ADTANCE, a leading international After-Sales Service technology platform provider for manufactures, industrial companies and mechanical engineering organizations, announced the integration of ADTANCE Smart Services with Microsoft Teams, providing...
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Nov 08, 2021 • News • Live video streaming • Microsoft • Digital Transformation • EMEA • Customer Service • ADTANCE
ADTANCE, a leading international After-Sales Service technology platform provider for manufactures, industrial companies and mechanical engineering organizations, announced the integration of ADTANCE Smart Services with Microsoft Teams, providing users with a comprehensive solution for industrial customer service.Teams users can utilize ADTANCE Smart Services for digitizing the entire customer service lifecycle including live remote customer support, ticketing, document management, workflow and predictive maintenance.
“Many manufacturing, engineering and industrial organizations already use Microsoft Teams for video conferencing, team chats and sharing documents,” said Nils Arnold, CEO and co-founder of ADTANCE. “Having the ADTANCE customer service functionality within the same application that is already part of users everyday workflow can increase work efficiency and improve customer service.”
TEAMS UERS GAIN NEW OPTION FOR INTEGRATED CUSTOMER SUPPORT WITH UNIQUE MULTI-CAMERA LIVESTREAMING VIDEO CAPABILITIES
“As a world leader in specialty chemicals, we employ more than 30,000 people in 100 countries,” said Dr. Christian Blaufelder, Leiter Commercial Interface & Development, Technical Service, Evonik Industries. “Our service technicians across the globe are avid users of both Microsoft Teams and ADTANCE Smart Services. Having ADTANCE’s multi-camera live video and customer support functionality integrated into Teams will enable us to deliver high quality remote customer service and collaboration, while boosting productivity.”
“Microsoft Teams enables users around the world to collaborate with no limits in time and space,” said Marie Therese Fontaine, Microsoft Teams Business Lead at Microsoft Germany. “ADTANCE Smart Services extends Teams with a comprehensive range of customer service and collaboration capabilities for industrial organizations. “Manufacturers and engineering companies with locations across the globe have the convenience of using a single, robust solution for both team collaboration and customer service.”
The ADTANCE Smart Services solution is available as an installable application through Microsoft App Source. Users can login with their Teams credentials and benefit from the full scope of the ADTANCE Smart Services, which includes the new ADTANCE Support and Fieldstreaming solution—live remote video support software capable of connecting smart glasses with every type of camera to the system. Cameras include those within smartphones, tablets, computers, security cameras, drones and underwater Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs), as well as Microsoft HoloLens. Manufacturing and engineering organizations can livestream views of machines from various angles simultaneously – significantly improving customer support, remote machine maintenance and training in the field.
The ADTANCE Smart Services integrated into Teams include the following:
ADTANCE Support – Enables live remote support, inspection and maintenance for customers, utilizing devices such as smart glasses and multi-camera fieldstreaming.
ADTANCE Workflow – Digitizes, analyzes, and optimizes all workflows, including everyday processes such as maintenance instructions.
ADTANCE Process Visualization and Monitoring (PVM) - Monitors the performance of individual machines as well as entire industrial plants.
ADTANCE Predictive Maintenance (PM) - Analyzes and evaluates operational data in real time through the continuous monitoring of machines or the entire production plant using built-in sensors. Machine learning-based analysis offer predictions about potential downtime as well as warnings if a piece of equipment will require maintenance.
ADTANCE Ticketing - Standardizes entire customer service channels by bundling different channels into one system, including e-mail, telephone, SMS and social media. Creates order and clarity by providing different escalation levels with the respective reaction and resolution times.
ADTANCE Document Management (DM) - Stores all customer service documents centrally, and controls access rights for security and privacy purposes.
ADTANCE Parts – A central catalogue system to ensure that all spare part information remains centrally located and easily discoverable.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Customer Service @ www.fieldservicenews.com/customer-service
- Learn more about ADTANCE @ www.adtance.com
- Follow ADTANCE on Twitter @ twitter.com/adtance
- Connect with ADTANCE on LinkedIn @ www.linkedin.com/company/adtance
Nov 05, 2021 • Features • White Paper • FieldAware • Leadership and Strategy • customer experience • customer success
In the first feature from a recent white paper we published in partnership with FieldAware, we look closely at the difference between driving customer satisfaction and driving customer success for field service organizations.
In the first feature from a recent white paper we published in partnership with FieldAware, we look closely at the difference between driving customer satisfaction and driving customer success for field service organizations.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a recent white paper we published in partnership with FieldAware.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 FieldAware who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
There is now little doubt that Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) metrics are viewed as a critical part of measuring effective field service operation.
This is a trend that has been becoming increasingly obvious for several years. In a 2020 Field Service News Research report, “Understanding the metrics that matter in a rapidly changing field service sector”, it was revealed that 51% of field service companies now saw an equal weighting in importance between operationally focused KPIs and CSAT-focused KPIs.
Furthermore, 13% of field service companies stated that they felt CSAT focused KPIs were of greater importance for measuring their business success.
In a more recently published Field Service News Research study, “Customer- Centricity, Technology and the New Normal of the Field Service Sector” from 2021, we saw that CSAT metrics were a crucial indicator of revenue growth metrics amongst field service organizations.
This was anticipated for growing revenue with existing clients, but interestingly, strong CSAT metrics were viewed as an essential indicator for winning new business also.
In fact, of the 293 respondents within the study, 88% stated that strong CSAT metrics were at the least a ‘very strong’ element in winning new business. 32% of the total respondents even said they were an ‘extremely important’ element.
Given the above, it is a reasonable assessment to make that the importance of strong customer satisfaction has firmly taken root within the field service sector.
Yet, increasingly those discussions centred on delivering excellent customer service are morphing into discussions centred on ensuring customer success.
The question many service leaders are asking is are the two synonymous? Is customer success a natural evolution from customer satisfaction or are the two areas related but distinctly separate (like servitization and outcome-based solutions, for example)
Perhaps to help us better understand the question, we should outline some definitions of customer success.
CRM and CMS provider and specialist platform for inbound marketing software HubSpot defines customer success as follows:
“Customer success is anticipating customer challenges or questions and proactively providing solutions and answers. Customer success helps you boost customer happiness and retention, thus increasing your revenue and customer loyalty.”
The Customer Success Association however define customer success as “a long- term, scientifically engineered and professionally directed business strategy for maximizing customer and company sustainable proven profitability."
A third definition provided by Gartner is “Customer success is a method for ensuring customers reach their desired outcomes when using an organization’s product or service. A relationship-focused customer success strategy includes involvement in the purchase decision, implementation and use of products or services and customer support.”
If we look at each of these definitions, we can see why many are confused regarding the difference between CSAT and customer success.
The first definition from HubSpot doesn’t seem to stray too far from good customer service, the foundation of customer satisfaction. Within this definition, the two terms could indeed be interchangeable.
The second definition from the Customer Success Association comes across as something of a buzz-word salad – with phrases smashed together, leaving the average reader with little additional insight into what the term means and even potentially adding more confusion into the mix.
Finally, as we look towards the Gartner definition, we find something we can begin to utilize as we seek an answer to our question.
Within Gartner’s definition, we can see that customer success is more than meeting or even anticipating customer requirements as we saw in the first definition, but instead has an understanding of the customers end goas and establishes a path to achieving these utilizing the organizations own service or product.
Within our industry, a considerable amount of discussion for the last few years has centred around servitization and outcome-based service models.
"Outcome-based solutions are certainly one end-point of servitization, but if we viewed servitization as a spectrum of advanced service design rather than the traditional linear perspective, could the customer success methodology sit somewhere else on that same spectrum?"
Reading through Gartner’s customer success definition, it could be viewed that customer success could and perhaps should be included within the increasingly broad umbrella of servitization.
As the continuing academic research and literature into servitization grows alongside the case studies of successful servitization, the existing model of servitization being a series of steps that lead towards a goal of outcome-based solutions is perhaps outdated.
Outcome-based solutions are certainly one end-point of servitization, but if we viewed servitization as a spectrum of advanced service design rather than the traditional linear perspective, could the customer success methodology sit somewhere else on that same spectrum?
Suppose we break down the difference between outcome-based service and customer success methodology. In that case, there are certainly plenty of aspects that are shared. It could be argued that the final responsibility for the delivery of the outcome is the only true differentiator.
Indeed, an intimate understanding of the end goal shared with the customer and the service provider is required in both service models.
Equally, while CSAT is a solid foundation to begin building towards any form of servitized offering, the leap from CSAT to a customer success based model is arguably as significant as it would be to an entirely outcome-based offering.
In the next feature from this white paper, we shall explore why...
This feature is just one short excerpt from a recent white paper we published in partnership with FieldAware..
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 FieldAware who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Data Management @ www.fieldservicenews.com/data-management
- Read more about FieldAware on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/exel
- Learn more about FieldAware @ www.fieldaware.com
- Follow FieldAware on Twitter @ twitter.com/fieldaware
Nov 04, 2021 • Features • White Paper • BigChange • Covid-19 • Leadership and Strategy • EMEA • customer experience • Customer Service
In this final feature from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we explain why businesses are increasingly looking at customer experiences as a new source of competitive advantage.
In this final feature from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we explain why businesses are increasingly looking at customer experiences as a new source of competitive advantage.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
USER EXPERIENCE AS COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
The field service sector is incredibly competitive.
Fewer than half of field service firms are currently profitable. A quarter of reported losing money in the 12 months to July 2021 and one in eight fear they could go out of business in the next year.
With costs rising, especially for fuel and materials, the scope for field service businesses to compete on price is getting smaller.
Businesses are instead looking at customer experiences as a new source of competitive advantage.
Our survey looked at what ‘good’ looks like in the sector, and the evidence suggests that standards are getting more exacting.
- Two-thirds (68%) of leaders say ‘Good’ customer service now means same- working-day fixes for reactive jobs.
And nine out of ten say within 24 hours is the minimum. - Two-thirds (65%) say good service involves the customer being kept fully informed digitally with precise arrival-time updates, details of who is doing the work, confirmation of work completed, and instant invoices.
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More than half (54%) say that, when it comes to operations, a ‘good’ system is one in which every part of operations – from job scheduling to invoicing – is automated and optimised within a single system.
When it comes to customer service, the bar is rising quickly.
The Amazon Effect
The Amazon effect means customers are demanding better. Rapid progress in online retail has created an expectation for quick, reliable, effective services and real-time digital updates in all walks of life.
What does it take to deliver good customer service for field service firms?
- 68% of leaders say 'good' service meands same-day fixes for reactive jobs
- 65% say good service involves the customer being kept fully informed
- 54% say a single system optimising activities is essential for good operations
Let's Grow Stronger
BigChange is the complete Job Management Platform that’s helping field service businesses across the UK to win more work, take control of their operations and deliver winning customer experiences. Bringing together job management, mobile workforce applications, CRM, finance and business intelligence into one simple to use and easy to integrate platform, BigChange liberates you from inefficient paper-based processes and the complexity of multiple different technology systems that hold your business back. Loved by office and field teams alike, our customers are achieving industry leading results and return on investment. The BigChange team is committed to customer success and no matter your sector or whether you have a mobile workforce of 10 or a 100, we’re here to make a big difference to the way you work and to help your business grow stronger.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Further Reading:
Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategyRead more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
Read more about BigChange on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/bigchange
Learn more about BigChange @ www.bigchange.com
Follow BigChange on Twitter @ twitter.com/bigchangeapps
Nov 04, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • technology • Aquant • GLOBAL
In this article from Aquant, we look at three tips to secure approval for new service projects and how to make the right decision for your organisation.
In this article from Aquant, we look at three tips to secure approval for new service projects and how to make the right decision for your organisation.
How to Make the Right Decision For Your Organisation
Artificial intelligence is becoming an essential tool for the service sector — aiding in everything from service delivery and customer support, to employee training.
With nearly 50% of companies reporting that they’ve adopted AI in at least one business function, trends indicate that tech-forward companies are past figuring out if they should lean on AI’s capabilities. Instead, they’re figuring out when they’ll make the investment and how they will implement it.
As companies weigh the pros and cons of adoption, an even bigger question arises: is it better to build a solution in-house or buy it from a vendor?
Ultimately, the questions you should consider are:
· Which option delivers maximum organizational benefit?
· What is the difference in deployment time for building vs. buying?
· How much will it cost to build vs. buy?
· What internal resources or additional consultants will be needed for each option?
· If a quick-to-implement solution fits your organization’s needs, will it offer better ROI in comparison to building a perfect, custom solution that may take twice as much time and resources?
It’s about what offers the biggest benefit to your organization. Here are a few expert tips for figuring out which path is the best fit.
Building an AI Solution
Pros:
● Customization: You can reduce overhead costs by building a solution that’s just right for your company, skipping any unnecessary features.● Flexibility: You know your needs the best. By building your solution, you have the opportunity to create an easily-modifiable tool that can accommodate future needs or ad-hoc requests.
● Controlled Integration: As you have insight into all of your pre-existing processes, tools, and software, you can engineer a solution that fully integrates with all of them.
Cons:
● Added Expenses: Custom tools are significantly more expensive due to the additional costs. You may need to outsource some of the talent needed to create such a solution, as it can be too much for one internal task force to tackle.
● Time: Building an AI system in-house is often a multi-year process. Sorting through internal information sources and translating info into usable data can be challenging. Plus, factor in the time you spend training and improving your AI models.
Buying an AI Solution
Pros:
● Cost Effective: AI vendors are the experts. They already have a dedicated/established team and the knowledge needed to pull off a huge launch — no outsourcing necessary.● Quick Deployment: Many AI solutions are pre-built, so it may only be a matter of you supplying your data, and having your vendor analyze and configure it to your organization’s needs.
● Consistent System Upgrades: AI vendors are always maintaining and updating their solutions. They also have dedicated customer success teams ready to help answer questions or figure out additional solutions
Cons:
● Less Opportunity to Customize: This can be a dealbreaker for many, as the solution isn't built specifically for your organization.
● Less Control: The vendor controls updates and functionalities, so you can’t add features on demand.
I've made a decision. What's next?
Once you’ve made your choice in the age-old buy-or-build debate, the next step is to get your stakeholders on board. Luckily, we wrote the blueprint for success.
Check out our latest eBook, How to Secure Buy-In for Service Transformation Projects, for expert recommendations on getting even the most skeptical executives to see your AI vision.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Aquant on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/aquant
- Learn more about AI on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/artificial-intelligence
- Find out more about Aquant @ www.aquant.io
- Follow Aquant on Twitter @ twitter.com/Aquant_io
- Follow Aquant on LinkedIn @ www.linkedin.com/aquant.io
Nov 03, 2021 • News • BigChange • Digital Transformation • field service management • Service CRM • EMEA • COMPLETE SHUTTER SERVICES
Industrial doors company Complete Shutter Services has doubled its business and boosted productivity by 20 per cent since implementing field service management software from BigChange.
Industrial doors company Complete Shutter Services has doubled its business and boosted productivity by 20 per cent since implementing field service management software from BigChange.Providing a complete job management platform, BigChange cloud-based office software synchronises with a rugged tablets used by field operatives to provide real-time 24/7 visibility of every job nationwide.
Established 35 years with headquarters and factory in Rotherham and a factory in Harlow, Essex, Complete Shutter Services designs, manufactures, installs and services door systems for clients including BP, Shell, Jewson, Homebase, Marks and Spencer and the Co-Op.
BIGCHANGE IS A COMPLETE JOB MANAGEMENT PLATFORM BRINGING TOGETHER CRM, JOB SCHEDULING, LIVE TRACKING, FIELD RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT INTO ONE PLATFORM.
“We’re in an increasingly competitive market and it is crucial to keep ahead’” says Paul Quealey, MD, Complete Shutter Services. “Our clients are also now much more demanding when it comes to reporting on jobs – they expect accurate and real-time reports. BigChange allows us to do just that and the platform is so easily adaptable that we know we’ll be able to meet any client need.”
According to Quealey, the biggest impact of BigChange has been in improving the quality of its services. The software guides field operatives through procedures on site ensuring everything is done correctly with consistent and complete reporting every time; backed up with time recorded before and after photographs. “We’ve possibly increased the quality of our services by 70 per cent with BigChange. That’s key to retaining and growing our business and the way we have deployed BigChange gives us a key competitive advantage,” he explains.
Complete Shutter Services was one of the first adopters of BigChange and played a central role in developing the platform for use in the industrial doors industry. BigChange is a complete job management platform bringing together customer relationship management (CRM), job scheduling, live tracking, field resource management, financial management, and online portal into one simple to use and easy to integrate platform. Jobs are automatically allocated based on real-time engineer availability, skills, live location and parts stock. This is significantly increasing productivity; minimising customer wait time and driving first time fix at competitive cost for clients.
“BigChange has delivered huge cost savings and we’ve increased productivity in the office by at least 20 per cent and we’ve made similar gains in terms of the number of jobs completed daily,” Quealey explains. “It’s also made business expansion very easy. New engineers can literally be up and running in minutes using the very easy mobile app. And when we opened a new office in Harlow, we just connected online to access the cloud-based software giving all the IT we needed, instantly.”
Complete’s field engineers use the platform to complete their timesheets and vehicle checks, before instantly accessing job information. Linked to vehicle trackers, the software provides navigation with live traffic to ensure the best route is taken and customers receive ETA updates by text and email. On arrival, engineers can create instant estimates and the app guides them step by step through health & safety and job-specific workflows including photo capture. On completion, the system generates job-cards that are automatically shared via a customer’s booking portal or via email.
“Invoices can be raised immediately on job completion and since the system allows us to provide such good proof-of-service, disputes are very much a thing of the past. For management, BigChange really does bring peace of mind. We’ve got access through a BigChange management smartphone app that gives us complete round-the clock visibility of everything going on. It means we are always in control and able to provide the high levels of service whatever the operational challenges,” Quealey adds.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Field Service Management @ www.fieldservicenews.com/field-service-management
- Read more about BigChange on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/bigchange
- Learn more about BigChange @ www.bigchange.com
- Find out more about Complete Shutter Services @ www.completeshutterservices.co.uk
- Follow BigChange on Twitter @ twitter.com/bigchangeapps
Nov 03, 2021 • Features • Martin Summerhayes • Digital Transformation • Covid-19 • Digital Symposium • GLOBAL
Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined on the Field Service News Digital Symposium by Martin Summerhayes, Head of Digital Transformation Services at MDB Service Consulting.
Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined on the Field Service News Digital Symposium by Martin Summerhayes, Head of Digital Transformation Services at MDB Service Consulting.
Martin has over 30 years of experience in the service industry in the UK working for organisations such as HP, the Metropolitan Police and Fujitsu, and he focuses on leading key clients to a successful transition of services into new, agile, ways of working.
During the conversation, the two discuss a wide range of topics related to the acceleration of digital adoption during the pandemic and what this means for the future of service organisations.
In this excerpt from that conversation, Martin and Kris discuss how organisations can achieve successful service delivery as we emerge from the pandemic.
Want to know more?
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Further Reading:
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
- Read articles by Martin Summerhayes on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/martin-summerhayes
- Follow Martin Summerhayes on Twitter @ twitter.com/martinsummerhay
- Connect with Martin Summerhayes on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/in/martin-summerhayes
Nov 02, 2021 • Features • White Paper • Digital Transformation • Exel Computer Systems • Data Management
In the first feature from a recent white paper we published in partnership with Exel, we look at some of the critical components within such platforms and outline how the flow of data from each component is vital for modern service delivery.
In the first feature from a recent white paper we published in partnership with Exel, we look at some of the critical components within such platforms and outline how the flow of data from each component is vital for modern service delivery.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a recent white paper we published in partnership with Exel Computer Systems.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 Exel Computer Systems who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Platforms Are Key to Meeting the Demands of Modern Field Service
Across the last few years, we have seen a clear trend emerge amongst field service organisations. In the past, service contracts were often seen as the additional ‘sweetener’ bundled in to help drive product sales.
Then within the last decade, we began to see field service no longer viewed as a necessary evil but more a critical strategic aspect in revenue generation.
Field service operations that had for so long been deemed as cost centres across the industry made the move en masse to becoming profit centres.
However, today, as service delivery continues to evolve into a critical strategic revenue generator for many organisations, particularly those within manufacturing verticals, the industry is moving beyond the initial concept of service as a revenue stream and into more and more detailed discussions around servitization, outcome-based service contracts and a significant focus on customer success.
At the heart of these ongoing developments is the realisation that the silos between different business units must be broken down, particularly in terms of data flow and information exchange, if the field service operation is to be able to be a core driver in business success.
Indeed, regardless of whether your organisation is merely seeking to maximise efficiencies across the service operation or is moving towards a fully servitized business model, the need for effective flow of information and data across the wider business has never been more apparent.
In this white paper, which FSN subscribers can access in full, we shall put forward the case as to why the all-in-one platform approach can be far more productive in achieving a more seamless transfer of data and intelligence and why this is critical for effective and robust decision making.
The Benefits of Data Moving Through the Platform and Beyond the Silos
From reducing the cash-to-service cycle to ensuring a complete overview of both the customer and asset history that can be easily accessed at every customer touchpoint, a platform approach can reduce friction within service delivery and ensure you are meeting the expectations of your customers at every turn. In this opening section we shall look at some of the critical components within such platforms and outline how the flow of data from each component is vital for modern service delivery.
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT:
At the heart of every modern platform empowering service organisations to place the customer at the centre of their business lies the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.
Modern CRM should be capable of capturing and managing all interactions with your customers and prospective customers. However, a stand-alone application often lacks easy access to other crucial systems that provide essential, yet often nuanced information that could be the difference between retaining a customer through excellent service and losing a customer through a disjointed service experience.
The point of service is often when the customer needs you the most. It is when they are seeking solutions to an issue with the product you provide. Often in a business-to-business environment, the failure of one asset could quickly amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds in lost production capacity. This is the point where the service you deliver defines your organisation.
"When field service providers can retain customers and renew contracts, they can spend less time worrying about how to win new business simply to make up for customers they’ve lost. It becomes much easier to grow the business"
Customer touchpoints, be it a representative in the contact centre or an engineer in the field, need to be able to access all of the pertinent information to hand quickly and efficiently. The flow of data into the CRM is vital to empower them to control the situation and keep your customer at ease, knowing the issue is being handled effectively.
Modern platforms, such as EFACS (an Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP system) and Eagle Field Service (a Field Service Management or FSM system) provided by Exel Computer Systems, are designed to reduce system interaction required to access such critical information by allowing interrogation of other parts of the system via drill-throughs, reducing navigation through system menus.
As well as being vital during initial issue resolution, this can also become exceptionally valuable with follow-up connections, allowing users to gain insight into effective marketing campaigns, customer satisfaction and identify potential up-selling/cross-selling opportunities.
FINANCIAL TOOLS:
The biggest challenge for many service organisations, from the small to large, is often the delay in large cash-to-service cycles, currently, as we look forwards to a continuing uncertain economic outlook, cash-flow promises to be an ongoing challenge for all organisations.
This is another vital area where the platform can shine for service organisations.
Modern platforms should incorporate accounting modules that ensure accurate, real-time, cohesive financial management for your business. Such modules should be easy to use and provide high functionality and flexibility.
From a service delivery perspective, in-platform workflow automation can allow business procedures, such as producing invoices upon receipt of digital signature, to vastly increase operational efficiency. At the same time, automated follow-ups can ensure the prompt payment of invoices – again helping to reduce cash-flow challenges.
Similarly, the most significant cause of revenue leakage often relates to service provided outside of warranty not being invoiced correctly. By having a flow of data easily accessible by all users across the platform, this can be negated, ensuring out of contract service is charged appropriately and up-selling opportunities are realised.
SCHEDULING AND CASE MANAGEMENT:
When it comes to scheduling service engineers, again, having complete visibility of the various customer interactions and asset information is vital for effective management of the service cycle.
The ability to manage and schedule all planned maintenance requirements for the entire duration of the contract is a necessity. Having visibility into this can be crucial for the field service operations and other business units, including sales, marketing, and even research and development.
However, while the ideal is to move towards planned maintenance as much as possible, all service companies will still face reactive service calls. The capacity planning to allow for reactive calls is an essential element within an FSM solution. Ensuring this visibility in workforce management tools is another important aspect of the broader platform approach.
The connected platform allows dispatch agents to select the right engineer the first time, every time; if the platform offers an assisted scheduling tool.
Such tools allow users to schedule and manage calls, constantly monitor engineers’ diaries (updated by the mobile solution to reflect real-time changes) and have the ability to view optimum time slots and spare availability.
Similarly, Call Centre functionality is core to any business that needs to monitor and control after-sales service to their customers. Cases may be categorised and assigned a priority or service level. All correspondence and activities related to the case can be tracked, photos and records of problems can be stored, and correspondence relating to technical issues maintained.
Of course, each of these elements is an essential tool within their own right, in terms of ensuring efficient service delivery and driving customer satisfaction. However, the seamless data flow across these different aspects of the all-in-one solution allows a service organisation to truly deliver a holistic and connected service experience for the customer.
These are, of course, just a small selection of the tools that make up the average field service system. Many other elements may be included within such a platform, but similarly, best of breed alternatives may be available as stand-alone solutions. In the next part of this paper, we shall explore why adopting multiple best-of-breed solutions can be more challenging than a single platform.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a recent white paper we published in partnership with Exel Computer Systems..
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Further Reading:
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Data Management @ www.fieldservicenews.com/data-management
- Read more about Exel Computer Systems on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/exel
- Learn more about Exel Computer Systems @ www.exel.co.uk
- Follow Exel Computer Systems on Twitter @ twitter.com/exelcomputersys
Nov 01, 2021 • Features • Martin Summerhayes • Digital Transformation • Covid-19 • Digital Symposium • GLOBAL
Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined on the Field Service News Digital Symposium by Martin Summerhayes, Head of Digital Transformation Services at MDB Service Consulting.
Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined on the Field Service News Digital Symposium by Martin Summerhayes, Head of Digital Transformation Services at MDB Service Consulting.
Martin has over 30 years of experience in the service industry in the UK working for organisations such as HP, the Metropolitan Police and Fujitsu, and he focuses on leading key clients to a successful transition of services into new, agile, ways of working.
During the conversation, the two discuss a wide range of topics related to the acceleration of digital adoption during the pandemic and what this means for the future of service organisations.
In this excerpt from that conversation, Martin and Kris talk about the importance of keeping in mind the core fundamentals of great service as technology evolves and companies embrace digital transformation.
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 Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
- Read articles by Martin Summerhayes on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/martin-summerhayes
- Follow Martin Summerhayes on Twitter @ twitter.com/martinsummerhay
- Connect with Martin Summerhayes on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/in/martin-summerhayes
Oct 29, 2021 • Features • Martin Summerhayes • Digital Transformation • Covid-19 • Digital Symposium • GLOBAL
Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined on the Field Service News Digital Symposium by Martin Summerhayes, Head of Digital Transformation Services at MDB Service Consulting.
Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined on the Field Service News Digital Symposium by Martin Summerhayes, Head of Digital Transformation Services at MDB Service Consulting.
Martin has over 30 years of experience in the service industry in the UK working for organisations such as HP, the Metropolitan Police and Fujitsu, and he focuses on leading key clients to a successful transition of services into new, agile, ways of working.
During the conversation, the two discuss a wide range of topics related to the acceleration of digital adoption during the pandemic and what this means for the future of service organisations.
In this excerpt from that conversation, Martin and Kris discuss what's the difference between effectiveness and utilisation and how to better understand metrics.
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 Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
- Read articles by Martin Summerhayes on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/martin-summerhayes
- Follow Martin Summerhayes on Twitter @ twitter.com/martinsummerhay
- Connect with Martin Summerhayes on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/in/martin-summerhayes
Field Service News is published by 1927 Media Ltd, an independent publisher whose sole focus is on the field service sector. As such our entire resources are focused on helping drive the field service sector forwards and aiming to best serve our industry through honest, incisive and innovative media coverage of the global field service sector.
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