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In today’s society whereas consumer’s we are becoming increasingly used to and expectant of instant results is an obvious challenge for field service organisations but can remote services help bridge the gap? Manuel Grenacher, CEO, Coresystems discusses...

With the pervasiveness of the Internet of Things (IoT), everything from device performance to customer interactions has become faster and more connected. Devices that require maintenance and repair now operate on an accelerated timeline of immediately notifying the user when service is needed. Because of this, customers expect real-time responses, leaving little to no time for a field service technician to travel to the site, troubleshoot the issue and fix the device. Therefore, to maintain and improve customer satisfaction, technicians are exploring ways to provide the same level of onsite, but while remote.

The idea behind remote technicians stems from the technician’s ability to diagnose a problem, determine possible solutions, and lay out a plan for issue resolution - all before they take one step onto the worksite. In a perfect world, remote technicians essentially only have to leave their workstations once to perform tasks that require a high level of skill, or perhaps not at all for routine maintenance and repair. Naturally, this drastically cuts down the amount of travel cost and time and total project duration needed to solve an issue with a customer’s device, streamlining the entire service request from issue detection to resolution.

Field service technicians no longer need to blindly infer what is happening on the broken device based on descriptions from less experienced users, nor do they need to fumble through repair instructions over the phoneField service technicians no longer need to blindly infer what is happening on the broken device based on descriptions from less experienced users, nor do they need to fumble through repair instructions over the phone. Indeed, the remote technician takes full advantage of tools such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and even the IoT itself to deliver the same experience as a technician standing in front of the customer would.

So how does it work? It starts with putting the proper infrastructure in place to allow technicians to troubleshoot issues on devices and machines from afar. Taking issue detection as an example, remote technicians can use augmented reality to share a mobile phone screen with a customer for a visual walkthrough of the issue. From there, the remote technician can schedule an onsite appointment if needed and manage the parts orders needed for specific projects, ensuring all the necessary assets are in place well in advance.

To be fair, managing a workforce of remote technicians is no easy task. In order to optimize your field service operations, it is extremely beneficial to be able to automatically assign the most qualified and available technician for respective service requests, taking into account expertise, location, and availability. As a fail-safe, the onsite technicians should have easy access to online product specifications and other assets needed to complete service requests. Additionally, similar to how remote technicians use augmented reality to connect to the customer for issue detection, on-site technicians can connect to more experienced journeyman technicians back at headquarters to troubleshoot unforeseen issues. This creates a network of knowledge that will keep project duration to a minimum, improving efficiency for the technician while onsite.

The way in which field service technicians work has evolved and is continuing to do so. The next generation of technicians are prioritizing independence, autonomy, and flexibility, on top of foundational knowledge and customer service experience. As the IoT continues to grow, so will the need for remote technicians, and the field service industry assuredly has the infrastructure to maintain the high level of customer satisfaction that we strive for today.

What are your experiences experimenting with a more remote field service workforce? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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Manuel Grenacher, CEO, Coresystems, reflects back on some of the big predictions he made earlier this year and reflects on the progress made in interweaving the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality into the fabric of field service delivery across the last 12 months...

 

The days are getting shorter and colder, which means the holidays are approaching and 2019 is just around the corner (believe it or not!). So now is the perfect time to take a look back at 2018 and take stock of the advancements the field service industry made this year.

Back in March, we highlighted three trends we predicted would have major impacts on the field service sector in 2018. We noted that while 2017 introduced innovative new technology-based trends with the likes of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR), 2018 would bring real-world applications that put those buzzwords into practice.

So let’s review the progress of each of those three trends this year – after all, predictions don’t mean much if you don’t evaluate how accurate they were, right…?

 

The IoT Drives Proactive Device Maintenance, Service and Repair

Since the Internet of Things (IoT) became an integral part of almost every business’ technology mix midway through this decade, field service innovators have been finding ways to use the increased connectivity of the IoT to gain a competitive advantage. We predicted that in 2018, further innovation would allow field service technicians to utilize the IoT and automation in today’s devices – with the goal of providing service in real-time to meet (and exceed) customer expectations.

As is often the case in the field service industry, supply chain and manufacturing organizations were at the front of the line when it came to utilizing IoT-enabled and supported field service. Toward the end of this interview between SupplyChainBrain and various supply chain executives, the benefits of the predictive maintenance that the IoT enables become clear. Regarding sensor-equipped motors in warehouses, automation solutions provider Knapp noted:

“A motor might transmit information about vibration or heat, for example. It could indicate it needs potential maintenance services, and that's important because that would be predictive maintenance as opposed to breakdown maintenance, which is much more costly and can severely impact service levels.”

We’re seeing this focus on IoT-enabled predictive maintenance across the board with our manufacturing customers, so we can confirm that it definitely became a major focus in 2018 – and will continue to do so in 2019.

 

Artificial Intelligence Simplifies and Automates Service Appointments

Although artificial intelligence (AI) is in danger of becoming a somewhat empty buzzword in many industries, it’s here to stay – indeed, Gartner forecasts that 85 percent of customer interactions will be managed by AI by the year 2020.

The field service industry is applying AI in very meaningful ways as we speak, and it’s the concept of predictive maintenance that is driving the adoption of AI. For example, a recent study of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the supply chain sector found that most OEMs are gathering data from sensor-equipped products in the field—a key requirement for predictive maintenance. In addition, more than half of OEMs plan to make AI and machine learning a major investment, while 90 percent intend to invest in predictive analytics within the next 12 months.

Beyond predictive maintenance (but related to it), AI can streamline the field service technician dispatching process – which crucially means customers can get their equipment serviced faster. Influential software authority Capterra highlighted how design consultancy Philosophie, using AI, developed a field service program that handed 90-95 percent of the technician dispatching duties to an AI system – which enabled the field service team to dedicate its human talent to the more difficult field service jobs.

AI most definitely made its stamp on the field service industry in 2018, and the innovation is expected to continue next year and beyond.

 

Augmented Reality Provides Unprecedented Visibility into Worksites

Back in March, we noted that the increased connectivity that the IoT brings will continue to propel the application of augmented reality (AR) in the field service sector. In 2018, we saw AR applied by companies aiming to improve their first-time fix rate on service calls, as well as other vital field service functions.

ZDNet detailed several highly-recognizable brands using AR for service calls, including BP's U.S. Lower 48 onshore oil and natural gas business, which has been equipping field service technicians with AR platforms to assist with repairs, and Caterpillar, which recently tested an AR solution for the technicians who service a line of its onsite portable generators. Caterpillar provides field personnel with an internally-developed iPad app that interfaces with IoT sensors on the generator to provide real-time diagnostics and repair protocols.

While AR is in its infancy relative to the IoT and AI, we’ve seen our own customers' leverage AR to make better use of their field service resources – including servicing their customers’ equipment remotely through AR glasses. We’re very likely to see the usage of AR expand in the field service industry in 2019.

It certainly appears that the trends we highlighted earlier this year continued to gain significant traction in the field service industry in 2018, and we fully expect IoT, AI and AR technologies to continue to drive a wide range of innovative projects and initiatives in 2019. And once the calendar turns to 2019, look out for our predictions on the developments to look forward to next year!

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Coresystems, a leading provider of cloud-based field service and workforce management software for mid-sized and large enterprises’ field service organizations, today announced that Orchard Machinery Corporation (OMC) is using Coresystems’ platform to support OMC’s field service operations. OMC is the world leader in orchard harvesting equipment, using its patented Shakermaker machines to harvest fruits and nuts for worldwide distribution.

OMC was created from a dire need to automate the extreme labour required to pick fruits and nuts by hand. As OMC’s Shakermaker deployments and operations expanded, it ran into similar obstacles of suboptimal field service productivity. During rotating shifts from early mornings to late nights, OMC’s field service technicians would fill out paperwork to document service projects and request additional parts. However, the paperwork would typically take up to three days to process, which was often too late to restock the field service technicians’ trucks before the next appointment.

OMC turned to Coresystems to automate and accelerate its field service operations, and thus improve productivity for its travelling technicians. Coresystems’ platform provides OMC with a manufacturing and enterprise resourcing planning (MRP/ERP) solution to make time-intensive paperwork obsolete, fully incorporating existing field service processes into mobile phone and tablet devices. With the mobile platform, OMC’s technicians' input project updates and part requests in real-time. This not only streamlines inventory management for OMC’s in-office service managers, enabling them to focus on customer service within the shop, but it also provides OMC’s upper management valuable insights of the number of service calls fulfilled most profitable customer integrations and more.

Between manually inputting paperwork and waiting for requests for restocked parts, our field service operations ended up being an all-hands-on-deck effort“Previously, OMC’s field service operations revolved heavily around paperwork – and the rate at which we were able to process it. Between manually inputting paperwork and waiting for requests for restocked parts, our field service operations ended up being an all-hands-on-deck effort,” said Brian Kaufman, Parts Manager, Orchard Machinery Corporation. “With Coresystems, we are able to automate and streamline our field service processes, optimizing our in-field technicians’ workdays and freeing up in-office service managers to focus on driving business goals elsewhere. We are now much better equipped to ensure the thousands of deployed Shakermaker machines are in prime condition to produce bountiful harvest seasons worldwide.”

OMC selected Coresystems for the customization capabilities of its platform, as well as its ability to address OMC’s needs that are highly specific to the agricultural industry. OMC’s ERP systems use unique terminology, to which Coresystems can translate generic field service descriptions for various assets.

“While the agriculture industry is built upon a history of physical, manual labour, innovators such as OMC are discovering new methods of automating and accelerating the industry – but they require the back-end infrastructure to enable them to do so,” said Manuel Grenacher, CEO of Coresystems. “By offering OMC a paperless, mobile solution, Coresystems addresses the specific needs of harvesting operations and elevates them to the real-time pace of technology today.”

OMC plans to expand the Coresystems implementation to additional service centres, extending the reach of its field service offerings. OMC also envisions incorporating third-party integration with customers and dealers to further streamline inventory management, sales orders and requests for parts.

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Manuel Grenacher, CEO, Coresystems explains that although Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t necessarily a new innovation with the global enterprise value derived from AI set to total $1.2 Trillion this year you need to make sure it’s working for you...

You know that voice that answers the phone and tells you to input your account number after the beep? That’s one of the numerous applications of artificial intelligence (AI) we encounter daily. If you’re reading this you probably know what AI is, but as a refresher, the term refers to a machine’s ability to imitate human cognitive abilities like problem-solving, language, strategic thinking, and learning. But its innovations and opportunities go far beyond asking Siri for driving directions to your next appointment – specifically for enterprise organizations. According to Gartner, the global enterprise value derived from AI will total $1.2 trillion this year – a 70 percent increase from 2017 – with significant expectations in areas like customer experience.

With an almost infinite number of data points and constant generation of new data, it is now impossible for the human mind to sift, sort, analyze, and draw insights from that torrent of information – yet AI uses these data sets to empower companies with strategic, informed decisions. Considering this explosive growth of AI, the following are some examples of how the field service industry can implement the technology to innovate and improve the customer experience.

Increase Productivity

Artificial intelligence optimizes the scheduling, planning, and dispatching of service and maintenance calls in real-time. Whereas traditional dispatchers must fall back on manual searches, an AI-based system values data points to generate efficient results, leading to smoother operations and the best possible utilization of your resources - which also translates into a sizable return on your investments.

An AI-supported system can factor in a variety of data with an increased level of speed and accuracy – for example, technician availability or skill level. An AI-supported system can factor in a variety of data with an increased level of speed and accuracy – for example, technician availability or skill level. Other restrictions, such as work time hours, legally mandatory lunch breaks, and travel time and distance – among others – are also be taken into consideration. Moreover, such systems can automatically notify technicians (via text, email, or other channels) about the necessary tools and parts needed for the job, not only guaranteeing higher first-time-fix rates, but also reducing wait times for available technicians.

Elevate the Customer Experience

Artificial intelligence technology also streamlines and optimizes the customer experience. With an AI-enabled platform, customers can expect real-time solutions, competent technicians equipped with the right tools and parts, and early detection of potential breakdowns. By connecting via mobile, they can track arrival times and progress, easily schedule and change appointments, and count on a quick and reliable billing system.

Support Predictive Maintenance

Lastly, with predictive maintenance, artificial intelligence is solving problems before they arise. This not only eliminates unnecessary machine condition checks but also addresses the growing skill gap between service technicians, as AI solutions can identify and address trivial tasks, which then allows the technicians to focus on customers and solutions instead.

The strides made in AI are in the direction of chatbots, language processing, image recognition, and machine learning. Even though these are considerable cost-saving and productivity benefits, many workers are afraid of AI replacing their jobs, and the entertainment industry has capitalized on an image of AI (like Star Wars, Iron Man or Black Mirror) that is more in line with types that are still being developed like Artificial General intelligence, or types that are fiction like Artificial Superintelligence.

In reality, the strides made in AI are in the direction of chatbots, language processing, image recognition, and machine learning. Rather than new technologies replacing jobs, artificial intelligence supports employees by helping them become more efficient, in areas such as predictive maintenance and customer experience. The forecasts for this inventive and advanced technology are promising, and we look forward to working with our customers to make the implementations successful.

What are some other uses that you see through your work in the field service industry? We invite you to share your thoughts in the comments section.

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Manuel Grenacher, CEO, Coresystems discusses the big three technologies that are driving field service productivity to ever greater heights...

More than 85 percent of field service professionals say that the strategic use of technology is a key driver of overall productivity.

Moreover, within the next two years, 70 percent of organizations will reference customer satisfaction as a primary benefit obtained from implementing modern field service management technology, according to Gartner.

Unfortunately, many organizations are resisting from updating systems due to a need to accommodate legacy systems, and are therefore missing out on the increased workforce efficiency and productivity that updated systems deliver.

[quote float="left"]Unfortunately, many organizations are resisting from updating systems due to a need to accommodate legacy systems[/quote]Recent technological progressions have made a significant impact on many industries - and field service is no exception. Keep in mind, it’s often quite difficult for businesses to ‘bolt on’ additional technology to legacy systems, and many these should be considering new projects aimed at reducing cost and improving agility. So, what is there to gain?

Big Data and Data Analytics

Big data and analytics functionalities present a digestible, clear view of relevant data, which allow staff to make real-time decisions.

Each step is visible and transparent, and companies can start offering customers more proactive service, such as more finely tuned maintenance schedule alerts or alerts on peripherals that need replacement, consistently.

Cloud and Connectivity

Many field service applications are anchored in the cloud, and this pay-on-demand nature allows businesses to reduce spend on software and hardware costs. The cloud provides an accessible, shared environment where, for example, call centre staff can access records pulled from phone, email, IM and social media – leading to quicker and improved customer service.

Technicians can also stream video, capture photos, surf the internet and communicate with connected networks and wearable technologies.

Mobility

Mobility has an impressive impact on field service workers’ productivity and efficiency. Field service workers can access real-time data and information about customer issues, machine conditions and operating environments.

What’s more, field service organizations that implement mobility solutions improve their first-time fix rates, SLA compliance levels, cash flow and field engineer utilization levels.

[quote float="right"]Companies that still use paper-based systems often have difficulty efficiently scheduling resources and tracking employee performance. [/quote]Companies that still use paper-based systems often have difficulty efficiently scheduling resources and tracking employee performance.

It also slows down invoicing, and even affects the company culture. While upgrading can be costly, legacy systems tend to be more expensive to maintain on almost every level. Software licensing models have changed, as have the nature of service agreements, and the cloud offers a cost-effective means to have an entire IT setup without the need for huge premises.

Employees who can perform their jobs without the administrative or operational baggage are happier and more efficient.

This is a positive result for companies as it translates into a proactive state-of-mind (employees critically thinking about what more can they do), rather than a reactive one (how can it be done).

The above summaries illustrate why enterprises should switch to current FSM solutions, rather than remaining with their legacy systems. We look forward to seeing (and experiencing) the results of these and future technological innovations in the service industry.

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Manuel Grenacher, CEO, Coresystems discusses the big three technologies that are driving field service productivity to ever greater heights...

More than 85 percent of field service professionals say that the strategic use of technology is a key driver of overall productivity.

Moreover, within the next two years, 70 percent of organizations will reference customer satisfaction as a primary benefit obtained from implementing modern field service management technology, according to Gartner.

Unfortunately, many organizations are resisting from updating systems due to a need to accommodate legacy systems, and are therefore missing out on the increased workforce efficiency and productivity that updated systems deliver.

Unfortunately, many organizations are resisting from updating systems due to a need to accommodate legacy systemsRecent technological progressions have made a significant impact on many industries - and field service is no exception. Keep in mind, it’s often quite difficult for businesses to ‘bolt on’ additional technology to legacy systems, and many these should be considering new projects aimed at reducing cost and improving agility. So, what is there to gain?

Big Data and Data Analytics

Big data and analytics functionalities present a digestible, clear view of relevant data, which allow staff to make real-time decisions.

Each step is visible and transparent, and companies can start offering customers more proactive service, such as more finely tuned maintenance schedule alerts or alerts on peripherals that need replacement, consistently.

Cloud and Connectivity

Many field service applications are anchored in the cloud, and this pay-on-demand nature allows businesses to reduce spend on software and hardware costs. The cloud provides an accessible, shared environment where, for example, call centre staff can access records pulled from phone, email, IM and social media – leading to quicker and improved customer service.

Technicians can also stream video, capture photos, surf the internet and communicate with connected networks and wearable technologies.

Mobility

Mobility has an impressive impact on field service workers’ productivity and efficiency. Field service workers can access real-time data and information about customer issues, machine conditions and operating environments.

What’s more, field service organizations that implement mobility solutions improve their first-time fix rates, SLA compliance levels, cash flow and field engineer utilization levels.

Companies that still use paper-based systems often have difficulty efficiently scheduling resources and tracking employee performance. Companies that still use paper-based systems often have difficulty efficiently scheduling resources and tracking employee performance.

It also slows down invoicing, and even affects the company culture. While upgrading can be costly, legacy systems tend to be more expensive to maintain on almost every level. Software licensing models have changed, as have the nature of service agreements, and the cloud offers a cost-effective means to have an entire IT setup without the need for huge premises.

Employees who can perform their jobs without the administrative or operational baggage are happier and more efficient.

This is a positive result for companies as it translates into a proactive state-of-mind (employees critically thinking about what more can they do), rather than a reactive one (how can it be done).

The above summaries illustrate why enterprises should switch to current FSM solutions, rather than remaining with their legacy systems. We look forward to seeing (and experiencing) the results of these and future technological innovations in the service industry.

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Manuel Grenacher, CEO Coresystems, explores the major trends that he expects to impact field service companies across 2018...

While 2017 introduced innovative new technology-based trends with the likes of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR), 2018 will bring real-world applications that put those buzzwords into practice. Here are the top trends we see this coming year.

The IoT will drive more proactive device maintenance, service and repair

In 2016, Gartner, Inc. forecasted that 8.4 billion connected things will be in use worldwide in 2017, with 5.5 million new devices being connected every day. The vast majority of today’s devices and machines come equipped with sensors, which transmit signals, status updates and warnings.

Field service innovators are finding ways to use the IoT and increased connectivity to their advantageThese alerts not only allow people to address problems proactively but also accelerate expectations around service time. The alerts notify users the moment their device needs maintenance or repair, which immediately puts the technician on the clock to resolve the issue. Challenges such as long response wait time and excessive appointment windows already plague the field service industry, so the IoT threatens to exacerbate these existing issues.

However, field service innovators are finding ways to use the IoT and increased connectivity to their advantage. In 2018, further innovation in the field technology space will enable technicians to take advantage of the IoT’s increased connectivity and automation in today’s devices, enabling them to provide service in real time to meet and exceed customer expectations.

Artificial intelligence will simplify and automate service appointments

2018 will focus on not the adoption of AI, but the implementation of it in real use cases. One industry that stands to greatly benefit from AI is customer service, particularly field service. Gartner forecasts that 85 percent of customer relationships will be through AI-powered services by the year 2020.

AI technology will make strides in streamlining the customer experienceIn 2018, AI technology will make strides in streamlining the customer experience. Chatbots will troubleshoot issues with customers, determining all necessary information before dispatching a technician. Powered by machine learning, chatbots will understand if a customer needs assistance in resolving an issue or wants more information about a certain piece of equipment. Logistic regression capabilities will enable chatbots to walk customers through equipment problems step by step.

AI will also automate the technician’s workflow. One of the biggest pain points in customer service – particularly field service – is dispatch time. To combat this, heuristic search functions in AI technology will determine which technicians are not only available but also knowledgeable enough to properly service the request. AI will also consolidate relevant customer details – from device history and prior appointments to technicians who are qualified and available to resolve an issue – to ensure customers receive the most efficient and painless experience possible.

Augmented reality will provide unprecedented visibility into worksites

Augmented reality enhances the way we see, hear and feel by bringing elements of the virtual world into the real world. Many people associate augmented and virtual reality with the gaming industry, but the technology offers far more than entertainment for a niche group. Industry forecasters predict that by 2020 the market for AR will reach $100 billion in value.

The increased connectivity that the IoT brings will continue to propel the application of AR in the field service sector. The increased connectivity that the IoT brings will continue to propel the application of AR in the field service sector. Using standard mobile devices and AR glasses, service technicians are finding unique ways to approach service. AR applications that allow technicians to look into machines without disassembling them have proven enormously helpful for pinpointing malfunctioning parts. Also, the ability to share data from onsite with offsite experts allows for a more collaborative approach to finding solutions. And this capacity to share knowledge and access an endless stream of information is increasing the first-time-fix rate and thereby improving the customer experience.

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It’s been a whirlwind year in terms of technology development impacting the field service sector and the breakneck pace of development shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Manuel Grenacher, CEO, Coresystems takes stock of the rapid technological advances we’ve seen across the last twelve months and outlines what we can expect in 2018...

Just as automation gave rise to more advanced machines over the past decade, so too has field services evolved.

The analog process of collecting and sharing information about customers and devices has now become automated, and in some cases completely digitalised. Service executives are continuously pushing the envelope of what’s possible with field service management software, and 2017 was a great example of that drive towards innovation.

As discussed previously, the growth of the Internet of Things and its real-time connectivity has led to a massive spike in consumer expectations for instantaneous customer service. As a result, organisations have been forced to rethink their customer service delivery strategies, including their workforce resources and supporting technologies.

In field service, we see a future in which for-hire field service technicians can connect This year, pioneering companies (for example, Airbnb) have continued to lay a blueprint for other industries to follow using a gig economy model. In field service, we see a future in which for-hire field service technicians can connect – through technology tuned for the gig economy – to organisations that need extra manpower for their field service teams.

At Coresystems, we understand the challenges organizations face when field service requests greatly outnumber that company’s field service technicians. By leveraging independent workers in the gig economy, organisations can deliver the real-time service that customers now demand. By introducing technology that enables the crowdsourcing of field service to independent, for-hire field service technicians, FSM software providers can help their customers find those field service technicians anywhere and anytime. This would check organisations’ critical box of providing real-time customer service.

In 2017, virtual and augmented reality (AR) technologies became more prevalent in many industry sectors, including field service.

There’s a huge market opportunity for organisations looking to enhance their field service businesses with these technologies – and you can find more on that here. Essentially, a specialised AR headset would boost the first-time fix rates and average repair time by allowing technicians to view, search and digest any information they need for an installation and/or repair on a heads-up display (think manuals, checklists and more).

AR would also connect on-site technicians with more experienced engineers back at HQ, who can visually supervise and troubleshoot more difficult technical issues, thus benefiting staff training and mitigating skills shortages.

Looking ahead to 2018, we believe the customer touchpoint will become a point of focus. Put simply, customer touchpoints are the various ways in which a customer encounters your company and products. This can be before, during or after purchase, and can be through social media, your online help center or word-of-mouth conversations.

Rather than selling a new machine through traditional methods, we’ll see companies handle the customer touchpoint better and more effectively Amazon Alexa and Google Home, for example, are perfect illustrations of successful customer touchpoints: they can meet their customers’ demands quicker than others because they understand their customers better, thanks to the use of smart home devices.

Alexa already knows which brand of water you prefer, and how many bottles you usually order, and with a short command you can place your order and have it on your doorstep within hours.

In contrast, in a traditional retail setting you need to go through several clicks to begin the delivery process.

To translate that to field service, rather than selling a new machine through traditional methods, we’ll see companies handle the customer touchpoint better and more effectively. For many companies, service is considered last. In my mind, that’s backwards – it should come first. Before you start digitising machines, you should think about how to digitise the service.

The evolution of technology has propelled us into the age of digital transformation, and it’s fundamentally changed the way we interact with technology and even the way technology interacts with itself. That shift will continue in 2018, at least in field service, with innovations such as crowd service platforms and AR headsets gaining further traction.

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Having explored some of the ground breaking new tools being used in field service including crowd service and Augmented Reality in his recent articles, Manuel Grenacher, CEO Coresystems now explores how video assistance can be used to great effect in improving field service delivery...

The outlook for the growth of the field service market is hugely positive, with predictions noting the field service industry will nearly triple in size to $5.11 billion by 2020.

Following on from my previous articles in Field Service News, several modern technologies are playing a major role in driving that exponential growth, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and augmented reality (AR) solutions. Another trend – or rather an overarching one that IoT and AR innovations both tie into – is the rising importance of video.

In addition to AR, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR), new tools are emerging that make it possible to more directly involve service technicians, specialists and experts in field service operations, even if they are not on site.

Any provider of field services understands the frustration of having to comprehend a complex problem without a proper visual perspective of the issue at hand. Any provider of field services understands the frustration of having to comprehend a complex problem without a proper visual perspective of the issue at hand. With a verbal description (and perhaps an attempt to recreate strange sounds emanating from a malfunctioning device), a service technician is expected to diagnose the problem and magically offer tips on how to repair it.

When information cannot be transferred and made accessible to field service technicians on-the-go, this limits their ability to offer first-time fixes. With the rapidly increasing pace our lifestyles, consumption habits and mindsets, this is an issue because we are expected to be quicker, connected and digitalized.

The consequence is dissatisfied customers who face lost revenue due to extended system downtime.

Video assistance uses the tools available – like mobile devices – to provide images of devices in need of repair or even virtual spaces where service technicians can congregate to solve an issue. Companies can minimize errors, increase efficiency and speed up field services by, for example, uploading instructional videos and manuals and checklists for facilitating repairs.

Field service technicians can refer to these guides if they are unable to solve a problem on their own. This is a real help for service technicians who might be less familiar at repairing unique problems.

In addition to the growing complexity of service offerings, the aging workforce is one of the top challenges within the field service industry, according to the Aberdeen Group.

As this highly skilled workforce approaches retirement age, service managers are now faced with the risk of losing a vast source of knowledge that will be difficult, if not impossible, to replace.

Modern video tools would make it possible for seasoned service technicians to play an active role in the company while also determining their own schedules.That is because these service technicians have not only gone through years of training but have also acquired immeasurable experience on the job – and this is experience that can often only be amassed firsthand and on site with clients.

Modern video tools would make it possible for seasoned service technicians to play an active role in the company while also determining their own schedules. This would ensure that their valuable expertise and know-how is available to a new and novice pool of service technicians.

Moving towards video is relatively simple and cost-effective to apply, and promises increased customer satisfaction, higher revenues, lower costs and overall maximized efficiency. Given video’s integral role in our day-to day activities (YouTube, Skype, Snapchat, Facebook Live and other media), it is surprising that more companies offering field services have not yet integrated video technology into their business models. Surely a tool as ubiquitous as video – connecting people, providing access to endless information and entertainment – is a vital tool for providing more effective service.

Video-connected field service technicians have access to a vast wealth of information, which could help them find answers to complex questions or seek out expert advice from colleagues.

These tools also facilitate communication and collaboration across the entire company, which means field service technicians have access to real-time updates.

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