AUTHOR ARCHIVES: Kris Oldland

Swedish enterprise mobility and ERP provider IFS recently announced the hiring of former ServicePower CEO, Marne Martin, as President of their Service Management Business Unit, part of a dual role she has taken on alongside being CEO of IFS subsidiary, WorkWave. Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News reflects on this appointment and why it is a good thing not just for IFS, but for the wider industry as a whole...

I have known Marne Martin for some time now, speaking to her once or twice a year either for interviews, or just catching up at various industry events we've both been speaking at.

When she was included in a previous edition of the #FSN20, our annual list of key industry leaders, it was me that put her forward to the committee. That was in part because I had always found her to be engaging and intelligent when speaking to her, as well as being passionate for the industry we operate within - but then again, these things for me at least should be a given for any CEO within the sector.

Marne, of course, had all of these traits in abundance, but what always made her stand apart from the many other excellent leaders we have in our sector, what made her seem just that little bit more dynamic and exciting to speak with and why I put her forward for the #FSN20 (something we take very seriously here at fieldservicenews.com) was her ability to see the trends that were just beyond most people's range of vision, those that were over the horizon.

"What Marne has demonstrated time and again is that she is able to go that one step further and identify what will be the challenges and opportunities around how any given technology will ultimately be utilised..."

Sure, we can all get a feel for what technologies are set to emerge - a quick look at Gartner's current year hype cycle will allow us to see what we can expect to come along in the next few years. It might not always work out as we anticipate (think about the early clamour around wearables and in particular Glass as an example of this), but most of us who pay attention to these things are fairly able to put together a reasonably accurate picture of the future.

What Marne has demonstrated time and again is that she is able to go that one step further and identify what will be the challenges and opportunities around how any given technology will ultimately be utilised - and such foresight, is a much rarer attribute.

For example, I remember Marne outlining to me the importance that Quantum Annealing would play within field service management systems - in particularly within dynamic scheduling, long before the topic was even close to being something that was discussed outside of high-tech computing circles.

Indeed, the last time we spoke at any great length we had a long and detailed conversation about how and why field service management systems would need to ultimately evolve from being an additional feature sold alongside an ERP or CRM system and become acknowledged as something of equal status and importance within the world of enterprise computing.

Essentially we agreed, FSM needed to be, and eventually would be recognised as a category within its own right. This is something that we are now absolutely beginning to see happen in certain pockets of the industry, including IFS - who have across the last couple of year's publically stated that FSM is a core priority within their wider portfolio - something that was reiterated at their World Conference in Atlanta earlier this year by new CEO Darren Roos.

"As far as benefitting our industry as a wider whole, there are few places I feel Marne could have such a big impact, as at IFS..."

So as you can imagine, when we heard Marne was stepping down from her role as CEO of ServicePower, I had an inkling that it would be more au revoir than goodbye, I just had a feeling in my gut that we would see her again soon enough somewhere familiar.

However, as far as benefitting our industry as a wider whole, there are few places I feel Marne could have such a big impact, as at IFS. They have shown that they have the ambition, vision and capability to push the industry forwards (indeed the newly launched FSM6 is an excellent solution utilising best of breed technology), but perhaps also they have shown that they have a strong commitment to FSM that will surely raise the bar further for the quality of solutions available to field service organisations.

After all, as John F Kennedy famously quoted a rising tide lifts all boats.

Also, we must consider that Marne is bringing in exceptional leadership experience, industry knowledge and vision into a team that is already full of excellent leaders and thinkers.

For example, the always impressive Mark Brewer, Global Industry Director Service Management who has established an excellent reputation both within the company and the industry since having joined from PTC almost two years ago. Another would be Stephen Jeff-Watts, who is responsible for IFS' product strategy for Enterprise Service Management and is another with a canny knack for understanding where the future lies within the sector. Then, of course, there is Paul White, former CEO of mplsystems who IFS acquired last year who brings a huge level of detail around the latest developments around omni-channel communications to the table, or Tom DeVroy, personally, someone I hold as one of the best author's contributing to publications including ourselves around.

Indeed, the list is long and Marne's appointment at the head of this group, is set to make IFS an even more formidable force within our industry on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.

Finally, it is also interesting to note her dual role.

"Once such a precedent has been set by such a significant industry player as IFS, it is likely that we will see other companies follow suit..."

When IFS acquired WorkWave late last year, I wrote about how the acquisition essentially gave IFS full market penetration.

Traditionally, they have always served the mid-enterprise tier well, in recent year's we have seen them begin to open some more doors in the larger enterprise sector as well. However, the SME market has always been an area that has been somewhat underserved, yet could be potentially lucrative, as WorkWave has proven.

With Marne taking on dual responsibilities for Enterprise Service Management and WorkWave it seems that IFS may potentially be seeking to firmly organise a significant section of their business around their FSM  capabilities - exactly the type of shift in thinking that Marne and I had discussed a year ago and also something Darren Roos alluded to when I spoke to him recently as well.

Once such a precedent has been set by such a significant industry player as IFS, it is likely that we will see other companies follow suit - which will ultimately lead to further emphasis on the importance of field service within industry.

So from where I'm sitting, Marne's arrival at IFS is therefore potentially great news long-term for all in our industry - it certainly promises to be an exciting move and I for one wish her every success.

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We recently gave Janam’s XT100 handheld computer a full Hands-On review and now we turn our attention to its sibling the XM75 which shares mostly the same specifications but comes in a different form factor...

In March earlier this year, Janam announced two new handheld computers to their range - the XT100 and the XM75. Inside the guts of both devices are almost identical but there are some slight differences and of course, the XM75 occupies a different form factor, more geared towards data input with a 24 key numeric keypad and also a purpose-built trigger handle available as well.

Having given the XT100 a rigorous hands-on review when it launched we thought we should also get it’s sibling into our offices to compare the two and to see which workflows each device would be more suited to.

What the manufacturers say:

Pocketable, Powerful Tough.

Janam’s XM75 rugged mobile computer makes it easy to capture business-critical information accurately and efficiently. As one of the only devices specially designed for input-intensive applications, the XM75’s compact form factor combined with larger keypad design delivers the ideal solution for organizations that want an easy-to-use keypad and large touchscreen in the same device.

The XM75 is sealed to IP67 standard against dust and immersion in up to 3 feet of water. It can withstand multiple 5’/1.5m drops to concrete per MIL-STD 810G across a wide temperature range...

Pocketable and powerful, the XM75 supports the enterprise-ready Android operating system with Google Mobile Services and meets all the requirements of the most demanding environments, including transportation, logistics, route accounting, direct store delivery and field service.

Weighing only 10.5 ounces, the XM75 is one of the lightest yet most rugged devices in its class and is packed with advanced features to boost productivity, streamline operations and improve the customer experience. Offering 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth, the XM75 provides lightning fast and reliable access to voice and data applications inside the enterprise and out in the field.

The XM75 is sealed to IP67 standard against dust and immersion in up to 3 feet of water. It can withstand multiple 5’/1.5m drops to concrete per MIL-STD 810G across a wide temperature range. A standard 2-year warranty provides customers with both peace of mind and the level of service they require, at no additional cost, with optional Comprehensive Service plans available to those that want to further extend their mobile computing investment.

First impressions:

The XM75 does pretty much what you would expect of it - for those that read our previous review of the XT100 for all intents and purposes, it is an XT100 with a keyboard instead of just the capacitive screen.

This does, of course, make the device’s footprint slightly larger (76.83mm x 166.01mm x 29.27mm for the XM75 vs 70mm x 136mm x 17.4mm) which subsequently, of course, adds additional weight to the device as well and it comes in at a full 3oz heavier than the XT100 making it about 30% heavier.

"The device is far from in heavy even when strapped into the trigger handle (which is itself surprisingly light) and both in and out of the trigger we found the device to be ergonomic and comfortable..."

That said the device is far from in heavy even when strapped into the trigger handle (which is itself surprisingly light) and both in and out of the trigger we found the device to be ergonomic and comfortable.

All in all the XM75 feels very much as it is intended to, a robust yet relatively lightweight handheld designed with the factory, warehouse or field worker in mind.

But ist there more to the differences between the XM75 and XT100 other than form factor?

Processing power:

In terms of processing power, the two devices are identical with bot the XM75 and the XT100 having a 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 410 quad-core. In terms of the market for similar devices as to the Janam offerings, these offer a fairly standard amount of processing power.

They both also come with 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM as standard. Again this sits pretty much in the middle of the pack in terms of similar devices and is definitely suitable for a number of field service applications.

Also, the memory in both devices is expandable via a user accessible Micro SD slot with SD and SDHC support – which can become a very useful option for engineers who need to record a lot of data, or even for those who work in offline environments regularly where locally storing asset maintenance information to aid a first time fix could be of benefit.

Operating system:

The XM75 is currently running Android 6 (Marshmallow) - which is a perfect option for industry, focused devices and as such is also on the XT100.

"The XM75 is currently running Android 6 (Marshmallow) - which is a perfect option for industry, focused devices and as such is also on the XT100..."

Whilst the latest consumer devices are now running Android 8 (Oreo) and some even beginning to see Android 9 (Pie) - in a world of enterprise the need for a robustly road-tested OS is hugely important. Marshmallow is currently the most advanced iteration of the OS that also has the stability required for enterprise-grade computing so a sensible option for both devices.

The Ins & Outs:

As with another of Janam’s handheld computers former flagship device the XT2, Neither the XM75 nor XT100 have a huge array of physical input options – but this can’t really be avoided in a device of such a size.

However, both devices benefit from good ergonomic design of in terms of the placement of hard keys are configurable but whose primary role would be most certainly be engaging the dedicated barcode scan engine (Honeywell N6603 2D Imager) which incidentally was both fast and effective in our tests of the XM75.

Of course, one of the major differences between the two is that the XM75 also has the optional trigger handle which offers yet another hard key and makes the device super easy for any role that requires a high volume of scanning.

The other significant difference between the devices then is also the 24 key numeric keypad which certainly appears to be well made, with the keypad having both a reassuring feel of durability to it as well as offering that important tactile feel that simply cannot be overlooked when a workflow involves inputting short text and numbers frequently within a workflow.

Another nice touch with regards to the keypad is that it is backlit. It is these little details that can make a huge difference if, for example, your field staff are working in a dark location - and it is the mark of a good manufacturer that doesn’t skip these small but important details.

Ruggedity:

When we reviewed the XT100 we pointed out that whilst the XT100 holds its head high with good rugged credentials albeit slightly less so than its sibling the XT2. The XM75 however, has the higher rugged credentials of its elder cousin.

"The XM75 also boasts of a higher IP rating than the XT100 with a rating of IP67 meaning that it is even less susceptible to water ingress than the IP65 rated XT100..."

Whilst the  XT100 is capable of withstanding multiple drops at a respectable 1.2m the XM75 has been tested at the higher drop height of 1.5m and in our testing, it survived such drops without a scratch. In fact, we even tested it in and out of the trigger handle and throughout our entire series of tests it only ever came out of the handle once - a good sign is given that the XM75 will almost invariably be used primarily within the handle.

The XM75 also boasts of a higher IP rating than the XT100 with a rating of IP67 meaning that it is even less susceptible to water ingress than the IP65 rated XT100.

When it comes to operating temperature ranges both the XM75 and the XT100 operate within a range of -20 to 60 degrees centigrade – which means that even in the most inhospitable environments the device should function effectively, and in terms of humidity they are both is non-condensing up to 95%. Finally, the capacitive touchscreen boasts toughened Corning Gorilla Glass 3 to further add to the devices robust credentials.

Battery Life:

In terms of battery life the SM75 again just edges out the XT100 with its 4100mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery compared to the XT100’s 3000mAh 3.8v rechargeable Li-ion battery.

"Both devices should be capable of seeing out most field service engineers working days, especially if the device is placed in an in-vehicle charging cradle in between jobs..."

This is of course, likely to be the result of Janam taking advantage of the slightly larger form factor, but it certainly does make a difference. We found that the XM75 held battery life across an 8 hour day of reasonable to heavy usage considerably better than the XT100. When we reviewed the XT100 and ran it through our tests the battery was finished the day on 14%. The same tests for the XM75 saw the battery level at the end of the day at 27% so this is certainly a factor to be considered if your field workers tend to work longer hours on occasion.

That said, both devices should be capable of seeing out most field service engineers working days, especially if the device is placed in an in-vehicle charging cradle in between jobs.  However, for those engineers who are required to spend long days in one location, a four-slot battery charger is an optional accessory.

Conclusion:

When we reviewed the XT100 a few months back we praised it as a solid mid,-market handheld computer that was particularly elegant and comfortable in hand and was remarkably light for a rugged device.

Similar things could be said for the XM75 although when it comes to roles where there is a large amount of scanning or field completion then the XM75 becomes the choice between the two. Similarly, if your field staff are in slightly more rugged environments, the XM75 just edges its close sibling with slightly better-rugged credentials.

However, both are a solid choice for field service organisations looking to empower their field workers with handheld mobile computers powerful enough for the job, rugged to survive yet with a light footprint.

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Data is one of the key driving forces underpinning the modern day economy, but asset and service data specifically, is absolutely crucial.

Organisations collect, aggregate and analyse plenty of it, but the way in which they do this can either be the catalyst for soaring above competitors, or the iceberg that sinks the ship.

Equally, outcome-based business models, which could be considered the next generation of the modern economy, might be a “make or break” moment in the lifespan of many global organisations. An outcome-based business model is focused on the outcome for the customer rather than a specific product. Customers receive extensive maintenance and support services after they have purchased the product, helping to nurture their relationship with the supplier.

In addition, customers only pay per outcome.

For example, the ability to only pay for a jet engine while it is in the skies, or an MRI scanner that is fully functioning and actually able to carry out a scan on a patient. Essentially, this type of model ensures that the customer always has the right outcome, enabling them to grow their own business while fostering a healthy client-supplier relationship.

Whether organisations can make an effective transition to this relatively new form of business model will likely be intrinsically linked to their ability to successfully collect and use data derived from their assets and will ultimately decide whether or not they stay afloat.

Are Outcome Based Services a key topic for you?!  There is a white paper on this topic available to fieldservicenews.com subscribers. Click the button below to get fully up to date now! 

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We have seen a seismic shift within the field service sector towards adopting a more proactive approach to service - but is this a mega trend in itself or is it indicative of an even bigger shift in the way we view service delivery?

Want to know more? This article is based around an exclusive fieldservicenews.com webcast which you can access @ http://fs-ne.ws/Y8ny30lsZUR

Within our industry we are currently seeing a seismic shift - that is the move towards predictive maintenance and whilst the traditional modus operandi of field service operations of a break-fix approach will likely still have a place within most service organisations processes for the foreseeable future, predictive maintenance, empowered by the Internet of Things, is becoming a massively prevalent discussion amongst companies in all sectors who are looking to seek enhanced competitive advantages over their peers whilst simultaneously improving their own performance efficiencies.

One company who have such developments on their roadmap is Daikin Applied UK who recently joined Field Service News and Salesforce for an exclusive webcast discussion on how service organisations are harnessing technology to bridge the gap between the mobile workforce and their customer bases.

Indeed, it is a topic that we have covered extensively here at Field Service News, but is this shift to preventative maintenance set to be a megatrend within our industry, as many are predicting, or is it suited to specific industries and certain organisations within those industries?

"Even within sub-sectors within manufacturing, we are seeing companies have different results and taking different approaches..."

“I think it is absolutely going to be a mega-trend,” commented Scott Flatman, Regional Sales Director, Salesforce during the session.

“It is going to be a real competitive differentiator for companies that want to go the extra mile and stay ahead of the competition,” he adds.

“I do think that we may see this in different guises depending on the industry, however. For example, manufacturers at the moment seem to be at the forefront of this shift, but then even within the wider manufacturing industry it would be wrong of us to broad-brush it as a complete mega-trend.”

“Yet even within sub-sectors within manufacturing, we are seeing companies have different results and taking different approaches.”

“For us, this capability of connecting our products to our customers and to our business is really important, but it is not a one size fits all solution,” adds John McCarthy, CRM manager, Daikin Applied UK.

“It is certainly a trend across a lot of the sub-sections of our industry but it won’t suit all of our customers. However, we do need to be offering these types of solutions, for us to continue to be a leader within our sector.”

Of course, it is this ability to tailor a service solution to customer requirements that is a critical part of the discussion not only around predictive maintenance but also service delivery in general in today’s markets, which are becoming increasingly customer-centric. But is there a direct correlation between asset connectivity and increased customer engagements and satisfaction?

"We understand that our technicians and engineers are the front line and the face of our business. So we put a lot of time and effort into ensuring they have the tools and resources that they need..."

“There certainly is,” McCarthy responds when this question is put to him.

“For us, we understand that our technicians and engineers are the front line and the face of our business. So we put a lot of time and effort into ensuring they have the tools and resources that they need as well as also giving our customers the tools and resources they need to get the most out of the services they get from us.”

“Ultimately this technology doesn’t take away from the fact that we have highly skilled factory trained engineers, but it certainly enhances it,” he adds.

“I think it is also changing the expectations of the customers,” comments Flatman.

“The very best service experience is to have no service experience at all. Let’s take the Daikin Applied UK use case as an example. If you have a chiller that is operating outside of its normal thresholds - wouldn’t be great if an engineer was passing on his or her way home wouldn’t it be great if they could drop in and give it a check, make some tweaks or perhaps perform a rest so they can resolve the issue before it arises - as opposed to a company having to wait for it to go down.”

“That can help avoid not just a negative service experience for the contact, but also avoid all of the compound issues that could arise from that one failure.”

“If we can help our customers avoid that happening, who can then help their customers and so on, for me that is going to be the real win for businesses.”

This is perhaps the true mega-trend that preventative maintenance is part of the shift away from a number of businesses operating only alongside each other in a transactional way, to organisations becoming much more integrated partners within a true business ecosystem.

Indeed, this concept is at the heart of what many in the sector are now calling advanced services, which can yield greater profit margins in a much more stable business environment and predictive maintenance is set to become a cornerstone of such approaches to service in the not so distant future.

Want to know more? This article is based around an exclusive fieldservicenews.com webcast which you can access @ http://fs-ne.ws/Y8ny30lsZUR

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Zip Water UK has revealed how driving performance data has helped the company manage fleet risk and cut annual insurance costs by more than £30,000.

The drinking water appliance specialist made the savings across its 120-strong mixed fleet following the introduction of WEBFLEET, the Software-as-a-Service fleet management system from TomTom Telematics.

With WEBFLEET – and the integral OptiDrive 360 solution which scores drivers based on key performance indicators and provides them with real-time feedback and advice – Zip Water has witnessed a significant reduction in road traffic collisions.

[quote float="left"]Having the tools in place to promote a safer driving style among our van and car drivers has led to a much-improved fleet risk profile[/quote]“Having the tools in place to promote a safer driving style among our van and car drivers has led to a much-improved fleet risk profile, a 15 per cent reduction in insurance premiums thanks to reduced claims, and a welcome fillip to our employee duty of care,” said Graham Short, Fleet Manager, Zip Water UK.

“Furthermore, we have seen a demonstrable improvement in fleet mpg, along with a sizeable reduction in our vehicle maintenance bills, including tyres and brake wear.”

Zip Water drivers are now also using the WEBFLEET Logbook app on their smartphones to keep accurate journey logs, rather than having to complete manual mileage sheets at the end of each day. The drivers simply validate their journey information and select whether the trips they have made are for business or private purposes.

Short added: “The value and efficiency gains that the telematics system has delivered to our business have been considerable. These have been recognised across our entire workforce – from the field to the back office.”

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Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News talks to Kevin Starr of ABB's Oil and Gas Division, to get his take on just how pivotal it is we all get on board with the digitalisation agenda…

Kevin Starr, Program Director, Advanced Digital Services, for ABB jokingly refers to himself as someone who is just getting started, having spent 31 years in the industry.

Given Starr’s wide-ranging background which encompasses installing industrial automation, working with pneumatics, then electrics, DCS and now digital and across roles that include R&D managers, software developer, data scientist and cloud specialist - he is perhaps the very personification and embodiment of how the field service sector is in constant flux on a journey of continuous evolution.

Yet, underneath all that evolution, there also remain fundamental goals in place that we mustn’t lose sight of either.

As Starr himself explains - across his varied career the core objective for ABB, regardless of the technology surrounding the discussion is always to allow their clients to “hit their value, production and quality requirements by providing them with solutions.”

"Regardless of the technology surrounding the discussion is always to allow their clients to “hit their value, production and quality requirements by providing them with solutions...”

However, Starr also absolutely sees a convergence in the various skill-sets he has honed across his career in the area and era of digitalisation we are all working within today.

Indeed, certainly within field service circles, when it comes to digitalisation Starr is to be regarded a leading subject matter expert – a fact that is attested to the fact he is a highly sought-after speaker at industry conferences as well being the host of a successful YouTube series and author on the topic.

“We definitely are in the industrial revolution 4.0,” Starr asserts with conviction when I spoke to him recently during whilst recording a forthcoming episode of The Field Service Podcast.

All well and good, but what exactly does this shift to the Industrial Revolution 4.0 actually mean in real terms for most companies, who perhaps are lacking the innovative streak ABB certainly have embedded at their core.

Whilst there are undoubted opportunities to be had, for many it means stepping into a brave new world of the unknown and for many, this can be a daunting proposition.

“We are definitely moving into an area where our customers may have some new concerns and fears. There are some misunderstandings that need clarification and there are a number of different issues relating to digital that they have to consider," Starr explains continuing, “so what we’ve tried to do is make this discussion feel more real for them, we’ve tried to make it concrete and actionable.”

"When clients hear things like Data Science, Cloud Computing, Big Data, and all the other tech jargon that is being thrown around, they can get nervous...“

When clients hear things like Data Science, Cloud Computing, Big Data, and all the other tech jargon that is being thrown around, they can get nervous.”

Additionally, the wave of technological innovation we are witnessing today is only part of the sea change of disruption that currently surrounds us.

“It is something of a perfect storm,” Starr agrees expanding on the topic.

“There is an ageing workforce, there is knowledge retiring, there are new people coming into the workforce who just aren’t ready to spend thirty years with the technology,” he adds.

Yet, it is exactly within these challenges that Starr sees big potential for innovation.

“We have here some opportunities to really change the game for our industrial clients and along with this is what is really an industrial explosion of automation.,” he explains.

“When I started off the controllers were on a wall, so the size of the service was aligned with the physical proximity of a wall. Now, you have dots on a screen. Where once you might have had thirty or forty devices, now you have three or four thousand.”

"What we’ve always done in the service space, doesn’t work today..."

This anecdote serves as a stark example of just how much service delivery has moved within just a matter of decades.  In terms of actual service delivery, automation, particularly in industrial sectors, has made the way work today almost unrecognisable from how things were done in the past.

This is something which needs to be fully understood and acknowledged for companies to be able to bring their business and operational processes in line with modern means of tackling service delivery.

“What we’ve always done in the service space, doesn’t work today,” Starr states bluntly.

“What this means is that there are a lot more failures, a lot more downtime and a lot more product instability. This leads to a lot more fear, uncertainty and doubt  - because if that phone rings and your client calls you and says my system is down - what do you do?  That is a terrifying call to get and it always has been, but with digital, we can solve all that.”

“In the Oil and Gas sector, for example, we have clients who are trying to remain competitive in an industry in which price changes sent a complete shockwave through the sector. Companies who used to have large corporate staff are shrinking, with reduced manned or unmanned solutions becoming more prevalent.”

“Yet, most solutions involve people working on a system, so we truly have a gap. We’ve got to keep the site running but we also have to make our production and our quality efficient - and of course first and foremost we have to make sure our people are safe.”

“To me, the digital arena is what will allow us to use devices to reduce this problem space.”

Of course, many of the challenges that Starr outlines are also prevalent in sectors well beyond the Oil and Gas industry and searching for solutions for those challenges within the digital realm is now well established as the correct path to follow.

Yet, one of the reasons perhaps Starr has proven to be such a popular speaker on this topic is his ability to blend the technical and the practical and to help those listening to visualise how the often vague concepts sitting under the umbrella of digitalization will manifest in real, pragmatic terms – something he demonstrated again when we spoke with a particularly neat and effective summary of how the implementation of such tools can really have a significant impact on service delivery.

“It’s kind of like a heads-up display in a car. When I have a problem, it advises me so I then know when to dispatch somebody and make sure they have the right tools at the right time,” he explains.

"When that happens, great things happen and you can actually push through and hit production, quality and cost to produce levels that have literally been unheard of..."

“When that happens, great things happen and you can actually push through and hit production, quality and cost to produce levels that have literally been unheard of.”

“That’s what keeps me just giddy with excitement,” he says before adding wryly “but if it was easy it would already be done.”

Here, of course, Starr has hit the nail firmly on the head with regards to the current dichotomy most service companies find themselves in.

Whilst it seems that digitalisation of service delivery offers us great opportunities they equally bring additional challenges. As with many things in life, it appears there is an ever-evolving arms race between these two. As one challenge is solved thus creating new opportunities, so a new challenge is born.

With this in mind, I was keen to see if Starr sees field service today as something that has been simplified by technology, or in particular as we consider the vast amount of data we are now generating, has it actually become further complicated?

“I was always one of ABB’s smart guys with a bag of tricks. If there was a problem I’d get a ticket and I’d go fix the site. But I was always able to do that because the problem space wasn’t as huge as it is today,” he replies.

“Today our guys have to worry about cyber attacks, IT Security, Back Ups, Disk Space, Uptime, Communication, Visualisation and much, much more – so it’s very difficult to have someone who is an expert in all of those areas - and we’ve got to quit trying,” Starr explains.

“What’s different now is that the components being produced, and ABB makes an awful lot of these, each has their own digital signatures. Basically, they have a built-in data stream associated with the asset.”

"If I go outside and see a vapour trail in the sky I know a jet went by – even if I don’t see the jet. That’s the same principle on every single connected asset – it will leave a digital signature behind it..."

“For example, if I go outside and see a vapour trail in the sky I know a jet went by – even if I don’t see the jet. That’s the same principle on every single connected asset – it will leave a digital signature behind it.

“I was fortunate to have been the fireman and put the fire out on the site, but I would think ‘If I had just been here yesterday and I could have seen this data trail I could have prevented the failure.’ So that’s where we started packaging that and we called those diagnostic solutions, benchmarks and fingerprints - where we would provide scope and insight.”

“We would go and harvest the data and fifteen or twenty years ago that was very difficult. We would go and hook up resistors and current line – but we learned the technique.”

But it was time well spent and a highly precipitous move that has placed ABB perfectly at home in today’s world where there is more data and storage than they’re ever has been.  And a reflection of their expertise in this area is that they are now getting more requests from customers for us to go and look at there data than ever before.

As the conversation begins to conclude Starr offered up one ore excellent anecdote that really helps visualise the importance of digital in service delivery today.

“I was driving along the road in Vietnam the other day when we came to a bridge across a river,” he begins.

"That’s what modern service is – you can either fish with a hook or fish with a net..."

“On the side of the bridge there were two men fishing with a line, but in the shallows, there was a man fishing with a net – and he was bringing in a far greater haul than those two guys with their lines.  I thought to myself, that’s what modern service is – you can either fish with a hook or fish with a net.”

“In our world of automation, you don’t need to physically go and touch every single asset, that is hurting people, putting them in harm's way. When there are digital components you can actually send out agents, pull that digital signature back, run data analytics and compare it to known failure rates, known performance and you can tell exactly where your systems are.”

“So you can actually know if your safe reliable and optimised and you can demonstrate it.”

If your organisation hasn’t done so already perhaps it’s time to start thinking about what your digital net should look like as well?

Subscribe to The Field Service Podcast to be sure to hear the full interview with Starr by clicking here

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It seems there has been something of a convergence between the worlds of rugged manufacturers and their consumer peers across the last few years. In the past, the two occupied very separate worlds.

Rugged was very much the world of heavy, chunky, and robust devices, whilst the consumer equivalents were sleeker, more refined and more likely to break if they got dropped.

Today, however, the line has certainly blurred substantially in the middle. Take Xplore’s R12, a fully rugged tablet that smartly converts into a two-in-one powerful enough to be a more than adequate replacement for a desktop let alone a laptop.

Now, whilst the R12 may still look like a heavyweight lining up against a featherweight if put alongside a Microsoft Surface, which would be its most suitable comparison within the consumer realm, it by no means fits the traditional image of a rugged device - i.e. cumbersome, bulky and awkward. It is a sleek looking and excellently engineered device whose lightweight feel belies its robust rugged credentials.

Of course, this is not a one-way street either.

"Consumer devices are increasingly likely to have higher certifications that we previously only would have seen in a rugged spec..."

 

Consumer devices are increasingly likely to have higher certifications that we previously only would have seen in a rugged spec sheet.

Take for example Samsungs current flagship smartphone the Note 8.

Not only does have an impressive 6GB RAM on an 1.7GHz octa-core processor making it an exceptionally fast device, but it also has its own Dex docking station that essentially turns it into a mobile desktop by allowing you to plug into a TV or Monitor via HDMI - something that could be hugely useful for the field engineer who needs to give a presentation whilst on the road for example.

Then when we add into the equation that the Note 8 is certified at IP68 (meaning it is essentially impervious to both water and dust ingress) could an argument could be made for it being a strong device for field service use.

We recently hosted a fieldservicenews.com exclusive webcast with rugged specialists Xplore Technologies and the topic of what defines rugged manufacturers against this backdrop of blurring lines was a major talking point within the session.

Our panel consisted of Steve Priestly and Cliff Adams, VP International Sales and Product Marketing for Xplore respectively as well as Bob Ashenbrenner, President of Durable Mobile Technologies.

"With the lines beginning to blur between rugged and consumer mobile devices, is there more to why an organisation should choose to work with a rugged manufacturer other than just the specs these days?"

The question was put to the panel ‘With the lines beginning to blur between rugged and consumer mobile devices, is there more to why an organisation should choose to work with a rugged manufacturer other than just the specs these days?’

Priestly was the first to respond “I think you raise a very good point in terms of the lines becoming more blurred. At Xplore, where we have more than 20 years worth of experience, we would say that maybe the words are blurred but the principals of building a rugged device are not blurred at all - they a very common.”

“We have built rugged devices from the ground up, with the most rugged of architectures to support all the elements of rugged mobile working.”

"I think one of the areas that people get most confused is IP68 - well what does that mean in a rugged environment?"

“I think one of the areas that people get most confused is IP68 - well what does that mean in a rugged environment?”

“What is most important in the enterprise environment is for us to be able to demonstrate that we are rugged, we are classified in the industry standard specifications but our product still has all of the appropriate I/O, accessories and capabilities to be able to run the workflow of the mobile worker.”

“That has to be the same across all of our devices and whilst we may share some common specifications with a consumer manufacturer,  but that doesn’t mean they are as rugged as the products we provide”

Ashenbrenner also concurred with Priestly’s sentiments further adding:

“A lot of consumer devices have very little I/O [input/output]and in an enterprise environment having the right amount of I/O  is really, really important,” he explained.

“Now, without I/O it is fairly easy to make an IP68 device - there are very little openings for water or dust to get in. So these consumer manufacturers have sort of stumbled upon an IP68 rating and have thought they that’s one of the things the rugged guys talk about, let’s declare that we’re rugged -well that’s not how it works.”

"IP68 is just one feature. It doesn’t cover knocks, it doesn’t cover drops, it doesn’t cover other abuses such as vibrations and such..."

“IP68 is just one feature. It doesn’t cover knocks, it doesn’t cover drops, it doesn’t cover other abuses such as vibrations and such. So my advice to field service organisations is don’t be fooled by that one rating they accidentally got when that is only part of the bigger picture.”

“One thing I would just add is that one thing the IP rating doesn’t give you in terms of dealing with a rugged environment is the ability to operate within a wide range of temperatures,” Adams commented.

“If you are going to be operating out direct sunlight or if you are going to operate in a location where there are extremely cold climates, that wide temperature range is something that you will not find on a consumer device. If you need to perform in such conditions then a rugged device has to be the obvious choice there.”

“This is especially true when it comes to tablet devices, where you are running full feature software applications that consume a lot of processing power. A sealed consumer tablet will not have a fan, something which is critical to maintaining the full power of the CPU in those hot environments.”

[quote float="left"]The Xplore range of tablets have internal fans that are isolated from the elements so they can still  have a high IP rating whilst being able to dissipate that heat and maintain that processing power[/quote]“For example, the Xplore range of tablets have internal fans that are isolated from the elements so they can still  have a high IP rating whilst being able to dissipate that heat and maintain that processing power.”

It is of course, these often nuanced details that can get overlooked when we are looking at spec sheets, especially when as is often the case, the purchasing decision is largely driven by either by members of the field service operations team who may not have the deep technical knowledge to be able to fully compare the two devices, or alternatively IT professionals who perhaps do not have the operational experience to fully understand the complexities of the various operating environments the devices will be utilised within.

Another major difference between rugged manufacturers who are serving the enterprise market and more consumer-focused manufacturers is the frequency with which they update their devices - with consumer devices generally going through an upgrade cycle far more regularly than a rugged equivalent.

Whilst, in the consumer world this ongoing arms race between manufacturers to produce devices that can outperform their competitors is one sense advantageous in that it drives continuous innovation and technological advancement, in an enterprise environment such constant change can actually be a negative.

"One of the key requirements for a device used by field service engineers is reliability..."

One of the key requirements for a device used by field service engineers is reliability - so it is, therefore, essential that the devices a service organisation deploy to the field are stable.

In addition to this in today’s world where security of data is paramount and the threat of cyber attacks something all companies must be vigilant Mobile Device Management (MDM) is a major consideration - something that can become a significant headache for companies that are tied into the faster pace cycle of device and OS upgrades of consumer devices.

So the longer shelf life of rugged devices designed specifically for use within a business environment is another major plus in their favour - but even then there must be a balance between stability and ensuring the tools you provide your field engineers with are sufficiently up to date to deal with the demands of the software they are using.

This leads us to a critical question - just how long should we wait before we roll out new devices to our field workers? And how should a field service organisation assess the decision of whether it is time for them to invest in new devices for their field engineers?

Most companies when they are deploying tablets and begin a project they think about a three-year time frame,” Ashenbrenner states.

"Three years is a good time frame to roll to new technologies and have an R.O.I (return on investment). However, the real issue is 'does it still do the job?'"

“That is because three years is a good time frame to roll to new technologies and have an R.O.I (return on investment). However, the real issue is 'does it still do the job?' and most of that comes down to software.”

“If the original device has enough processing power and memory to handle the software you are using - especially the updates that are pretty frequent, and also when new capabilities are being added that is when you tend to see people saying ‘hey this is still working, I can upgrade my software’ and this is when you can see the longer uses in the field - sometimes five years, sometimes even seven years,” he adds.

Adding a slightly different take on the question Priestly commented:

“To my mind, there are a few different things that come into the equation. Firstly, there is a financial discussion which says how long will the equipment be depreciated within the companies financial statements - and typically three years is a good answer to that. It fits well with other technologies and it allows them to look at it in a common way”

“But that doesn’t describe how it is used in the field. The challenge that Xplore faces is that things will dictate outside of this what the life cycle of the device is. It could be something as simple as data security that causes a change in equipment to drive an additional set of features.”

“Or alternatively it could be that everything is fine after the three years and they are getting free use from the devices for as long as they need to.”

"One of the things that Xplore would point to is that is in our longest running platform we reiterated the device to stay on top of the processing and memory requirements of the device and were able to do that for seventeen years..."

“One of the things that Xplore would point to is that is in our longest running platform we reiterated the device to stay on top of the processing and memory requirements of the device and were able to do that for seventeen years.”

“That is seventeen years within a single eco-system that an enterprise could get around. Yes, the device changed over time, but it remained the same form factor and enabled an enterprise to be stable within its use.”

“Whether that enterprise is a government facility, military would be a good example or perhaps a pharmaceutical clean room environment where the absolute top end of the specification is required - that is the type of thing that Xplore looks to - being on top of the changes in terms of the technical and customer requirement, whilst being able to provide stability for a long period of time both in our service and in our product capabilities.”

“That is a great point and something that must be considered,” Adams adds.

“Especially when we see consumer devices that come out that each have a slightly different form factor because they are really going for those aesthetic changes. A rugged device is really tailor-made for enterprise environments.”

"A rugged device is really tailor-made for enterprise environments..."

“Change isn’t necessarily good in such environments, stability is something can enable companies to keep costs lower and devices deployed longer and at Xplore, we understand that so we build our chassis so they can be upgraded over the years but still maintain common accessory eco-system over those generational upgrades.”

This is, of course, another hugely important consideration that is often overlooked within discussion around device selection for field service organisations - the range of accessories available. Most rugged manufacturers provide accessories such as vehicle mounts that are designed specifically to fit their devices and to ensure that issues like vibration don’t impact upon the device.

By maintaining the same form factor and chassis, rugged manufacturers such as Xplore are able to help their clients avoid the additional costs of new accessories each time they invest in new devices - something that can stack up to quite a considerable additional cost if you have a large field workforce.

Something that we’ve discussed a number of times in Field Service News that was also reflected within the webcast was that companies must have an understanding of the workflow of their engineers and then select their devices accordingly.

However, for many organisations there will be varying different roles being carried out within the field so how should field service organisations decide just how many different devices and form factors they should deploy to find a balance between equipping their varying types of field workers with devices suitable for their requirements and having to types of devices deployed - which again can cause problems when it comes to MDM?

"It is important to have the right device for the person and for the right workflow..."

“It is important to have the right device for the person and for the right workflow,” comments Adams.

“At Xplore, we offer an array of device form factors, but also within those form factors, we have an array of different computing options. So you could get an entry-level CPU if that works for the user and they don’t need a top of the line processor we can offer that, but then we also offer within the same form factor high performance options or even different I/O options - so there is a way an organisation can still manager a smaller number of devices and still provide a choice to the user so they are putting the right device in front of the right worker at the right time.”

“To add to that one of the things that should also be considered is the definition of the software to support the workflow you are trying to automate in the hands of the worker,” Priestly adds.

“That will dictate the type of data that needs to be input, the type of data that needs to be viewed and the type of data that any business information is driven from often dictates the type of device that will need to be used.”

“If there is a lot of form filling or repetitive tasks such as barcode scanning a handheld fits that bill very well. Then as you move between that and a larger device such as our twelve-inch tablet very much that is dictated to by the workflow itself.”

“Let me add a few real-life examples,” added Ashenbrenner as the discussion drew to a close.

“In utilities, you will tend to see all of the repair workers will use one type of device but meter workers and meter repair is a whole different area and so you will likely see handhelds being used in that situation.”

"Where beat officers on the front line might be using a tablet, detectives in the same police department tend to gravitate towards two-in-ones..."

“Another example might be in law enforcement, where beat officers on the front line might be using a tablet, detectives in the same police department tend to gravitate towards two-in-ones.”

Indeed, Ashenbrenner’s final point in the discussion is an important one that highlights just how many variables must be considered when selecting the right devices for your field workforce.

However, one thing that remains clear is that whilst on the surface it may appear that the lines between rugged and consumer devices are blurring, the reality is that for companies seeking to maximise their R.O.I from the mobile devices they use, there are far deeper considerations than headline tech specs - and this is where working with dedicated manufacturers such as Xplore can truly bring additional value to the table via their understanding and insight of how organisations will be utilising the devices in the field, how to extend the life of those devices where possible and of course how to roll out new devices whilst avoiding significant disruption to day-to-day field service operations.

The ball for the time being then remains firmly in the rugged court.

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Cleverly connecting the transport world and creating first-class added value - that is what this year's Krone motto "Clever Connections" for the IAA Commercial Vehicles stands for.

"We are making the trailer ready for the future with artificial intelligence and networking our products with suitable services for more mobility and more efficient logistics. This ensures safe transport of goods and prompt provision of all important transport data. We place the highest demands on our portfolio and constantly renew our quality promise so that our customers are on the road even more economically," explains managing partner Bernard Krone.

The innovative family business from Emsland presents numerous vehicle highlights as well as its 360° service for commercial vehicles. These comprehensive services, such as flexible full-service offers, fast spare parts logistics and intelligent telematics solutions are a particular focus. These optimise the operating times and total cost of ownership (TCO) of freight forwarders.

This creates first-class added value for the tough daily transport routine in logistics. Krone makes the trailer ready for the future. The Smart Trailer Check ensures optimum transport conditions even before the journey starts. A convenient overview of free capacities in the trailer is provided by the Smart Scan load space detection system and further networking with freight exchanges in Smart Capacity Management ensures optimum use of the free space. All this is linked in the Krone Telematics Portal and makes transports even more efficient in a clever way.

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Across recent weeks here on fieldservicenews.com we've published a series of features analysing an exclusive research project run in partnership with Si2 Partners, WorkAmmo and Service People Matters.

Previously we reflected on Si2 Partners founding partner Nick Frank's initial commentary on some of the headline findings of the research which were first aired in a recent episode of the Field Service Podcast.

Now in the final part of this exclusive research analysis, we dig deeper into the findings and see how the trends the research has revealed support Frank's Si2 Partners initial hypotheses...

The Key Characteristics of a Service Manager

So, to begin let’s explore what the key characteristics field service organisations are looking for when recruiting new service managers.

We asked our survey respondents “What are the key attributes you look for in a service manager” with a list of 14 options to select as well as the option to submit additional information - and we asked respondents to list any options that were applicable to them.

Interestingly, and very much in line with Frank’s comments, the most common response was leadership capability in which 86% of respondents stated was a key attribute they sought within their service managers.

This in itself is a particularly intriguing insight given that as Frank alluded to, leadership capabilities may not be particularly evident based on past performance if organisations are promoting from within and selecting their new service managers from a pool of their highest performing field engineers.

This is not to say that they won’t necessarily exist within that pool, however, the skill set of strong leadership is as we have mentioned in the introduction a different skill set to what makes an excellent field service engineer.

"The most common response was leadership capability in which 86% of respondents stated was a key attribute they sought within their service managers..."

Yet it seems indeed that leadership is absolutely viewed as pivotal within the role of service management today - something that is surely a reflection on the strategic importance of service delivery as a growth driver that Frank refers to.

However, whilst the research findings reveal that whilst leadership skills are the most commonly sought after trait when recruiting service managers, it seems that many service organisations continue to seek out similar attributes within their service managers as those that are often highly valued within field service engineers and technicians.

Specifically, field service organisations were commonly looking for potential service managers to show technical knowledge and application (77%) and be good problem solvers (50%) both key traits often sought after in field service engineers and technicians.

Additionally, both an ability to fight fires and demonstrated performance delivery were both identified as key traits by just under a third (30%) of field service companies look for when recruiting new service managers - again highlighting how the roles of service managers are seen as being a linear progression from field-based roles.

However, given that this number is relatively low, it could also be argued that this could indeed be indicative of a changing tide and that this is part of the evolution which Frank described as service becomes a strategic growth drier rather than merely a cost centre.

Yet, when we look for the skills and attributes that are more firmly in line with what Frank describes as business management skills, again the data sits very much in line with his hypothesis, that perhaps not enough service organisations are showing the levels of ambition that one might expect given the large shift towards service as a profit centre we have seen in recent years.

"A third of companies (33%) who stated that a good head for business is something they look for in a service manager, whilst slightly more (40%) stated that an important trait they look for in service managers is for them to be analytical and metric driven..."

In fact, again it is a third of companies (33%) who stated that a good head for business is something they look for in a service manager, whilst slightly more (40%) stated that an important trait they look for in service managers is for them to be analytical and metric driven - another attribute that is perhaps more aligned to business management than the traditional requirements of service management.

What these findings to appear to reveal is that we do seem to be in the midst of an evolution within the role of the service manager, with some companies still leaning towards selecting the best performers within their field service teams, whilst others are adopting a slightly more ambitious approach to selecting their service management personnel in looking for traits that are more aligned with the strategic business aspects of the role.

There are of course merits in both approaches, as Frank points out, however, there are also a number of traits that are fundamental to being able to ensure that field service operations are delivered optimally and this was also evident in the research findings.

One big attribute that was commonly cited as important for field service companies to seek within their service managers was a customer-centric outlook - which was, in fact, the second most frequently cited of all the options within the survey with 80% of companies stating this is something they look for within a potential service manager.

Alongside this, a large percentage of companies felt that potential candidates for their vacant service manager roles should ideally have a good operational understanding, which two thirds (66%) cited as well as a good rapport with their service engineers which over half (55%) cited.

Whilst both of these latter two attributes could, of course, be developed by an external candidate these are both areas where an internal recruit would certainly have an advantage.

Service Manager Development

So, based on the research findings around the desired attributes of service managers, there remains a strong case for hiring from within, yet at the same time we are certainly starting to see a developing appetite for and a gradual shift towards the more business focussed service management role that Frank describes.

So does this mean that field service organisations are looking to recruit within and then develop the layers of business acumen required for managing a service business as a profit-generating entity?

The research would appear to suggest that this may not yet be the case and the role remains to be seen as being both technical and supervisory rather than being focused on business performance and strategic thinking.

Having  asked our respondents ‘What training do you give to your service managers?’ we found out that indeed, leadership training was the most popular response being cited by just over half (53%) of respondents, whilst technical training was also cited by half (50%) of respondents.

"Less than a quarter of our respondents (23%) stated that they gave their service managers any financial or business acumen training..."

In addition to these attributes ‘coach-the-coach’ style training and also ‘soft-skils’ were both cited by 30% of companies, is another attribute that fits more within a supervisory focused service manager role.

In contrast to this, less than a quarter of our respondents (23%) stated that they gave their service managers any financial or business acumen training.

This would certainly suggest that whilst aspirationally many companies may be beginning to see service as a driver for revenue growth, in reality, the majority of field service organisations still see the role of the service manager as being one firmly rooted in the operational side of the business.

Of course, one answer for this could simply be that many organisations see the more business-focused aspects of service management as belonging within the realm of the service director, rather than the service manager - but that begs the question as to whether we are developing the necessary characteristics within our service managers to make the necessary step up to become highly effective service directors who can drive both a service operation and business growth forward simultaneously?

Could it be that as field service delivery continues to becoming increasingly interwoven within business strategy - particularly as the trend towards servitization and outcome-based contracts become more prevalent that we are seeing demand outstrip supply in terms of service managers who are equally comfortable being operationally efficient, business savvy and who also have a natural proclivity to customer-centricity?

"Over two thirds (70%) of respondents stating that they didn’t feel there were enough candidates to meet demand for service managers roles..."

The research would again certainly add weight to this argument with over two thirds (70%) of respondents stating that they didn’t feel there were enough candidates to meet demand for service managers roles given the fact that field service has become increasingly important operation within many companies wider business strategies.

This lack of suitable candidates again asserts the validity and importance of being able to recruit from within - in essence, to be able to grow your own service management leaders. However, if companies are to do so and to do so effectively, then it would appear that many need to rethink how they approach their management level training programs to incorporate more focus on the business aspects if they are to truly align the role of service manager, with the premise of service as a profit centre.

Yet it is by no means an impossible task and the fact that just under half (44%) of the field service organisations who participated in the research involve their service directors within the recruitment process would suggest that these concepts may well filter down over time.

It seems that there is a small portion of field service organisations who are one step ahead of the pack in terms of developing their service managers to not only be able to deliver operationally but also strategically. The question now must be how long before the rest catch up? how long before the rest catch up?

Executive Findings: 

• 86% of field service companies state that Leadership Capabilities are a key attribute they look for in potential service managers
• 77% of field service companies state that Technical Skills are a key attribute they look for in potential service managers
• 80% of field service companies believe their Service Managers must have a customer-centric outlook.
• 55% of field service companies expect their Service Managers to have an excellent rapport with their service technicians
• 23% of field service companies provide their Service Managers with business or financial acumen training.
• 70% of field service companies believe that there are not enough suitable candidates to fill the demand for Service Managers

About The Research:

The research was conducted over a six week period reaching out to fieldservicenews.com subscribers as well as the respective audiences of our partners inviting recipients to complete a detailed online survey. In total there were 131 respondents.

In addition to this Field Service News Editor-in-Chief conducted a live polling session at the recent Field Service Connect event, held at the Belfry, UK which was hosted by WBR at which an additional 33 senior field service executives were present bringing the total respondent level to 164 field service professionals - a sufficiently large enough response base to provide a fairly robust snapshot of the current trends around recruitment and development amongst field service organisations today.

The respondents represented a diverse range of industries including; Heavy Manufacturing, Healthcare, Consumer Electronics, Power Generation and Facilities Management. There were respondents from all across the globe including the UK, Belgium, Germany, UAE, Canada, Spain and the USA and there were responses from companies of varying sizes ranging from those with less than 10 engineers through to those with over 800 engineers.

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