AUTHOR ARCHIVES: Kris Oldland

Aeromark, one of the UK’s leading Service Management Systems, has announced it has successfully completed a full integration of its Optimatics Service Management Software with Wolseley UK as part of its unique “Smarter Parts” module.

Optimatics offers a complete Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution specialising in the Domestic Heating, HVAC and Refrigeration Sectors, which covers everything from managing assets and planned service schedules through to dynamic real time scheduling and Engineer Mobile Apps on one simple to use web based software suite.

As the UK’s leading supplier of plumbing and heating products, Wolseley UK is spearheading the development of electronic solutions which redefine the customer experience - helping them to save time, money and hassle through more efficient management of their workflows.

Combined, the systems provide a transformational offering in supply chain optimisation both in terms of operational improvements and also cost savings.

 

On receipt of a service call, Aeromark’s new “Smarter Parts” module springs into action immediately, identifying the Asset and Serial number and matching common faults with previously ordered parts for the same model. It dynamically schedules the best Engineer to the Job based on their route and instantly sends all the relevant information to their mobile app. Once on site, the Engineer has instant access to the pertinent technical information using PartsArena from Infomill.

They can view exploded diagrams of the make and model, and easily identify and select the parts required by simply clicking the diagram’s hyperlinks. The Aeromark system then checks live stock levels at all Wolseley UK branches and customer vans in the vicinity in real time. Having carried out an automated approval process, the system orders the part for either immediate collection or delivery depending on the forecast travel time.

This seamless, end-to-end process removes a considerable number of unnecessary touch points, improves first time parts identification, cuts down on revisits and considerably improves the customer experience.

 

Roger Marks, MD of Aeromark said: “This integration enables Aeromark to provide a more powerful solution to some of the biggest challenges to field service operations – getting the right parts, to the right place, in the optimum time. We are now even able to forecast delivery times for the more obscure non- stock items and optimise dynamically whether the Engineer should collect or order for delivery based on daily workload and travel times”.

Jeremy Maxwell, Multichannel Director, Wolseley UK said: “We are leading the way in developing new digital workflow solutions for our customers which can dramatically improve their efficiency, drive down costs and improve their service levels. This partnership with Aeromark and Infomill has created a market-leading digital platform that could be used by many customers operating at scale in the heating, HVAC and refrigeration space. By delivering accurate real-time information direct to the engineer, enabling faster decision-making and processing of orders, and enabling this to happen on customers’ own systems we’ve made Wolseley UK even easier to do business with.“

Jonathan Ralphs, CEO of Infomill remarked: “Infomill are proud to be partnered with Aeromark and Wolseley UK. This ground-breaking integration will really boost efficiency and improve customer service.”

 

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Only one in ten companies (11 per cent) take total cost of ownership (TCO) into account when procuring vehicles, according to latest research.

Purchase price or lease cost ranked as the biggest consideration, selected by 64 per cent of companies, with vehicle reliability a priority for just a third (33 per cent), the study by fleet management specialist Fleet Operations revealed.

“Given the number of businesses that we talk to about the importance of using TCO, these findings were very surprising and suggest many companies may be incurring unnecessary fleet costs,” said Ross Jackson, CEO of Fleet Operations.

 

Although headline prices must be taken into account, TCO offers the most complete and meaningful evaluation for selecting fleet vehicles.[/quote] “Although headline prices must be taken into account, TCO offers the most complete and meaningful evaluation for selecting fleet vehicles. This calculation includes not only leasing and purchasing costs but all real-life costs over the period vehicles are retained – from depreciation, fuel, insurance and maintenance to interest, tax and employers NI.”

 

Almost half of the companies surveyed (46 per cent) said they were unaware of the correct formula for calculating TCO.

The study also found that more than a quarter (26 per cent) of companies have seen lease costs rise in the past 12 months. In spite of this revelation, more than a third (38 per cent) of those that lease vehicles do so using a solitary supplier.

“Lease costs can have a considerable influence on TCO but rising prices can be mitigated through competitive, multi-supplier, procurement practices,” Jackson added.

“Eye-catching deals on specific makes and models can lure companies, but a preferred sole supplier is unlikely to offer the best deals for all vehicles. Significant savings can be realised by searching the market for the best price on every vehicle. Although this can prove labour-intensive, it can be cost-effectively outsourced to a fleet management specialist.”

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IFS Applications 9 selected as the new finance and service contract management system for JLA’s growing business in an agreement valued at £1million

IFS, the global enterprise applications company, announces that JLA, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial and industrial laundry and catering equipment , will implement IFS Applications™ 9 for its entire operation.

IFS Applications 9 will provide JLA with an advanced system to manage its customer contracts by encompassing service contracts, rental and asset management, as well as full financials, purchasing, inventory, and production control in one centralised system. Once implemented, JLA will be able to control and improve the quality and efficiency of its service to clients.

 

James Greenman, JLA Chief Information Officer commented “IFS Applications 9 was selected because it not only meets JLA’s current needs, but it is agile enough to adapt to changing requirements, laying the foundations for a long-term strategic relationship. The project will begin immediately and is scheduled to go live in the second quarter of 2017”.

“It’s great to be working with such a customer-focused and growing company,” IFS UK Managing Director Paul Massey said. “Our work with JLA demonstrates our strength in helping service-centric firms effectively manage business and we look forward to a long and successful partnership.”

 

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More than 33% of transport industry professionals do not believe autonomous vehicles will work, according to findings published recently in the Microlise Transport Conference post event report.  

The statistics, covered in full in the dossier which has been released today, were captured during interactive voting on questions at what is now the largest road transport conference in Europe, attended by more than 1,000 delegates.

The report goes further than last year, by providing an in depth view of the road transport industry in 2016 on a range of key issues, with responses broken down by sector, age, job position and gender.

“We compile this report each year with the aim of delivering the most accurate reflection of the sentiment in the transport industry right now, across the key issues,” said Nadeem Raza, Chief Executive Officer, Microlise.

 

“The findings tell us that the industry is still not sold on the potential of autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles – despite many experts predicting them on our roads in the not too distant future. It’s also interesting to note that industry support for leaving the EU aligns with last week’s referendum result.”

Despite a majority giving their support for a leave vote, when questioned about the EU, 43% said that they felt leaving would have a negative effect on the haulage industry.

Alongside a lack of faith in the EU and autonomous vehicles, the statistics also show that 84% believe the Government’s support for the transport industry is unchanged since the Conservatives came to power. More than 58% of delegates feel the situation in Calais has gotten worse in the last year.

“Standing at the podium I was struck by an audience defined by its reasonable views, moderate politics, inclusive attitudes and tenacious work ethic,” Conference Chair Quentin Willson commented as part of his foreword which is published in full in the report.

The date of next year’s Microlise Transport Conference has been announced as 17 May and it will again be held at The Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

To download the 2016 post conference report, which includes a recap of each session; statistics from the answers to questions put to delegates and analysis on the trends behind the numbers go to www.microlise.com/mtc2016report.  

 

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Rugged computer designer and manufacturer, Getac, today announced the release of its second generation T800 fully rugged tablet -- the T800 8.1.

Its thin and ergonomic design allows greater productivity for mobile field workers and those operating in tight spaces and extreme environments.

It offers best-in-class battery and an optional hot-swappable SnapBack battery for potentially limitless life.

“Getac continues  to push the boundaries for mobile rugged devices and the Getac T800 fully rugged tablet does just that with its improved power efficiency, durability and security options,” says Chris Bye, President of Getac UK.

The new 8.1” touchscreen T800 includes an Intel® ATOM™x7 Quad Core processor, providing improved power efficiency as well as the best battery run-time performance in its class. The tablet also takes advantage of the advanced security solution that’s in-built in Windows 10.

Other features of the T800 include:

• 10 hours of battery life with an additional 10 hours using a hot-swappable SnapBack battery option.
• Additional SnapBack options include a 2-in- 1 SmartCard and RFID/NFC reader, or 2-in-1 SmartCard and magnetic stripe reader.
• Getac’s signature sunlight-readable LumiBond® 2.0 display and a 170-degree screen viewing angle that is large enough to comfortably view documents and complete data entry with minimal scrolling.
• A full HD webcam for video conferencing, an 8MP rear camera with LED flash for crisp images and video, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and optional 4G for reliable connectivity. Optional Discrete GPS provides high-performance location awareness.
• Other security features include: TPM 2.0 monitors and protects system start-ups to ensure the device is tamper-free before releasing control to the operating system, while BitLocker protects data at rest, in use and in transit. Multifactor authentication options, such as a SmartCard and RFID reader, work in tandem with Microsoft Windows 10 identity protection features, including Microsoft Passport and Credential Guard for additional protection.
• MIL-STD810G and IP65-certified to survive drops up to six feet, rain, dust, vibrations, shock and extreme temperatures from -14.5 to 50°C (operating temperature) and -40°C to 71°C (storage temperature).

 

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Check out our review of the Getac V110 rugged convertible here 

 

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ServicePower Technologies Plc a provider of workforce management software, recently announced the launch of ServicePower Unity, an integrated, cohesive mobile workforce management software product providing field service enterprises with the capability to manage the complete service cycle from entitlement and work order management, schedule and route optimisation, 3^rd party dispatch,  field mobility, claims processing and business intelligence, in a SaaS deployment.

ServicePower Unity combines all of the components of our mobile workforce management platform into a single, integrated SaaS offering, based on a per user license fee.

Unity provides all of the elements of ServiceScheduling’s real time, unlimited intra-day schedule optimisation, or Optimization on Demand^TM, with ServiceOperations and NEXUS FS^TM, enabling clients to manage, dispatch and adjudicate claims from their third party contractor networks, while providing the field service management functions to those same third party contractors needed to improve their own productivity and customer satisfaction rates.

 

All of this is combined with enterprise mobility for both the employed and contracted workforce, and robust operational and business intelligence, ServicePower Unity enables ServicePower to meet the needs of every member of the field service ecosystem, regardless of size or workforce model, in the cloud, for a single fee, while delivering a higher overall ROI than seemingly competing software.

Marne Martin, CEO, ServicePower, stated “This is an exciting launch for ServicePower.  Our mobile workforce management software platform has always provided intra-day route optimisation, contractor dispatch and claims management, enterprise mobility, business intelligence, and with the launch of NEXUS FS^TM and Optimisation on Demand^TM, new SaaS field service management software and optimisation as a service, we’ve delivered our platform on premise, hosted or as SaaS.  ServicePower Unity brings all of the components together, in a SaaS model, at a single low cost, such that any sized field organisation can take advantage of the same productivity tools, improving operations and the customer experience, while achieving real ROI on their investment  ServicePower continues to lead innovation in the field service management market, now offering the most complete, wholly configurable mobile workforce management software on the market, all as a true SaaS product.”

PSA Group and TomTom Telematics have recently announced that the award-winning TomTom WEBFLEET fleet management solution will be available for all connected Peugeot, Citroën, and DS fleet vehicles.

As of next quarter, the service will become accessible in France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Optimised fleet management

WEBFLEET enables fleet managers to make better business decisions. It helps to save fuel as well as localise vehicle positions and improves car maintenance planning. Within the collaboration between PSA Group and TomTom Telematics, the WEBFLEET platform will use the data sent by the manufacturer-fitted telematics units of Peugeot, Citroën and DS cars. This kind of alliance with a car manufacturer is a first for TomTom Telematics.

“We see an increasing number of vehicles entering the market with pre-installed mobile connectivity. Our WEBFLEET platform can provide a valuable service to the owners and users of those vehicles. Customers with Peugeot, Citroën and DS connected vehicles will now have easier access to Europe’s leading fleet management platform to help improve fleet efficiency, customer services and overall business performance,” said Thomas Schmidt, Managing Director at TomTom Telematics. “This initiative extends the relationship with PSA Group, after announcing the TomTom powered PSA infotainment platform¹ earlier this year.”

 

Brigitte Courtehoux, Head of the Connected Services and New Mobility Solutions business unit of PSA Group, added: “Our ambition is to provide customers with fully-connected vehicle fleets as part of our “Connect Fleet Management” program as well as a value-added service from market-leading partners. This innovative proposal allows customers to select services that best fit their company’s needs, helping to save time and money with an easy solution designed to significantly reduce the total cost of ownership. Collaborations like with TomTom Telematics enable us to provide a top-quality reliable service throughout Europe. In this way, PSA Group is furthering its strategy as a mobility provider."

 

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¹ This platform includes automotive-grade digital maps, TomTom’s award winning navigation software “NavKit” and its market leading live Traffic service.

 

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UK consumers are increasingly standing up to poor performing service providers by purposely withholding payments, according to new research - with 48% saying they had withheld or defaulted on payments in the past as a result of poor customer service or billing issues.

The survey of 1,500 households, by Echo Managed Services, revealed a number of reasons for debt outside of consumers simply not having the financial means to pay. Almost 1 in 3 people hadn’t paid because the bill was incorrect or higher than expected; 14% because the bill was difficult to understand or there was a mix-up with it; and 6% because they’d received poor service. Just 28% of people said that late or non-payment was as a result of not having the means to pay.

The research also revealed that higher income households are less tolerant of poor service, with 1 in 10 of those earning more than £40,000 per annum having withheld payment for this reason in the past, compared to just 1% of those earning less than £10,000.

Understanding the importance of collecting outstanding payments Echo are now urging service providers to improve their billing processes and customer service standards, in order to mitigate some of the reasons behind avoidable debt and to avoid losing valuable customers in a market full of competition and choice.

 

 “There are many reasons why people might not pay a bill and although a lack of income would be the obvious reason, our research clearly indicates that these days debt cannot be attributed solely to financial circumstances. Consumers are now much more aware of their rights and have the freedom to exercise them. They might be less tolerant of poor customer service or inaccurate billing, or think that failing to pay won’t necessarily lead to debt collection procedures, for example,” said Monica Mackintosh, customer services director at Echo Managed Services.

“That’s why it’s so important to understand customers and their reasons for missing payments so that the debt can be mitigated before it becomes an issue, or be resolved as quickly as possible. Making sure bills are clear and accurate, regular pre-bill customer engagement, and early intervention such as payment reminders are essential.  In addition, a range of internal and external data sources can provide a strong indicator of customer behaviour and propensity to pay. But data alone does not provide the answer and should be used to support personable and empathetic customer service to ensure customers receive a positive experience” she added.

The report also revealed that although most customers do feel guilty about missed payments (59%), a surprising 3% think that regular debt is acceptable and 4% think it’s acceptable if they have more pressing needs, such as paying for an annual holiday. Over 1 in 4 think it’s acceptable to get into debt in extreme circumstances, while 6% think it isn’t an issue to be late with payments and that it causes no harm.

 

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As the field workforce of many companies begins to go through perhaps the greatest cultural shift in modern history, it is vital that companies begin paying attention to the stars within their midst and help them grow into more senior roles.

Jennifer Lescallett, Affymetrix, explained exactly why and how we can achieve this during a presentation at Field Service Medical earlier this year...

Apparently only 10% of companies spend time developing their top talent. This is despite the fact that talent acquisition and retention is a critical area for most companies. In field service where training engineers to maintain a specific set of devices can be both a long and costly endeavour this is perhaps magnified even further.

So why doesn’t nurturing our top talent take more of a front seat?

“As leaders of Service and Support organizations, we are all hard-wired to fight fires and resolve immediate issues facing our customers. We want our customers to be successful, our teams to have the resources to make it happen, and for our businesses to thrive. Given the many day-to-day issues that arise, it can be difficult to carve out time to strategize and focus on top-talent. It is undeniably, however, our most important job,” explained Jennifer Lescallett, Senior Director, Affymetrix, at Field Service Medical held a little earlier this year.

“Focusing on individuals in our company that are earmarked for those future jobs takes time and it’s time that we need to allocate away from all the distractions of our daily work environment,” she continued.

 

Identifying potential stars given the above it’s crucial that as a first step you can identify those with genuine potential.

“Imagine the bell curve” Lescallett explains “At one side of the curve you have your lower performers, people that haven’t employed all of the best practices. In the middle you have those people who are solid, steady team players who love what they do – fixing issues and working with customers.”

“And then there is the final part of the curve, the top performers; this is where the focus needs to be.”

However, Lescallett advises that we then drill deep into these high performers to find those that can fill future leadership roles.

“These are people on your team that have curiosity and deep engagement. They are the ones that face adversity with determination and grit. And they have a way of looking at a customer problem and knowing intuitively how to resolve it.” Lescallett explains

“People with these high potential qualities also want to be engaged at the strategic level. They have insight into your organisation and a keen ability to connect the dots. Their capacity for learning is vigorous and expansive. They feed off of challenges and high-stakes situations.”

Lescallett herself has adopted a three part process for identifying and developing talent.

The process is identified as:

1. Developing success profiles

2. Assessing and reviewing your talent strategy

3. Executing the plan

“The first two steps are relatively easy. You can lock you and your team away in a day-long, closed door session. Don’t forget to leave your phones and computer at the door and delegate the fire-fighting to someone else. Use this precious time to get your talent plan aligned, develop success profiles and assess your organisation."

"It is the third element, however, that is the trickiest to implement because it means scheduling time to devote to it on a routine basis,” she says.

Let’s take a look through each of the stages.

 

There are three key steps in developing your success profiles Lescallett suggests.

The first of these is defining the behaviours that drive success.

“You want someone who can identify a need and has the enthusiasm and energy to figure out a solution. You want someone that can think out of the box, that’s truly creative, that works well in a team or whatever the key behaviours are that you are seeking in future leaders.”

“You have to then build the competencies around the behaviours that you want.”

“Next you have to define the destination roles in your organisation."

Maybe it is an assignment in a new territory/geography you are expanding into, or maybe it’s leading in a small business unit  within the organisation for example.”

“It is important to help people not only build their expertise in the service and support department but also make sure that they can rotate through different groups within the organisation” she adds

The second process Lescallett suggests is to use different models to assess future ability.

“One approach that has been very successful is using 360-Degree Assessments from Zenger Folkman. The participant obtains feedback from direct reports, managers, and peers on a range of competencies along with written comments about strengths, weaknesses, and fatal flaws. You get in return an anonymous feedback assessment that helps the person identify strengths they can build upon.” The report helps the employee create a career development plan with their manager or mentor.

 

While the 360 report is a tool for the employee, the leadership team can use other tools like a talent grid to assess the organization as a whole. This provides a way of comparing and contrasting the organization and getting a better feel for the talent pool.

Lescallett explains that “there are many ways of evaluating teams, including a matrix format mapping them on a grid, with potential being the x axis and performance being the y axis – this is a particularly useful and commonplace tool for visualising exactly who on your team have both the potential and the work ethic to step into a leadership role, whilst also helping you see who could potentially be in need of more coaching and guidance.”

Another avenue for critical feedback is getting the opinions of more than just the line managers, says Lescallett.

“Certainly they [line managers] have a very good idea of where their team is, but it’s important to get assessment from a range of leaders in the business because people can see different things in different individuals.”

“It’s often easy to spot the ‘racehorses’. Those that come into an organization and are raring to go, always making contributions and searching for more. However, there are diamonds in the rough that are worth unearthing too,” she explains.

“People that might have the technical skills but haven’t fully refined some of the leadership skills you need in the organization. You have nurture them and build on their strengths. It is important not to discount those who may not be 100% polished yet.”

The final process Lescallett suggests is a broad review of the data.

“You should review the group data as a team of managers to make sure that other teams like Marketing and Sales are evaluating their teams in the same way that you are evaluating yours.”

As a manager, mentor or coach, it’s vital to set the expectations that a person’s career is their responsibility – they own it. A person may have all of the qualities of being high potential, but it’s up to them to pave the way for their own success.

One thing is certain though, building a healthy pipeline of future leaders is critical for the success of every business.

 

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