Survey finds ecommerce SMEs are investing in their own delivery drivers amidst ongoing driver shortages, supply chain issues and Covid restrictionsUK ecommerce businesses are taking delivery into their own hands, according to new research released by Vimcar. In a survey of 100 small and medium sized UK ecommerce retailers, almost all have experienced an increase in online orders since March 2020, and two thirds (64%) of online retailers have had to invest in their own delivery fleet to meet customer demand.

97% OF SMALL ECOMMERCE BUSINESSES HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN ORDERS FOR DELIVERY SINCE MARCH 2020 AND OVER TWO THIRDS NOW DELIVER GOODS USING THEIR OWN FLEET

Undertaken by Vimcar, the fleet management software for SMEs, the survey comes at a time when ecommerce retailers are grappling with the impact of delivery driver shortages, Brexit uncertainty, supply chain issues and Covid restrictions.

Increased customer demand over the past 18 months has led the majority of respondents to hire their own staff to fulfil orders rather than outsourcing delivery, with over a fifth of the ecommerce businesses surveyed hiring between 5 and 10 new fleet drivers. Having taken delivery into their own hands, 80% of ecommerce SMEs are positive about the next 12 months, despite ongoing economic issues.

Taking delivery in-house has been a successful move for many but the research also exposes the additional strain this has placed upon SME ecommerce businesses. Three quarters of respondents said that expanding their delivery fleet had made admin more difficult to manage, highlighting a need for ecommerce businesses to simplify the management of rapidly growing fleets.

Ronald Clancy, UK Country Manager at Vimcar said: “It is promising to see that business is thriving for ecommerce retailers despite an extremely turbulent 18 months. There remain many wider economic challenges for small businesses to overcome and what this research shows is that many ecommerce SMEs are having to rapidly adapt their business models in order to remain agile and continue to meet customer demand.”

Over a third of survey respondents expect demand in delivery to increase further, reflecting wider industry reports on increasing delivery volumes in the lead up to the peak Christmas season.

Clancy added: “Efficient fleet management will be crucial to the ongoing success of small and medium sized retailers as poorly managed fleets and drivers can quickly drain a business’ costs and resources. Simplifying fleet management is therefore vital to any ecommerce retailer wanting to maximise the investment they’ve made into delivery services.”

---

Further Reading:

• Read more about Managing the Mobile Workforce @ www.fieldservicenews.com/managing-the-mobile-workforce
• Read more about Fleet Management @ www.fieldservicenews.com/fleet-management
• Learn more about Vimcar @ vimcar.co.uk
• Find our more about Aircargo Transport @ www.aircargo-transport.eu
• Follow Vimcar on Twitter @ twitter.com/goVimcar

FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.

At the same time, the study also explored the digital transformation journey our sector has been on for several years and how this was significantly accelerated due to the pandemic across 2020 and into this year. Having published the results, Dan Snowdon, Danny Wieder and Kevin Brown of HSO joined Field Service News Editor-in-Chief, Kris Oldland to discuss the findings of the study in greater depth.

In this excerpt taken from the second of two in-depth debrief sessions, the group take a moment to discuss why the shift towards servitization is such an appealing move for an increasing number of field service organisations.

---

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute second part of this detailed FSN Research debrief session. 

For a limited period, this content will also be available to those on our free-forever, FSN Stanard subscription tier. 

If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more. 

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content, HSO who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this study.

---

Further Reading:

• Read more exclusive features from FSN Research  @ research.fieldservicenews.com/
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/digital-transformation
• Read more about Service Innovation and Design @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/service-innovation-and-design
• Read more about customer service trends @ Features on CSAT trends
• Read more insights from HSO and how they are helping field service companies drive improvements in customer satisfaction and increasing operational efficiency here
• Arrange a consultation to find out how HSO can help your field service business grow by clicking here 

Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined on the Field Service News Digital Symposium by Christian Kowalkowski, Professor of Industrial Marketing at the Institute of Technology at Linköping University and he is affiliated with CERS, at Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki.

Professor Kowalkowski rapidly established himself as a leading authority in the field of B2B service strategy research and he focuses on service growth strategies, service innovation, and the interplay between digitization and servitization.

During the conversation, the two discuss a wide range of topics related to the growing trend towards servitization and how the pandemic has changed the approach to digital transformation among field service organisations.

In the first exceprt from that conversation, they analyse how much the pandemic has changed the approach to digital transformation amongst field service organisations.

---

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length interview plus many, many more in the Field Service New Digital Symposium.  If you have an FSN Premium account you can access the video on the button below. If you are currently on our FSN Standard subscription tier you can upgrade your subscription by clicking the link below. 

If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more. 

 

Further Reading:

• Read more about Servitization & Advanced Services @ www.fieldservicenews.com/servitization
• Read more about the imapct of COVID-19 iin the field service sector @ www.fieldservicenews.com/COVIID-19
• Read exclusive articles by Christian Kowalkowski on FSN @ www.fieldservicenews.com/christian-kowalkowski
• Connect with Christian Kowalkowski on LinkedIn @ www.linkedin.com/kowalkowski/

In this case study, we look how REHAU executed a rural fibre-optic installation with a direct line from a Vantage data centre to a village in Wales.

When community interest company MyFi tasked Beacons Telecom with establishing a high-speed connection from Michaelston-y-Fedw to a nearby data centre, cutting-edge microduct solutions from REHAU were required to blow the 500+ fibres down the narrow Openreach ducts. Moreover, with the UK’s connectivity targets just over the horizon, it was critical that redundancy was available via spare sub ducts to facilitate future installations.

At first glance, Michaelston-y-Fedw is a village like any other. A picturesque settlement located halfway between Newport and Cardiff; it can now lay claim to being the first rural community-built 1GB fibre-to-the-premises network in Wales.

Rural settings have often been overlooked as gigabit-capable connections are rolled out across the UK, with urban spaces traditionally being easier to integrate into the country’s superfast broadband infrastructure. However, community interest company MyFi was founded in October 2017 to ensure that Michaelston-y-Fedw was able to benefit from connectivity as much as the nearby capital.

David Schofield, Director of MyFi, said: “Previously, the core equipment for connectivity was installed at a hub within the village. However, as the site was unsecured, we felt unauthorised entry and vandalism posed a significant risk. Frequent power cuts also rendered the site impractical, as cooling and supply issues were common. As such, we proposed a direct connection to a nearby data centre.”

THE OPENREACH DUCT SYSTEM

The existing hub connection would be replaced with one to the CWL1 data centre, some 1.1km away, by way of a point-to-point fibre-to-the-premises network. This data centre is the largest of its kind in Europe, a 50-acre campus operated by hyperscale provider Vantage Data Centres. An installation of this kind, with a direct connection from the village to the campus, is a unique occurrence within the UK.

Contrary to the usual practice of using a PON splitter to divide one connection from the data centre between multiple properties, each home within Michaelston-y-Fedw was provided with a direct leased line connection to the data centre. Crucially, this would provide the village residents with 10gGB download speeds of unrivalled consistency, as using individual lines guaranteed no contention would take place.

Beacons Telecom, an Ultrafast Fibre Broadband Company, were contracted to complete the installation. Since June 2019, Ofcom’s statement on Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) allows internet service providers (ISPs) and contractors to make use of the existing BT Openreach ducts to provide Public Electronic Communications Services and/or Public Electronic Communications Network. As the Openreach ducts already span the length and breadth of the country, there is no need for contractors to begin installations from scratch, allowing fibre networks to be constructed far more quickly.

However, this brought about its own challenges as Trevor Mosedale, CEO of Beacons Telecom, explained: “At only 25mm bundle size restrictions, the Openreach ducts were extremely narrow, especially as a total of 576 fibres would be required to complete the installation. Because of this, we needed a solution that could ensure the connection would be established despite infrastructure limitations.”

To facilitate the installation, REHAU provided RAUSPEED duct bundles that could be easily installed into the Openreach ducts followed by blowing in the fibre-optic cables. Crucially, REHAU’s PIA duct bundle was and is the only triple sub duct solution available that was able to fit within a 25mm size restrictions. This meant that, despite width limitations, the 576 fibres would be able to be comfortably blown into the Openreach ducts, even allowing room for redundancy.

Moreover, the PIA duct bundle’s RAU-PP sheath provided increased tensile strength to guarantee the vital fibres within were not damaged during the blowing-in process, while three microducts within the bundle allowed fibre optic cables to be blown-in through one or more channels, leaving space for future installations if required.

THE INSTALLATION

The blowing-in process began on 24^th April, with the 576 MiDia 200 Micro GX Cable fibres split into two 288-fibre cables in two separate ducts, leaving a third free. Despite the 8.2mm outer diameter of each fibre optic cable and the three 12/9.8 microducts within the RAUSPEED PIA duct bundle comfortably housed the fibre optic cables, allowing the blowing-in process to go ahead.

The Openreach ducts were first cleaned with sponges and then lubricated. Despite the aforementioned width restrictions, REHAU’s sub ducts allowed fibres to be blown-in at around 58 metres per minute, nearing the maximum blowing speed of 60 metres per minute. Each blow lasted roughly 20 minutes, allowing the full installation to be completed within the day.

Establishing a direct connection to the Vantage data centre had a measurable effect upon Michaelston-y-Fedw and its residents. The village is now capable of 10GBs download speeds, rivalling that of even the most high-speed city connections. The overall size of the settlement’s network also saw a significant expansion, with user numbers rising by as much as 60%, from 250 to 400, with around 100 local businesses now able to connect.

REDUNDANCY

While REHAU’s RAUSPEED PIA duct bundle allowed fibre to be easily blown into the narrow Openreach ducts, they also integrated a critical element of redundancy into Michaelston-y-Fedw’s fibre-optic network. As the sub ducts used feature three channels for fibres – with only two necessary for the installation – this leaves scope for future fibre projects to be completed far more easily, as microduct infrastructure is already in place.

Paul Churm, Telecoms Specialist for REHAU’s Fibre Optic Division, spoke on what this means for the UK’s connectivity goals: “Considering the UK government’s target of achieving 85% coverage for gigabit-capable broadband by 2025, there is increasing pressure on ISPs to incorporate redundancy into their installations. This is being encouraged by schemes like the Welsh government’s Local Broadband Fund, which offers funding for community interest companies and local authorities to upgrade existing broadband infrastructure.”

“For contractors, this means that by utilising REHAU’s triple sub duct PIA bundles as part of their installation, they can receive additional government funding. This is due to the redundancy provided by the unused microducts, as it facilitates future installations by themselves or others. This also provides an opportunity for ISPs and contractors to rent the empty channels out to other broadband providers for use, while incurring no additional time or expense to themselves during the installation.”

The integration of a gigabit-capable broadband network in Michaelston-y-Fedw sets an important precedent for fibre rollout in the UK. With higher broadband speeds more commonly associated with urban settings rather than rural ones, the Government should be wary not to leave the nation’s towns and villages behind in its charge for connectivity. This installation demonstrates that by deploying innovative solutions, the UK might look to exceed its target of 85% coverage, and that a higher standard of connectivity is available for hard-to-reach settlements.

Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change with a responsibility for digital said: “Over this challenging period, the importance of fast, reliable broadband has become even more apparent. While this area is not devolved to Wales, we are taking action to bring faster broadband speeds and better mobile connectivity where we can.”

“The extension of the Michaelston-y-Fedw MyFi network to the Vantage data centre and Bassaleg is one of the many projects that the Welsh Government’s Local Broadband Fund has supported to help improve slow broadband speeds and poor mobile connection - making a real difference to this community. The Local Broadband Fund is aimed at supporting innovative solutions in areas that are difficult to reach, and Beacons Telecom’s use of the cutting-edge microduct solutions from REHAU during this project is exactly what the fund was set up to achieve.”

---

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Telecommunications on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/telecommunications
• Read more about REHAU on Field Service News @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/rehau
• Find out more more about REHAU @ www.rehau.com
• Follow REHAU on LinkedIn @ www.linkedin.com/rehau/

Tim Mackey, principal security strategist at the Synopsys Cybersecurity Research Centre, and Sam Curry, chief security officer at Cybereason, comment on the news that Apple has updated its software for iPhones to address a critical vulnerability.

It has been reported that Apple has updated its software for iPhones to address a critical vulnerability that independent researchers say has been exploited by notorious surveillance software to spy on a Saudi activist. Researchers from the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab said the software exploit has been in use since February and has been used to deploy Pegasus, the spyware made by Israeli firm NSO Group that has allegedly been used to surveil journalists and human rights advocates in multiple countries.

STAYING ON TOP OF ALL OPERATING SYSTEM UPDATES IS THE ONLY REAL PATH FOR END USERS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST ZERO-CLICK SOFTWARE AND APPS

The urgent update that Apple released yesterday plugs a hole in the iMessage software that allowed hackers to infiltrate a user's phone without the user clicking on any links, according to Citizen Lab. The Saudi activist chose to remain anonymous, Citizen Lab said.

Commenting on this, Tim Mackey, principal security strategist at the Synopsys Cybersecurity Research Centre, said "Zero-click software or apps should be a high concern for any mobile device user. This class of software doesn’t require any interaction by the user, so no explicit download and no explicit consent is granted. While there are legitimate uses for this class of software, the secretive nature of the installation makes it particularly appealing to malicious or criminal groups. The only real path for end users to defend against such software is to keep on top of all operating system updates, vendor updates, and maintain an up to date anti-malware solution."

Sam Curry, chief security officer at Cybereason, added "Monday’s emergency software updates for a critical vulnerability discovered in iPhones, Apple Watches and Macs, shouldn't be cause for panic. Yes, this newest Pegasus spyware delivery mechanism is novel, invasive and can easily infect billions of Apple devices, but stay calm and simply get control of your device and download the software updates available from Apple. Do that and move on. Follow Apple's instructions if you think you are infected and consult your IT department at work, school, etc. Failing that, Apple’s Genius Bar will be able to help. With nearly 2 billion iPhone active around the world, 100 million Apple Watches being used and more than 100 million Macs, security can’t be a luxury for Apple and it’s not, it’s a responsibility they take seriously.

This type of software is generally a scourge. This specific package has been known a while. What's novel is the subtle installation. These have happened in the past and should be a top priority to identify and fix for any vendor. Relating to Apple security, failing is OK. Failing consistently is not. Let's see how Apple addresses this. They are a generally more secure platform, but they must continue to invest and demonstrate commitment going forward. The most secure platform in the world can be cracked given time unless the security is maintained. An incident or two are not a cause for pitchforks and torches to come out. That comes later if things recur or are dealt with in a cavalier manner."

---

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Cyber Security on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/cyber-security
• Read more about Software & Apps on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/software-and-apps
• Find out more more about Synopsys @ www.synopsys.com
• Learn more about Cybereason @ www.cybereason.com

FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.

At the same time, the study also explored the digital transformation journey our sector has been on for several years and how this was significantly accelerated due to the pandemic across 2020 and into this year. Having published the results, Dan Snowdon, Danny Wieder and Kevin Brown of HSO joined Field Service News Editor-in-Chief, Kris Oldland to discuss the findings of the study in greater depth.

In this excerpt from the second of two in-depth debrief sessions, the group look at the data and discuss if we are seeing an acceleration in the move away from the traditional break-fix approach to service delivery towards more advanced, servitized models?

---

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute second part of this detailed FSN Research debrief session. 

For a limited period, this content will also be available to those on our free-forever, FSN Stanard subscription tier. 

If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more. 

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content, HSO who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this study.

---

Further Reading:

• Read more exclusive features from FSN Research  @ research.fieldservicenews.com/
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/digital-transformation
• Read more about Service Innovation and Design @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/service-innovation-and-design
• Read more about customer service trends @ Features on CSAT trends
• Read more insights from HSO and how they are helping field service companies drive improvements in customer satisfaction and increasing operational efficiency here
• Arrange a consultation to find out how HSO can help your field service business grow by clicking here 

OverIT announced that, starting from October, the company will be spun off from the Engineering Group becoming an independent entity controlled by Bain Capital and Neuberger Berman.

In addition, Paolo Bergamo has been appointed as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OverIT. Prior to joining OverIT, Bergamo was Senior Vice President Product Management at Salesforce in San Francisco, California.

In his new role, Bergamo will lead OverIT's global team, growth strategy and vision.

Bergamo has a deep knowledge of Field Service Management, with over two decades of proven global experience in the software sector. Given his track record, Bergamo is ideally placed to lead OverIT in its next phase of growth as innovator and visionary.

"The spin-off is the result of a strategic partnership between Neuberger Berman and Bain Capital, that has the goal to accelerate OverIT's internationalisation and build the global Field Service Management software leader through increased investments" said Piero Galli from Neuberger Berman.

"When searching for a new CEO to lead OverIT growth journey and reach the ambitious goals we set, we wanted someone who deeply understood not only the industry OverIT operates in, but also the ambition of our funds and the culture of a global company. Paolo has proven leadership capabilities and a track record of scaling technology businesses; we are pleased to have him join to lead the company in the next phase of growth" said Giovanni Camera from Bain Capital.

"I'm thrilled to join OverIT at such an exciting period" said Bergamo, "When Bain Capital and Neuberger Berman proposed to me the ambitious project to bring OverIT, one of the flagships of Made in Italy technology, to the forefront internationally, I felt I couldn't miss this great opportunity. I have the ambition to make OverIT an international hub for young technology talent to grow and unleash their potential".

 

OverIT, backed by US capital with development headquarters in Italy and main US office in Miami, is a multinational company with more than 20 years of international and cross-industry experience in Field Service Management. The firm is recognized by premier global advisory and consulting organizations as a leading vendor in FSM, Mobile Workforce Management and AR industries. providing more than 300 international customers and 150,000 Field Service users with process knowledge, innovative functionalities and cutting-edge technologies.

Bain Capital, LP is one of the world's leading private multi-asset alternative investment firms that creates lasting impact for our investors, teams, businesses, and the communities in which we live. Since our founding in 1984, we've applied our insight and experience to organically expand into numerous asset classes including private equity, credit, public equity, venture capital, real estate and other strategic areas of focus. The firm has offices on four continents, more than 1,200 employees and approximately $140 billion in assets under management. To learn more, visit www.baincapital.com.

Neuberger Berman, founded in 1939, is a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager. The firm manages a range of strategies—including equity, fixed income, quantitative and multi-asset class, private equity, real estate, and hedge funds—on behalf of institutions, advisors, and individual investors globally. The firm manages $433 billion in client assets as of June 30, 2021. NB Renaissance supports ambitious entrepreneurs and management teams with a goal to create market leading businesses. Part of Neuberger Berman since 2015, today NB Renaissance manages €2.0 billion of commitments from a pool of high-quality Italian and international investors. NB Renaissance is currently invested in 12 companies, which include some of the excellence of the Italian corporates. NB Renaissance can count on a team of 20 private equity professionals of Neuberger Berman in Italy, supported by the broader Neuberger Berman private equity platform of 245+ professionals.

---

Further Reading:

• Learn more about OverIT @ www.overit.it
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about OverIT on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/overIT
• Read more about AR on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/augmented-reality
• Learn more about Bain Capital @ www.baincapital.com
• Find out more about Neuberger Berman @ www.nb.com
• Follow OverIT on Twitter @ twitter.com/OverITSpA

 

In this second feature from a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Praxedo, we look at how the right field service management software for your organisation can massively increase efficiency.

Following the news that John Lewis has chartered a fleet of ships to limit the impact of supply chain disruption on its Christmas season, Alan Laing, UK&I Managing Director at enterprise software firm, IFS has praised the company – noting that others can learn from their foresight and planning.

As reported by the BBC, John Lewis is chartering a fleet of extra ships, along with a number of other businesses, to make sure it has Christmas stock on time.

IFS HAS PRAISED JOHN LEWIS' FORESIGHT AND PLANNING CAPABILITIES IN LIMITING THE IMPACT OF SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTION AHEAD OF CHRISTMAS

Following the news, Alan Laing, UK&I Managing Director at enterprise software firm, IFS has praised the company, noting that others can learn from their foresight and planning.

Alan Laing, UK & Ireland Managing Director at IFS commented: “Supply chain disruption has dominated the business and news agenda for much of the pandemic period, and it is clear that firms are increasingly worried about what that may mean for seasonal sales in the run up to Christmas. The measures announced today by John Lewis show a business that has made an intelligent assessment of the potential pain points in its supply chain operations and put in place a well-considered mitigation plan well ahead of time, proactively minimising disruption and ensuring their customers still receive the service they’ve come to expect from the retailer. Others can learn a lot from this example, leaning on resource planning software to gain true visibility of their business and plan for a range of potential scenarios to make sure they are delivering for their customers when it really matters – at the moment of service. However, the time to do this is now, before it’s too late.

IFS helps companies around the world who manufacture and distribute goods, build and maintain assets, and manage service-focused operations to plan and manage their supply chains and coordinate people, product, and processes to ensure businesses run optimally.

---

Further Reading:

• Read more about Parts, Pricing and Logistics @ www.fieldservicenews.com/parts-pricing-and-logistics
• Read more about Service Supply Chain on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com//service-supply-chain
• Read more about IFS on Field Service News @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/ifs
• Find out more about IFS @ www.ifs.com/
• Follow IFS on Twitter @ twitter.com/ifs