Overview
For many organizations, the simplest internal tasks, applying for leave, checking HR policies, or raising IT tickets, often require employees to navigate a maze of disconnected portals. This fragmented experience leads to delays, confusion, and a loss of productivity. Recognizing an opportunity to streamline and modernize internal support, Optimus Information built
OptiBuddy: an AI-powered employee assistant embedded directly within Microsoft Teams.
Built using Microsoft Copilot Studio and the Power Platform, OptiBuddy enables employees to complete common HR, IT, and Admin tasks through a single conversational interface. With faster resolution times, reduced manual workload, and seamless Microsoft 365 integration, OptiBuddy redefines what internal support can look like in a modern workplace.
The Challenge
The organization faced several operational inefficiencies tied to internal service delivery. Employees were required to use separate platforms for HR requests, IT issues, and resource-related queries, each with its own interface, process, and delay. There was no centralized self-service channel, which meant that even routine tasks like policy lookups or leave applications resulted in support tickets or manual intervention.
This fragmented experience contributed to:
- Excessive back-and-forth between teams
- Long response times from HR and IT departments
- Repetitive work for internal support teams
- Low employee satisfaction and lost productivity
A solution was needed that could centralize access, streamline routine workflows, and eliminate friction, all within the flow of daily work.
The Solution
Optimus designed and delivered OptiBuddy, a conversational AI assistant that lives entirely within Microsoft Teams. The chatbot, built using Microsoft Copilot Studio and Power Automate, acts as a single point of contact for employees to perform everyday internal tasks.
With OptiBuddy, employees can:
- Ask HR questions and get instant answers based on company policies
- Submit leave applications in less than two minutes
- Automatically generate and route IT or Admin support tickets
- Access the Optimus Resource Utilization System for project and resource insights
Because OptiBuddy is fully embedded in Teams, an app employees already use daily, the assistant was rapidly adopted with no additional onboarding. Power Automate flows enable backend task handling, and Azure Application Insights monitors performance and usage trends for continuous improvement.
Key Capabilities
- Unified Employee Experience
Employees interact with one chatbot for all common HR, IT, and Admin needs, without leaving Microsoft Teams. - Workflow Automation
Power Automate handles the logic for leave approvals, ticket creation, and resource queries, reducing manual intervention. - Instant Policy Access
HR queries are resolved in seconds, removing the need to browse internal documents or wait for responses. - Resource Integration
The bot connects to internal systems to surface availability and utilization data for teams and individuals.
Multi-System Architecture
OptiBuddy was built as a greenfield solution with no dependencies on legacy systems. It follows Microsoft’s Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) to ensure governance, scalability, and security across environments.
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Copilot Studio | Powers the chatbot’s conversational interface |
| Power Automate | Automates task execution for HR, IT, and Admin workflows |
| Microsoft Teams | Provides native access and high employee engagement |
| Azure Application Insights | Monitors usage patterns and system performance |
Optimus led the end-to-end development, from solution design and bot development to testing, training, and post-launch support.
Deployment
OptiBuddy was delivered as a greenfield implementation, designed and deployed from scratch by Optimus using Microsoft’s Power Platform and Copilot Studio. The solution was architected in alignment with Microsoft’s Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF), ensuring strong governance, structured environment provisioning, and secure access controls from day one.
The chatbot was developed in Microsoft Copilot Studio and embedded directly into Microsoft Teams to drive seamless adoption across the organization. Key workflows for leave requests, HR queries, and IT/Admin support were automated using Power Automate, enabling employees to complete tasks from within the Teams interface without switching applications.
To ensure observability and performance tracking, Azure Application Insights was configured for real-time monitoring and usage analytics. Additionally, the chatbot was integrated with Optimus’ internal Resource Utilization System, giving employees direct access to role- and project-specific data from within the conversation interface.
Optimus delivered the full implementation over a ten-week period, including solution design, development, training, testing, and post-launch support. With no legacy migration required, OptiBuddy was deployed rapidly and with minimal disruption, instantly improving access to internal support channels across the organization.
The Results
Since deployment, OptiBuddy has transformed how employees interact with internal support systems. By consolidating HR, IT, and Admin workflows into a single conversational interface within Microsoft Teams, the solution has dramatically reduced friction, improved responsiveness, and boosted overall employee satisfaction. The platform’s conversational UX, powered by Microsoft Copilot Studio, enabled quick adoption and sustained engagement across departments.
Tangible Business Outcomes:
- Saved 8–10 hours per month of HR team effort by automating responses to routine queries and leave requests.
- Reduced employee effort by 70–80% for common HR and IT/Admin tasks.
- Improved turnaround time for support requests, resulting in faster resolutions.
- Achieved organization-wide adoption through seamless integration with Microsoft Teams.
- Delivered measurable productivity gains by eliminating the need to navigate multiple portals or systems.
The chatbot’s conversational UX and tight Microsoft 365 alignment resulted in high usability and immediate productivity gains.
Technologies Used
- Microsoft Copilot Studio
- Power Automate
- Microsoft Teams
- Azure Application Insights
- Microsoft’s Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF)
What’s Next
OptiBuddy is now a foundational part of internal operations, and Optimus is planning further enhancements, including:
- Advanced analytics dashboards using Power BI
- Expansion into other departments (Finance, Procurement)
- Optional Copilot Studio extensions for multilingual support
- Proactive notifications and nudges based on employee context
The flexible, low-code foundation allows OptiBuddy to evolve quickly to meet emerging needs.
Contact Optimus to learn how we can help you leverage Agentic AI & Cloud services.
