud Transformation Lead, Sergio Giusti.

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Episode 15 – What change management is and why it’s important

Technology alone delivers very little value. No matter the investment. Value occurs begins when you mix the right people with the right technology, plus one other ingredient. Change management. Change management drives the successful adoption and use of new technology. Without it, projects and company transitions can be rocky and expensive in terms of both time and resources. Discover why Change Management is an important part of any project in the latest edition of the Dynamics Matters podcast.

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Episode 14 – How to build a commercially successful partnership

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Episode 13 – Lessons from a retail CEO

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Episode 12 – What digital transformation means, and the advantages it offers

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Episode 11 – The future of retail technology

Episode 10 – How data can help you improve your customer’s digital journey

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Episode 9 – The most important factor when choosing technology is …

For the local government, technology plays a crucial role in connecting remote working employees to back-office support. This ensures responses are tracked, and next actions initiated quickly. But what are the things you need to consider when choosing the technology to meet your needs? This short podcast reveals all.

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Episode 8 – How to build a team of giants

“If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants.” – David Ogilvy. Finding and recruiting the best talent is a challenge. Often a costly and time consuming one. So where do you begin your search for the talent you need build your super-star team of giants? Learn where to begin here.

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Episode 7 – Using technology to connect with communities

The role of local government is to support, and ideally improve, the lives of the communities it serves. As the population grows and changes, this is increasingly difficult to do, so how can technology help local government authorities engage and support people better in a world of finite resources? This short podcast tells you how.

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Episode 6 – Why your analytics is probably lying to you