The world of field service and the world of technology have been intertwined for a long time now. In today's world of IoT, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning it could be put forwards that Data is not the fundamental building block of field...
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Jun 14, 2019 • Features • Augmented Reality • Cognito iQ • Data Analystics • Future of FIeld Service • GDPR • Mobile Technology • Video • wearables • Cloud computing • IoT • David Bochenski
The world of field service and the world of technology have been intertwined for a long time now. In today's world of IoT, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning it could be put forwards that Data is not the fundamental building block of field service excellence. Field Service News and Cognito iQ have explored this concept in a new series and here in this first instalment David Bochenski, CTO Cognito iQ outlines how field service companies can the data within the organisation and why they should be doing so.
Want to know more? There is a video with Konica Minolta's Head of Direct Service, Ged Crannny outlining how they have revolutionised their business through data analytics available exclusively to fieldservicenews.com subscribers on the link below...
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The rate of change in technology in technology continues to accelerate and shows no sign of stopping. Whereas ten years ago it was broadly the case that the technology you used at work was superior to that which you might have had at home, the arrival of smartphones and the app stores that support those devices them, has fundamentally flipped that relationship. For most of us, and especially the digital native Millenial cohort feeling like the tools that they are given to use at work are pretty much from the dark ages compared to the phones, tablets and wearables they use at home.
The abundance of end-user mobile devices has created a paradigm shift in user expectations for any company providing service into peoples homes or businesses. Customers now assume that within seconds, they should be able to request whatever they want, be it a service or product and track it on route to them instantly via their handheld devices.
Being told these days by a provider that someone may arrive between 8 am and 6 pm and "by the way can you make sure someone will be around to let them in" is not even close to an acceptable level of service.
The disruptor companies have driven much of this change in expectations. People like Uber, Amazon and Deliveroo have been changing the game in their respective industries. Amazon, for example, has recently announced that they can deliver your package directly into the boot of your car without you even being there.
"Being told these days by a provider that someone may arrive between 8 am and 6 pm and "by the way can you make sure someone will be around to let them in" is not even close to an acceptable level of service..."
The reason these 'Internet Age' companies have been able to fuel and satisfy this shift in expectations, is in part down to their ability to leverage Cloud technologies. In the case of Amazon, they have even pioneered those technologies themselves. Whereas just five years ago there was still legitimate debate about whether the Cloud would become a truly viable option, today this debate has been firmly settled in favour of the Cloud.
Even the most risk-conscious sectors such as banking and finance are seeing Cloud native disruptors enter their market, with the FinTech sector thriving with companies like Monzo and Starling making the established banks sit up and take note. In fact, with the more stringent GDPR coming into force those companies who chose to move early into the Cloud are finding the compliance requirements that much simpler to implement than those still reliant on their own data centres and infrastructure.
Having taken the leap into the Cloud, those companies that are willing to continue their investment now have access to world-class data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies to further drive home their advantage.
However, it is not all doom and gloom for the established field service companies out there trying to keep up with the technological changes and ever-increasing challenges faced from disruptors. Let's not forget that these companies can be at the bleeding edge of technology adoption. After all, field service companies were putting mobile devices into the hands of their engineers and receiving real-time data live from the field long before Steve Jobs, and Apple had put the Internet in everyone's hands.
I firmly believe there are emergent technological trends that will allow such companies to do so again and remain relevant in a digitally ubiquitous world. As well as providing exceptional user experience through their Cloud-based apps, the companies that are succeeding know how to use the data that is collected by these applications, to close the feedback loop and use that data to drive further improvements to their businesses.
Now, of course, GDPR has been introduced in part to stop companies doing just that and to ensure that their users are given proper visibility, control and consent over their data - which is entirely right, but again I believe this actually presents an opportunity for the more established SME companies to 'win one back' over the start-ups.
"Field service companies were putting mobile devices into the hands of their engineers and receiving real-time data live from the field long before Steve Jobs, and Apple had put the Internet in everyone's hands.."
SMEs are more likely to be better placed to comply with the new GDPR requirements, having more likely already got ISO certified and are also probably more used to operating effectively within regulated and controlled markets. So the learning curve for such companies adapting to these regulations is less challenging than companies grappling with such legislation for the first time.
There are also a few critical areas of technology where I can see innovative field service organisations being able to capitalise to deliver the next wave of innovation into our sector.
The first of these is being able to make sense of the explosion of data now made readily available as more and more devices become Internet-enabled. The hype around IoT has, in my view, yet to be justified. But once you are in a position as an organisation to harvest data from your machinery directly into the Cloud, and then apply machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities on top of that data - you can start to gain real actionable insights into the fundamentals of your business that can allow you to gain significant advantages over your competition.
The final part of the puzzle is now how to best close the feedback loop and leverage those insights back into the field in real-time.
We are now seeing companies increasingly looking into how they move past the handheld mobile app into more advanced interface solutions. For example, advances in voice technology now mean an engineer can talk directly into their device rather than having to stop and enter information into the tablet.
Augmented reality devices such as Google Glass, which were shunned by the consumer market are experiencing something of a renaissance within specific workplace settings including of course field service and are now capable of surveying the area and alerting engineers to impending health and safety risks.
This approach can also deliver process based benefits in terms of a reduced time to train engineers on new skills and assets and to help resolve issues faster and more effectively.
In summary, combining new types of user interfaces, voice gesture and AI, together with real-time streaming of IoT data and intelligent learning algorithms all running in the Cloud can unlock tremendous efficiencies for field service organisations and help them deliver the next level of service for their customers.
Want to know more? There is a video with Konica Minolta's Head of Direct Service, Ged Crannny outlining how they have revolutionised their business through data analytics available exclusively to fieldservicenews.com subscribers on the link below...
sponsored by:
Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this content...
May 08, 2018 • Features • Management • Accenture • AI • Artificial intelligence • Data Analystics • KISS Principal • Machine Learning • MIllennials • ClickSoftware • Development Dimensions International • field service • field service management • Internet of Things • IoT • Service Training • Talent Management • Uberization of Service
Barrett Coakley, Product Marketing Manager, ClickSoftware offers some crucial advice in the complex and crucial area of change management...
Barrett Coakley, Product Marketing Manager, ClickSoftware offers some crucial advice in the complex and crucial area of change management...
Organisational change is hard but, given constantly shifting market conditions and the rate new technologies are released, dealing with transformation is now a requirement at most firms.
However, McKinsey reports that 70% of change programs fail to achieve their goals, largely due to employee resistance and lack of management support. With that type of failure rate, you might be wondering why even bother. Nonetheless, when done correctly, change management can have an enormous impact on employee engagement, operational efficiency and financial success.
There are three areas that are causing change within field service teams that leaders must address Field service organizations are being asked to address multiple reforms but there are three areas that should be high on your change management list; talent management issues, technology advances and new customer attitudes.
Here are some recommendations to help your field service group succeed on this change management journey.
Talent Management
According to The Service Council, 70% of service organizations report they’ll be facing a pinch as they lose workers to retirement in the coming years. The retirement of baby boomers has the potential to leave a vast knowledge and experience gap on many field service teams.
There is hope, however, as the 75 million large millennial generation has entered the workforce and they have the skills to fill these open positions.
However, field service managers must understand the drivers that motivate millennials and how they differ from the retiring baby boomers, including:
- Tech savvy: The millennial generation grew up with all things digital. They embrace technology and expect the organizations that they work for to provide the most current technology for them to perform their job.
- Mission: Millennials are looking from a deeper meaning from work. They want to feel that they are having an impact both on the company as well as greater society.
- Retention: You might have some members on your field service team that have worked in the group for 10-20+ years. Millennials, however, tend to change jobs frequently. In fact, Gallup revealed that 21% of millennials report changing jobs within the last year, which is more than three times the number of non-millennials.
Here are some areas your field service team should focus on to facilitate the changes this generation will bring to your team.
Offer Incentives:
While you might think a raise would be sufficient for millennial retention, you should instead focus on benefits you could offer.
According to Gallup, millennials are more likely than any other generation to say they would change jobs for a particular benefit or perk. They especially appreciate perks that directly impact their lives and the lives of their family. It makes sense considering many millennials are starting families, have large student loans, and desire a work-life balance.
Popular benefits for Millennials include:
- Paid paternal and maternity leave
- Student loan reimbursement
- Childcare reimbursement
- Tuition reimbursement
So instead of just offering a pay raise next year, poll your workforce to determine what they truly value.
The responses might surprise you.
Development opportunities: The best way to attract millennials is by leveraging two of their biggest desires—development and purpose.
67% of millennials are engaged at work when they strongly agree that the mission or purpose of their company makes them feel their job is importantFor instance, Gallup reports that “rallying millennials around a mission and purpose dramatically increases their employee engagement: 67% of millennials are engaged at work when they strongly agree that the mission or purpose of their company makes them feel their job is important.”
Focus your attraction and retention strategies on delivering learning opportunities and career development. This way millennials are assured that their jobs provide plenty of opportunities for skill development and career advancement.
Keep in mind millennials may want to pursue independent project work, attend conferences, take classes, and join professional organizations.
Give them the flexibility and resources to do so, whether this means tuition reimbursement, or time off work to ensure they are fulfilled.
The Impact of New Technology
New technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and data analytics are having a huge impact on field service operations.
These new technologies are providing real-time insights into field assets that can be used to predict when a piece of equipment might fail, allowing for proactive maintenance. However, with all of this technology, there comes the need for change across your field team in order make sense of all this new information. Here are a few steps you can take to make sure your team is prepared for the impact of technology on your field service group.
Make a Plan:
First off, you will need a plan to prepare for the impact these technologies will have across your field service organization. For example, you will need to train field engineers on how to potentially service IoT-based equipment, build a roadmap for incorporating new devices, and identify which technician or dispatch behaviours will change based on this new technology.
Will customer issues be identified at a server level when equipment fails? What does this do to the dispatch workflow? Are you incorporating wearables at an employee level to improve communication or field-based efficiency? What software will you need to ensure these devices operate smoothly within your current frameworks and infrastructure?
Create a roadmap that accounts for the short, and long-term implications of devices, services, and technician needs.
KISS Principal:
Albert Einstein once stated, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” This is where the KISS principle comes into play during change management exercises. Stepping up to the challenges associated with all of these different technologies is difficult and complicated.
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simplerWith any digital transformation, the best possible course of action is to simplify by starting with small, simple changes. Select a small behaviour, or wearable device that your customers are using, and optimize around that. Then, scale what you have learned across more devices, customer behaviours, and internal processes. With a change this impactful it is best to keep it simple, sir.
Uberization of Service
As Amazon, Uber, Airbnb and other upstart organizations continue to heighten customer expectations, field service organizations have struggled to keep pace with these new demands.
Customers now expect transparency around service delivery such as the real-time location of the field technician responsible for the appointment as well as personalized communication preferences like text or email.
However, the delivery of exceptional service requires changes to the technician’s traditional role and skill set.
Here are few areas that should be looked at to change.
Product and Service Training:
Field service professionals understand the inner workings of the products they maintain but they might not be knowledgeable enough to upsell a new product or service to a customer.
To enable this ability, sales and marketing training should be provided to field service professionals so they understand the features and benefits of different services. Sales and marketing is a new type of training and skillset for most field service professionals but one that can really benefit the top line.
Increasing revenue is an important focus for many organizations but it is proving to be a difficult one as 76% of field service providers report they are struggling to achieve revenue growth, according to the TSIA. Sales and marketing training could be the support ticket that helps change this trend.
Soft Skill Training:
Field service professionals are now required to interact with clients in a way that elevates the customer experience, resulting in upsell opportunities and less customer churn.
64% of consumers have switched providers in at least one industry due to poor customer service.Preventing customer churn is especially important as Accenture reported that 64% of consumers have switched providers in at least one industry due to poor customer service.
To provide a higher level of personalized service requires better soft skills, something not every person has, but this ability is a key to this new service delivery model. In fact, study conducted by Development Dimensions International found that for every $1,100 invested in soft skills training, employers earned an average return of $4,000.
Training soft skills can help a technician provide more empathy towards the customer, improve communication and the ability to provide a more personalized experience.
Soft skill training is especially important for millennials as they often lack these abilities. An investment in soft skills training is worthwhile for any organization but can be particularly important in delivering a great customer experience.
Conclusion
The key to handling all of these changes is a commitment from all involved. In fact, McKinsey found that when people are truly invested in change it is 30 percent more likely to stick.
However, making the challenge even more daunting is that organizations no longer have the luxury of implementing changes over a 3-5 year period of time as in the past.
Change is no longer a periodic event, but one that is constant as the market and technology continue to evolve at faster and faster rates. Field service teams need to prepare now.
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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