Oneserve, a field service management software specialist, has made the bold claim that the market they operate in is being stifled by market leaders, who they state are putting their own interests before the needs of their customers.

In an explosive press release published yesterday the UK based FSM software provider went on to comment that there is a a fundamental flaw in the industry going as far as questioning the integrity of other providers and the quality of the service they deliver to the mobile field market suggesting that “The dominating business model lacks the flexibility to adjust to the prevailing market demand, and subsequently, opens up a field of discontent.”

Established in 2010, Oneserve claim that the current market needs a complete overhaul if it is to give customers what they are actually crying out for; innovative, joined-up solutions that offer real value for money and reflect the needs of a modern field workforce. Those that can not or do not sign up to this way of thinking they assert, will be quickly become fossilised as more innovative, flexible companies take control.

A spokesman at Oneserve commented.“Many of the large players in this market have grown wildly out of control, meaning that customers are now experiencing appalling levels of service and in many cases are paying extortionate amounts for professional services that should not be needed; increasing the true cost of ownership and hindering their ability to develop and grow without assistance.

“There are too many of these lumbering dinosaurs in our sector. They are falling so far behind the ball in terms of where the market should, and will, be heading over the next few years that extinction seems only round the corner for them. For too long the business model of selling cheap licenses and then pushing hugely expensive professional services, has been the tried and tested method of securing sales. But this is changing, and quickly, it has to be about a true SaaS offering, a flexible approach that allows technology of different types to talk to each other and giving customers what they really want; a self-service model that allows them the freedom to utilise the solution as they see fit, without having to purchase extra services on top.

“The financial turnover of a number of these dinosaurs in this market is impressive. What should be so worrying for them and their customers is that despite this many are making huge losses. This combined with their lack of appetite or ability to change is adding to the momentum of the huge meteorite that is speeding towards them. There is no sign that this momentum is slowing down. Unless they are able to turn their business proposition upside down, which is not easy with such huge losses and multiple VCs piling on the pressure, there is a real chance that they’ll be wiped off the face of the market.”

Whilst Oneserve are clearly not afraid to pull their punches the world of field service management is indeed changing dramatically. The advances made in the technology can make a difference to the way that organisations are able to manage, monitor and analyse their field force.

However, South Coast based company believe this is in fact causing even more issues than it resolves. With so many companies in the field service management sector jumping on and over hyping new technology and trends such as ‘Internet of Things’, without putting the basics right first. Core issues that customers are crying out for, such as self-service, are largely being ignored argue Oneserve whilst adding that there are many customers who want to buy the solution and run it themselves and not be held to the whole swathe of professional services that too often accompanies any purchase in this sector.

In a closing statement to the press release Onserve concluded. “Companies need to understand and reflect the fact that the roles of a field based workforce has changed dramatically over the past few of years. Field service management can no longer be a rigid structured solution, it has to be a flexible one that embraces the many aspects of what a mobile workforce needs. The self-service approach is absolutely what customers want and need. They are no longer satisfied being tied to hugely expensive additional services, but instead want to buy the solution and grow and develop without ‘forced’ assistance.

The world has changed and a new breed of faster, more agile and innovative companies are taking the places of the out-of-date lumbering dinosaurs that have dominated our sector for so many years.

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