Field Service News | Kris Oldland (3)

About the Author:

Kris Oldland has been working in Business to Business Publishing for almost a decade. As a journalist he has covered a diverse range of industries from Fire Juggling through to Terrorism Insurance. Prior to this he was a Quality Services Manager with a globally recognised hospitality brand. An intimate understanding of what is important when it comes to Service and a passion for emerging technology means that in Field Service he has found an industry that excites him everyday.

Moving asset data across an organisation

Jan 31, 2022 • Features • Digital Transformation • IoT • servicemax • Asset Data • amit jain

Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined by Amit Jain, Chief Product Officer, ServiceMax as the two discuss the role of asset data in anticipation of a major research study undertaken by Field Service News Research in partnership...

The barriers preventing asset data flow

Jan 27, 2022 • Features • Digital Transformation • IoT • servicemax • Asset Data • amit jain

The tale that asset data can tell is a compelling and important one

Jan 25, 2022 • Features • Digital Transformation • IoT • Asset Data

Asset data comes from more sources than just IoT

Jan 20, 2022 • Features • Digital Transformation • IoT • servicemax • Asset Data • amit jain

A personal note of thanks to a true friend to the industry

Dec 16, 2021 • Features • Kieran Notter

It was my honour to host the inaugural European Field Service Awards recently. This was an event that was hosted, to a degree, because we knew we had to bring the industry together again in person – to trade stories from the last two years of how we all adapted during these challenging times. It was an opportunity to celebrate the excellence of an industry that stood so tall in the face of adversity.

It was a fantastic event that saw solution providers and industry leaders come together. We all focused on the excellence and innovation that had been on show in our sector, both in terms of technology and strategic service thinking.

As host, I also took the opportunity to say farewell to a good friend to many in that room and someone who was universally respected by all those in attendance. Sadly, Kieran Notter of ServiceMax and, prior to that, Pitney Bowes, unexpectedly passed away earlier this year.

It took me, as it did all of us, by complete surprise. It was a tragic accident that robbed the world of bright light at a time when we were just moving out of the darkness. I’ve been trying to write this article pretty much ever since, but the words never quite felt right. To a degree, I, as are many are still in shock at Kieran’s passing.

However, given the platform of the Awards, I was able to ask those in attendance to share a moment of reflection for Kieran. As I think Kieran would have preferred, I asked for a moment of applause rather than silence. I wanted to celebrate his life rather than mourn our loss. It is a fitting tribute to how well-liked and respected Kieran was that the whole room, colleagues, peers and competitors alike stood proudly to join me in this fairly impromptu request. Those who knew him well and had the privilege of working alongside him stood shoulder to shoulder with those who often been on the other side of the debate stage working in competition to Kieran – and all had nothing but warmth, respect and admiration in their faces.

For me, I had the opportunity to interview Kieran on several occasions, both in a closed-door environment for various productions we had worked together on across the years and in public on stage at various events across the world.

From a professional perspective, Kieran had two distinguishing facets that came to the fore in such situations. Firstly, his wealth of experience prior to joining ServiceMax allowed him to speak not only with authority but with an earnestness that was deeply grounded in having experienced the role of the service leader hands on.

"There was a deep well of experience that Kieran drew on from his career that he continually supplemented with further learning and reading..."

In short, there was a deep well of experience that Kieran drew on from his career that he continually supplemented with further learning and reading.

This is perhaps the other thing that always leapt out to me about Kieran; for him, the ideas of continuous improvement weren’t just a concept to be applied in the operations environment. It was something you could see he applied to his own development and expected of those around him. Kieran was never afraid to push past the status quo in search of a better version of the truth, yet he was also a massive advocate of ensuring that each layer of a problem is fully understood before moving on.

Indeed, the most recent work Kieran and I worked together on is soon to be published - a research study that is the exact epitome of what it is like to work alongside him. During the planning stage, Kieran, Sumair Dutta and I worked closely together to define the shape of the study, the parameters and outline the questions. The process had more friction than is often the case in these situations, as one might expect, with three of the world’s most recognised industry commentators and leaders all having a distinct vision of where the study should go.

The planning process was longer than usual; there were more iterations of the framework, but to be clear, none of us saw that friction as a negative process. We all had the respect and trust in each other to test our respective positions, and only the most robust ideas remained within the final study. The result is one of the most comprehensive research projects we have completed to date. With the initial paper almost ready for release, I think it will be a fitting testament to Kieran and his input to the industry.

"The prospect of hours alone with anyone in a car can be daunting, but such was the depth of Kieran’s various interests and his ability to speak passionately about them that the time flew by..."

However, Kieran was about far more than just his job, and during our many joint appearances at various events, I also had the pleasure of getting to know him personally. I remember Kieran giving me a lift across Sweden one time because we had both booked our return flights from the wrong airport, which was hours away from where we were.

The prospect of hours alone with anyone in a car can be daunting, but such was the depth of Kieran’s various interests and his ability to speak passionately about them that the time flew by.

We talked rugby - Kieran was a hugely important part of Cobham RFC and chairman of their minis – I occasionally coach and volunteer with Ealing minis for whom my son plays.

We talked Land Rovers – my dream has always been to own an early 90s Defender; Kieran was a passionate Defender expert, having owned a number over the years (hence the banner image for this article - I like to think he would approve)

And most importantly, and for the greatest amount of time, we talked family.

With about a decade and a bit between us, mine is a younger family than Kieran’s (my wife and I had our third child only a few weeks ago). However, if I can speak with half the joy, pride and satisfaction that Kieran continuously had in his voice when he talked about his own family, I will be immeasurably happy.

His family meant the world to him, and my deepest and most heartfelt sympathies go out to them on their loss.

I would politely encourage all those who spent time with Kieran to put their thoughts and memories of him in the comments section below so we can capture a note of remembrance for his family from our industry.

Is there a correlation between Servitization and Digital Transformation?

Dec 01, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • IFS • Sarah Nicastro • SimPRO • durabook • Servitization and Advanced Services • Iwi Lin • Ricky Sevta

Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News reflects on the alignment of digital transformation and servitization - the two key trends driving innovation and evolution in our industry...

There have been two key trends that have been consistently present within our industry for a number of years. Both have been at the heart of discussions in boardrooms and on conference stages alike. Implementation of both has been accelerated by the pandemic. These two trends are of course Digital Transformation and Servitization - but just how closely related are they?

For Sarah Nicastro, Vice President of Customer Advocacy, IFS the two are very closely aligned.

"We believe that Servitization and Digital Transformation are inextricably linked, in that the progression of digital is a major factor in the increased demands customers have that are prompting companies to Servitize as well as in the fact that it’s impossible to Servitize without digital capabilities," Nicastro explains.

"To seize the potential of advanced services, companies must view Digital Transformation as key to success. Digital is required to gain insights into the performance of assets in a way that allows a proactive and predictive response, to optimize the utilization of both its workforce and inventory in the manner necessary for guaranteeing outcomes, and to ensure the customer experience is seamless and informed.

"Data is also proving to be an integral part of an advanced services value proposition in the form of providing customers unique insights gleaned from digital tools in use. As such, companies should seek a modern digital platform that provides a range of capabilities to eliminate the failure points common in a disjointed environment and to protect the integrity of the customer experience. " she adds.

This is a comment that is echoed by Iwi Lin, Marketing Manager, Durabook.

"Digital transformation is already happening within the business-to-business sector, meaning organizations across every industry need to embrace this digital change," he comments.

"Servitization can only be a consistent and reliable revenue source if your business performance remains equally efficient and dependable..."

- Iwi Lin, Durabook.

"The adoption of emerging technology is where true industry revolution occurs, determining who will rise to the top and who will fail over time. Companies that implement technology to streamline processes, optimize budgets and improve overall workforce performance are predicted to outlast their competition.

"However, servitization can only be a consistent and reliable revenue source if your business performance remains equally efficient and dependable, which is where rugged devices come into play. These computers are fast becoming the focal point of these technologies as they enable organizations to realize even greater operational capabilities,"

Indeed, our world both inside and beyond field service is evolving rapidly in terms of technology and as we add the further pressures of a servitized business model into what is an already complex mix of many moving parts that constitute field service then the importance of being able to leverage, but also importantly trust the technologies we deploy throughout digital transformation is critical.

As Lin adds "With technological evolutions in IoT, 5G, Augmented Reality (AR), machine learning and AI, companies investing in new technologies will be able to predict and prevent operational failure. Computer manufacturers that provide rugged devices can help organizations understand how to operate these devices in the field to enable their digital transformation programs and ensure new technologies are used for their maximum benefit.

"With uninterrupted servitization a crucial factor for business success, the latest equipment is designed with optimum efficiency in mind. Rugged devices are the only models that can withstand the frequently harsh conditions many field computers must endure.

"The latest devices also contain sensors that feed operational data back to the manufacturer on the product’s condition, reducing maintenance issues and downtime. Should a problem arise, the manufacturer or service provider will be automatically notified by the faulty part so it can be quickly fixed. While they may require a greater initial outlay, they are far more cost-effective in the long term because of this lower need for maintenance costs."

"Servitization at its core means providing outcomes rather than products or even services – it’s a company-wide transformation in the identity of the business and the customer value proposition."

- Sarah Nicastro, IFS

Coming from an industry where reliability in the field is a critical component of the success of their products, Lin's point raises an important distinction between servitization and digital transformation. While they are invariably two facets of the same conversation, the latter is the enabler, while the former represents the true paradigm shift.

As Nicastro explains, "Servitization at its core means providing outcomes rather than products or even services – it’s a company-wide transformation in the identity of the business and the customer value proposition, not a simple addition to the service portfolio.

"However, in many cases this transition occurs over time in a phased manner to ease the impact on culture and operations and to help manage change."

Of course, while technological innovation or advances in service design thinking are important, these all become something of a moot point if they are not aligned with what our customers actually need and want. This is a critical part of the discussion which cannot be overlooked.

"Without customers, nothing happens," states Ricky Sevta, CRO, simPRO bluntly.

"Customers we’ve talked with agree. They also know it’s a tricky balance, tailoring your services to the unique needs of your customer while also providing high-quality service to every customer. You also have to do it better and faster than your competitors, and still turn a profit.

"In our experience working with all types of trades businesses, we believe technology like job management software, can help you do it all.

"Job management software helps you better manage all the moving parts in your business, and gives you insights (data) into how well you're truly performing in each area of your business. More importantly, it shows the relationship between these areas.

"You can then pinpoint how your performance, in these areas, good or bad, ultimately impacts the customer experience," Sevta adds.

"Your customers make everything happen. Why make them wait?'

- Ricky Sevta, simPRO

"For example, how does proper stock management impact customer service? Say your field staff arrive at a job only to realize that they don’t have what they need. Now they’re wasting the customer’s time and their time. This can lead to an irritated customer and a job that takes much longer than it needs to.

"Your engineers are set up for success, and empowered to provide good customer service when they know that they have the right materials for every job, and can check stock from anywhere at any time, but so is the rest of the team. With field management software, your admin team can check inventory while talking to a customer rather than having to take their number down, manually check the stock and then call them back."

"Your customers make everything happen. Why make them wait? Job management software, especially cloud-based software, gives staff all of the relevant information they need to deliver the best customer service no matter whether they're remote or on-site," Sevta concludes.

Indeed, there is a broad mix of tools available for field service companies of all shapes and sizes, across all sectors in today's market. Digital transformation is all around us and will continue to evolve at pace. As to will the servitization movement, with service portfolios becoming more advanced and sophisticated as we embrace such tools.

However, as Sevta rightly states, keeping the customer centre to all we do is the one true key to success.

Are field service companies at risk of undervaluing social media as a tool within our industry?

Sep 21, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • servicemax • Social Media • The View from Academia • Chris Raddats • Severina Cartwright • Katharina Streater

Is social media being woefully underused in our industry, or is it a saturated mass communication tool that lacks the nuance required for effective customer interactions that drive service excellence amongst field service companies? Kris Oldland,...

Social media has perhaps had a more significant impact on human society than any other technology in our history. It has evolved rapidly from sharing pictures of cute cats to becoming an integral; some may even say insidious aspect of twenty-first-century living.

Rightly or wrongly, almost every aspect of our lives is touched by some form of social media. Regardless of whether you wish we had all just quit at the cat videos or if you've developed turbo-speed thumbs as a Facebook superuser, there is no denying the prevalence of social media.

And yes, social media advertising and PR are now a standard part of any communications strategy. We can confidently say that field service companies are all using social media.

The question is, can we, or indeed, should we be using it more?

In a recent session online discussion group hosted by Field Service News, Drs Severina Cartwright and Chris Raddats of University gave an excellent presentation based on a paper the two had co-authored with Dr Hongfei Liu of Southampton University. The paper outlined the strategic use of social media within business to business marketing.

In her presentation, Dr Cartwright outlined the findings of the paper, which was a review of the current academic literature, and she outlined three key areas that are prevalent in terms of how business-to-business organizations are leveraging social media.

These were:

Social Media as a sales facilitation tool:

Moving away from the dyadic face-to-face relationships
Introducing the early processes of a sale before a salesperson even initiates contact
The emerging phenomena of social selling

Social media as an integrated communication tool:

Creation of timely and valuable content
The creation of both corporate and personal personas
Influencing customers' reactions and engagement via the linguistic style of corporate content

Social media as an employee engagement tool:

Empowering and driving employee citizenship and allowing them to develop a personal brand in line with the parameters of the corporate guidelines
Positioning the organization and the employees as thought leaders

Dr Cartwright's presentation gave those in attendance an excellent viewpoint into the broad trends of social media use amongst business-to-business focused organizations, which offered plenty of food for thought for those on the session and led me to the question – are we underestimating the power of social media within the field service sector?

For example, would social media prove to be an effective tool for fault reporting or even triage, particularly as we continue to see the demographic shift within the workplace as millennials replace baby boomers and more modern forms of interaction become the preference?

To dig a little deeper into this hypothesis, we spoke to Katharina Streater, Senior Product Marketing Manager, ServiceMax.

When it comes to triage, however, Streater believes that social media doesn't offer enough depth of insight to provide meaningful value.

"While social media serves as a powerful tool to generate brand awareness and connect companies directly with their users, I don't believe it is an appropriate tool for service triage at B2Bs who manage a large installed base," Streater explains.

"Therefore, I don't think field service organizations are underestimating social media; rather, they are choosing to leverage it only in the places that drive value.

"For asset-centric service organizations, a support case requires more than a brief rundown of the problem by a user whose social media profile is not associated with their business, or even their full name. To properly handle a case, the agent needs to authenticate the user, identify the asset that needs service and the company they're associated with. Then they need to find the correct information on the customer contracts and the service level agreements before tackling the issue."

"Using social channels for support requires several manual steps until a case is resolved, and most often ends with taking the service request offline—often because it contains details that are proprietary or are a matter of data privacy..."

- Katharina Streater, Senior Product Marketing Manager, ServiceMax

These are all, of course, highly valid points that would suggest that the power of social media is an ill-fit with triage. However, perhaps the most critical issue of adopting such an approach wouldn't necessarily be in the triage, but in providing step-by-step issue resolution and giving the customer the clear understanding that their issue is being taken seriously and there is someone at the other end that is taking personal responsibility to ensure resolution – something that can be diluted by both social media and even many support ticket solutions if poorly implemented.

As Streater adds, "Social media is focused on communication, not providing a 360-degree view into a customer's SLA and asset data–information necessary to resolve a case.

"Using social channels for support requires several manual steps until a case is resolved, and most often ends with taking the service request offline—often because it contains details that are proprietary or are a matter of data privacy.

"What's more, communicating the wrong entitlement coverage puts service organizations at risk of revenue leakage."

This doesn't mean that social media doesn't have its place amongst the tools deployed by field service companies. As per Dr Cartwright's presentation, the role of social media in terms of employee engagement can be a significant positive.

"Our customers do see the value in connecting directly with end customers on social media, keeping an eye on customer sentiment, and responding when necessary..."

Such use wouldn't necessarily need to be on an external social media platform either, instantly thoughts go to the use of internal systems to help drive knowledge bases for engineers and technicians. The same gamification aspects common across social media (such as badges, for example) can be used to drive additions to a knowledge base from a pool of end-users. Similarly, upvoting and downvoting can drive the best solutions within the knowledge base to the top of a search - assisting in the surfacing and identification of the best potential resolution to any specific issue.

In terms of customer interaction, social media can play a considerable part in measuring broader customer sentiment analysis.

Indeed, in a recent study by Field Service News Research that focused on technology and customer satisfaction, we saw that those companies who monitored more sophisticated metrics such as social media and sentiment analysis were more than two times as likely to state that they believed their CSAT metrics offered a highly accurate reflection of their customer service standards.

This is something Streater also sees within the ServiceMax customer base.

"Our customers do see the value in connecting directly with end customers on social media, keeping an eye on customer sentiment, and responding when necessary," she comments.

However, the removal of the dyadic relationship that Dr Cartwright reflects is a trend within the use of social media as a sales-facilitation tool, is the exact aspect we want to avoid in the role of service triage and continuing resolution.

"Instead of relying on social media for service triage," Streater explains, "our customers prefer to manage and control the process end-to-end from a secure, compliant app or portal experience. As opposed to social media, these tools give customers full visibility into their assets and service history and allow them to connect directly with a support agent who has all the information on hand to resolve the case."

Social media is indeed a powerful and prevalent tool. There is undoubtedly more we can do with it as an industry; however, as with every technology, it is essential to understand its limitations and strengths to use it appropriately.

ServiceMax: The Tech Company that Refuses to Follow the Script

Aug 16, 2021 • Features • Dave Yarnold • Scott berg • servicemax • Leadership and Strategy • Neil Barua

Having recently caught up with ServiceMax CEO, Neil Barua, Field Service News Editor-in-Chief, Kris Oldland realised just how unusual the story of ServiceMax is amongst tech companies. It is a story of twists and turns and now that Barua is driving forward his own chapter in that story, Oldland felt it was an appropriate time to recount the epic tale of the start-up that changed the industry before becoming worth almost a Billion Dollars and ask Barua where the next chapter is going to be set in these most disrupted of times...

Most tech companies have a decent origin story.

Indeed, many could (and often have been) the subject of an entire book of their own. However, not many companies have the oh so many twists and turns that ServiceMax has had. The life story for most companies within the small $25Bn corner of the enterprise tech world that we in the field service sector call home is mostly Mills and Boon. A brief account of love that ends in the protagonist being whisked away to a quieter life far away from the frantic frontier world of innovation.

The tale of ServiceMax, at least to my mind, is more akin to the great epics, with a far less linear but ultimately more fulfilling story to be told, and like most great epics, it is a story that spans more than one volume.

Maybe it is simply because I have been personally close to the story from near the very start that I see it in this way - although I personally don’t think it is just that. I’ve been there at the birth of several companies within our sector. I’ve watched them flourish and then watched them fade back into the general noise of the industry as the cycle of innovation and acquisition, acquisition and innovation rumble ever onwards.

Such companies, the Coresystems’, the TOA’s and the FieldOne’s, all had their stories. They all had their heroes, and they all had their moments in the sun. Yet, there was a sense of inevitability when it came to the final chapter. Slowly, inevitably, they became assimilated into the corporate colours of the respective industry giants that acquired them along the way. There is no shame in that. Indeed, it is the way these things are generally done; ultimately, the innovators almost always end up becoming a footnote in someone else’s story.

"From these humble origins, which can be traced back to a two-week project Athani and Hari initially built for a client under the moniker of Maxplore, ServiceMax quickly rose from start-up to genuine market leader in record time..."

And this is what makes the ServiceMax story so intriguing.

Despite being the biggest prize of them all, despite hitting the headlines across the global technology press when GE acquired them for close to a Billion dollars, simultaneously shining a spotlight onto our sector like never before, the GE chapter remains a footnote in the ServiceMax saga and not the other way around.

As I say, I’ve been privileged to have a front-row seat for almost a decade in the ServiceMax journey. For me, as an outside observer watching the company move through its various evolutions, there are three very distinct personas of a company that has dominated our industry headlines for that same period.

Firstly, there was the brash, brightly coloured ServiceMax, all bold colours, orange lettering against a big blue cloud if I recall. Built on the Salesforce platform but identifying a gap in the market and meeting it long before the rest of the world had begun to catch up. This first iteration was the story of the plucky start-up rising to become the industry titan. It was a true story of disruption and vision.

It was only over the year’s as I got to know then CEO Dave Yarnold better that I realised just how humble the origins had been for the company. I remember Yarnold recalling one story about their rented office in a tucked-away corner of Silicon Valley lovingly nicknamed the beige palace and having to head over to Best-Buy to pick up a TV so he and founders Hari (Subramanian) and Athani (Krishna) could give a presentation to their first-ever prospect.

Yet, from these humble origins, which can be traced back to a two-week project Athani and Hari initially built for a client under the moniker of Maxplore, ServiceMax quickly rose from start-up to genuine market leader in record time.

“We looked at what everybody was doing around service and we thought everyone was missing the point,” Yarnold explained in an interview with me back in late 2016. It was this confidence that they had found a missing piece of the puzzle that oozed throughout the business. The best way to describe how ServiceMax operated in this period was with the confident swagger of a youthful start-up that knew they were destined for the stars.

Of course, the rise was meteoric. By the time they had reached the top of the FSM tree, the value of that success was the acquisition of ServiceMax by GE for an eye-watering $915 Million. While rumours of various potential suitors to acquire the Pleasanton based company had been circulating for some time, this was an acquisition from the left-field not only regarding the price tag but also, who was paying it.

However, as the dust settled, increasingly the acquisition on the surface at least, seemed to make sense. As Scott Berg, former ServiceMax COO who took over the CEO mantle from Yarnold after the initial transition to GE had been completed, explained to me when I sat down with him at the Minds and Machines conference back in 2017.

“I think with GE being largely a company and culture built around engineers, we have both shared an asset centric perspective on service. For us, it was always about a system of assets in the field that customers wanted outputs and outcomes from - we were never about being your typical field service, scheduling only solution. For us it was an awareness of the people, the schedule and the asset. And certainly GE’s culture is grounded in engineering, machinery and assets - so we are on the same page.”

Indeed, if the first iteration of ServiceMax was characterised by a swashbuckling and pioneering approach to rethinking field service management, the GE period in their history was one better characterised by a more restrained and cohesive approach as part of a bigger, more holistic whole.

"If you look at GE as a company, I like to call it the largest field service company in the world. There are tens of thousands of technicians, and the vast majority of revenue at GE is derived from service contracts”

- Scott Berg, Former CEO, ServiceMax

As Berg had explained, “if you look at GE as a company, I like to call it the largest field service company in the world. There are tens of thousands of technicians, and the vast majority of revenue at GE is derived from service contracts”. Suddenly, the vision of the future of field service management that Hari, Anthani and Dave had successfully convinced our sector was the way forward was now backed up by an organisation that had the engineering gravitas to put it to the test and had backed that vision with an investment that broke all records within the FSM sector.

For many FSM companies, this is where the story may have ground to a halt. ServiceMax was increasingly aligned within the ill-fated GE Predix platform as part of GE Digital; this is the point in the story where all too often, rebrands occur, and the identity at the core of the acquired business is slowly eroded.

Yet, while the wider GE Digital business faltered (most notably Predix, which at the time was the archetypal solution for a problem no one had yet found), ServiceMax continued to report above industry earnings.

Indeed, when GE finally made the decision to carve out their GE Digital business into a standalone company (against a backdrop of analyst rumours of a distinct lack of buyers for the various elements of the portfolio and GE’s confidence in their move into growth tech markets appearing to wane), it is little wonder that ServiceMax, the jewel in the crown that had continued to shine in an ailing portfolio, remained the one valuable asset that GE could cash in on.

As such, SilverLake, the private equity firm with investment in significant technology brands such as Dell Technologies, Stripe and Peloton among many others, were able to take advantage of the uncertain future of GE Digital and introduce the third chapter into the ServiceMax story.

And the man shaping this latest chapter of the story is Neil Barua, current CEO of ServiceMax. I recall first meeting Neil within just a few days of his announcement as CEO as we met over a beer in the dry heat of the Palm Springs desert. It had been a long day for us both; I had been chairing the mainstream at Field Service USA; Neil had literally just arrived an hour or so before we met.

Yet, at the time, I recall saying to him that his passion for the role he had just taken on and the belief he expressed in the importance of how the field service sector keeps the world turning had echoes of some of those earliest conversations I had held with Yarnold almost a decade earlier.

It’s hard to pinpoint, but there was already a distinct hint of the confidence, the belief and the sheer desire to be the change that the world needs that came across in that first conversation.

Of course, in the two years in between, our world has changed immeasurably. The appealing idea of another relaxed conversation in the Californian sun seems like a long way off still as the dust settles from the pandemic.

Yet, in many ways, everything Barua said to me that evening about the importance of the field service sector was laid bare for us all to see as we collectively made our way through what have been truly unprecedented times.

“This is a time period where partnerships really matter, so we’ve reached across the aisle on both sides to make sure we do right by our customers...”

- Neil Barua, CEO, ServiceMax

His point about field service engineers being the unsung heroes of industry, now seems more prescient than ever after a year where it has been the field service workers that have quietly kept things ticking over while the rest of us adapted to the monotony of lockdown life safe in our private bubbles.

Neil and I have spoken occasionally in the intervening period, most notably after the announcement that Salesforce Ventures invested a further $80 Million into ServiceMax at a time when the partnership between the two is being firmly re-established.

It is another interesting twist in the tale, and to return to our literary metaphor from the beginning of this article; it is almost the classic plot of lost love rekindled. The classic 90s rom-com story arc of a reunion between two high-school lovers that had grown apart as they made their own paths in the world before rediscovering their affinity for each other at a later point when they are now both mature enough to realise how much they genuinely compliment each other.

ServiceMax, as we’ve covered, have had their growing pains, especially in the fall-out of the uncertainty of the GE Digital restructuring, but so to have Salesforce.

Like ServiceMax, they are another industry pioneer who for so long had so much potential to dominate within the FSM space given their position as the world’s number one CRM. Yet, somehow they never quite managed to hit the mark in terms of truly understanding the market’s needs in the granular detail that their peers and competitors did. This very much changed with the acquisition of ClickSoftware.

While the technology acquired was well accepted as an industry leader in the scheduling space, it was the depth of knowledge from former ClickSoftware CEO Mark Cantini (now GM Field Service Salesforce) and down throughout the team that has since moulded Salesforce into a true giant in the industry.

With Silverlake’s backing of ServiceMax and a newly invigorated Salesforce working in closer harmony, each aware of their own particular strengths they bring to the table, it is a formidable combination – and as our industry goes through the birth pains of seismic change brought on by the global disruption of the pandemic, to be blunt, our sector desperately needs our brightest and best innovators on top of their game and pulling in the same direction wherever possible.

As Barua commented when I spoke to him about the partnership while we were still in the depths of the pandemic, “this is a time period where partnerships really matter, so we’ve reached across the aisle on both sides to make sure we do right by our customers.”

At the heart of that partnership is Asset 360, which was at the centre of our last discussion when we caught up on Zoom a little earlier in the month.

“What does successful service delivery look like?” It was a question that we had drifted into as we had started to discuss just how much the perceived value of field service may have changed as our industry adapted to a post-pandemic world.

"As we continue to grow rapidly and expand into new industries with Asset 360, our core tenant of customer obsession still remains central to everything we do. All decisions we make around product and partnerships are all done with our customers in mind..."

- Neil Barua, CEO, ServiceMax

“For me,” Barua replied, “it absolutely requires a collection of well-orchestrated actions and data - an all-encompassing solution that supports the post-pandemic world. Honestly, that’s precisely where Asset 360 comes in – there really is no use case that we cannot support in this new era of work.

“It is one of the many reasons, that I’m incredibly optimistic about ServiceMax’s future. Despite all of the challenges and hardships we’ve faced in the last 18 months, we’ve moved so far, so fast and now the momentum is strong, to build a future that will take advantage of technologies to drive service excellence to a whole new level.”

Yet, for all the technological innovation that has come out of the ServiceMax team across the years and various iterations, there is one thing that remains consistent throughout. One thing that has become so woven into the company’s DNA that it has permeated through every incarnation and continues to shine through under Barua’s leadership.

That is an intimate understanding of the importance of customer-centricity, both for ServiceMax themselves but also for the industry they serve.

“As we continue to grow rapidly and expand into new industries with Asset 360, our core tenant of customer obsession still remains central to everything we do. All decisions we make around product and partnerships are all done with our customers in mind,” Barua explains.

“Our priority will always be to help them run more profitable, efficient service operations and ensure uptime on the world’s most important assets,” he adds.

If the first iteration of ServiceMax had the brash confidence of the arrogant start-up set to conquer the world, and the second iteration of ServiceMax had the confidence of being part of one of the world’s most iconic and successful brands, then this third iteration of ServiceMax has the confidence of a company that has been at the forefront of the industry for so long that they don’t just get the t-shirt, these guys make the t-shirts now.

Despite the significant investment from both Silverlake and Salesforce Ventures, ServiceMax distinctly has an air of entrepreneurship back in the mix and that stems no doubt from Barua’s own personal flair.

The entrepreneurial innovator is a role that just seems to suit the company better perhaps than the smaller cog in the corporate wheel that they had become under GE. It is hard to explain why, but some companies just have a natural persona and this third iteration of ServiceMax just seems to have found the right blend that fits with their corporate DNA.

Indeed, it is this blend of individual flair met with genuine passion and deep subject matter expertise that for me personifies ServiceMax and it is one that permeates across many members of the team I have grown to know well over the years (such as senior members of the Global Customer Transformation team like Kieran Notter and Coen Jeukens two of the brightest minds in the industry.)

Yet ServiceMax, also are making more measured movements this time around, perhaps having gone through the corporate machine, but equally in no small part down to Barua’s leadership and previous experience as CEO at fintech provider IPC Systems.

As our industry moves through yet another mass evolution, once again at a breakneck pace, indeed at a more incredible pace than ever before, I fully expect Barua’s iteration of ServiceMax to be at the vanguard of the innovation once more.

Whatever comes next, though, in the ServiceMax story, it almost certainly won’t be part of the standard script

Hands On Hardware Review: Durabook S14I Semi Rugged Laptop

Jun 24, 2021 • Features • Hands On Review • durabook • S14i

In the latest review in our Hands-On series, we put the Durabook S14I through a series of testing to assess its potential use in various field service environments...

As the Durabook brand hurtles towards its twentieth anniversary having first appeared in 2002 after parent company Twinhead produced its first military-grade rugged laptop in 2000, the Taiwanese technology manufacturer has garnered a well-earned reputation for high-end rugged devices that understand the workflow of their target market. With this semi-rugged laptop have they hit the mark once more?

What the Manufacturers Say:

The all-new Durabook S14I features the latest 11th Generation Intel® CPUs and class-leading 4′ drop spec/IP53 rating, pushing semi-rugged devices to a whole new level. The S14I is engineered to combine military-grade durability, field-worker functionality, computing performance, and long battery life for non-stop use, making it suitable for use in locations where rain or dust may be a regular occurrence. For workers in today’s challenging and versatile working environments, the S14I rugged laptop is truly in a class of its own.

First Impressions:

There is a lot to be said for a laptop that comes with an integrated carry handle. Right from the off you know that this is a device that is designed, not to try to mimic the sleek, thin (and increasingly fragile) consumer laptops available but instead for a specific use case. It is designed for work. It is designed to be moved around and to save the rigours of a day in the field. The S14i looks and feels like a laptop that is ready for business.

On initial boot up the system loads quickly and an initial browse around the WIndows10 operating system hints at a powerful processor as the system responds quickly to every command. The screen is bright enough to cope with outdoor operations in the (unusually) bright London sunshine as we begin to put the device through its paces in an outdoor environment. The 14 inch display which is touch sensitive responds as accurately as any tablet while the full size keyboard feels not only robust but also comfortable to work on.

The initial impressions are good. Durabook position this laptop as one step above semi-rugged, which feels like a perfect description. It's heritage, coming from a manufacturer that first stepped into the arena of rugged devices with military grade N1400 notebook right back at the turn of the millennium is clear. There is no denying the S14i feels very much like a solid rugged device and a quick glance at the specs would indicate that it is only the IP rating that doesn't push this device firmly into the fully rugged category.

Yet, it also feels very much like a device that can be used for longer period of time for compiling and writing reports etc without ever becoming uncomfortable to use, which can be the challenge with both rugged tablets or smaller laptops/notebooks. A big part of the Field Service News Hands-On review process is understanding in what field service environment and for what type of field service roles each device may be best suited and even at this early stage an idea is forming of where the S14i may best sit - but more of that later.

First lets put it through its paces...

Processing Power & Memory:

The Durabook S14I is one of the first rugged tablets to ship with the 11th gen Intel Tiger Lake-U processor options. These are the latest generation of laptop processors from the probably the world's most renowned chip makes. The TigerLake-U processors are developed around an evolved version of the 10-nanometer process node found in the previous-generation Intel Ice Lake chips with Intel promising that Tiger Lake will not only offer a boost in CPU performance but also comes with the company's new XE graphics offering that could be important for any users that are utilisng systems such as CAD or video based work on the move.

There are multiple options available ranging from a beefy Intel® Core™ i7-1185G7 vPro™ (11th Gen) 3.0GHz processor with Turbo Boost Technology up to 4.8GHz, 12MB cache down for those users that really need top-tier performance down to a more humble Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4 (11th Gen) 3.0GHz processor with Turbo Boost Technology up to 4.1GHz, 6MB cache for those who require less power with a number of options in between.

In terms of RAM the S14I has two slots that can be configured from 8GB right up to an impressive 64GB - meaning that the top end of its potential spec the device can be an incredibly powerful laptop that should be able to handle almost any CPU intensive application that might be required in the field. Indeed, during our testing the model we used (which had i7 processors and 16GB RAM) where we ran the device through its paces with a number of CPU heavy usage applications that we use in our day to day usage here at Field Service News such as video production and 3D rendering software that can put a strain on performance the S14I handled all tasks comfortably both in terms of user performance and monitoring CPU usage. Given these tasks are heavily reliant on graphic processing the afformentioned improved efficiency of the new TIger Lake processors with Intel's Iris Xe Graphics could also be a factor in the strong performance with CPU intensive programs.

Certainly given that the unit we reviewed was on the lighter side of RAM spec I have little doubt that a fully spec'd unit wiht 64GB RAM would eat up almost any task a field service engineer could put in front of it and in all honesty, would be overkill for the vast majority of field service applications so the ability to dial RAM up or down to a suitable level (and thus control costs) is a major positive. Of course, it is a standard option to be able to upgrade RAM when selecting devices although the range from 8GB right the way through to 64GB is less common and offers an excellent range of options.

Similarly, in terms of internal memory, the S14I comes with a 256GB NVME PCIE Solid State Drive (SSD) as Standard although upgrade options are available to 512GB/1TB SSD drives as well as OPAL 2.0 SSD. There is even a further option for a second or even third storage SATA SSD a well. However, again for the majority of field service operations we would anticpate that somewhere between the standard SSD and a terabyte would almost certainly provide ample storage.

All in all the S14I offers plenty of options in terms of processing prowess and storage and the upper limit of its specifications would be capable of handling almost any field service operation we could consider, while a more modest specification would be more suitable for the vast majority of use cases within a field service engineers likely workflow.

Operating System:

The S14i runs on WIndows 10 Pro offering the familarity of the world's most popular operating system also offers sophisticated connectivity and privacy tools including Domain Join, Group Policy Management, Bitlocker, Enterprise Mode Internet Explorer (EMIE), Assigned Access 8.1, Remote Desktop, Client Hyper-V, and Direct Access. As it is so widely used this is of course a major bonus when it comes to mobile device management (MDM) and integrating the roll out of new devices in the field into existing MDM strategies and processes an organisation may have in place.

The Ins & Outs:

One of the biggest trade offs that rugged manufacturers have to make when it comes to designing devices for the field is to balance the number of ports available with the levels of water and dust ingress that the device is protected against. The general rule of thumb is that the higher the IP rating generally the fewer number of ports available. Of course form factor also plays a roll in this equation as well with rugged and semi-rugged laptops and notebooks generally having far greater numbers of I/O ports than their cousins in the tablet form factor.

So given the S14i is sitting in the semi-rugged laptop category with an IP rating of IP53 the theory should see the device having plenty of options in terms of I/O, correct? Well in this case at least the theory certainly holds up. The S14I has 3 third generation USB ports (2 x type A and 1 x type C) as well as an additional USB 2 port. There is also an audio in/out (combo jack), something that at Field Service News we are always pleased to see. All too often, an engineer may need to make video calls in a noisy environment, and bluetooth headphones can be just another weakness (yet one more thing to lose charge), so in this instance, when good communication tools are leveraged in mission-critical situations, the ability for an engineer to plug a pair of headphones in to ensure they can communicate effectively can be a life-saver.

For quick transfer of data an SD card slot is included as is an Ethernet port, while for being able to present to the customer onsite (something that we think will be an increasingly important part of the field service engineers role as we begin to see a hybrid model emerge between in person and remote service delivery) the S14i has both VGA and HDMI ports. HDMI ports incidently being hugely important for field service operations within the Telco and Pay TV worlds.

Other ports on the S14I as standard are a serial port (RS232/RS422/RS485), a sim card and of course a DC power jock while a smart card reader and 41 pin docking connector are available as additional options.
Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the S14I is the the choice of one of five modular options to add further functionality to the device.

The available options are:

Optional DVD super multi
Optional 2nd battery
Optional media bay storage SSD²
Optional ExpressCard 54 x 1 or PCMCIA Type II
Optional 2nd RJ-45 & 2nd serial port (RS232)

While some of these options may be of use in very specific cases (for example a backward compatability requirement that could make a ExpressCard54 useful) in the majority of situations revolving around field service operations almost certianly the most interesting of these options would be to utilise the slot as an additional second battery to extend the S14I's ability to go through the long working hours of the average field service engineer.

Perhaps if we were to be greedy the one thing we would have liked to have seen on the S14I would have been a Thunderbolt 3 port to give even greater speed for the transfer of files into or out of the device. In a world of self-monitoring assets a large part of the engineer's triage process on site is increasingly going to involve retrieving data from an asset for anaylysis and Thunderbolt 3 is undoubtedly the fastest means of undertaking such a state transfer currently. However, the truth is most field service companies are still perhaps one or two generations of innovation away in terms of their maturity of connected field service in such a manner currently so this particular use case for Thunderbolt might be more looking to the future than how we can use it now and given the large numbers of ports available on the S14I it is a very minor drawback outweighed by a wealth of other options.

On final point to note here is that although the device only carries an IP53 rating, in fact access to the majority of ports is still enclosed and protected. This does to a degree make us wonder why not push towards a higher IP rating by sealing these compartments (although our suspicion is that it is largely a trade for being able to offer the modular expansions rather than the ports themselves) but what this does do is add further defence of thee ports so even though they may not officially be completley protected from dust ingress at all times, the reality is that when not in use they are highly unlikely to suffer any dust ingress at all.

Connectivity:

When it comes to connectivity the S14I as we mentioned above the device has an ethernet port that for wired connection which is an integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet. Form a wireless perspective this laptop has Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX201 chips which means it supports the WIFI6 technology theoretically allowing for it to hit 2.4GB speeds. This also holds the supports of the newer 802.11ac wifi protocol. While being backwards compatible with older wifi networks the newer 'AC' wifi protocol only operates on the 5Ghz bandwidth. This allows for greater speeds with less interference,( the older 2.4Ghz bandwidth is very congested). The reality is that almost all WiFi is now delivered across both bandwidths but this is still a consideration to take into account, particularly if your field service engineers are working in more remote facilities where perhaps the necessity for a 5Ghz network hasn't reached your client base. In our testing we connected the device to a number of routers all working to the same supply of broadband and found that the speeds received were very respectable compared to those when plugged into Ethernet.

While of course a wired connection is always faster and more stable the S14I was able to push upto 395Mb downlaod and 46Mb upload when connected to our fastest router and performed consistently comparatively well across all of the other connections we tested including older legacy connections.

In terms of Bluetooth connectivity the S14I is Bluetooth 5.2 powered. While on the surface the generation of Bluetooth the device adopts may not seem like the most pressing concern - in fact when we look beyond the highly celebrated benefits of Bluetooth 5 from the world of consumer electronics, when we explore the use case of field service operations Bluetooth 5.2 has a number of distinct advantages over its predecssors.

Firstly, Bluetooth 5.2 is able to connect more devices simulataneously. As wearables are becoming increasingly embedded in our day to day lives we can expect to see their use more within field service operations from smart-watches and glasses right through to health monitoring clothing. We have already seen Field Service Management companies dip their toe into bringing wearables into their ecosystem and it makes sense these devices would be operating across Bluetooth - 5.2 allows for more connectivity which is the direction we naturally progressing towards.

Additionally, Bluetooth 5.2 uses less power. Again this is critical in field service operations. The devices we provide our engineers are there to empower them to do their best work. These mobile tools that we provided our service engineers have to be as durable and hardworking as our engineers themselves which means that they need to keep power. While we can tackle the challenge from one side of the equation with additional batteries for example, if we can reduce battrery consumption through the use of latest technology protocols then this is an important step in that process as well. Bluetooth 5.2 address this.

Finally, there is the question of security. Sadly, in today's world we need to be concious of any potential weak entry points into a system or network. While the bluetooth is an exceptional technology that has truly revolutionsied the way we think about mobile computing, it has inherently been a weak point in the fence when it comes to security. However, with the introduction of 5.2 security has been greatly enhanced upon Bluetooth 4.0.

In our tests we were able to connect multiple devices easily to the S14I's bluetooth as we would expect.

Ruggedity:

We've touched on the ruggedity of the S14I a few times so far. It is something of an odd beat to a degree. As we mentioned in the introduction, it has the feel of a laptop ready to take the rigours of day to day life in the field.

In fact, in that sense it really is a very robust and rugged bit of kit. It is tested and certified to MIL-STD-810H. The important part here is that it is not only developed to or tested to but cetified at this standard. This means that it has survived a number of tests and come oout functioning as intended. These include foot drops onto 26 seperate sides and faces, shock and vibration tests, freeze/thaw, high/low temperature and temperature shock tests as well as coping with differeing humidity ranges.

In our testing we emulated as much of these tests as is possible outside of a laboratory environment (always one of the more enjoyable aspects of reviewing and testing rugged products) and were unable to put a dent in the device from shocks and drops and it performed perfectly after being put in a hot enviroment.

However when it comes to dust and water ingress the device firmly sits in the semi-rugged category. A rating of IP53 means that from solid materials the device is protected against dust limited ingress, but not harmfull deposits. Form liquid the device is protected against direct sprays of water up to 60 ° from the vertical. Ultimately, this would suggest that the device has enough resiliance for many, but not all field service environments.

Howerver, when we look at the display the S14I does have an impressive visibility even in bright sunny outdoor conditions. The S14I has optinal availability with displays of 1000 nits DynaVue® sunlight readable display without touch screen or 1000 nits DynaVue® sunlight readable display with capacitive multi-touch screen which would means it can be quite comfortably viewed in the outdoors.

Ultimately, Durabooks own description of the S14I as a step above semi-rugged is perhaps the best summary of the rugged specs of the device (while also offering a neat strapline). For the most demanding environments the S14I may not be suitable but for the rigours of many field service operational situations it should be able to save the knocks and bumps of general usage more than adequately.

Battery Life:

In terms of battery life, the S14I has a main battery which is an Li-Ion, 10.8V, 4700mAh, that the manufacturers claim will last for 10 hours. In our testing we got a little under this at just under seven and half hours but this was very intensive consistent usage that would be unlikely to occur in the field. However, as we mentioned above there is the option for an additional battery to be placed in the modular slot which would certainly give the S14I the power to see through even th elongest of shifts a field service engineer may undertake.

Conclusion:

The S14I is a very interesting device. It has the power under the hood to take on even the most potentially demanding of CPU intensive tasks while being built for purpose in that it is comfortable in hand to be a portable workstation thanks to the integrated carry handle and robust enough to go through the demands of most field service workflows. It isn't going to be suited to every environment - in particular usage in field service environments such as utilities or oil and gas may require better protection for dust and liquid protection but otuside of such envrionments it meets all the requirements of a rugged device. For harsher conditions, the Z14I fully-rugged laptop is the device in the Durabook range that stands up to this type of environments including oil & gas.

We would see the S14I being best suited for those field service roles where an engineer really needs a powerful device for complicated work, or as we alluded to earlier for those situations where the engineer may need to present an overview of how best to optimise the clients assets on site in a professional manner. It is definitely geared towards the higher end of the field service role and meets the demands of such roles impressively.

For more information visit Durabook @ https://www.durabook.com/en/products/s14i-laptop/

« 1 2 3 4 5 ... 135 »

AUTHOR ARCHIVES: Kris Oldland

About the Author:

If you are an FSN Premium subscriber you can access the full interview now on the button below. Alternatively, if you are yet to subscribe or are on our forever-free subscription you can join FSN Premium on the button below and get full access to the entire FSN Premium resource library.

Read the Executive Briefing Report based on the findings of the latest Field Service News Research Project:

If you are an FSN Premium subscriber you can access the full interview now on the button below. Alternatively, if you are yet to subscribe or are on our forever-free subscription you can join FSN Premium on the button below and get full access to the entire FSN Premium resource library.

Read the Executive Briefing Report based on the findings of the latest Field Service News Research Project:

If you are an FSN Premium subscriber you can access the full interview now on the button below. Alternatively, if you are yet to subscribe or are on our forever-free subscription you can join FSN Premium on the button below and get full access to the entire FSN Premium resource library.

Read the Executive Briefing Report based on the findings of the latest Field Service News Research Project:

If you are an FSN Premium subscriber you can access the full interview now on the button below. Alternatively, if you are yet to subscribe or are on our forever-free subscription you can join FSN Premium on the button below and get full access to the entire FSN Premium resource library.

Read the Executive Briefing Report based on the findings of the latest Field Service News Research Project:

"There was a deep well of experience that Kieran drew on from his career that he continually supplemented with further learning and reading..."

"The prospect of hours alone with anyone in a car can be daunting, but such was the depth of Kieran’s various interests and his ability to speak passionately about them that the time flew by..."

"Servitization can only be a consistent and reliable revenue source if your business performance remains equally efficient and dependable..."

- Iwi Lin, Durabook.

"Servitization at its core means providing outcomes rather than products or even services – it’s a company-wide transformation in the identity of the business and the customer value proposition."

- Sarah Nicastro, IFS

"Your customers make everything happen. Why make them wait?'

- Ricky Sevta, simPRO

Further Reading:

Social Media as a sales facilitation tool:

Social media as an integrated communication tool:

Social media as an employee engagement tool:

"Using social channels for support requires several manual steps until a case is resolved, and most often ends with taking the service request offline—often because it contains details that are proprietary or are a matter of data privacy..."

- Katharina Streater, Senior Product Marketing Manager, ServiceMax

"Our customers do see the value in connecting directly with end customers on social media, keeping an eye on customer sentiment, and responding when necessary..."

Further Reading:

"From these humble origins, which can be traced back to a two-week project Athani and Hari initially built for a client under the moniker of Maxplore, ServiceMax quickly rose from start-up to genuine market leader in record time..."

"If you look at GE as a company, I like to call it the largest field service company in the world. There are tens of thousands of technicians, and the vast majority of revenue at GE is derived from service contracts”

- Scott Berg, Former CEO, ServiceMax

“This is a time period where partnerships really matter, so we’ve reached across the aisle on both sides to make sure we do right by our customers...”

- Neil Barua, CEO, ServiceMax

"As we continue to grow rapidly and expand into new industries with Asset 360, our core tenant of customer obsession still remains central to everything we do. All decisions we make around product and partnerships are all done with our customers in mind..."

- Neil Barua, CEO, ServiceMax

What the Manufacturers Say:

First Impressions:

Processing Power & Memory:

Operating System:

The Ins & Outs:

Connectivity:

Ruggedity:

Battery Life:

Conclusion:

For more information visit Durabook @ https://www.durabook.com/en/products/s14i-laptop/

Leave a Reply

Follow Field Service News

Latest from Twitter

From The Archives