Existing technology offers new opportunities for emergency services

With emergency services under continued pressure to improve efficiency while working within tight budgets, getting more value from existing technology is becoming increasingly important.

Ahead of The Emergency Tech Show, Emergency Services Times spoke to Peter Franklin, Sales Manager and Eamon McGann, Client Solutions Director at Core about how emergency services can make better use of their existing Microsoft investment, the role AI can play in improving everyday processes and what organisations need to consider before scaling new technology.

How can emergency services get more from Microsoft 365?

Most emergency services organisations already have a strong digital foundation through Microsoft 365, but many are only using a fraction of what is available to them. We see organisations with access to tools such as Power Platform, Copilot, Teams Phone, SharePoint, Power BI and advanced security capabilities without necessarily getting the full benefit from them.

With budgets under increasing pressure, there is a need to demonstrate value from existing investments before looking at additional platforms. That means taking a closer look at adoption, governance, automation and AI, and understanding where these capabilities can make a genuine difference to the way people work.

There is often a lot more value available within an organisation’s existing Microsoft environment than people realise, the challenge is unlocking it.

How can back office transformation support the frontline?

The two are closely connected, when frontline staff have less administration to deal with, they have more time to focus on operational work.

There are still many manual processes across emergency services, whether that’s HR requests, procurement, fleet management, incident reporting or finding information. These functions might happen behind the scenes, but inefficiencies can have a direct impact on frontline capacity.

Automation and AI can help remove some of that pressure by taking care of repetitive tasks and making information easier to access. That can mean faster decision-making, less time spent on administration and a better experience for staff.

AI isn’t just about creating new frontline applications. Some of the most immediate benefits can come from improving the processes that support frontline teams every day.

What is stopping organisations from getting a return from AI?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that AI automatically creates value. It doesn’t, the value comes from applying it to the right problem and having a clear idea of what you want to achieve.

We’re seeing organisations face a number of common challenges, from identifying the right use cases and preparing their data to concerns around security, governance and compliance. User adoption is another important factor. People need to understand how AI can help them and have the confidence to use it properly.

At Core, we start with the business challenge rather than the technology. We work with customers to identify high-value use cases, assess whether their data and processes are ready, and establish the right governance.

From there, solutions such as Microsoft Copilot, Power Platform and AI agents can be introduced in a controlled way, with training and measurement built into the process. The aim is to make sure AI is solving a real problem and delivering a measurable outcome.

What can emergency services learn from other sectors about responsible AI?

The organisations making the most progress tend to have a few things in common. They have strong governance, clear leadership and a willingness to start with practical use cases rather than trying to transform everything at once.

Security and governance need to be considered from the beginning. Organisations need to understand their data, permissions, information classification and compliance requirements before they start scaling AI. It’s also important to recognise that AI adoption is a business transformation programme, not simply a technology deployment. User education, change management and responsible AI policies all have a role to play.

Emergency services already operate within strong governance and accountability frameworks, which provides a good foundation. The opportunity is to apply those same principles to AI while giving teams the confidence and space to understand where it can make a difference.

What can visitors expect from Core at The Emergency Tech Show?

We’ll be looking at how emergency services can maximise the Microsoft technology they already have, while exploring where AI and automation can deliver practical benefits.

We’ll share examples of how Microsoft 365, Copilot, Power Platform and automation can be used to improve productivity, streamline processes and enhance the employee experience. We’ll also look at some of the challenges organisations face around adoption, governance and demonstrating a return on investment.

But we’re also keen to have honest conversations with emergency services organisations about where they’re currently getting stuck. That could be making the business case for AI, improving operational efficiency, getting data ready or simply understanding what they can already do with their existing Microsoft environment.

For Core, the opportunity isn’t necessarily about adding more technology. It’s about making better use of what emergency services already have, removing unnecessary administration and giving people more time to focus on the work that matters.

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Visitors can meet the Core team at the Microsoft Partner Pavilion throughout The Emergency Tech Show on 16-17 September at the NEC, Birmingham. Register for your free ticket here.