Why field service companies see high customer satisfaction as critical to winning new business

Aug 24, 2021 • Features • research • Digital Transformation

FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.

At the same time, the study also explored the digital transformation journey our sector has been on for several years and how this was significantly accelerated due to the pandemic across 2020 and into this year. Having published the results, Dan Snowdon, Danny Wieder and Kevin Brown of HSO joined Field Service News Editor-in-Chief, Kris Oldland to discuss the findings of the study in greater depth.

In this excerpt from that debrief session the group go deeper into the study's finding that improved CSAT is being used not just to drive greater revenue from existing customers but also for winning new business.

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first part of this detailed FSN Research debrief session.

For a limited period, this content will also be available to those on our free-forever, FSN Stanard subscription tier.

If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more.

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, HSO who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this study.

U.S.Shipping Industry Adopts AI for Supply Chain Relief

Aug 23, 2021 • News • Artificial intelligence • Digital Transformation • USA • American Bureau of Shipping • YELLOW.AI

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)--the 159 year-old maritime organization tasked with preserving life, property and maintenance of marine and offshore assets--is launching AI-powered chat and voicebots to bring automated, conversational support...

ABS is launching enterprise-grade, AI-powered chatbots and voicebots on its ABS My Digital Fleet™ risk management platform together with yellow.ai, the world’s leading Conversational AI Platform. This marks an important industry first as no such digital solution has previously been deployed to provide shipping companies with helpful information and support in a conversational manner on a global scale. It is the latest addition to ABS My Digital Fleet’s Alliance Program.

TECHNOLOGUY CAPABLE OF CONVERSING IN 100+ LANGUAGES DELIVERS INSIGHTS FOR SHIPOWNERS AND CHARTERERS IN A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY FIRST

yellow.ai’s industry-leading technology offers ABS My Digital Fleet users data-driven insights from the ocean of information streaming off vessels, increasing efficiency in managing operational risk. The AI chatbot acts as a virtual fleet manager to assist users with critical fleet tracking information, including weather, equipment and fuel monitoring, carbon intensity indicator (CII) monitoring, route optimization, generating easy-to-view dynamic charts on demand and more through the ABS platform.

ABS My Digital FleetTM is the only customizable risk management platform that seamlessly integrates data to provide real-time insights for driving sustainable operations and reducing operational risks. The ABS My Digital Fleet Alliance Program nurtures an ecosystem of industry trusted intelligence and technology providers enabling integrated insights for clients on one unified platform.

“We are proud to be the first in our industry to employ a conversational AI-based virtual fleet manager as part of our My Digital Fleet platform,” said Smarty Mathew John, Vice President, of Digital Solutions at ABS. “As a shared solution for shipowners, ship managers and charterers, this will allow us to provide actionable insights for each stakeholder regarding which vessels from the fleet need their attention and why in a fast, helpful and conversational manner. Questions asked can be as simple as which vessels are not meeting charter party requirements or EEOI targets or have non-functioning critical equipment or where to bunker for lowest fuel cost. There are a lot of possibilities. With yellow.ai, ABS can continue building on its commitment to deliver cutting-edge insights and an unrivaled user experience.”

“Our deployment with ABS shows just how critical a role conversational AI can play in supporting the organizations that are tasked with keeping people and property safe,” said Raghu Ravinutala, CEO and Co-Founder of yellow.ai. “We are very proud to be working with ABS to take chatbots to the vanguard of their potential while demonstrating how our cutting-edge technology is setting the pace for innovation in the industry and redefining how people interact with an organization’s intelligence.”

More information on ABS My Digital Fleet is available here.

Mize and Syncron Join Forces to Deliver the Industry’s First Connected Service Experience

Aug 19, 2021 • News • Digital Transformation • Syncron • Mize • Parts Pricing and Logistics • GLOBAL

Syncron and Mize, Inc. today announced that Mize, Inc., a leader and innovator of Field Service Management (FSM) and Warranty Management (WCM) solutions, has merged with Syncron, a leader in Service Parts and Contracts Management including...

Both Syncron and Mize are well-recognized leaders within their respective cloud solution markets. The combined company will use the Syncron brand and establish a fast-growing innovator with a customer base of more than 200 of the most known and respected brands in the automotive, construction & agriculture equipment, industrial engineering, high-tech, med-tech, and consumer durables industries. With more than 700 employees by the end of 2021, based in 12 office locations in eight countries worldwide, the company will continue to invest significantly in innovation and expansion of its global coverage.

The combined company will be the world's largest privately-owned global leader offering complete Service Lifecycle Management solutions for the manufacturers, distributors, and services ecosystem.

The Syncron Connected Service Experience (CSX) platform and Service Lifecycle Management (SLM) solutions enable the manufacturers to retain more customers, deliver services more cost-effectively, and generate higher-margin revenues from the install base.

"Product-related services have become the lifeline of manufacturers’ EBITDA and net margins. Protecting end customer brand experience is of pivotal relevance for every manufacturer. Together we can help create higher margin businesses, and recurring revenue from subscription and outcome-based business models," said Dr. Friedrich Neumeyer, CEO, Syncron.

As a part of this arrangement, Ashok Kartham, Founder and CEO of Mize, will join the Syncron executive management team as the company’s Chief Product Officer overseeing all product and development for Syncron.

"Manufacturers today use disparate systems to manage their service and parts business leading to silos of data, disconnected processes, and lower profitability. The combination of Syncron and Mize for the first time brings the leading service and parts management platforms together to maximize value to the customers,” said Kartham. “With a unique ability to have one common real-time view on service parts, field service workforce, service histories, parts data, and pricing, we can provide a new level of value creation for our customers unmatched in the industry."

The deal is significant in that Mize and Syncron together can develop and deliver the first comprehensive, single platform portfolio of SaaS solutions to market that specifically addresses the complexities and profound opportunities possible in the aftermarket and services business. Syncron's capabilities in AI and ML will play a pivotal role to connect IoT-based failure prediction even better with planned service events based on optimal part availability. Manufacturers looking to enhance this vital part of their business will be able to address service profitability, optimize working capital, and enable business growth while also best approaching and developing innovative services for the world's new service economy.

"We have recognized Mize* and Syncron** both as a leader in several areas," said Aly Pinder, Lead Analyst of IDC. "We expect both companies to be able to further strengthen a joint position by creating customer innovations around fully integrated service lifecycle management processes proving value beyond individual products which I have been emphasizing for years."

“Manufacturing is going through acceleration of digitization and business model disruption,” said Léo Apotheker, Chairman of the Board, Syncron. “Service experiences as a sustainable differentiator is at the top of every C-level agenda. Coupling the talent, expertise, and products of Syncron and Mize will empower the changes manufacturers need to compete effectively throughout this transition and best position themselves competitively.”

Please visit syncron.com to learn more on how you can transform your service business to enhance service experience and drive higher profitability in a connected world.

Industry data on the importance of customer satisfaction amongst field service companies

Aug 19, 2021 • Features • research • Digital Transformation

FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.

At the same time, the study also explored the digital transformation journey our...

FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.

In this excerpt from that debrief session the group discuss why customer satisfaction has risen so dramatically amongst field service organisations in terms of the crucial KPIs that can yield effective change within the unit.

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first part of this detailed FSN Research debrief session.

For a limited period, this content will also be available to those on our free-forever, FSN Stanard subscription tier.

If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more.

AR Overtakes AI to Become the Most Disruptive Emerging Technology, GlobalData Survey Shows

Aug 17, 2021 • News • Artificial intelligence • Augmented Reality • Digital Transformation • GlobalData • GLOBAL

Augmented reality (AR) has replaced artificial intelligence (AI) as the most disruptive emerging technology, according to a survey by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Emerging Technology Sentiment Analysis Q2 2021’, reveals that 70%* of industry professionals surveyed stated that AR would disrupt their industry most out of a selection of seven emerging technologies AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, IoT, blockchain, and 5G, in addition to AR. This was a sharp increase from the previous quarter, where only 51% selected AR. In addition, 58% said they had become more positive towards the technology over the last 12 months.

AR IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE DISRUPTIVE THAN AI, 5G, BLOCKCHAIN AND OTHER EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.

Filipe Oliveira, Senior Analyst at GlobalData, commented: “This change in how people see AR will likely be long term, and not just a temporary blip. It is clear that people are warming towards the technology, even if they don’t believe that it will make a big difference tomorrow.”

When asked when AR will disrupt their industries, survey respondents were cautious. They expect the impact to be felt later in the decade. While more than half of Q2 respondents said that cybersecurity and cloud computing are already disrupting their industries, only 24% said the same about AR. Moreover, only 10% think that the disruption will come in the next 12 months.

globaldata

The same pattern was observed when respondents were asked which technologies would live up to all their promises. More than 60% expected cloud computing and cybersecurity to deliver fully, but only 26% expected the same from AR. Further, 50% of respondents said that the technology was hyped, but they could see a use for it.

Oliveira added: “The contrast between the large share of respondents that said AR is disruptive and the low share that said AR was already disrupting their industry suggests that there is some way to go before AR becomes ubiquitous in business. However, several conditions are aligned to make the promotion of AR as a business tool easier.”

COVID-19 has put some AR use cases in the spotlight, namely in healthcare and ecommerce, and new uses are continuing to emerge. For example, in April, Delta Air Lines announced that it would equip all flight attendants with AR technology delivered via 5G to enhance training and help staff with in-flight catering.

Survey on UK Construction Industry Reveals Lack of Visibility Over Vehicle Usage

Aug 12, 2021 • News • construction • Digital Transformation • fleet management • EMEA

New research released today has revealed that construction managers are in the dark about how and when their company vehicles are being used, leading to vehicle theft and vehicle misuse.

The research, which was undertaken by the fleet management software company for SMEs, Vimcar, found that a staggering 1 in 3 construction managers have had fleet vehicles stolen, whilst 87% restrict employee vehicle usage without a full picture of how the fleet is operating.

61% OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS ARE CONSIDERING IMPLEMENTING FLEET TRACKERS FOR GREATER CONFIDENCE IN HOW AND WHEN VEHICLES ARE BEING USED

At a time where van sales are on the rise and many businesses are increasing their fleet sizes, the data points to a worrying trend that construction managers have insufficient visibility over how and when their vehicles are being used. The research found that almost half (43%) of construction managers could not say how long employees spent with customers, and a further 37% did not know whether their employees turned up to a job on time or even at all.

As the construction sector emerges from a challenging 17 months, construction managers have indicated that they need a clearer understanding of their fleets, with 88% wanting to receive regular notifications of how vehicles are being used by employees. What’s more, nearly two thirds of respondents said they would consider implementing trackers to closely monitor vehicle usage – a move which would reassure construction managers that vehicles are being used efficiently and appropriately.

Ronald Clancy, UK Country Manager, Vimcar said: “Vehicle misuse costs the construction services industry thousands in terms of extra fuel, HMRC fines, and unnecessary maintenance expenses. As van sales continue to rise, fleet managers and business owners must consider the real cost of their growing fleet to their business and uncover ways to maximise efficiency. A GPS fleet management system that includes features such as live tracking, geofencing and data exportation would not only enable trust and transparency between managers and their employees, but also prevent the disasters of vehicle theft.”

Conclusions from a Research Study into Workforce Management Practises Amongst Service-Centric Companies

Aug 09, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • Workforce Managemnet • Field Workforce • EMEA

Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News, is joined by Mark Belenky, CEO of Software Outsourcing Solutions and a specialist in workforce management solutions, to work through some of the key findings of an exclusive Field Service News...

RTE and Nidec Industrial Solutions Launch “Ringo”, the First experiment in the World for the Automated Management of a Large-Scale Battery System

Aug 09, 2021 • News • Digital Transformation • Energy • Sustainability • EMEA • RTE • NIDEC INDUSTRIAL

On 2 July, RTE, the French public electricity transmission system operator, together with its partner Nidec Industrial Solutions (NIS), part of the Energy & Infrastructure Division of the Nidec Group, inaugurated "Ringo". Located in Vingeanne - Jalancourt, in the Côte-d'Or department, Ringo is RTE's first experimental site for the automated management of large-scale electricity storage.

Just over a year after its announcement, the experiment, a world's first, will test the automatic management of surplus renewable electricity. This represents an important step in the process of transforming the electricity system, assisting in the energy transition from polluting to sustainable and renewable sources.

Nidec Industrial Solutions was chosen by RTE to install the first electrical energy storage system on mainland France, used to optimize management of energy flows on the transmission grid. The system makes it possible to better manage the electricity grid, avoiding congestion at times of peak demand. A project that sees battery storage systems become an integral part of modern electricity grids and key elements for realizing the vision of an electric and sustainable future.

Depending on weather conditions (sun, strong winds), local solar or wind energy production can greatly increase and exceed the transport capacity of the national electricity grid, resulting in the dispersion of the energy produced. The Ringo system makes it possible to store surplus renewable energy during peaks in production and return the stored energy to the grid as and when needed. This prevents having to build new electric lines and the loss of electricity produced from renewable sources thus contributing to reductions in CO2 emissions, without having to use polluting energy sources.

WITH THIS MAJOR PROJECT, THE TWO GROUPS ARE PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRICITY STORAGE WHICH IS ESSENTIAL IN DRIVING THE EVOLUTION OF THE ENERGY MARKET TOWARDS GREATER SUSTAINABILITY

It is also a smart system. In fact, for the first time in the world, a storage battery site will be remote controlled using robots that collect data in real time, representing the first automatic control on a national energy grid. Thanks to sensors installed on the grid that constantly measure electron flows, algorithms are able to optimize storage in real time.

The Vingeanne - Jalancourt site, located in a region of high wind energy production, was chosen as the location for one of the experimental batteries with a storage capacity of 12 MW/24MWh, equal to the amount of energy produced by 5 wind turbines or the consumption of 10,000 families. Work commenced in January 2020, and now the system has been put into service, meeting the expected delivery times, despite the difficulties encountered due to the pandemic. The experiment will last 3 years, the time needed to learn how to manage renewable energy.

More specifically, for the Vingeanne - Jalancourt site, Nidec Industrial Solutions is supplying its power electronics converters and the PMS (Power Management System) control system that make it possible to convert stored energy into electricity and use it to feed into the grid supplying consumers. The batteries connected to the grid that make the storage of surplus renewable energy possible are of the NMC (Nickel, Manganese, Cobalt) high energy density lithium-ion type.

With this experiment, RTE and its partners, among which Nidec Industrial Solutions stands out, are participating in the spread of systems of large-scale electricity storage. A great industrial challenge to meet the fundamental energy transition needed to reduce GHG emissions and mitigate global warming, an increasingly topical and urgent issue for the energy sector.

The Ringo project meets the renewable energy development goals set by the French government and aims to make the electricity transmission grid more flexible by 2030 and to integrate, in particular, large-scale electricity storage solutions. This is to ensure that all French people have access at all times to a safe, clean and affordable power supply. This storage experiment has been approved by the French CRE (Commission de Régulation de l'Energie - Energy Regulatory Commission) for a total investment of € 80 million.

"The experiment we have launched today with RTE is a fundamental step towards achieving a zero-emissions society by 2050, a goal Europe is committed to reaching. To achieve this, more electricity will have to be produced which is why it will be necessary to improve energy management by modulating production and consumption. Ringo will allow us to acquire the knowledge and experience needed to overcome this challenge. We are proud that RTE has chosen us as a partner in this highly innovative project. A collaboration that confirms our world leadership in renewable energy battery storage systems, which incorporate advanced technologies and solutions, offered at the best price and able to guarantee reduced execution times. Thanks to this, we can contribute to realizing the vision of an electric and green future” said Dominique Llonch, CEO of Nidec ASI and Chairman of Nidec Industrial Solutions.

Nidec Industrial Solutions, which has reached approximately 1 GWh of BESS plants installed worldwide, making it one of the top 3 world leaders in this sector, can boast significant experience in France, having developed in 2013 the country's first BESS plant of over one megawatt (7000 kW) installed on the island of Corsica. The Group continues to consolidate its leadership in Europe, where it is the number one supplier of BESS plants for the utility sector, and is currently developing electricity storage systems in Germany, England and Finland. The agreement with RTE is fully in keeping with the strategy and vision of Nidec Industrial Solutions which, thanks to its know-how, the result of over 150 years of technological innovation, and the expertise in the field of batteries and power electronics, wants to actively contribute to the transition towards renewable energy in order to combat climate change and the air pollution generated by the continuous increase in CO2 emissions, favoring the transition from a development model with high carbon emissions to a sustainable and green one.

Is There Enough Transparency in the Disciplinary Processes of Service-Centric Companies?

Aug 06, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • Workforce Managemnet • Field Workforce • EMEA

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Why field service companies see high customer satisfaction as critical to winning new business

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first part of this detailed FSN Research debrief session.

For a limited period, this content will also be available to those on our free-forever, FSN Stanard subscription tier.

Further Reading:

U.S.Shipping Industry Adopts AI for Supply Chain Relief

TECHNOLOGUY CAPABLE OF CONVERSING IN 100+ LANGUAGES DELIVERS INSIGHTS FOR SHIPOWNERS AND CHARTERERS IN A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY FIRST

Further Reading:

Mize and Syncron Join Forces to Deliver the Industry’s First Connected Service Experience

The combined company will be the world's largest privately-owned global leader offering complete Service Lifecycle Management solutions for the manufacturers, distributors, and services ecosystem.

Further Reading:

Industry data on the importance of customer satisfaction amongst field service companies

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first part of this detailed FSN Research debrief session.

For a limited period, this content will also be available to those on our free-forever, FSN Stanard subscription tier.

Further Reading:

AR Overtakes AI to Become the Most Disruptive Emerging Technology, GlobalData Survey Shows

AR IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE DISRUPTIVE THAN AI, 5G, BLOCKCHAIN AND OTHER EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.

Further Reading:

Survey on UK Construction Industry Reveals Lack of Visibility Over Vehicle Usage

61% OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS ARE CONSIDERING IMPLEMENTING FLEET TRACKERS FOR GREATER CONFIDENCE IN HOW AND WHEN VEHICLES ARE BEING USED

Further Reading:

Conclusions from a Research Study into Workforce Management Practises Amongst Service-Centric Companies

Want to know more?

Further Reading:

RTE and Nidec Industrial Solutions Launch “Ringo”, the First experiment in the World for the Automated Management of a Large-Scale Battery System

WITH THIS MAJOR PROJECT, THE TWO GROUPS ARE PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRICITY STORAGE WHICH IS ESSENTIAL IN DRIVING THE EVOLUTION OF THE ENERGY MARKET TOWARDS GREATER SUSTAINABILITY

Further Reading:

Is There Enough Transparency in the Disciplinary Processes of Service-Centric Companies?

Want to know more?

Further Reading:

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