Why the 8 second attention span matters in field service...

Apr 28, 2017 • Features • Management • Mark Brewer • field service • IFS

Mark Brewer, Global Industry Director, IFS looks at the changing realities of business and how field service companies must adapt to new expectations...

A 2015 study conducted by Microsoft concluded that the average human attention span was 8 seconds, down from 12 seconds in 2000.

Technology has changed considerably since the year 2000, our smartphones have become smarter, social media has exploded and instant gratification is at every consumer’s fingertips thanks to faster-than-ever service from Amazon Prime and others.

But what does a shorter attention span have to do with field service? Firstly, it directly correlates with expectation. Consumers expect organisations to effectively capture and keep their attention. As well as do the legwork for them, facilitating constant interaction and information. Secondly, marketing becomes less effective. You have to find new, innovative ways to attract and retain customers.

So how do you combat the curse of an “uberized” world that demands instant gratification, short attention span and all? Here are three ways to solve your organisational woes to delight your customers and maximise your potential.

Problem: your future (and current) customers don’t have time for you

Solution: increase engagement using various media Attracting potential customers and keeping current customers engaged demands an understanding of their needs and behaviours.

According to a Microsoft study, 84% of millennial customers have used a self-service portal for customer service.

84% of millennial customers have used a self-service portal for customer service.

Find new ways to engage like a customer app or a loyalty reward programme. Incentify your prospects using gamification practices, enticing them to interact with your brand through a mobile game offering or discount site. Make booking a service as easy as possible with options like scheduling via Facebook, etc. According to Bain & Company, it costs 500% more to acquire new customers than it does to keep current ones, and the cost of bringing a new customer up to the same level of profitability as an old one is up to 16x more expensive.

With ever-mounting consumer demands and dwindling profit margins, empowering your technicians seems like common sense. Just make sure you have provided them with the right tools and technologies to be sales heroes as well as install-it, build-it, fix-it experts.

Use your field service technicians as your frontline sales guys. Maximise those closely developed relationships by teaching them to up-sell and capture customer attention and loyalty on-site, in person.

Problem: customers expect a completely engaged field service transaction

Solution: uberize your offering to the best of your ability

ComScore reports that, on average, 65% of consumer digital media time is spent on mobile devices. Customers now expect that the experience they get with Uber will translate into field service.

Customers now expect that the experience they get with Uber will translate into field service.

They want information at every stage of the service lifecycle, faster resolution times, more in-depth information about parts and processes and reviews to prove you’re trustworthy. Provide customers with a constant information stream from appointment to service to invoice with a robust field service management solution.

Send your customers a link to a customised portal that allows them to track technicians and stay up to date. Provide customer surveys onsite or after the field service interaction to close the feedback loop and improve performance.

Make your customers feel empowered at every stage of the service lifecycle by providing them with more options when it comes to their schedule, appointment windows, service offerings and add-ons.

Problem: instant gratification means no margin for error

Solution: mobility is the answer

First-time fix rate is imperative to customer satisfaction as well as maximised service margins. Short attention spans translate into higher expectations.

Convenience is key for buyers and oftentimes it is the aftermarket service that becomes the competitive differentiator.

Customers expect field service organisations to know where their field techs are at all times and be able to report arrival times, traffic delays, and more. On-site, they expect field technicians to have the materials and expertise to accomplish tasks on the first visit. Enabling your workforce with a mobilised field service solution ensures success.

In their 2016 Mobile Enterprise Applications survey, Frost & Sullivan reported that a mobile solution increased competitive advantage by 55% and enhanced customer engagement by 52% for enterprise users. As your organisation moves to embrace and adopt new technologies for increased efficiencies like IoT, a strong mobile strategy is imperative to continued success.

The future of field service

The world has changed forever. It’s not enough to just sell a product, and then provide service if something breaks. Customers expect more. This goes hand-in-hand with diminishing attention span. Even the process of evaluating and buying a product has changed dramatically.

Convenience is key for buyers and oftentimes it is the aftermarket service that becomes the competitive differentiator.

Thanks to the reducing attention span and the need for instant gratification, the process of buying has changed, the criteria for product selection have changed, and the expectation for aftermarket service has changed. Are you ready to embrace this transformation in your organisation?