AUTHOR ARCHIVES: Mark Glover
About the Author:
Mark is an experienced B2B editor and journalist having worked across an array of magazines and websites covering health and safety, sustainable energy and airports.
Jul 15, 2019 • AI • copperberg • Data Analytics • future of field service • Field Service Forum • IoT
The ‘creation of a technology’ and the ‘adoption of the technology’, what’s more important? One way to look at it is that technology prowess for an organisation helps it advance and differentiate but its scope is limited unless the technology is adopted widely and simplifies tasks or generates revenue.
Narrowing down to the Field Service Industry, keywords such as ‘Democratised Service’, ‘Augmented Workforce’, ‘Humanoid Field Workers’, are abundant and very easy to encounter today in most articles, podcasts and webinars. The hype around IoT, AI, AR and VR is causing Field Service Directors to sweat and are inducing fear of being left behind in the digitalisation race.
The major question of the hour is: has the industry crossed ‘The Chasm’ yet for digitalisation? For those not familiar with the technology adoption lifecycle curve, the curve breaks down technology adoption into five phases with respect to time. When a new technology is introduced, the innovators (read tech geeks, influencers and technology over-enthusiasts) are the first to try it. In the field service area, these innovators would be large field service companies that have an abundant budget, manpower and cushion to fail for new innovations.
Once these innovators find a use case for the technology and deem it fit is when the early adopters start using the technology. This is the make or break zone for most technology. The number of users increases non-linearly and more rapidly compared to the initial phase.
To move from the innovators to the early majority is the toughest phase for the technology and is known as ‘crossing the chasm.’ After the ‘chasm,’ the use of technology increases rapidly till peak usage when the market starts to saturate and the late majority comes in. The laggards are technophobics who are last to adopt the technology. Most field service companies that consider keeping machines up and running as important play it safe and would be in the ‘early to late’ majority category.
Coming back to digitalisation in the field service industry, the majority of field service organisations have started addressing the need for IoT and data collection to ramp up their field service offerings and have more satisfied customers. At the recent Field Service Forum 2019 in Amsterdam, Europe’s leading event for field service, more than 115 Field Service Directors came together to discuss the present trends in field service, the upcoming challenges and the future of customer satisfaction.
"To move from the innovators to the early majority is the toughest phase..."
Most of them agreed that IoT and data will have a major impact on service businesses and that they need to start small, arrive at results and then move forward. They acknowledged the speed of technology development today and also benchmarked their own services to the standards set by the keynote speakers. Acknowledgement of the impact of the technology by the wider audience and relating to case studies show that IoT has crossed the chasm and reached the early innovators. All those not on board the IoT bandwagon are now scurrying to do so.
According to Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies 2018 report, IoT platforms will reach their plateau of productivity in the next 5-10 years. The Field Service Directors who have adopted IoT and data collection reflected that tech trends can be misleading and that they should rather focus on business problems. Translating the data to meaningful insights that can lead to better business decisions. There was also contemplation and debate on whether machines could take over humans in the workplace, though the consensus was that it wouldn’t be likely.
One technology that can help in this data processing and generating insights is AI. However, only the early innovators and technology leaders have tested it so far. Has AI jumped the chasm in the field service industry? Not yet.
Most innovators are still creating use cases and the projects are on test-beds. The majority of field service leaders are starting to see the potential and value in using AI in their data processing, but then the implementation, adaptation and ROI are a long way down the path.
Another technology that is premature but is deemed to have high value is augmented and virtual reality. The potential to have an experienced technician assisting a new line of the on-field workforce is very appealing but will the customer be satisfied and confident with the blunt show of inexperience? Will the chances to have faulty repairs increase once the technology is out of test trials or on the field?
There is always a debate about technology, its potential forecasted and the actual benefits derived. Over the next few years, we will realise if these technologies will jump the chasm and go on to become basic necessities in the field service business.
To be involved in the Field Service Directors Community, pre-register here for the Field Service Forum 2020.
Jul 12, 2019 • Features • Artificial intelligence • Machine Learning • Hardware • The Field Service Podcast • Predii
In the latest Field Service Podcast, Tilak Kasturi discusses the importance of a proof of concept in AI and machine learning enterprise.
In the latest Field Service Podcast, Tilak Kasturi discusses the importance of a proof of concept in AI and machine learning enterprise.
Tilak Kasturi is the CEO and Founder of Predii, an AI software company whose platform enables predictive repair and maintenance for complex equipment.
We got Tilak on to the Field Service Podcast to discuss the origins of Predii, the importance of proof of concept and how his time in radiation oncology big-data is shaping his current project.
Jul 12, 2019 • Fleet Technology • News • Momentum • fleet • IoT
Momentum IoT was named the winner at the 2019 CompassIntel Spring Awards in the category of Connected Solution Leadership: Fleet Tracking Management for IoT and M2M.
Momentum IoT was named the winner at the 2019 CompassIntel Spring Awards in the category of Connected Solution Leadership: Fleet Tracking Management for IoT and M2M.
The awards are voted on by over 40 industry-leading press, editors, journalists, thought leaders and analysts who identify the best in three primary categories: Mobile & Wireless, IoT (Internet of Things), and Emerging Tech, along with CompassIntel.com selected “of the Year” awards.
“We’re excited to recognize the innovation that Momentum IoT has introduced to connecting assets with ease and simplicity,” says Stephanie Atkinson, CEO and Founder of Compass Intelligence. “Momentum IoT has made fleet tracking affordable and achievable for small to medium sized businesses.”
Momentum IoT disrupted the fleet tracking model by utilizing a SaaS payment model, so there are no contracts or upfront fees to use the platform. The tracker is cloud-based and does not require customization, so users can plug the device into their asset and view them on one screen. Additionally, the company also offers a free trial of its products.
“We’re honored to receive this award,” says Justin Silva, CEO of Momentum IoT. “We’ve set ourselves apart through the ease of use and ruggedness of our design coupled with providing the highest level of security available with no contracts. We want to make telematics accessible to everyone and will continue to be a solutions-based leader in our field.”
Jul 11, 2019 • News • fleet technology • fleet
Trackunit and GAM (General de Alquiler de Maquinaria) have announced a partnership agreement to implement the Trackunit fleet management solution, based on the Trackunit RAW hardware, across GAM’s 18,000 Spanish rental equipment fleet.
Trackunit and GAM (General de Alquiler de Maquinaria) have announced a partnership agreement to implement the Trackunit fleet management solution, based on the Trackunit RAW hardware, across GAM’s 18,000 Spanish rental equipment fleet.
After a successful trial project, GAM is digitizing its vehicle fleet, which has grown to become the largest rental fleet in Spain and one of the largest heavy-equipment rental companies in Europe. GAM also has operations in nine other countries including countries in Latin America.
The deployment of the Trackunit fleet management solution has already started and GAM customers will soon be able to take advantage of the increased level of digitalization. The Trackunit solution will enable GAM to develop new business models offering better individual service, more accurate documentation of usage, which will help eliminate downtime.
Access to machine-data via the Trackunit Go app and Trackunit Manager software allows service technicians to analyse more machines and assets concurrently and have easy access to schedule services and repairs at a convenient time. GAM has already started training, installation and back-end implementation of the system.
The partnership agreement was signed after GAM did a meticulous screening of possible solutions and then chose Trackunit after a qualification test in Europe and Latin America. "GAM has chosen to be a part of something bigger - an ecosystem of customers, suppliers and partners - and they see the qualities and future perspectives of the Trackunit solution. We are certainly looking forward to a valuable partnership", says Soeren Brogaard Jensen, Trackunit CCO
"With the Trackunit fleet management we harvest the benefits of getting direct and easy access to equipment data and are able to significantly increase our fleet efficiency. Implementing the new system is a challenging work across the organization, but we are very excited about providing a qualified and differentiate value added service to our customers", says Ana Jorge, GAM Director for Fleet and Logistics.
Jul 11, 2019 • aston business school • manufacturing • Professor Tim Baines • Christian Kowalkowski • Servitization • Servitization Conference
Located in Southern Sweden, Linköping is the country’s seventh largest city. However, its dwarfed in comparison to London and New York, yet its charming and dotted streets littered with shops and cafes give it a very welcoming feel.
A five-minute walk from my hotel nestles an exhibition centre, the venue for this year’s Spring Servitization Conference, and like the rest of Linkoping it has a certain charm to it. Compared to conference hubs like London’s Excel and Birmingham’s NES, this is an idyllic setting: set among a lush green park littered with benches, where workers sip coffee enjoying the sun before heading to the office, the only sound is a polite bicycle bell or a the low drone of a tram.
I settle at the back of the main conference room on day one of the event, sipping my own coffee and grazing on some excellent Swedish pastries while awaiting the opening address from Professors Tim Baines and Christian Kowalkowski.
“I’ve taken a back seat this year,” says Professor Baines addressing delegates. This is the eighth year of the annual conference and the Director of the Advanced Services Group at Aston Business School has always played a key role in the content, but this year has ably passed the reins to Professor Kowalkowski from Linkoping University
“It’s an event that straddles disciplines and the [servitization] community,” Professor Baines says, extolling the conference’s benefits, “and is excellent to theory and research and relevant to application and practice.”
It’s a valid point: the event has always sought to bridge the gap between industry and application while creating a servitization community that can share ideas, best practice and findings. It remains the only event of its kind and its eighth year is testament to its development, where over 80 participants would come through the conference doors.
“It’s very important because we call come from different disciplines,” Professor Kowalkowski says, taking time out to grab a coffee with me during the first day. "Typically, we have a lot of academic conferences where you go to a conference belonging to a particular discipline, for example marketing or operations management, strategy or innovation or something else. This [servitization conference] is a multidisciplinary conference, so you can connect with other researchers from other disciplines. Because this is ultimately multi-disciplinary research, we are doing on servitization.”
Themed around ‘Delivering services growth in the digital era’, this year’s three-day event was structured, as always, round one single track of academic presentations, split into morning, mid-morning and afternoon sessions and each concluding with a panel debate discussing that session’s major points.
To meld industry and academia, Professor Kowalkowski was able to arrange a suite of excellent key-note speakers to begin each morning and afternoon session, including Ellen Molin, Head of Business Area Support and Services at SAAB and Magnus Savenas, VP Customer Care and Quality at Electrolux.
"It’s an event that straddles disciplines..."
To begin proceedings however, the conference welcomed speakers from Toyota Material Handling Europe (THME): Joakim Plate, Director Service Market and his colleague Patrick Carlsson, Senior Manager Business Development, Service Market.
TMHE the pair told us, carry out four million customer visits every year, with an impressive 96 per cent first-time fix-rate however, with connectivity (which Carlsson called a “game changer in service”) and other technology developments. They expect to improve these figures in the future.
Of course, the challenge lies in managing the rate of technology development, which the pair acknowledged, particularly in big data solutions and prediction models. A challenge into digitalization they’ve ratified by partnering with Microsoft.
Following the event, I caught up with both speakers to press them further on this link-up. “It’s two big brands working together for big future challenges,” Carlsson told me. “we have aligned to utilise technology going forward.”
“In more concrete terms,” Plate added, “they [Microsoft] have been a partner with is us throughout the process, initially by trying to predict how will a service technician in our industry work in five or six years’ time. With that starting point we were able to develop the new platform, which will be developed and deployed in several steps. So, we’ve only really just started the journey here.”
T-Stream, the TMHE digitalization platform for service runs on Microsoft’s Azure Cloud used by all its technicians to get access information in real time including online documentation, parts ordering, quote creations, planning, remote error code reading and GPS. These are collected in one user interface delivering engineers to assets before they have broken down.
I ask what takeaways the pair have gained attending and presenting at an academic conference focused on servitization. “For us, it’s about sharing our challenges with the academic world and to try and bridge the gap between the industry and the academic world,” Plate explains. “I think both parties have a lot to gain in working more closely together and for us it’s an opportunity to convey the challenges that we see, and to get input from the academic world. One area could be big-data handling, for instance.”
Michael Kato is Chief Digital Officer at commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania and made the short journey by train to deliver day one’s afternoon key note. Kato told delegates, fresh from an excellent sit-down lunch, about driving a digital strategy with a focus on customer service and service development, the heart of which, he explained, is to “walk extensively in your customer’s shoes”.
Having been in the role for two years, I asked Kato what challenges he found, culturally, in integrating a digital strategy into a well ingrained core business of a company that has 52,000 employees. “I viewed it like an adventure,” he says smiling.
“We had to establish the values we’re after and what are the levers for higher customer value. We needed to formulate an awareness of what we wanted to do and then prioritise it. It’s taken nearly a year and a half to work out how can we drive digital in business both in a long and medium-term way, because it’s massively complex.”
And academically, what did Kato gain from attending the conference in Linkoping? “I think it is of big value,” he says. “From my point of view, you have to understand what you want to take out of it. So, it might be a framework giving a higher clarity on things that you need to focus on. It might be of viewing different capabilities or it might be understanding the complexities of driving change that you might not have reflected on.
“Many companies have problems on getting progress on different areas, they know what they need to do but they don’t know why they’re not getting there.”
Of course, academic presentations make-up most of the conference content and universities across Europe explored strands around SMEs, Industry 4.0 and advanced services. Generally, delegates saw how the digital side of servitization can be turned into actual value creation for customers and suppliers alike.
On this, Chris Raddats, a Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Liverpool attending and presenting, told me that the conference shines a light on the potential of digitilisation for manufacturing servicing. “The Spring Servitization Conference provides a unique opportunity to discuss servitization from both practical and academic perspectives,” he told me at the evening’s drinks reception.
“This year’s conference was particularly interesting as it focused on digitalisation, a phenomenon that is disrupting many industries and one that could profoundly change how manufacturers develop and deliver services.”
It was during this drinks gathering that I met Lina Sunden, a young PHD student from the Lulea University of Technology in Sweden. Lina had a poster on display at the event, which she was due to present on the third day. She was looking forward to the prospect and excited to be part of this event. She told me that a specialist servitization event like the SSC was important as it focused on a discipline that may get lost in other conferences, something which inspires her throughout her academic pursuits.
It’s this coming together of like-minded academics that makes the SCC such an important gathering. Not only bridging the gap between academia and practice, the event offers a place for scholars whose research can be overlooked. However, the potential value that servitization brings to manufacturing, particularly when viewed through digitilisation could be hugely significant.
I’m already looking forward to next year’s event.
Jul 10, 2019 • News • Mergers and Acquisitions • Software and Apps • PC Data • Asolvi
Asolvi, a European leader in field service management solutions, has acquired PC Data in Hull, England, its third acquisition in 2019 and fifth since 2016.PC Data is the UK's leading independent supplier of service management software for the fire...
Asolvi, a European leader in field service management solutions, has acquired PC Data in Hull, England, its third acquisition in 2019 and fifth since 2016.
PC Data is the UK's leading independent supplier of service management software for the fire and security systems industry. It is the architect of the popular Alarm Master solution and has more than 600 customers nationwide. Together Asolvi and PC Data will have more than 1,500 customers across 30+ countries.
"This is a logical step for us following our other acquisitions in the UK within the field service management space," says Pål M. Rødseth, CEO of Asolvi. "The team at PC Data have served the UK fire & security sector with class-leading solutions for many years. Following discussions with Ken Symmonds and Philip Jackson of PC Data, we all agreed that we can create better, stronger products and secure the existing customer base by joining forces. Asolvi has a good number of customers in this vertical already, but now PC Data brings a pool of industry specialists to the table. This will help us deepen our expertise in fire safety and security systems and become Europe's top provider of field service management software for this market."
PC Data's Ken Symmonds and Philip Jackson say, "We are firm believers that Asolvi is the right home for PC Data going forwards. We believe that being part of a larger software group will add strength to the product development that is needed in such a high-stakes market. We have also got to know Asolvi as a competent and dedicated company in the service management space and are confident that bringing the companies together will benefit our customers in the future."
The consecutive acquisitions of Tesseract, WS Software, Purpose Software, Vantage Computing and PC Data are in line with Asolvi's strategy to become the leading provider of field service management systems for SMEs in Europe. The company has now added Alarm Master and BASE to its broadening product suite, which already includes the world-renowned Evatic, Tesseract, WinServ, CBS, 2Serv, Service Accent and Vantage Online solutions.
Asolvi is a private company owned by the founders, management and Viking Venture.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ASOLVI CLICK HERE.
Jul 10, 2019 • Features • Software and Apps • Uber • localz • lastmile • Customer Satisfaction and Expectations
There used to be an adage in business when it came to dealing with suppliers that jokingly went along the lines of “I only want one throat to choke.”
The idea was that if an organisation was providing you with a service, it was preferable to have just one touchpoint with them, one human at the end of the phone who understood the entirety of the relationship. One vendor who could provide the hardware, the software and of course all the services required to make that then all work.
However, today this concept seems somewhat antiquated, particularly amongst larger organisations. In a world of increasing connectivity and APIs, the prevalent thinking is more along the lines of “I want whatever you have to work with what I have.”
Best-of-breed solutions are once again returning to the fore to resolve specific challenges, often challenges that have arisen as the result of the disruptive nature of emerging technology we have witnessed in recent times and the ripple effect that disruption has on service across many varied and disparate industry verticals.
This development has led to a new wave of innovative companies rising to prominence within the field service sector. These include ‘Last Mile’ solution provider Localz who have already garnered an impressive roster of clients including DPD, Belron and UK utilities giant British Gas. The latter even having showcased their use of Localz technology as a major USP in their most recent high profile advertising campaign.
Localz is a perfect example of an organisation that has been able to identify an essential gap in the current field service management ecosystem that has been exposed by developments outside of the sector. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel and fix parts that weren’t necessarily broken in the first place, they’ve instead focused on providing a well thought out, easily implemented and effective solution for an important but somewhat overlooked part of the service cycle.
“We’re not here to change the world for field service companies; we are not going to make you change everything you already have. We are here to help you quickly get big cost savings and massively improve your customer experience by simply plugging in our location based day of service software,” comments Tim Andrew, CEO Localz.
Of course, the twenty-first century has so far been the century of data. We have seen field service companies make a concerted effort across the board to knock down the silos between divisions to allow data to flow seamlessly across an organisation to enable them to attain the once fabled, but now commonplace 360-degree view of the customer.
This trend has played well into the hands of the major platforms who could facilitate this by offering multiple functionalities within their suite of solutions. SAP, IFS, Microsoft and others have all championed the benefits of the platform approach for this reason.
As is the cyclical nature of such things, it is often outside of the restrictions of enterprise providers, that we see innovation flourish and thrive. It is a well established pattern of evolution and consolidation that those of us in the field service sector with more than a few flecks of grey in our beards will recognise.
However, the difference between today and previous years is the prevalence of APIs and the increasing ease of integration, which allows a solution like Localz to plug-in on top of a broader system and deliver the impressive level of last-mile communications and visibility that British Gas has harnessed so effectively.
“Connectivity is the big thing,” explains Andrew as we discuss how technology development has evolved in the last decade.
“It’s also important for technology providers to realise they need to switch the model on how the technology works. Smarter providers have stopped putting themselves in the centre. Customers’ don’t want to hear about a solution that is the centre of their operation; they have already invested significantly in many solutions and established efficient processes that broadly work well. Now they want to improve; they want to see how we add value to what they’ve already invested in.”
"The twenty-first century has so far been the century of data..."
The solution itself can be described in a sense as Uber for Field Service in that there is a very slick visual representation for the end customer to see the engineer arriving.
There is also, other useful technology within the solution, including scan to van stock management, which can be a game changer for the P&L of some companies struggling to cope with the constant movement of spares. However, it is in its ability to allow field service companies to deliver a service experience that has become an expectation in the age of Amazon and Uber, that Localz grabs the headlines.
This is mostly because it is addressing an issue that many service companies, whether it be a giant like British Gas is universal, or a niche SMB are facing - customer expectations and understandings of what ‘good’ service looks like are evolving rapidly.
“Something I touch on quite a lot is that customers are more informed across the board today,” explains Andrew
“Whether it be in a B2C, B2B or even a B2E environment, we’re all just universally more informed today as such customer expectations are radically increased. Also, the ability to switch providers, especially in the consumer world, is becoming easier and easier. I don’t need to speak to somebody; I literally can go on a website and choose from A, B, and C and get better service.”
The term that has risen to popularity over the last eighteen months in this regard is the ‘experience economy’ where customer satisfaction is no longer enough, we have to consider and understand the total customer experience to deliver customer delight. With this in mind, tools like Localz have become an essential part of the field service equation as they play a significant role in meeting the modern expectations of that service experience.
As Andrew touched on, this experience economy, these increasing customer expectations, have begun to break down the barriers of what we would traditionally define as business to business or business to consumer service standards.
The impact of disruptors, such as Uber and Amazon, is being felt wide and far beyond transport and e-commerce, it’s become ubiquitous across all industries.
“It’s definitely becoming that way,” Andrew agrees as we touch on how the lines across bB2C and B2B appear to be blurring.
“Service expectations especially around visibility and communication on the day of the service call are fast becoming table stakes in B2B, but I think we’re going to see it in B2B soon enough as well.”
If indeed the zeitgeist of the early twenty-first century, in the field service sector at least, is one of seamless service experience, then tools like Localz could very quickly become an essential addition to any field service organisation’s technology sector.
Jul 10, 2019 • News • Getac • Hardware • rugged • rugged hardware • Rugged smartphone
Fully rugged tablet offers advanced features and high performance for workers in the utilities, industrial manufacturing and emergency services industries.
Fully rugged tablet offers advanced features and high performance for workers in the utilities, industrial manufacturing and emergency services industries.
Getac have announced the launch of the new UX10 rugged tablet, offering reliability, powerful performance and lightweight portability to professionals operating in challenging field environments every day.
For emergency service paramedics, field utilities technicians and industrial manufacturing engineers, bad weather, remote locations and adverse working conditions are all part of the job. To work efficiently, they need powerful mobile devices they can count on day-in, day-out, regardless of the location or circumstances.
The lightweight and compact UX10 has been designed to maximise worker productivity in any environment. It’s 10.1-inch Full HD LumiBond® touchscreen display with 1000 nits of brightness and optional digitiser mode offers crystal clarity in all weather conditions, from bright sunlight to heavy rain, and can even be used while wearing gloves. MIL-STD-810G and IP65 ratings ensure operation in temperatures ranging from -29o to +63o C and drop resistance of up to 6ft, for complete peace of mind when working in harsh, dangerous or chaotic situations.
The UX10 features an Intel 8th Gen Quad-core CPU, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD for exceptional computing power, while connectivity options including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 4G LTE with integrated GPS, keep workers connected in even the most remote locations. The UX10 also features multiple battery configurations including an optional high capacity battery for full-shift computing and optional bridge battery, enabling hot battery swaps for continuous operation. For maximum functionality, the UX10 is compatible with a wide range of accessories including detachable keyboard, hard carry handle and secure vehicle docks. A robust suite of enhanced security features, combined with authentication options including Windows Hello facial recognition webcam, magnetic stripe reader, smart card reader and fingerprint scanner, keeps sensitive data protected at all times.
“Working in sectors such as utilities, industrial manufacturing and the emergency services can be unpredictable and extremely challenging, so the last thing personnel want to worry about is their device failing on the job,” says Rick Hwang, President of Rugged Business Unit at Getac Technology Corporation. “The new UX10 is purpose built to provide the reliability, performance and usability that workers need, meaning they can focus on the task at hand, whatever the situation.”
The UX10 comes with Getac’s three-year bumper-to-bumper warranty, covering accidental damage as standard, for even further peace of mind.
Emergency Services: Answering the call with paramedics
The UX10 is optimized for the latest Electronic Patient Care Records (EPCR) and ambulance mobilization software, putting life-saving critical information directly into the hands of field personnel when they need it most. A range of optional vehicle docks and optional hard carry handle further optimizes device mobility, allowing the UX10 to be easily operated and transported in time-critical situations.
Industrial Manufacturing: Monitor and manage critical processes through a single device
Digital transformation has revolutionised industrial manufacturing in recent years. The UX10 allows workers to monitor plant performance, integrate critical workflows and maintain quality control, all through a single device. An optional RS232 port supports the use of legacy equipment, while an optional LAN port allows for direct communication with different machines and equipment throughout the facility.
Utilities: The ultimate device for field service management
Manage your workforce, fleet and assets directly on the UX10 using the latest field services management applications. Optional dedicated GPS enables fast and easy mapping when using GIS software, while integrated screen-blanking technology decreases the risk of accidents and driver distraction. The UX10’s light weight, compact form factor and multiple hands-free carry options make it ideally suited to full shifts in the field.
Jul 09, 2019 • News • News Software and Apps • cloud • servicemax • Software and Apps
Executives bring expertise in growing successful enterprise software companies to ServiceMax’s cloud-based platform.
Executives bring expertise in growing successful enterprise software companies to ServiceMax’s cloud-based platform.
ServiceMax, have announced the appointment of Tony Zingale and Frank van Veenendaal to the company’s board of directors. Zingale, who will serve as chairman of the board, brings more than 35 years of experience building profitable, high growth, enterprise software companies. Van Veenendaal, a 30-year industry veteran and former Salesforce executive, brings extensive cloud, customer service and sales acceleration experience.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Tony and Frank to the ServiceMax board during this exciting period of change and innovation,” said Neil Barua, CEO of ServiceMax. “Both leaders bring a wealth of experience building and advising market-leading software companies. Their expertise will bring tremendous value as we accelerate our growth initiatives, pursue new strategic partnerships and continue to help our customers advance their service transformation journeys.”
Zingale previously served as executive chairman and CEO at Jive Software, a global enterprise collaboration software company, where he led the company through a successful IPO in 2011. He is a highly successful executive and board member in enterprise software, including public companies Clarify, Jive and Mercury and several other venture-backed, private SaaS companies.
“I’m honored to join ServiceMax as chairman of the board and look forward to the opportunity to help guide the company during this new chapter,” said Zingale. “I look forward to partnering with Neil and the ServiceMax team as they work to penetrate the $34 billion service execution market with their unmatched expertise and market leading technology.”
Van Veenendaal spent more than a decade in executive leadership roles at Salesforce, including vice chairman and chief sales officer. He was instrumental in the growth and evolution of the company’s sales organization through innovative new compensation plans, pipeline development, sales segmentation, and growth strategies. In addition to ServiceMax, van Veenendaal sits on the board of directors for Onfido, Coupa, Room to Read, and Vlocity.
“ServiceMax’s industry expertise, coupled with its commitment to helping customers improve the productivity of complex, equipment-centric service execution, is truly unparalleled,” said van Veenendaal. “I’m excited to join ServiceMax’s board of directors and help the company continue to deliver on its commitments through the most-innovative technologies available.”
Field Service News is published by 1927 Media Ltd, an independent publisher whose sole focus is on the field service sector. As such our entire resources are focused on helping drive the field service sector forwards and aiming to best serve our industry through honest, incisive and innovative media coverage of the global field service sector.
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