In this exclusive Field Service News video series published in partnership with HSO, we look at three key cases that can convince your board to invest in the systems that can drive your field service operations forward and to the standards expected of modern field service delivery.

 

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Field Service News Research identifies trends amongst field service organisations and the Internet of Things when it comes to the KPIs...

A recent Field Service News Research has taken a deep look into how field service companies are continuing face up to the challenge of harnessing the vast amounts of data they are accessing each day... 

 

The Growing Dual Challenges of Data in Field Service... 

In a recent article for Field Service News Research, Kris Oldland explored some of the key findings their current research into the use of KPIs amongst field service organisations has revealed when it comes to analysing,  interpreting and reacting to data...

"In today’s connected world, there is just simply so much data being created that we are very much in danger of being overwhelmed and consumed by it unless we are not careful." Oldland wrote. 

"Paralysis by analysis can be a genuine issue that can stifle innovation. In a customer-orientated world, the ability to adapt quickly is becoming a crucial aspect of modern business. Yet, at the same time, so is the increasingly hackneyed phrase ‘data is the new gold’."

"The ability to be able to monitor, measure and then dissect each aspect of our operation - whether it be internally within our teams and operations or externally with regards to our customer interactions, can offer us the ability to leverage vast amounts of untapped insight into our businesses that can literally open up new revenue streams, or at least maximise to the fullest potential those we already have in place," he continues.

Some of the headline findings within the research which Oldland explored within the article include: 

• 67% of field service companies are now using IoT to provide data from assets in the field.
• 72% of these companies are using data from connected assets to predict failure and schedule maintenance around this data
• 54% of these companies can interpret data from assets in the field when providing triage
• 23% of these companies factor this data into the way they analyse field service KPIs

 

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To find out more and also discover the impact of servitization on the KPIs field service companies are measuring check out the latest analysis from Field Service News Research visit https://research.fieldservicenews.com/drownin-in-data-or-gold

Part two of a new series of video excerpts from Field Service News, in partnership with Field Nation we will be breaking down the challenges of building a modern field service workforce...

 

 

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In a new series of video excerpts from Field Service News, in partnership with Field Nation we will be breaking down the challenges of building a modern field service workforce

 

 

 

In this opening episode of this series exploring what the field workforce of the 21st Century will look like, we establish the significant drivers that are changing the very landscape in which field service organisations operate within. 

 

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Want to know more? There is a full documentary that dives deeper into this whole topic, which is available as premium content to fieldservicenews.com subscribers...

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Field Service News' Editor-in-Chief, Kris Oldland says change is coming, and we should embrace it...

 

It seems that the current Zeitgeist amongst our collective of excellent columnists here at Field Service News, which is usually a pretty good indicator  of the general mood of the industry at large is one of seismic change.

It seems that in one way or another the vast majority of our commentators have zoned in on change in one form or another.

The technology is perhaps the easier bit to get our heads around. We all have a vague understanding of how AI, IoT and AR can work together to improve our service delivery.

We do need to understand how we handle the data that new technology reveals though as Aly Pinder states in his article around convergence of man and machine  “To turn emerging technologies such as the IoT into the promise being trumpeted, organizations must transform the way they manage this data.” And in terms of the strategy, how many of us can say we have such a firm grasp around the nuanced challenges of embracing servitization?

Yet, the future of field service will inevitably be one of servitized business models and outcome based service offerings - so we had better get our ducks in a row sooner rather than later in this regard. Although it is easier said than done, as Bill Pollock comments in his article, we are essentially going to have to write a whole new book when it comes to understanding what the next iteration of field service efficiency looks like, with a whole new set of metrics and while we are at it, whole new ways of monitoring them.

Bill is of course, an old friend of mine as I have often referred to in this column, and he is without doubt the go-to guy when it comes to analysis into benchmarking KPIs in use by field service organisations - so I hope to catch up with him on an episode of the Field Service Podcast to discuss our own research into this topic and get his ‘Analysts Take’ on our findings.

Speaking of which if you haven’t yet taken a look at our new dedicated online home for Field Service News Research, then you can find it here where you’ll be able to check out all of our latest research reports and also join our list of respondents - each of whom get rewarded handsomely (well they get a Starbucks voucher) for taking part in our ongoing research programs.

Talking of change, I’d also like to just take a moment to wish Zack Bergreen a very, very well deserved, long and happy retirement as he steps down from his role as CEO of Astea after 40 years.

Zack has been a pioneer within the service management industry and is as well respected as he is well liked, so I am sure I am not alone in wishing him all the very best as he steps down.

One thing is for sure, Zack will have seen some incredible change in the 40 years he has been at the helm of Astea. There wasn’t even an internet back then, just things. And remote work really was remote.

But I’d put a hefty wager that the change we are embracing now is more radical and game changing than ever before. As Pollock says, “What we have gotten used to is all about to change.”

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Check out the latest issue of Field Service News with all of the features referenced above by clicking the link below now! 

 

Kris Oldland returns to the host's seat for this episode of the Field Service podcast where the talk is focused on the headaches of last mile service delivery...

In a much awaited return to the Field Service Podcast hot seat Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News sits down with Rich Agostinelli, CEO of ByBox. 

The conversation picked up from a recent interview between the two as they continue to take a deep look at the headaches of last mile service delivery, how it is impacting field service organisations and how these can be overcome. The two then also take a lens to the increasing amount of conversation around the growing importance of sustainability and why when it comes to the field service sector in particular this is a very positive thing

Field Service News research reveals a trend for increasing the numbers of service related KPIs... 

A recent Field Service News Research has revealed that while those measuring more KPIs than the average are currently in the minority, the data suggests they are perhaps slightly ahead of the curve. Indeed, just under half of the respondent companies (44%) stated that they had increased the number of field service related KPIs that they were tracking - but the crucial question is why?

The rapid evolution of field service management

As one respondent explained during a follow up interview around the research findings, “The simple fact is that from within a field service operations perspective, we have moved relatively quickly from occupying a space where customer satisfaction was something that was a by-product of what we were generally measured upon, an after-thought to an extent, to become a primary measure of the success of not just the field service operation but also the wider business itself.”

This insight reveals two things. Firstly, it highlights just how profound the broad shift we have seen in field service of the operation being primarily positioned as a cost centre to becoming a profit centre within its own P&L has been.

The findings of the research are both revealing and insightful and could provide a useful benchmark for any field service management professional who is trying to understand how best to monitor their field service operations. As Peter Drucker famously once said "you cannot manage what you do not measure". 

 

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To find out more and also discover the impact of servitization on the KPIs field service companies are measuring check out the latest analysis from Field Service News Research visit https://research.fieldservicenews.com/why-the-numbers-of-kpis-field-service-companies-monitor-are-changing

 

 

 

 

Italian utilities firm Italgas adopts hands-free solution from Realwear and OverIT to empower their field service engineers...

RealWear, the world’s leading industrial hands-free knowledge transfer platform for frontline workers today announced that Italgas opted for RealWear’s HMT-1Z1 intrinsically safe platform running OverIT’s field services software to support the digital transformation of its operations.

Italgas reports that with the RealWear-OverIT field services solution, they’ve moved beyond the consumer tablet, taking their digital transformation to the next logical level with a purpose-built device for restricted zones. They have already seen huge productivity gains with RealWear by solving complex and risk-sensitive job tasks even in ATEX Zone 1 restricted zones.

“We’re thrilled that our HMT-1Z1 systems are helping Italgas accelerate its digital transformation efforts, improving safety and reliability,” said Andy Lowery, RealWear’s CEO.“We are committed to delivering intuitive hands-free systems to accelerate knowledge transfer to the next generation of workers.”

 

The benefits of field service engineers going hands free...

Utility field workers performing maintenance work on gas infrastructure frequently encounter potentially hazardous situations that require immediate remote support and visualization of real-time IoT data of specific assets. Beyond just managing work orders, Italgas’s field services crews are required to visualize data and read technical documents while performing manual work. Italgas declares that keeping hands free via voice-controlled systems safely resolves complex issues quickly and avoids additional travel or costly service downtime in extremely restricted zones where gases are present.

At Italgas, gas distribution means guaranteeing network safety, service continuity and system efficiency. To improve service quality and safety, increase distribution system efficiency and have a positive impact on the environment, the third largest European utility has been investing heavily in the digitization of its operations.

"The innovative solution enables Italgas’s field workers to reference documents (e.g., technical datasheets, multimedia content and asset history) while using their hands to perform the maintenance on a specific asset..."

The utility first deployed the automated scheduling of work orders in 2004, pioneering the adoption of a Field Service Management solution to allow its workforce to avoid the need to visit the office to collect tasks in the morning or physically hand off documents at the end of their shift. In 2012, to efficiently manage its approximately 44,000 miles of pipelines and 7.6 million assets, Italgas became one of the first utilities to use consumer devices for its workforce.

The implementation of OverIT’s Field Service Management solution was a success and Italgas quickly moved onto an even bigger challenge: how could workers operate hands-free and benefit from the features of the tablet app while performing manual maintenance tasks? Italgas' Digital Factory, the utility’s innovation department, developed the idea of using head-mounted devices (HMDs) and assisted reality. Currently, the innovative solution enables Italgas’s field workers to reference documents (e.g., technical datasheets, multimedia content and asset history) while using their hands to perform the maintenance on a specific asset.

Data collection via voice provides further efficiency, enabling users to update asset information without any manual input. Italgas’s goal is to increase the number of field workers supported by the solution and expand its functionality. At Italgas, the knowledge gained from long-tenured workers is critical. Capturing their expertise and transferring it to less experienced technicians on the job advances digital transformation for the utility.

 

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Further Reading:

• Discover more news and analysis from OverIT on Field Service News here 
• Visit OverIT's website here 

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In the first part of a new series of features in which we will explore the latest exclusive field service research findings, we explore how KPIs are changing in a world of servitization, IoT and changing demographics... 

The shifting sands of Field Service Management

In a new series of articles by Field Service News Research, the current use of Key Performance Indicators used by field service organisations is assessed and the current trends within this area are identified. 

The independent research carried out by Field Service News in late 2019 sits agains a backdrop of a rapidly changing world in which field service organisations operate with major industrial trends such as servitization taking hold and new emergent technologies such as the Internet of Things and Augmented Reality shifting the way field service organisations are approaching the mission critical role of field service. 

 

The Average State of Play in Field Service Today

In the first part of this research analysis we discuss the critical headline finding of the research, which was that the data revealed that the most common practice amongst field service companies is to measure between 4 and 7 KPIs. However, the data does also show that we are beginning to see a trend in this number increasing. 

The research also reveals that move from field service being a cost-centre within an organisation to becoming a profit centre is now almost entirely complete, and this too has, of course, had an impact on the metrics field service companies are actively measuring.

The fact that just under a fifth of companies now identify a KPI based around profit as the most critical KPI they measure for their business is another signifier of this.

However, perhaps more crucially, we see the shift in importance from field service KPIs being purely operationally focussed to being far more focused on delivering customer satisfaction. Indeed, the shift towards a customer-centric approach to service is undoubtedly beginning to take hold.

 

Click here to check out part one of this research analysis in our dedicated Field Service News Research channel 

 

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 Want to know more? If you want to find out more about this research there is a full research report available for field service subscribers. Simply click the link below to access the full report now! 

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