AUTHOR ARCHIVES: Mark Glover

In the latest Field Service Podcast, Bill Pollock discusses why management buy-in can ultimately lead to service excellence.

 

In this special episode, Deputy Editor Mark Glover, speaks to long-term Field Service News' contributor Bill Pollock about the importance of top-down buy-in when integrating new technologies.

Citing trends from Strategies for Growth's 2018 Field Service Management Tracking Survey, Bill dissects the current state of the sector, providing some surprising insights.An essential listen from one of the most influential and experienced voices in the industry. 

 

Ericsson and ABB have partnered to accelerate the industrial ecosystem for flexible wireless automation. The partnership will enable enhanced connected services, Industrial IoT and artificial intelligence technologies in the future.

The partners established their joint vision for future flexible production with automation and wireless communication by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Hannover Messe 2019. This comes in the era of Industry 4.0 and 5G, as businesses realize the benefits of increased productivity through automation and digitalization.

The MoU confirms the partners’ agreement to: continue their strong research collaboration, explore improvements in manufacturing processes and automation, and discover new business opportunities for the industrial ecosystem.

Ulrich Spiesshofer, CEO, ABB, said: “We are very excited to extend our partnership with Ericsson as the world moves closer to the era of 5G technology. ABB’s leadership in digital industries combined with Ericsson’s pioneering work in connectivity will open up new opportunities for customers to enhance productivity and competitiveness by digitalizing their businesses.”

Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson, added: “Ericsson and ABB already have a strong collaboration in research for 5G and Industrial IoT technologies. With this MoU, we strengthen our partnership to accelerate the industrial ecosystem and realize the full potential of flexible automation, unlocking new business opportunities enabled by combining 5G and Industry 4.0.”

Kris Oldland talks exclusively to Steve Wellen, CEO of FieldAware about today’s field service operation, maturity model adoption and when the time is right for an organisation’s evolution…

Evolution of an organisation’s field service and field service maturity models are hot topics and gaining increasing attention in field service management right now. Moving from basic, manual processes through to automated stages and beyond can deliver significant results to an organisation. But what does this maturity model mean in reality to an organisation and do all field service companies need to strive for the highest levels of field service maturity?

With over 35 years’ experience in the technology industry, Steve Wellen is somebody who knows more than most how important developing maturity is to business success. Prior to joining FieldAware, nearly two years ago, Steve held executive positions with software giants Domo, Inc and Omniture and his passion for the results that technology can deliver is clear.

It is useful to get his insight into how the concept of a field service maturity models can turn into reality for organisations and to take a closer look at the evolution that is happening right now. “I hear time and time again from our clients directly and through our customer support teams that field service is moving on from simply bringing efficiencies into operations, keeping customers happy and managing costs.

“These are important factors in any business, without doubt, but the focus is shifting and that shift is away from service delivery being considered to be an overhead within the business model and for field service to be an integral part of the company, that adds real value. With this strategic shift on the operational side, technology has to at least match these objectives or better still drive and deliver the outcome. Field service leaders realise they have the means to be empowered by the many recent developments in software capabilities - and how forward thinking companies are applying them - to become true value drivers in their business.”

As Steve highlights, technology and operational maturity are integral to one another, so it is useful to talk through the stages that are identified in the FieldAware model.

“In the simplest terms, we have outlined five stages going from the basic, paper-based processes through to a wholly transformative level of maturity which embraces the latest capabilities and emerging technologies.”

At the most basic stage, the field service team is seen as purely reactive, Steve explains. “The organisation’s operational development is restricted by the use of paper-based processes; there is reduced visibility of the workflow and the approach to managing work will generally be function-based and hence, reactive in nature. The field team is likely to be a siloed operation with strong focus on the department, rather than any wider business requirements.”

Moving up to the next level to part-automation means with near real-time management the work can move to a less reactive, more controlled approach with procedures and processes more easily established. However, while field service KPIs may be more easily defined because of the enhanced visibility, they may not align to wider business strategy, so the field service operations may continue to operate within a silo.

The next stage identified in the FieldAware model brings in integrated technology, and as such the operations become more managed. At level three, an integrated operation brings realtime visibility across all of the elements that need to be considered, bringing improved collaboration between teams and increased accountability within them.

Operational growth across the wider business can start to be realised, extending the impact of the field service organisation without compromising effective delivery of service promises and SLAs.


The fourth level is an optimised stage of technology maturity which means operationally field service turns into an opportunity to drive business as continual operational improvement becomes the norm. Processes become underpinned by true business intelligence and trend analysis.

Operations become more quantitatively measured and managed. An optimised stage brings with it a shift from being seen merely as service delivery, to unlocking the business value of field service with the competitive advantage that this can bring.

Finally, the most advanced stage of maturity in the FieldAware model is transformative, where the emerging technologies of IoT, AR, AI and Machine Learning become the norm and this stage has potential to have huge influence on field service operations. At this stage of maturity, the field service organisation is wholly connected across the company, applying analysis to continually improve performance, and adding value to the business through product and service innovation.

Ultimately, this enables field service to drive, not only the business, but the market, which is how companies differentiate themselves from their competition and lead company growth. The maturity of a company’s field service operations is dictated by many factors, explains Steve. Company size, type of industry and customers served, complexity of workflow, value of the assets and equipment they supply and service, and importantly, their leadership.

"One of the most significant transitions for companies, Steve believes comes when they focus on their business insight..."

So, taking these into account, what then drives a company to develop and evolve their field service solution and how is FieldAware seeing this firsthand I ask. “There are four key drivers we see within organisations looking to evolve. The first driver is growth as it is imperative that a growing field service organisation has solutions to support it and keep pace with operational needs. Next is flexibility, which is crucial to a developing field service organisation – being locked into using any solution that can’t easily adapt, handcuffs the business and restricts its development. Efficiency is critical as not having the right technology in place can be a cost driver, limit productivity and compromise service delivery.”

Last, but certainly no means least important is the increasing need for business insight. With more data available to field service organisations than ever, field service leaders demand better insight into their business and they understand that the right software holds the key to this.”

One of the most significant transitions for companies, Steve believes comes when they focus on their business insight. It becomes clear as Steve talks that business intelligence and analytics is an area he is particularly passionate about. His previous role as COO at Domo, Inc has enabled him to bring a fresh look at the application of analytics capabilities in field service.

“The premise of Domo is that it unifies every component of your business and while field service solutions have long had the capability to integrate into other business systems, such as CRM, ERP and accounting, it is analytics that provides the means for field service organisations to realise their full potential.” “Companies that recognise this value, see the importance of a closely integrated and connected field service within the wider business. The new interactions that come from this connection, further unlock the value for the company in terms of customer service, sales or product development to fuel competitive advantage.”

FieldAware has a strong focus on enabling clients to know more through their business insight, allowing them to serve more and grow more as a business. Steve again believes that analytics underpins much of this and for him seeing FieldAware clients achieve their objectives for company growth is another area he has great passion for.

“We are starting to see analytical data being used in unique ways to help field service organisations leverage the findings that are uncovered to drive innovation into their products and services. Forward-thinking companies apply these insights to help customise the service they offer to their customers more easily, deepening the customer relationship and improving levels of satisfaction.” “At the transformative level, the creation of new, unique, predictive and preventative services will help them to serve more and ultimately achieve greater growth.”

FieldAware is working with many organisations through their stages of maturity to address issues they encounter when their operational and technology stages are not aligned. Meadows Office Interiors is just one example. With over 50 years in business, Meadows Office Interiors creates innovative workspaces and company growth along with a strong customer focus, meant the creation of Meadows Service Group to offer ongoing support to their customer base.

A dedicated team was set up to focus on maximising the lifetime and effectiveness of their clients’ workplace assets, but as Steve explained it soon become clear to the management that current processes and practices couldn’t keep pace and more streamlined ways of working had to be introduced.

“Meadows quickly realised they had to be more strategic in the way they worked, to effectively manage the operational side of the business. Working with them to develop their technology maturity enabled improved day-to-day operational management, which has translated into driving their revenue growth. A great success for our client.”

It certainly seems like a successful approach for FieldAware and it is interesting times with their field service maturity model, which will mean more and more organisations will be asking themselves the question is the time right for their evolution in field service maturity.

For more information on field service maturity visit www.fieldaware.com or see Marc Tatarsky, SVP Marketing at FieldAware who joins a panel at Field Service USA 2019, Wednesday April 24th at the JW Marriott Palm Desert Resort & Spa

 

Gartec, the supplier and installer of passenger platform lifts, has transformed its business with a single IT system that provides end-to-end digital working, eliminating paperwork using mobile devices, BigChange says.  

With the 5 in 1 system from BigChange, Gartec field service engineers use smartphones or tablets connected in real-time to cloud-based software that manages the entire business process, from initial call to closure and invoicing.    

As the UK market leader, Gartec has been at the forefront of the platform lift industry for 25 years and is a subsidiary of Artico, the Swedish lift manufacturer.  Employing 50 people and based in Aylesbury, Gartec supply, install and maintain lifts with a team of 20 service engineers together with sub-contacted installers. The system, called JobWatch, has completely replaced separate software systems used for service management, audit management and tracking, and added a host of new automation capabilities. 

“We chose BigChange not only because they offered the best and most cost-effective solution, but because it was clear that they were a company with ambition and vision to really move things on,” says Ben Long, UK Operations Manager, Gartec.  “The beauty of JobWatch is that anyone can access and use it. That means our sub-contract installers can use their smartphones to access the same app and we can then manage sub-contracted work seamlessly as if it was our own.” 

Although much of Gartec’s service work is undertaken under maintenance contracts, the company provides 24/7/365 emergency services with guaranteed response times of typically 4 hours.  Customer service staff use BigChange to log incoming calls and then plan, schedule and allocate jobs to engineers, who in turn use their smartphones running the JobWatch App that gives seamless two-way connection with the back office system.  Automated emails confirm orders and call outs and accurate ETAs are provided using data from BigChange GPS trackers fitted to Gartec vans.                       

“BigChange is providing huge efficiency gains with the optimisation of routes and resources and the complete automation of many administrative tasks,” say Long.  “Since implementing BigChange the engineering team has grown from 9 to 15 and turnover has grown by £1miliion, without having to increase the number of office support staff.  I reckon we are probably twice as efficient when it comes to administration and managing operations has become a lot easier.

"Overall BigChange has streamlined the business and the whole process is much smoother. Probably the biggest benefit is the added visibility we now have and the automation provided by the system has helped to remove the human error element; the system gives us continuity and accountability.” Long sums up.

Atos and Google Cloud have inaugurated a joint artificial intelligence laboratory in Paris, France. 

The laboratory, which is unique in France, enables clients, businesses and public organizations to identify practical cases, for which AI could provide innovative and effective solutions, the companies say.

Through this laboratory, Atos is helping AI solutions to be adopted in Europe. In its cloud and hybrid cloud datacenters it ensures the security of both the data and the processing of it, as well as compliance with the European regulation on the protection of personal data. A real space for teaching and experimentation, the laboratory welcomes French and European clients to define concrete use cases where AI algorithms can provide high-performance solutions, via co-creation and solution prototyping workshops.

Thierry Breton, Chairman and CEO of Atos, said: "In order for France to continue to play a key role in the information space, it has to invest heavily in artificial intelligence and new technologies. Beyond economic development, being able to offer technological excellence while protecting European data is a matter of sovereignty. With this joint laboratory between Atos and Google Cloud, we are enabling the adoption of artificial intelligence by our clients by offering them the best technologies and the highest level of security for their data processing, all within a clearly defined European regulatory framework. As such, Atos combines economic and technological development with sovereignty, compliance and security and helps to design a secure and valued European information space.”

Eric Haddad, France’s Managing Director of Google Cloud added: "Our technologies enable our partners and their customers get the best value out of their data securely. This laboratory is a concrete example of the close collaboration between the Atos and Google Cloud teams, as well as our commitment to help French and European businesses define new business models based on artificial intelligence”. 

In April 2018, Atos entered into a unique global partnership with Google Cloud to accelerate the creation of secure hybrid cloud solutions, data analysis and machine learning, as well as the connected work environment. The partnership includes the opening of three AI laboratories around the world - in London, Dallas and the Paris region.

In a world of connected field service, new exciting oppportunities are being created by new technology such as Augmented Reality. Michael Murphy, VP International Operations, Librestream Technologies explains...

The Field Service industry is in the midst of digital change – investments are being made in different digital transformation technologies to help expand their service offerings to customers.

According to Forrester1, 32% of enterprises are focusing on digital transformation, and in two years, that number will increase to 49%. Augmented Reality (AR) is one key technology that organizations are deploying as part of these digital transformation initiatives.

It is difficult to define AR as capabilities rangefrom deployable now to future applications. The future capability can be considered ‘extreme AR’ - think of 3D digital models of assets that you can pull apart and manipulate. However, most organizations don’t have the content or infrastructure available for this form of AR even though this is the type of AR many refer to first.

In reality, the more deployed form of AR includes applications such as remote assistance and digital work instructions.
Within field service we are seeing this ‘deployable now’ AR gain significant traction. In working with industrial customers, we have identified three main drivers behind this growth: aging/ loss of experts, change in customer demands and service offerings, and ecosystem readiness.

These three drivers are propelling service organizations to adopt AR tools that can leverage expertise across a broad product set and customer base. Early adopters within industry have already proven results with performance improvements in first-time-fix rates, asset uptime, and overall issue resolution time. Embracing AR capabilities can be difficult if you don’t know where or how to start, and there are critical factors that can make the deployment a success or failure.

Here are the three main stages of successfully deploying AR technologies:

Get Started
The first and most crucial step is articulating the problem or need - Are you experiencing a loss of expertise within your organization? Are customers demanding stronger SLA commitments? If there is more demand on your service organization, AR technology can help meet these demands.

Once the need and goals are identified, the next challenge is choosing the AR technology and vendor that best fits your needs. Ask if they have other customers like you. Can they provide you with best practice suggestions? Starting with applications like digital work instructions and remote expertise will expedite results as they are proven already. In addition to wearables, these solutions can be used on smart devices, such as smartphones and tablets, that your workers likely already have in their pockets.

Work with your team to figure out the potential use cases for this technology and document them. Creating a library of use cases will help a lot in the deployment stage.

The last important part of the ‘get started’ stage is getting the right people involved from the start. That means IT, project champions, and the executive buy-in. Having all these groups on board will help make the deployment a success.

Make It A Success
AR technology is usually a learning curve for new users. Making this technology deployment a success is key when users adopt the new tools. You will see the most benefit from AR when deployed in scale – if one user has the technology it’s hard to see it success.

Think of the network effect. If only two users have the technology, there is only one connection that can be made, but with 100 users enabled, there are 4,950 potential connections. The next most important step to success is in creating an achievable adoption plan.

Work with your team and your AR vendor to properly introduce and train on the technology. And communicate your use cases and successes to help with the adoption.

If users understand how and why the technology is being used, the chance of them actually using the technology grows.

Think About the Future
The future of AR within service is virtually limitless, and enterprise businesses are testing a range of wearables as part of various AR applications. While wearables add hands-free capabilities, they add cost to the initial deployments. Many enterprises are deploying test groups with wearables while enabling workers to use the applications on their mobile devices to expand the value.

Capturing field intelligence data and providing expanded analytics are also major topics within AR. Applications such as remote expert and digital work instructions capture valuable information from the field including IoT data. Solutions are also moving toward working with IoT sensors to grab valuable data in real-time or to record in step-bystep workflow.

Using the data you’ve collected from the AR applications, you can add to your predictive maintenance and service analytics. The field intelligence data you capture also must be available within your existing systems such as your ERP or knowledge management system.

To achieve this integration, connectors and APIs are a ‘big thing’ in AR - and ad-hoc or silo systems are no longer acceptable. Enterprises expect a completely integrated solution. Practical AR solutions are proven to improve performance, especially in the field service industry.

With AR the main drivers of the ageing workforce, ecosystem readiness, and the change in service offerings and customer demands,
service organizations are realizing the need for innovation and digital change.

As the industrycontinues to embrace the digital space, AR will become the norm within field service.

Global service platform closes loop in delivery security and custody, firm says.

 

Serve has announced the official integration of its patented facial recognition technology into its blockchain logistics platform

Users of the Serve Platform can now require facial recognition at every step of the delivery process.  With this enhancement, Serve’s technology can now be used to secure deliveries where chain of custody and proof of delivery are critical, such as with medical devices and pharmaceuticals. 

"The inclusion of our patented facial recognition system allows Serve to stand alone in modern, on-demand delivery and logistics technology,” says Shahan Ohanessian, CEO, Serve. “This combination of technology and forward-thinking will allow delivery providers across the world to secure sensitive products such as pharmaceuticals in ways previously unavailable to them.”

IoT has long been touted as a transformational technology within field service management, and its impact will be felt by smaller organisations just as much as their larger peers writes Craig Chantler, Head of IoT, at simPRO...

Field Service is being transformed thanks to technological developments such as machine learning and the Internet of Things (IoT). The ability to remotely monitor equipment and transmit data back to the business in real-time has previously only been available to larger corporates with deep pockets. The reality is small to medium enterprises can also benefit from an agile operational environment and it doesn’t need to cost the earth.

Let’s take a look at the key benefits IoT brings to small to medium-sized field service operations.

Trigger automated actions
IoT connected assets are monitored for anomalies,and error messages can trigger alerts and create work orders. There doesn’t need to be any human interaction in this process which reduces the impact it can have on limited resources. If a part fails, the correct parts can be ordered and then the job can be assigned to the suitably qualified and located engineer for the job.

Increased first-time fix rate
Repeat service visits are costly, especially for smaller businesses with limited resources. IoT can help to provide more efficient and cost effective service delivery. Accurate reports on the behaviour of connected assets help to reduce unnecessary visits but when a problem arises, the right person with the correct parts can solve the problem on the first visit.

Predictive maintenance to provide better service
Moving to a predictive maintenance model, where equipment can notify us when they are operating outside of normal parameters or predict when failure is imminent, can hugely benefit businesses. By only sending an engineer to site when required can reduce costs and administration as well as improve equipment up-time and customer satisfaction.

What are the practical applications for IoT in smaller field service businesses?
When looking to implement an IoT solution, it’s important to evaluate all options. It’s not only about cost, but the full end-to-end solution. Consider whether new equipment is required or whether the technology works with existing installations. One of our customers did exactly that when they looked at how they could use IoT in their business.

The business in question is an installer and maintainer of specialist plant equipment found in the plant rooms of many prestigious commercial buildings. They were seeking a solution that could deliver live operational data on the performance of their equipment to support their ongoing maintenance and servicing activities and even help create new revenue-generating services.

Having persevered with another IoT system for close to two years and getting nowhere, they implemented simPRO IoT and had it up and running in a very short space of time. The simPRO plug and play sensors can be retrofitted to existing equipment quickly and
easily, along with the easy connection of existing sensors in place on the equipment. These sensors communicate with the gateway to the simPRO platform through thick plant room walls that other approaches were struggling with.

The sensors are used to monitor key areas of system performance such as energy usage, water levels (using pressure sensors) and water flow (via pulse meters). Thanks to real-time updates through the cloud, the provider can be instantly alerted of these metrics, along with faults on the local equipment console. This has allowed them to improve the operational performance of their equipment and add value to the customer by reducing costs, increasing asset uptime and facility performance. They are able to “sweat the asset” and get more out of the equipment long term.

Moving away from reactive and prescriptive pre-planned work, towards cost-effective proactive management of the equipment, has had a positive impact on their bottom line. Lowering the cost of operations has enabled them to use resources more efficiently
which ultimately benefits the customer.

By integrating the core simPRO solution, which combines comprehensive asset and job management, with the IoT enabled live window into asset/equipment operational performance, simPRO delivers an end-to-end solution. Small businesses can benefit from this one-stop-shop approach where all hardware and software are provided, installed, configured and supported by the one vendor.

The simPRO solution allows smaller service providers to punch above their weight, and bring innovative new services into their portfolio to bring a tangible source of differentiation. With the real-world practicalities of simPRO IoT increasing in usage by small to medium enterprises, the onus falls on the field service industry to embrace it for the wide array of benefits previously unattainable for these businesses.

According to a new research report from IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the installed base of sensors, actuators, modules, gateways and other connected devices deployed as part of IoT-based building automation in smart and connected commercial buildings was an estimated 151 million units worldwide at the end of 2018.

Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33 percent, the installed base will reach 483 million units in 2022. About 4.5 million of these devices were connected via cellular networks in 2018. The number of cellular connections in the building automation market will grow at a CAGR of 44 percent to reach 19.4 million in 2022. In terms of revenues, Berg Insight estimates that connected devices into the global BIoT market generated revenues of more than US$ 1.2 billion in 2018. This figure will grow at a CAGR of 21 percent to almost US$ 2.7 billion in 2022.
 
This study from Berg Insight analyses the market for building automation in smart buildings along multiple verticals ranging from well-known ones such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), indoor lighting, fire & safety, access & security, to lesser known ones such as electric vehicle charging, irrigation systems and pool monitoring. The most successful building automation solutions to date, in terms of sold units, include access and security, fire and safety, HVAC systems and elevators and escalators management. These solutions are marketed by product OEMs such as Assa Abloy, Avigilon, AMAG Technology, HID Global, Comark, Tyco, Albireo Energy, Cimetrics, Delta Controls, ENGIE Insight, Silvair, KONE, Otis, Schindler and ThyssenKrupp. The automatic control may be done through a centralized system such as a Building Management System (BMS). Examples of BMS solution providers include ABB, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Schneider Electric, Siemens and United Technologies.
 
Building automation has been around for many decades but there is a new urgency due to factors such as energy conservation as well as mandates for green construction. The latest smart building solutions leverage new technologies such as IoT, big data, cloud computing, data analytics, deep learning and artificial intelligence for the benefits of saving energy, reducing operational expenditures, increasing occupancy comfort, and meeting increasingly stringent global regulations and sustainability standards. “A major change is starting to happen now especially in new construction, where the primary driver is changing from cost reduction to features that enhance the user experience and change how users and buildings interact. Instead of there being a single killer-app, we are starting to see a combination of use-cases”, said Alan Varghese, Senior IoT Analyst, Berg Insight.

These use-cases leverage the Internet of Things, sensors and connectivity to enable customization of spaces in offices and conference rooms based on occupancy levels and occupant preferences, efficient mobility throughout the building, and they help occupants with location and wayfinding – all controllable by mobile platforms. Most important, they are capable of predictive awareness of individual needs.

You can download the report here.