Case Study

SMS Empowered with VISITOUR Scheduling and Microsoft Dynamics 365

Optimised field scheduling integrated with Dynamics 365

Reduction of planning efforts with dynamic flexibility

Improved cost, compliance, and risk management

SMS PLC has re-written the rules for installation planning with VISITOUR from Solvares Field Service. Schedules for 500 Field Operatives are optimised and managed in real time with AI-enhanced support, backed by an intelligent D365 Field Service integration.

A fully integrated energy infrastructure company with an order pipeline of 2.4m smart meter installations

SMS PLC is a UK-based energy infrastructure company that plays a central role in the government-mandated smart meter rollout. From its headquarters in Glasgow, the organisation funds, installs, owns and manages smart meters and other carbon reduction assets on behalf of energy suppliers.

As the scale and complexity of the smart meter rollout increased, SMS required a dynamic solution to schedule and manage field service activity. With 500 field operatives and a huge, contracted pipeline of installations, intelligent scheduling was critical to meeting regulatory targets and customer commitments.

"With 2.4 million smart meters to be delivered, we needed a fully integrated and streamlined platform that could handle our end-to-end scheduling and field service processes.

This project had to improve internal operational efficiencies, improve compliance & risk management, and improve business process outcomes, including cost management."

Mark Evans

Chief Information Officer - SMS

The project: Planning intelligence to optimise at scale

Existing scheduling tools were increasingly difficult to maintain and lacked the flexibility and intelligence required to optimise work at scale. Manual processes placed unnecessary pressure on planners, while limited integration made it harder to manage work end-to-end and respond quickly to in-day changes.

To address these challenges, SMS selected an integrated field service platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service, enhanced by VISITOUR real-time optimisation technology from Solvares Field Service.

"SMS went to market with clear business requirements. We selected Dynamics 365 as our preferred field service platform, but the built-in scheduling wasn’t sufficient for our needs. Microsoft proposed VISITOUR real-time scheduling from Solvares and this won the deal for us by combining a mature, proven solution that integrated seamlessly.

Solvares showed us the relative ease of deployment, seamless integration, and the proven industry experience of the team behind the platform. That approach gave us confidence we could realise value quickly and be live within a matter of months."

Mark Evans

Chief Information Officer - SMS

The solution has been live and operational for two years and now underpins SMS’ field service operations.

"The Solvares implementation was first class; the team were extremely knowledgeable and delivery focussed. Since we have been live with the platform, we are really seeing the benefits through increased productivity in our field workforce."

Mark Evans

Chief Information Officer - SMS

Integrated VISITOUR + Dynamics 365 Field Service as an operational backbone

Dynamics 365 Field Service provides the operational backbone, managing work orders, customer data, operative skills and service processes. VISITOUR integrates directly to deliver intelligent, automated scheduling and route optimisation. This integration allows SMS to plan, schedule and dispatch work efficiently across its national workforce while remaining flexible enough to adapt to real-world conditions.

For Solvares, thirty years of development and hundreds of customers across multiple industries has led to exceptional scheduling performance and flexibility that enables SMS to deploy automation and the future they desired and self-manage any ongoing configuration changes.

Appointment booking powered by VISITOUR’s unique PowerOpt algorithm calculates the relative cost of each possible timeslot through real-time optimisation, not just white space filling. Features of VISITOUR that enable the most accurate routing include AI predictive traffic-based driving speeds.

The result is predictable arrival for the customer, reduced travel time and improved daily productivity for engineers. For operations teams, the platform provides greater confidence that work can be delivered efficiently, even during periods of high demand. The outcome is a more resilient and scalable scheduling model that supports consistent service delivery across large geographic areas and with minimum intervention.

Kirsty Gascoyne, Domestic Metering Director, SMS, adds that the integrated use of VISITOUR and Dynamics 365 Field Service has become a key enabler of SMS’ role in the UK smart meter rollout;

"VISITOUR's scheduling capabilities have transformed how we navigate complexity, bringing clarity, control, and confidence to even the most regulated environments.

What once felt like a maze of coordination is now a streamlined, intelligent process that empowers our team to focus on what truly matters: delivering excellence. This is true flexibility to fit our needs now and into the future."

Kirsty Gascoyne

Domestic Metering Director - SMS

Efficiency increases through clever monitoring

The platform supports the matching of skilled engineers to specialist work, helps maintain service levels as installation volumes fluctuate, and provides a stable foundation for meeting supplier obligations and regulatory expectations. As SMS continues to expand its portfolio of smart and low-carbon assets, the solution also offers the flexibility to support new work types and operational requirements.

Today, intelligent scheduling is embedded in SMS’ operations rather than treated as a constraint. With VISITOUR and Dynamics 365 working together, SMS has a proven field service platform that supports long-term growth, operational efficiency and the delivery of smart infrastructure at national scale.

Mark concludes:

"Solvares' solution saves us headaches, time and money, but, more importantly, the team has provided us with optimisation we could utilise across the entire organisation. VISITOUR has been brilliant for us and is adding real value to our operations."

Mark Evans

Chief Information Officer - SMS

What You Can Take away from this for your Service

SMS selected Dynamics 365, but the built-in scheduling was insufficient. Microsoft proposed a VISITOUR real-time scheduling integration.

Optimised scheduling and dispatching for 500 field operatives, enabling SMS to efficiently manage a large-scale smart meter installation programme across the UK.

Increased field workforce productivity through AI-enhanced real-time scheduling, route optimisation, and automated appointment booking.

Reduced travel time and improved customer experience with predictive traffic-based routing and more accurate arrival time forecasting.

Improved operational efficiency and scalability by integrating VISITOUR with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service, creating a single end-to-end platform for field service management.

Greater flexibility, control, and resilience in managing complex, regulated field operations, supporting consistent service delivery and future business growth.

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