HSO is hosting a series of three half-day thought-provoking virtual mini-masterclass on how to achieve connected field service success.

• Why do field service companies see high customer satisfaction as critical to winning new business? 
• What are the best practices regarding collecting customer feedback data? 

Find out the answers and more by registering for the first of HSO's two hour virtual mini-masterclasses on the 9th September. Live and interactive!

This is your chance to visualise the value that a fully-connected field service management system could bring to your organisation.

We have seen an increase in sophistication in the service and design strategies of the service industry, embracing technology that has been adopted, at pace, due to the pandemic.

HSO invite you to continue your digital transformation journey as they explore the shift from the first wave of service management systems, that now form the backbone of service operations, to a newer breed of service technology solutions.

Book your complimentary place now and join HSO for three 2 hour sessions where you will gain new thoughts, ideas, and initiatives that will put your organisation on the right track to exceed your customer expectations and achieve connected service success. This series is applicable to all manufacturing, service, field service, retail, public sector, or any company who would like to further develop their service measurement techniques.

Each company that attends a virtual mini-masterclass session will be eligible to receive a complimentary half-day of consultancy, consisting of 2 x 2 hour meetings, approximately 2 weeks apart.* 

Join HSO experts, plus our special guest, Kris Oldland from Field Service News, on the 9th September at 9.30am.

Check out the agenda and book your place here. 

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about HSO on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/artificial-intelligence
• Book your spot at the Masterclass event @ www.hso.com/field-service-mini-masterclass-series/
• Find out more more about HSO @ www.hso.com
• Follow HSO on Twitter @ twitter.com/HSO_Tweets

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 that debrief session the group go deeper into the study's finding that improved CSAT is being used not just to drive greater revenue from existing customers but also for winning new business.

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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 

In this new article, we look with SimPRO at how field service organisations can consolidate and fully integrate new technologies within their existing technology ecosystem...

What's in your current tech stack?

Over the past 10 years the field service industry has seen a boom in technologies aimed at streamlining daily operations. Adopting new pieces of software has since become key to running a large and successful field service business and solving everyday problems in the office and the field. Office managers and admin teams use accounting software to invoice and track cash flow, stock management software to oversee stock levels and order job-specific materials, and mobile apps to schedule field staff and communicate job-specific information. On top of this, teams in the field are utilising technology to help cost and quote jobs, submit health and safety compliance, communicate effectively with customers using email and SMS automation, and much more. As new technologies have gradually been adopted however, many businesses are noting a common issue: The different pieces of software in their tech stack do not integrate with one another, resulting in too much time spent on double data entry and a lack of reporting capabilities. If this sounds familiar, it may be time to update your tech stack to ensure all the software and apps your business is using integrate with one another.

What should you look for when identifying the best tech stack for your field service business

Is it cloud-based?

Does it integrate with your accounting partner?

This one is a deal-breaker. If the tech you’re using to track timesheets and travel times, manage stock levels, raise POs and quote jobs does not integrate with your accounting software how will you ensure your invoicing is accurate and you’re reporting on all accrued costs?

Does it integrate with your key suppliers?

Managing stock levels and ordering job-specific materials requires time and resources. When it comes to choosing a piece of software to streamline the process it’s advisable to choose one that both allows you to order stock as part of a specific job and syncs with your key suppliers catalogues. This integration with key suppliers not only saves time, but will ensure you have up-to-date pricing for more accurate estimating.

Does the mobile app act as more than a timesheet?

For bigger businesses in particular, having your field staff head into the office daily to collect and submit paperwork wastes precious time. To ensure field staff are maximising their billable hours businesses need to choose the best mobile app for their workflow. When picking a mobile app it is important that it can assist with the scheduling and dispatching of field staff, as well as tracking their progress in the field. But more than that, it’s key to choose an app that acts as a medium for field staff to upload job notes and photos, submit compliance forms and quote from the field.

Are you able to automate your customer communications?

In order to automate customer communications your SMS or automated email service needs to be able to pull data from both your scheduling system (to update customers about your expected arrival times), and your accounting system (to send and chase up unpaid invoices). If these systems don’t integrate with one another this could lead to wasted time spent on double data entry.

Can you report on productivity and profitability?

As well as the additional administrative time caused by non-integrated technologies, another limitation you may encounter is the shortfall in your reporting abilities. By ensuring all the technologies you’re using talk to one another you’re also ensuring you can report on all aspects of your business in real-time. This is invaluable as reporting not only allows you to track the productivity and profitability of jobs, but also enables you to highlight areas of improvement and potential cost savings.

It is safe to say that more and more technologies will continue to emerge in the field service industry. When it comes to assessing whether your business needs to add these to your tech stack however, the most important thing to consider is whether it fully integrates with your entire technology ecosystem. Only when your tech stack is integrated will you reach peak efficiency, grow your business and grow your profits.

Streamline your tech stack with cloud-based job management software, simPRO. This end-to-end system provides solutions for every field service workflow, including service, project and maintenance jobs, and integrates with key accounting software and suppliers.

simPRO can help businesses of all sizes streamline their processes and increase visibility, ultimately increasing profitability. Interested in aligning your tech stack with simPRO?

Learn more here.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read news and articles about SimPRO @ www.fieldservicenews.com/simPRO
• Learn more about how SimPRO can help field services organisations @ www.fieldservicenews.com/all-about-simpro
• Find out more about simPRO @ www.simprogroup.com
• Follow SimPRO on Twitter @ twitter.com/simprosoftware

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)--the 159 year-old maritime organization tasked with preserving life, property and maintenance of marine and offshore assets--is launching AI-powered chat and voicebots to bring automated, conversational support to shipping companies globally.

ABS is launching enterprise-grade, AI-powered chatbots and voicebots on its ABS My Digital Fleet™ risk management platform together with yellow.ai, the world’s leading Conversational AI Platform. This marks an important industry first as no such digital solution has previously been deployed to provide shipping companies with helpful information and support in a conversational manner on a global scale. It is the latest addition to ABS My Digital Fleet’s Alliance Program. 

TECHNOLOGUY CAPABLE OF CONVERSING IN 100+ LANGUAGES DELIVERS INSIGHTS FOR SHIPOWNERS AND CHARTERERS IN A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY FIRST

yellow.ai’s industry-leading technology offers ABS My Digital Fleet users data-driven insights from the ocean of information streaming off vessels, increasing efficiency in managing operational risk. The AI chatbot acts as a virtual fleet manager to assist users with critical fleet tracking information, including weather, equipment and fuel monitoring, carbon intensity indicator (CII) monitoring, route optimization, generating easy-to-view dynamic charts on demand and more through the ABS platform. 

ABS My Digital FleetTM is the only customizable risk management platform that seamlessly integrates data to provide real-time insights for driving sustainable operations and reducing operational risks. The ABS My Digital Fleet Alliance Program nurtures an ecosystem of industry trusted intelligence and technology providers enabling integrated insights for clients on one unified platform.

“We are proud to be the first in our industry to employ a conversational AI-based virtual fleet manager as part of our My Digital Fleet platform,” said Smarty Mathew John, Vice President, of Digital Solutions at ABS. “As a shared solution for shipowners, ship managers and charterers, this will allow us to provide actionable insights for each stakeholder regarding which vessels from the fleet need their attention and why in a fast, helpful and conversational manner. Questions asked can be as simple as which vessels are not meeting charter party requirements or EEOI targets or have non-functioning critical equipment or where to bunker for lowest fuel cost. There are a lot of possibilities. With yellow.ai, ABS can continue building on its commitment to deliver cutting-edge insights and an unrivaled user experience.”

“Our deployment with ABS shows just how critical a role conversational AI can play in supporting the organizations that are tasked with keeping people and property safe,” said Raghu Ravinutala, CEO and Co-Founder of yellow.ai. “We are very proud to be working with ABS to take chatbots to the vanguard of their potential while demonstrating how our cutting-edge technology is setting the pace for innovation in the industry and redefining how people interact with an organization’s intelligence.”

More information on ABS My Digital Fleet is available here.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Artificial Intelligence on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/artificial-intelligence
• Read more about Fleet Management on Field Service news @ www.fieldservicenews.com/fleet-management
• Learn more about ABS My Digital Fleet @ ww2.eagle.org/my-digital-fleet
• Find out more more about ABS @ ww2.eagle.org
• Learn more about yelllow.ai @ yellow.ai

In the wake of an unprecedented increase in reports of violence and abuse towards frontline workers, body worn video systems provider, Reveal Media and lone worker protection specialists Peoplesafe have entered into a strategic partnership to provide public-facing workers with a body camera solution designed to record all incidents.

Initially adopted by the police force, body worn video technology is starting to be adopted by other industries, from healthcare providers such as ambulance staff through to retail and security workers.

BODY-WORN VIDEO TECHNOLOGY ENHANCES PROTECTION BY ADDING REAL-TIME VISUAL INFORMATION TO ANY INCIDENT

Unlike traditional lone working devices - which are designed to be discreet - body cameras are deliberately obvious to deter potential aggressors from being verbally or physically aggressive.

“Working with members of the public can be unpredictable, particularly for lone workers who are often viewed as easy targets for physical and verbal abuse” explains Naz Dossa, CEO of Peoplesafe.  “Wearing a body camera, combined with our Peoplesafe Pro lone worker app, is proving extremely effective in changing people’s behaviour, reducing the likelihood of an assault on the wearer.”

Alasdair Field, CEO at Reveal Media adds; “Pairing a lone worker service to body worn video technology adds a new dimension of safety for frontline workers as it provides direct access to emergency support.  We are committed to protecting key workers and having the support of a fully accredited, 24/7 Alarm Receiving Centre in addition to our cameras will not only help us further improve our service, it will also add an extra layer of security and reassurance.

“As the market leading provider of body worn video in the UK, Reveal Media is well equipped to provide the best visual protection for our frontline workers.”

UK based technology business, Peoplesafe is the industry leading provider of GPS personal safety alarms and applications for more than 150,000 at-risk and lone workers across both public and private sectors.

Combining this service with Reveal Media’s body worn video technology will provide a failsafe solution to what is becoming an increasingly prevalent problem.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Managing the Mobile Workforce @ www.fieldservicenews.com/managing-the-mobile-
• Read more about Health and Safety on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/health-and-safety
• Read more about Lone Worker Protection on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/lone-worker
• Find out more more about Reveal Media @ www.revealmedia.co.uk
• Learn more about Peoplesafe @ peoplesafe.co.uk

Syncron and Mize, Inc. today announced that Mize, Inc., a leader and innovator of Field Service Management (FSM) and Warranty Management (WCM) solutions, has merged with Syncron, a leader in Service Parts and Contracts Management including Inventory, Pricing, and IoT-based preventive repair monitoring solutions.

Both Syncron and Mize are well-recognized leaders within their respective cloud solution markets. The combined company will use the Syncron brand and establish a fast-growing innovator with a customer base of more than 200 of the most known and respected brands in the automotive, construction & agriculture equipment, industrial engineering, high-tech, med-tech, and consumer durables industries. With more than 700 employees by the end of 2021, based in 12 office locations in eight countries worldwide, the company will continue to invest significantly in innovation and expansion of its global coverage.

The combined company will be the world's largest privately-owned global leader offering complete Service Lifecycle Management solutions for the manufacturers, distributors, and services ecosystem.

The Syncron Connected Service Experience (CSX) platform and Service Lifecycle Management (SLM) solutions enable the manufacturers to retain more customers, deliver services more cost-effectively, and generate higher-margin revenues from the install base.

"Product-related services have become the lifeline of manufacturers’ EBITDA and net margins. Protecting end customer brand experience is of pivotal relevance for every manufacturer. Together we can help create higher margin businesses, and recurring revenue from subscription and outcome-based business models," said Dr. Friedrich Neumeyer, CEO, Syncron.

As a part of this arrangement, Ashok Kartham, Founder and CEO of Mize, will join the Syncron executive management team as the company’s Chief Product Officer overseeing all product and development for Syncron.

"Manufacturers today use disparate systems to manage their service and parts business leading to silos of data, disconnected processes, and lower profitability. The combination of Syncron and Mize for the first time brings the leading service and parts management platforms together to maximize value to the customers,” said Kartham. “With a unique ability to have one common real-time view on service parts, field service workforce, service histories, parts data, and pricing, we can provide a new level of value creation for our customers unmatched in the industry."

The deal is significant in that Mize and Syncron together can develop and deliver the first comprehensive, single platform portfolio of SaaS solutions to market that specifically addresses the complexities and profound opportunities possible in the aftermarket and services business. Syncron's capabilities in AI and ML will play a pivotal role to connect IoT-based failure prediction even better with planned service events based on optimal part availability. Manufacturers looking to enhance this vital part of their business will be able to address service profitability, optimize working capital, and enable business growth while also best approaching and developing innovative services for the world's new service economy.

"We have recognized Mize* and Syncron** both as a leader in several areas," said Aly Pinder, Lead Analyst of IDC. "We expect both companies to be able to further strengthen a joint position by creating customer innovations around fully integrated service lifecycle management processes proving value beyond individual products which I have been emphasizing for years."

“Manufacturing is going through acceleration of digitization and business model disruption,” said Léo Apotheker, Chairman of the Board, Syncron. “Service experiences as a sustainable differentiator is at the top of every C-level agenda. Coupling the talent, expertise, and products of Syncron and Mize will empower the changes manufacturers need to compete effectively throughout this transition and best position themselves competitively.”

Please visit syncron.com to learn more on how you can transform your service business to enhance service experience and drive higher profitability in a connected world.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Parts, Pricing & Logistics @ www.fieldservicenews.com/parts-pricing-and-logistics
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Learn more about Syncron + Mize @ info.m-ize.com/syncron-mize-introduction
• Find out more about Mize @ www.m-ize.com
• Learn more about Syncron @ www.syncron.com
• Read more about Mize on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/all-about-mize

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 that debrief session the group discuss why customer satisfaction has risen so dramatically amongst field service organisations in terms of the crucial KPIs that can yield effective change within the unit.

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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 

With a view to simplifying the fibre optic cable installation process, compressor technology pioneer, Vert Technologies, has unveiled the new A200 mobile compressor.

Able to deliver 11 bar of pulse-free air pressure at 100% duty, the A200 has been designed as a lightweight and compact (L800mm x W380mm x H400mm) alternative to traditional petrol and generator-powered compressors.

THIS 'PLUG AND PLAY' COMPRESSOR OFFERS EASIER LOGISTICS FOR FFTH INSTALLERS

The new compressor provides logistical benefits to fibre-to-the-home/property (FTTH/P) installers when working in multi-dwelling residential units and commercial office blocks. Powered by a standard 240V plug, the 2kW A200 provides installers with reliable, pulse-free air flow up to 11 bar (174psi) with a maximum airflow of 200lpm.

Unlike many other ‘plug and play’ mobile compressors, the A200 is able to run continuously at 100% duty removing the need for periodic downtime for cooling and also to prevent air gapping from occurring during the cable installation process. Its low operating noise level of just 62dBA also ensures minimal disturbance to nearby residents or workers.

Nicol Low, COO at Vert Technologies, comments: “With ambitious plans afoot to replace the UK’s aging copper-based communication network with nationwide fibre broadband, there remains significant inefficiencies with the traditional methods of installing fibre optic cables to multiple dwelling units (MDU) and domestic properties.

“To date, installers have often had to make a compromise when it comes to compressor choice: prioritising flow at the expense of mobility and noise by using petrol-powered compressors able to deliver 100% duty, or use low-duty mobile compressors which offer easier logistics but are prone to air gapping and in need of regular replacement. We have created the A200 with a view to removing this compromise, and providing FTTH/MDU installers with a quick, quiet and efficient solution to their air compression conundrum.”

For more information on the A200, please visit: www.vertrotors.com/a200/ 

Further Reading:

• Read more about Managing the Mobile Workforce @ www.fieldservicenews.com/managing-the-mobile-workforce
• Read more about Sustainability on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/sustainability
• Find out more more about Vert Technologies @ www.vertrotors.com
• Follow Vimcar on Twitter @ twitter.com/VertRotors

Augmented reality (AR) has replaced artificial intelligence (AI) as the most disruptive emerging technology, according to a survey by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Emerging Technology Sentiment Analysis Q2 2021’, reveals that 70%* of industry professionals surveyed stated that AR would disrupt their industry most out of a selection of  seven emerging technologies AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, IoT, blockchain, and 5G, in addition to AR. This was a sharp increase from the previous quarter, where only 51% selected AR. In addition, 58% said they had become more positive towards the technology over the last 12 months.

AR IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE DISRUPTIVE THAN AI, 5G, BLOCKCHAIN AND OTHER EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.

Filipe Oliveira, Senior Analyst at GlobalData, commented: “This change in how people see AR will likely be long term, and not just a temporary blip. It is clear that people are warming towards the technology, even if they don’t believe that it will make a big difference tomorrow.”

When asked when AR will disrupt their industries, survey respondents were cautious. They expect the impact to be felt later in the decade. While more than half of Q2 respondents said that cybersecurity and cloud computing are already disrupting their industries, only 24% said the same about AR. Moreover, only 10% think that the disruption will come in the next 12 months.

The same pattern was observed when respondents were asked which technologies would live up to all their promises. More than 60% expected cloud computing and cybersecurity to deliver fully, but only 26% expected the same from AR. Further, 50% of respondents said that the technology was hyped, but they could see a use for it.

Oliveira added: “The contrast between the large share of respondents that said AR is disruptive and the low share that said AR was already disrupting their industry suggests that there is some way to go before AR becomes ubiquitous in business. However, several conditions are aligned to make the promotion of AR as a business tool easier.”

COVID-19 has put some AR use cases in the spotlight, namely in healthcare and ecommerce, and new uses are continuing to emerge. For example, in April, Delta Air Lines announced that it would equip all flight attendants with AR technology delivered via 5G to enhance training and help staff with in-flight catering.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Augmented Reality on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/augmented-reality
• Read more about Artificial Intelligence on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/artificial-intelligence
• Find out more more about GlobalData @ www.globaldata.com
• Read more about GlobalData on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/globaldata