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Plexal, the innovation company established by Delancey, is working with the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) to support the diversification of the UK’s telecoms market and stimulate the creation of products and services from SMEs and startups. The announcement was made by Minister of State at DCMS Julia Lopez at techUK’s Our Network Future event yesterday.Through its LORCA programme, Plexal has worked with leaders from the telecoms market to assess where there could be opportunities for SMEs to provide products or services.

Plexal has now identified SMEs that will take part in a 12-week sprint aimed at developing robust  business cases, technology roadmaps and investment plans. The aim is to create a diverse commercial ecosystem for private 5G networks that enables large and small vendors to play a role.

THE SMEs WILL WORK WITH PLEXAL AND THE GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP OPPORTUNITIES AND TO OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS THAT EXIST IN PLAYING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE TELECOMS INDUSTRY.

The SMEs will work with Plexal, the government and industry to carve out and develop opportunities and overcome any barriers that exist for startups to play an active role in the telecoms market. These barriers could include making sure the products are interoperable and have robust cybersecurity built in.

Plexal is looking at current and future 5G private networks in two categories: 

• Fully private, where the value outcome remains isolated from the public 
• Private today, but will need to integrate to the public network to realise all the benefits 

The sprint will support the UK government’s aim of developing a domestic capability for 5G and making sure the telecoms market includes a diverse range of vendors – including a larger number of small and medium-sized companies.

Commenting on the innovation challenge, Andrew Roughan, managing director of Plexal, said:

Further Reading:

• Read more about Leadership and Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategy
• Read more about Telecommunications on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/telecommunications
• Read more articles about SMEs on Field Service News @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/smes
• Learn more about Plexal  @ www.plexal.com
• Follow Plexal on Twitter @ twitter.com/Plexalcity

In the first feature of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we look at their first health check of UK businesses running field service teams.

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This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

 

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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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

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These trades are the backbone of the economy: plumbers, electrical engineers, construction businesses, maintenance companies, environmental services, and many others with field-based workers.

One in five UK businesses rely on field service teams to deliver their services. We estimate that there are now more than 1.2 million field service businesses in the UK employing 6.7 million people.

Because they all run field service teams, they face similar opportunities and challenges:

• Managerial oversight
  
• Job scheduling and management
• Recruting suitably skilled workers
• Compliance
• Maximising job efficiency
• Competing on customer experience

During August 2021, we engaged the research consultancy Opinium to survey businesses of all sizes with field service teams.

Opinium spoke to 504 leaders from businesses in the building maintenance, cleaning services, drainage, electrical contractors and electricians, facilities management, fire and security, plant hire, industrial doors, plumbing and heating, and the waste and recycling sectors.

We asked about business health and how they fared from August 2020 to July 2021 – the first full 12 months since the easing of the strictest UK lockdown measures.

72% OF THE UK FIELD SERVICE BUSINESSES ARE GROWING, BUT ONLY ONE-IN-FIVE ARE GROWING STRONGER

Across the field service sector, firms have performed significantly better since the end of the first strict lockdown in July 2020

• Workloads are up 70%, and turnovers have soared as prices charged for services increased by an average of 47%

• Demand for facilities management, fire and safety, plumbing and heating, and plant hire services bounced back particularly welL

While the headline figures are positive, the benefits of booming demand are not enjoyed by everyone

• Turnovers rocketed across the sector, yet fewer than half of companies reported making a profit. 26% of firms lost money in the 12 months to August 2021 as the industry was hit by Covid-19 complications, compliance issues and surging costs

• One in eight field service firms fear they could go out of business within a year

• More than eight out of ten firms expect turnover to grow into 2022. But a talent crisis means firms face this increased demand without employee numbers increasing at the same rate. 56% of field service leaders reported difficulty retaining frontline operators.

Productivity is now a major focus for field service firms

• Poor management oversight, outdated technology, and poor planning and workflow were significant barriers to more efficient work. 82% of field- service leaders said they wanted oversight of all parts of their operations in real-time

Our analysis indicates that there is a big difference between growing and growing stronger

• The strongest firms took advantage of rising demand to do more work, but remained in control of costs and became more productive

• In contrast, many firms now struggling for survival, grew too quickly. They took on the highest increases in workload and turnover of any segment, but doubled the size of their workforces and their levels of debt

Customer experience is key for competitive advantage

• Facing rising costs, the ability to compete on price is getting smaller. Customer experience has become the new source of competitive advantage. Most leaders said good service now requires same-working-day fixes for reactive jobs (68%) and that customers be kept fully informed digitally (65%)

Technology is critical in helping firms thrive

• Technology spending across the sector increased by an average of 54% in the last 12 months as firms focused on job management, productivity and customer experience

•  Users of job management technology grew faster, on average, than those relying on spreadsheets and paper processes last year. They are in a better position to take on further work and deliver it profitably in the year ahead

•  Most leaders expect spending in this area to continue growing into 2022

A Defining Period for the Field Service Sector

The following 12 months will be pivotal for field service firms. Everyone has the opportunity to grow, but they must manage significant cost increases and face major challenges recruiting and retaining skilled frontline operators. It will be a year of abundance for some - gaining market share and driving growth in turnover and profitability. Others will see their margins eroded further. Everyone would benefit from becoming more productive and competing on customer experience rather than price.

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This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

 

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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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

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Further Reading:

• Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategy
• Read more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
• Read more about BigChange on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/bigchange
• Learn more about BigChange @ www.bigchange.com
• Follow BigChange on Twitter @ twitter.com/bigchangeapps

 

Webfleet Solutions, Europe’s leading telematics solutions provider, is introducing WEBFLEET TPMS to the market.

The joint development between the telematics leader and its parent company Bridgestone, a global leader in tyres and rubber providing solutions for safe and sustainable mobility, provides predictive tyre management integrated into the award-winning WEBFLEET fleet management solution.

Designed for heavy commercial vehicles, such as trucks and buses, WEBFLEET TPMS utilises sensors that continuously monitor tyre pressure levels and tyre temperature.

THE SOLUTION CONTINUOUSLY CHECKS TYRE PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE AND ALERTS BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE FLEET MANAGER IN CASE OF ISSUES TO HELP PREVENT ACCIDENTS OR COSTLY DOWNTIME

The information is sent to the WEBFLEET Telematics Service Platform for analysis. When an issue is detected, WEBFLEET alerts the fleet manager in the office and/or the driver in the cab in real time. This allows them to take action before the issue evolves into a more serious problem that could lead to accidents, disruptions and costly vehicle downtime.

Paul Verheijen, Vice President Product Management of Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, said: “The majority of heavy truck breakdowns on European roads are caused by tyre-related issues such as underinflated tyres.

“Manual pressure checks are time consuming and slow leaks are very difficult for drivers to detect. WEBFLEET TPMS is not only digitising and automating this entire process, but it also directly enables the fleet operator to make fast, informed decisions to improve road safety and reduce tyre-related costs and downtime.”

The instant notifications that are triggered when abnormal tyre pressure or temperature is detected are colour coded. The colours reflect the severity of the issue, which helps users to determine the right course of action.

The WEBFLEET TPMS sensors are precise and easy to install, as they can be fitted without removing the tyre. They enable the TPMS solution to detect under or over inflation before it’s visible. While properly inflated tyres increase safety, they also offer better fuel efficiency and an optimised tyre service life. All of this translates to less CO₂ emissions and extended tyre life.

“With WEBFLEET TPMS, we are reinforcing our market leadership in connected transport solutions,” added Jan-Maarten de Vries, CEO of Bridgestone Mobility Solutions.

“By adding real time tyre insights to WEBFLEET, transport companies have control and visibility over their entire fleet operation – all from one interface.

“For years, business fleets have been using telematics solutions to understand and leverage their vehicle data. Now, we are using this telematics data to optimise tyre performance. Our TPMS solution is just the beginning of further innovations in connected tyre technology enabled by the combined strength of Bridgestone and Webfleet Solutions.”

Watch this videoto learn more about TPMS please visit: https://www.webfleet.com/en_gb/webfleet/fleet-management/tpms/

Further Reading:

• Read more about Parts, Pricing and Logistics @ www.fieldservicenews.com/parts-pricing-and-logistics
• Read more about Fleet Technology @ www.fieldservicenews.com/fleet-technology
• Learn more about TPMS @ www.webfleet.com/fleet-management/tpms/
• Learn more about Webfleet Solutions  @ www.webfleet.com
• Find out more about Bridgestone @ www.bridgestone.co.uk
• Read more about Webfleet Solutions on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/webfleet-solutions
• Follow WebFleet Solutions on Twitter @ twitter.com/Webfleetnews

Demand for UK trades has boomed since the end of the initial lockdown in July 2020. Plumbers, electricians, building-maintenance firms and other trades making up the UK’s 1.3-million-business field-service sector have seen their workloads increase by 70 per cent year on year, according to a new report published by field service management software provider BigChange.

BigChange’s State of the Field Service Sector report, now available at Field Service News, reveals that three-quarters of trades businesses saw demand increase in the year to July 2021. Almost one in five (18 per cent) took on over double the work they did in the 12-month period before. BigChange’s research indicates that demand for Plumbing & Heating, Plant Hire and Drainage increased fastest.

THREE-QUARTERS OF UK BUSINESSES SAW DEMANDS AFTER THE FIRST STRICT LOCKODWN ENDED, BUT MANY ARE STILL SUFFERING THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC, COMPLIANCE ISSUES AND SOARING COSTS

Despite soaring turnovers (up 79 per cent on average) and average price increases of 47 per cent, fewer than half of trades businesses (48 per cent) said they were profitable in the year to July 2021. Debts have increased by 117 per cent among the worst performers in the sector, and one-in-eight firms fear they will fail within a year as Covid complications, compliance issues and surging costs continue to hit hard. 

Most businesses surveyed (81 per cent) said that the pandemic had continued to impact their finances negatively in the last 12 months. 67 per cent said their margins had been squeezed by the cost of complying with new regulations, and rising prices for materials, fuel and labour are cited as ongoing problems by more than 70 per cent of respondents. 

Richard Warley, BigChange CEO, comments: “While demand for the trades has boomed since the first lockdown, this backbone of the economy is not as strong as it might look. Only half of firms are profiting from this extra work. There’s a big difference between growing and growing stronger.” 

“Many trades businesses have seen profit margins hit by a perfect storm of Covid, compliance and rising costs. One-in-eight fear they won’t last another year, partly because they’ve taken on more debt and racked up colossal overtime bills meeting customer demand. 

“The strong, profitable businesses are succeeding by working smarter to stay in control of their operations, keeping a lid on costs, and making their teams more productive. They are using technology to improve management oversight, plan better and automate processes, and improving communication and response times as part of efforts to make the customer experience their new source of competitive advantage.” 

You can access Big Change's State of the Field Service Sector white paper here:

Further Reading:

• Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategy
• Read more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
• Read more about BigChange on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/bigchange
• Learn more about BigChange @ www.bigchange.com
• Follow BigChange on Twitter @ twitter.com/bigchangeapps

Onpoint Logistics has seen its fuel bill slashed by a third (34 per cent) and productivity boosted by 14 per cent, thanks to the introduction of connected technology from Webfleet Solutions

The Birmingham-based specialist logistics company has implemented an integrated solution using the WEBFLEET fleet management platform.

With a fleet of more than 60 vehicles, ranging from vans to 44 tonne trucks, the leading logistics and haulage company specialises in the movement, storage, and logistical support of time-critical freight for manufacturers throughout the UK and Europe.

ONPOINT LOGISTICS INTRODUCES AN INTEGRATED SOLUTION FROM WEBFLEET TO HELP DRIVE COST-EFFICIENCES, BOOST PRODUCTIVITY AND IMPROVE DRIVER BEHAVIOUR

Onpoint Logistics works closely with Communicate Better, an official Webfleet Solutions premium partner, to take advantage of rich scheduling, fleet planning and asset utilisation technology.

Carl Delaney, Managing Director of Onpoint Logistics, said: “As we specialise in providing same day or next day delivery throughout the UK and parts of Europe, optimal efficiency and seamless processes are crucial to our business.

“We needed a solution that would help us manage and monitor our fleet in real-time, reduce costs, and provide key data insights to improve driver behaviour.

“We turned to Communicate Better who delivered a smart, time-saving WEBFLEET fleet management platform that is cost-effective, boosts productivity and keeps our drivers safe out on the roads.”

WEBFLEET provides 24/7 automated reporting and asset tracking, offering full visibility of the Onpoint Logistics fleet, with OptiDrive 360 functionality empowering drivers to be greener and safer by giving them real-time feedback and advice on their performance behind the wheel.

A smart 360-degree integrated vehicle cahttps://www.fieldservicenews.mera system, meanwhile, provides associated video evidence for every driving event, offering context and clarity into why incidents occurred, further assisting in improving driver behaviour and driver security.

“Having full transparency over our fleet and the powerful insights needed to take decisive action has saved us time and money and given us the ability to redirect vital resources and further invest in our business,” added Delaney.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Parts, Pricing and Logistics @ www.fieldservicenews.com/parts-pricing-and-logistics
• Read more about Fleet Technology @ www.fieldservicenews.com/fleet-technology
• Learn more about Onpoint Logistics @ www.onpointlogisticsltd.co.uk
• Learn more about Webfleet Solutions  @ www.webfleet.com
• Read more about Webfleet Solutions on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/webfleet-solutions
• Follow WebFleet Solutions on Twitter @ twitter.com/Webfleetnews

Survey finds ecommerce SMEs are investing in their own delivery drivers amidst ongoing driver shortages, supply chain issues and Covid restrictionsUK ecommerce businesses are taking delivery into their own hands, according to new research released by Vimcar. In a survey of 100 small and medium sized UK ecommerce retailers, almost all have experienced an increase in online orders since March 2020, and two thirds (64%) of online retailers have had to invest in their own delivery fleet to meet customer demand.

97% OF SMALL ECOMMERCE BUSINESSES HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN ORDERS FOR DELIVERY SINCE MARCH 2020 AND OVER TWO THIRDS NOW DELIVER GOODS USING THEIR OWN FLEET

Undertaken by Vimcar, the fleet management software for SMEs, the survey comes at a time when ecommerce retailers are grappling with the impact of delivery driver shortages, Brexit uncertainty, supply chain issues and Covid restrictions.

Increased customer demand over the past 18 months has led the majority of respondents to hire their own staff to fulfil orders rather than outsourcing delivery, with over a fifth of the ecommerce businesses surveyed hiring between 5 and 10 new fleet drivers. Having taken delivery into their own hands, 80% of ecommerce SMEs are positive about the next 12 months, despite ongoing economic issues.

Taking delivery in-house has been a successful move for many but the research also exposes the additional strain this has placed upon SME ecommerce businesses. Three quarters of respondents said that expanding their delivery fleet had made admin more difficult to manage, highlighting a need for ecommerce businesses to simplify the management of rapidly growing fleets.

Ronald Clancy, UK Country Manager at Vimcar said: “It is promising to see that business is thriving for ecommerce retailers despite an extremely turbulent 18 months. There remain many wider economic challenges for small businesses to overcome and what this research shows is that many ecommerce SMEs are having to rapidly adapt their business models in order to remain agile and continue to meet customer demand.”

Over a third of survey respondents expect demand in delivery to increase further, reflecting wider industry reports on increasing delivery volumes in the lead up to the peak Christmas season.

Clancy added: “Efficient fleet management will be crucial to the ongoing success of small and medium sized retailers as poorly managed fleets and drivers can quickly drain a business’ costs and resources. Simplifying fleet management is therefore vital to any ecommerce retailer wanting to maximise the investment they’ve made into delivery services.”

Further Reading:

• Read more about Managing the Mobile Workforce @ www.fieldservicenews.com/managing-the-mobile-workforce
• Read more about Fleet Management @ www.fieldservicenews.com/fleet-management
• Learn more about Vimcar @ vimcar.co.uk
• Find our more about Aircargo Transport @ www.aircargo-transport.eu
• Follow Vimcar on Twitter @ twitter.com/goVimcar

In this case study, we look how REHAU executed a rural fibre-optic installation with a direct line from a Vantage data centre to a village in Wales.

When community interest company MyFi tasked Beacons Telecom with establishing a high-speed connection from Michaelston-y-Fedw to a nearby data centre, cutting-edge microduct solutions from REHAU were required to blow the 500+ fibres down the narrow Openreach ducts. Moreover, with the UK’s connectivity targets just over the horizon, it was critical that redundancy was available via spare sub ducts to facilitate future installations.

At first glance, Michaelston-y-Fedw is a village like any other. A picturesque settlement located halfway between Newport and Cardiff; it can now lay claim to being the first rural community-built 1GB fibre-to-the-premises network in Wales.

Rural settings have often been overlooked as gigabit-capable connections are rolled out across the UK, with urban spaces traditionally being easier to integrate into the country’s superfast broadband infrastructure. However, community interest company MyFi was founded in October 2017 to ensure that Michaelston-y-Fedw was able to benefit from connectivity as much as the nearby capital.

David Schofield, Director of MyFi, said: “Previously, the core equipment for connectivity was installed at a hub within the village. However, as the site was unsecured, we felt unauthorised entry and vandalism posed a significant risk. Frequent power cuts also rendered the site impractical, as cooling and supply issues were common. As such, we proposed a direct connection to a nearby data centre.”

THE OPENREACH DUCT SYSTEM

The existing hub connection would be replaced with one to the CWL1 data centre, some 1.1km away, by way of a point-to-point fibre-to-the-premises network. This data centre is the largest of its kind in Europe, a 50-acre campus operated by hyperscale provider Vantage Data Centres. An installation of this kind, with a direct connection from the village to the campus, is a unique occurrence within the UK.

Contrary to the usual practice of using a PON splitter to divide one connection from the data centre between multiple properties, each home within Michaelston-y-Fedw was provided with a direct leased line connection to the data centre. Crucially, this would provide the village residents with 10gGB download speeds of unrivalled consistency, as using individual lines guaranteed no contention would take place.

Beacons Telecom, an Ultrafast Fibre Broadband Company, were contracted to complete the installation. Since June 2019, Ofcom’s statement on Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) allows internet service providers (ISPs) and contractors to make use of the existing BT Openreach ducts to provide Public Electronic Communications Services and/or Public Electronic Communications Network. As the Openreach ducts already span the length and breadth of the country, there is no need for contractors to begin installations from scratch, allowing fibre networks to be constructed far more quickly.

However, this brought about its own challenges as Trevor Mosedale, CEO of Beacons Telecom, explained: “At only 25mm bundle size restrictions, the Openreach ducts were extremely narrow, especially as a total of 576 fibres would be required to complete the installation. Because of this, we needed a solution that could ensure the connection would be established despite infrastructure limitations.”

To facilitate the installation, REHAU provided RAUSPEED duct bundles that could be easily installed into the Openreach ducts followed by blowing in the fibre-optic cables. Crucially, REHAU’s PIA duct bundle was and is the only triple sub duct solution available that was able to fit within a 25mm size restrictions. This meant that, despite width limitations, the 576 fibres would be able to be comfortably blown into the Openreach ducts, even allowing room for redundancy.

Moreover, the PIA duct bundle’s RAU-PP sheath provided increased tensile strength to guarantee the vital fibres within were not damaged during the blowing-in process, while three microducts within the bundle allowed fibre optic cables to be blown-in through one or more channels, leaving space for future installations if required.

THE INSTALLATION

The blowing-in process began on 24^th April, with the 576 MiDia 200 Micro GX Cable fibres split into two 288-fibre cables in two separate ducts, leaving a third free. Despite the 8.2mm outer diameter of each fibre optic cable and the three 12/9.8 microducts within the RAUSPEED PIA duct bundle comfortably housed the fibre optic cables, allowing the blowing-in process to go ahead.

The Openreach ducts were first cleaned with sponges and then lubricated. Despite the aforementioned width restrictions, REHAU’s sub ducts allowed fibres to be blown-in at around 58 metres per minute, nearing the maximum blowing speed of 60 metres per minute. Each blow lasted roughly 20 minutes, allowing the full installation to be completed within the day.

Establishing a direct connection to the Vantage data centre had a measurable effect upon Michaelston-y-Fedw and its residents. The village is now capable of 10GBs download speeds, rivalling that of even the most high-speed city connections. The overall size of the settlement’s network also saw a significant expansion, with user numbers rising by as much as 60%, from 250 to 400, with around 100 local businesses now able to connect.

REDUNDANCY

While REHAU’s RAUSPEED PIA duct bundle allowed fibre to be easily blown into the narrow Openreach ducts, they also integrated a critical element of redundancy into Michaelston-y-Fedw’s fibre-optic network. As the sub ducts used feature three channels for fibres – with only two necessary for the installation – this leaves scope for future fibre projects to be completed far more easily, as microduct infrastructure is already in place.

Paul Churm, Telecoms Specialist for REHAU’s Fibre Optic Division, spoke on what this means for the UK’s connectivity goals: “Considering the UK government’s target of achieving 85% coverage for gigabit-capable broadband by 2025, there is increasing pressure on ISPs to incorporate redundancy into their installations. This is being encouraged by schemes like the Welsh government’s Local Broadband Fund, which offers funding for community interest companies and local authorities to upgrade existing broadband infrastructure.”

“For contractors, this means that by utilising REHAU’s triple sub duct PIA bundles as part of their installation, they can receive additional government funding. This is due to the redundancy provided by the unused microducts, as it facilitates future installations by themselves or others. This also provides an opportunity for ISPs and contractors to rent the empty channels out to other broadband providers for use, while incurring no additional time or expense to themselves during the installation.”

The integration of a gigabit-capable broadband network in Michaelston-y-Fedw sets an important precedent for fibre rollout in the UK. With higher broadband speeds more commonly associated with urban settings rather than rural ones, the Government should be wary not to leave the nation’s towns and villages behind in its charge for connectivity. This installation demonstrates that by deploying innovative solutions, the UK might look to exceed its target of 85% coverage, and that a higher standard of connectivity is available for hard-to-reach settlements.

Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change with a responsibility for digital said: “Over this challenging period, the importance of fast, reliable broadband has become even more apparent. While this area is not devolved to Wales, we are taking action to bring faster broadband speeds and better mobile connectivity where we can.”

“The extension of the Michaelston-y-Fedw MyFi network to the Vantage data centre and Bassaleg is one of the many projects that the Welsh Government’s Local Broadband Fund has supported to help improve slow broadband speeds and poor mobile connection - making a real difference to this community. The Local Broadband Fund is aimed at supporting innovative solutions in areas that are difficult to reach, and Beacons Telecom’s use of the cutting-edge microduct solutions from REHAU during this project is exactly what the fund was set up to achieve.”

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Telecommunications on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/telecommunications
• Read more about REHAU on Field Service News @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/rehau
• Find out more more about REHAU @ www.rehau.com
• Follow REHAU on LinkedIn @ www.linkedin.com/rehau/

OverIT announced that, starting from October, the company will be spun off from the Engineering Group becoming an independent entity controlled by Bain Capital and Neuberger Berman.

In addition, Paolo Bergamo has been appointed as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OverIT. Prior to joining OverIT, Bergamo was Senior Vice President Product Management at Salesforce in San Francisco, California.

In his new role, Bergamo will lead OverIT's global team, growth strategy and vision.

Bergamo has a deep knowledge of Field Service Management, with over two decades of proven global experience in the software sector. Given his track record, Bergamo is ideally placed to lead OverIT in its next phase of growth as innovator and visionary.

"The spin-off is the result of a strategic partnership between Neuberger Berman and Bain Capital, that has the goal to accelerate OverIT's internationalisation and build the global Field Service Management software leader through increased investments" said Piero Galli from Neuberger Berman.

"When searching for a new CEO to lead OverIT growth journey and reach the ambitious goals we set, we wanted someone who deeply understood not only the industry OverIT operates in, but also the ambition of our funds and the culture of a global company. Paolo has proven leadership capabilities and a track record of scaling technology businesses; we are pleased to have him join to lead the company in the next phase of growth" said Giovanni Camera from Bain Capital.

"I'm thrilled to join OverIT at such an exciting period" said Bergamo, "When Bain Capital and Neuberger Berman proposed to me the ambitious project to bring OverIT, one of the flagships of Made in Italy technology, to the forefront internationally, I felt I couldn't miss this great opportunity. I have the ambition to make OverIT an international hub for young technology talent to grow and unleash their potential".

OverIT, backed by US capital with development headquarters in Italy and main US office in Miami, is a multinational company with more than 20 years of international and cross-industry experience in Field Service Management. The firm is recognized by premier global advisory and consulting organizations as a leading vendor in FSM, Mobile Workforce Management and AR industries. providing more than 300 international customers and 150,000 Field Service users with process knowledge, innovative functionalities and cutting-edge technologies.

Bain Capital, LP is one of the world's leading private multi-asset alternative investment firms that creates lasting impact for our investors, teams, businesses, and the communities in which we live. Since our founding in 1984, we've applied our insight and experience to organically expand into numerous asset classes including private equity, credit, public equity, venture capital, real estate and other strategic areas of focus. The firm has offices on four continents, more than 1,200 employees and approximately $140 billion in assets under management. To learn more, visit www.baincapital.com.

Neuberger Berman, founded in 1939, is a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager. The firm manages a range of strategies—including equity, fixed income, quantitative and multi-asset class, private equity, real estate, and hedge funds—on behalf of institutions, advisors, and individual investors globally. The firm manages $433 billion in client assets as of June 30, 2021. NB Renaissance supports ambitious entrepreneurs and management teams with a goal to create market leading businesses. Part of Neuberger Berman since 2015, today NB Renaissance manages €2.0 billion of commitments from a pool of high-quality Italian and international investors. NB Renaissance is currently invested in 12 companies, which include some of the excellence of the Italian corporates. NB Renaissance can count on a team of 20 private equity professionals of Neuberger Berman in Italy, supported by the broader Neuberger Berman private equity platform of 245+ professionals.

Further Reading:

• Learn more about OverIT @ www.overit.it
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about OverIT on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/overIT
• Read more about AR on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/augmented-reality
• Learn more about Bain Capital @ www.baincapital.com
• Find out more about Neuberger Berman @ www.nb.com
• Follow OverIT on Twitter @ twitter.com/OverITSpA

CSG^® (NASDAQ: CSGS) is transforming the way companies engage with their customers by arming today’s leading brands with future-ready, innovative solutions that drive extraordinary customer experiences.

With a customer-first culture dedicated to delivering results, CSG Field Service Management. These factors combined CSG’s breadth of experience and its leading-edge capabilities in machine learning and augmented reality led to CSG Field Service Management’s first-time placement in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Field Service Management.

CSG FIELD SERVICE MANAGEMENT AVERAGED 4.6 OUT OF 5 RATING ON GARTNER PEERINSIGHT™

“Field service management is often the ‘last mile’ of customer service that can make or break your brand and your ability to win in the marketplace,” said Alfred Binford, president of customer engagement for CSG. “CSG Field Service Management delivers both agility and game changing innovation for our customers that lead to greater cost and productivity efficiencies. More importantly, it creates higher quality customer interactions that lead to elevated customer experiences. Gartner’s ratings are deeply respected in our industry, and it is a tremendous accomplishment to be in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Field Service Management. CSG will build on this momentum with our unique domain expertise in serving communications service providers to enhance our solutions and help our growing global customer base transform ordinary customer experiences to be extraordinary.”

CSG Field Service Management is a global, award-winning, multi-industry, cloud-based platform that optimizes field service operations before, during and after the day of service. The solution enables field technicians and dispatchers to make informed decisions based on real-time, predictive data that offers intelligent insights and increases customer satisfaction. These capabilities combined with automated reporting and timely, relevant customer communications help companies deliver a superior customer experience, while enabling seamless operations for both dispatchers and technicians. CSG Field Service Management supports hundreds of thousands of technicians and dispatchers every day and is the engine that processes more than 100 million work orders every year for some of the world’s largest communications service providers.

With an average 4.6 out of 5 rating on Gartner PeerInsights™, customers have commended CSG Field Service Management as “[a] powerful workforce management solution” matched with a great customer experience, “thorough communication and the willingness to assist. It was a phenomenal experience with the whole team that made our product successful.”

For more information on CSG Field Service Management, visit https://www.csgi.com/portfolio/field-service-management/. To download the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Field Service Management visit https://info.csgi.com/FSM-GMQ-2021-Report.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Automation on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/sustainability
• Learn more about CSG Field Service Management, @ www.csgi.com/field-service-management/.
• Find out more more about CSG @ www.csgi.com
• Follow CSG on Twitter @ twitter.com/csg_i