Following on from the success of last years launch event Field Service News is very pleased to be the official media partner to Field Service Forum hosted at the Sheraton Amsterdam on June 2nd - 3rd.
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May 10, 2015 • Features • Events • Field Service Forum
Following on from the success of last years launch event Field Service News is very pleased to be the official media partner to Field Service Forum hosted at the Sheraton Amsterdam on June 2nd - 3rd.
You can register for field service forum by clicking this link
With up to 200 service leaders from across Europe predicted to attend to meet for debate and discussion across two days of interactive education with a structured networking program included which is designed to allow delegates to benchmark their service operations.
Ahead of the event Thomas Igou, Content Director at Copperbrug commented “The launch event showed that most organisations are on the right (and similar) path, but the road to success is still full of opportunities. There is a common need to build a stronger structure behind the service business to truly change the function from a cost to a profit centre. Many organisations are seeing the big picture, but are unable to execute the critical steps towards full service transformation.”
No other employee in a manufacturing organisation has the face time nor the trust from the customer; field engineers are truly the face of their organisations towards the customers.
“There is also a lot to be done to make field operations more efficient, and not only through IT solutions. Looking at standardising the service business will go a great way to improve roll outs of strategic initiatives and of having a better visibility of resources, which will ensure they meet service level agreements.”
“There are additional areas such as managing a global workforce, implementing mobility and other technologies like wearables, creating a process to capture knowledge, or further exploring remote diagnostics to develop proactive maintenance that are also critical to the success of a field service business.”
Indeed Igou and the team at event organisers Copperburg, have been working hard to develop the conference further and have introduced a number of new features which Field Service News is excited to be part of.
New Features
In addition to the traditional formats of Copperberg conferences, Field Service Forum will provide new and developed features to ensure your conference experience is maximised and as interactive as possible so you can come away with the most relevant information.
THE FIELD SERVICE STUDIO
Hosted by Field Service News Editor Kris Oldland this session, based on an American-style talk show, the Field Service Studio will see a host invite four service thought-leaders as special guests and conduct individual seven minutes interviews before moving on to a more traditional panel debate discussion, where hot topics will be analysed from every angle. The studio will end by taking questions directly from the audience.
LIVE CASE STUDY
This session will take you straight into a manufacturer’s field service operations. The case study will start with an overview of a challenge encountered by the manufacturer; then, the session will take a look at IT solutions the manufacturer sourced to overcome the challenge and its implementation.
After this the manufacturer will give an insight into the results and ROI. Finally, the session will finish with a testimonial from the manufacturer’s customer about the new service improvements.
Field Service Forum Agenda 2015
Tuesday - June 2nd 2015
- 09.30 Pre-Registration
- 10.00 PRECONFERENCE WORKSHOPS - The pre-conference workshops are a new and exclusive feature which gives you, as a participant, the ability to kick start the conference with a focused and content-heavy session where you will be able to both learn and share experiences around best practices.
- Workshop A - Mobility: In this interactive workshop, you will learn about to best integrate mobility solutions to create a mobile workforce that will enhance the value of your service offerings to your customers.
- Workshop B - Knowledge Management: In this interactive workshop, you will learn about how to track knowledge of your team, how to rollout/share knowledge, and how to share known issues so you can capture the knowledge.
- 13.00 Service Mastery Day - Limited Seats Available - The Service Mastery Day is a sensational, “cannot miss” 3 hour seminar on how you and your organisation can master the skill of service excellence. Each event is customised to the needs of the participants and brings a leading and recognised expert in the field of service excellence to moderate and teach you how to bring your service division to the next level.
- 16.00 Networking Break & General Registration
- 16.30 How to improve your margin on Full Service & Repair Contracts: Listen to this story telling of how Volvo Construction Equipment in Denmark is growing their service margin through full service & repair contracts.
- 17.10 Live Case Study: Field Service of the Future, Today - This new feature will present a case study through the viewpoints of all actors within a field service operations ecosystem: The Vendor, The Manufacturer, and the End User Customer.
- 18.00 Evening Networking Program - The evening networking program is your opportunity to meet and network with your peers in a cozy and relaxed atmosphere, to push the discussions deeper and make contacts that last a lifetime.
Wednesday - June 3rd 2015
- 08.10 Morning Masterclasses:
- Masterclass A Using Tools and Technology to direct, monitor, and measure performance
- Masterclass B Transforming Field Service into a Profit Powerhouse
- Masterclass C Global Training of field engineers
- 09.10 How After-sales Service increases customer loyalty: With increasing competition on products only one thing can really differentiate you from the others. Service is therefore increasing in importance and the execution has to be flawless and a good after sales service actually helps increase you customer loyalty and possible future sales.
- 09.40 Case Study: Automating Service Scheduling & Dispatching: This session will look into how to provide a fast, best-in-class service experience to your customers by overcoming fragmented processes and lack of visibility into field resources.
- 10.45 Executive Circles: Roundtable discussions are often one of the most appreciated features at our events, because they allow participants to share experiences, success and failures alike, in a more intimate setting. In stimulating work atmosphere, the participants discuss new perspectives and ideas around a specific topic and the under the guidance of an assigned moderator. After 40 minutes, the discussions end and participants move on to the next table. You will experience intensive discussions, share innovative ideas and identify practical solutions.
- Track1: Global Workforce
- 13.15 Resource Optimisation: developing the competence of current and coming talent
- 13.45 Developing the soft skills of field engineers: Field engineers see your customers more often than any of the sales staff, and as such have a strong relation and are trusted by your customers. This session will inform you how to leverage on this to sell more and generate leads within your installed base.
- 14.15 Gamification: How can service organisations introduce gamification to sparkle cultural changes in their field operations? From adoption of new field technologies to conclusion of admin work, gamification can help motive and reward your employees for their outstanding performance.
- Track2: Smart Services:
- 13.15 How to use the latest technology trends to improve your business: Internet of things, Big data, remote Service are all trendy topics, but how do they help us increase Customer Satisfaction, revenues and productivity. How to go from technology to a clear business strategy. Is our organisation ready for this change?
- 13.45 Wearables Technology: New technological advancements in supportive gears for field engineers is bringing a whole new level of service support. This session will explore wearables technology such as smart glasses and watches and how to utilise them to bring real time added value for both your field engineers and your customers.
- 14.15 The Industrial Internet: IoT is a recurring buzz word, of which analysts predict billions of devices will be connected to the internet in the near future. However, what is it really, and how can it benefit the manufacturing industry?
- Track 3: Operational Efficiency
- 13.15 Standardisation of practices in a Service Business: A case study on key strategic initiatives to increase service levels at Pentair and how to roll out global service strategy across regions.
- 13.45 Interested in doubling your service sales and shorten the time to close the deals? How often can a salesperson really quote to customer needs without any support from back office? When it comes to selling, time is essential. Every hour it takes from the customer meeting to your delivered quote, the customer interest diminishes, and their focus changes to other projects.
- 14.15 Managing global service: The session will look into how to manage a service organisation: the structure from scratch to service/repair. How to use resource pooling between units and partners with different business models based on service differentiation and global set-up in order to serve customers across the globe.
- 15.20 The Field Service Studio: Based on an American-style talk show, the Field Service Studio will see a host invite 4 service thought-leaders as special guests and conduct individual 7 minutes interviews before moving on to a more traditional panel debate discussion, where hot topics will be analysed from every angle. The studio will end by taking questions directly from the audience. Hosted by Kris Oldland, Editor of Field Service News.
Register for Field Service Forum by clicking this link
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May 04, 2015 • Features • Events • Service Management Expo • SME
Running across the 16th, 17th and 18th of June the Service Management Expo remains one of Europe’s key field service events…
Running across the 16th, 17th and 18th of June the Service Management Expo remains one of Europe’s key field service events…
The Service Management Expo has for thirty years been a central pillar within the field service calendar. Whilst there are a growing number of excellent conferences that showcase some of the leading trends within the field service industry both in the US and Europe, when it comes to an exhibition format, with the sheer number of vendors demonstrating their field service solutions within the vast exhibition hall held in London’s impressive Excel complex (Service Management Expo is just one of a number of exhibitions brought together by organiser UBM under the Protection and Management umbrella) the Service Management Expo for the time being at least remains unmatched.
Whether you’ve been given a brief to go and find the best solution for your field service operations or if your just there to see what is available so you can start putting together some plans, with over thirty different providers there will be plenty of opportunities for you to get a close up look at the various specialist software and hardware available that can make your field service operations that much more efficient.
Yet whilst Service Management Expo is very much about the exhibition stands with this many industry experts floating around in the same space it would be criminal not to get some of them together to share their insight into what is making the industry tick in 2015. This is where we come in!
We will be hosting a series of interviews, presentations and panel debates throughout the three days of Service Management Expo plus this year we will be closing each day off with a chance to network with fellow professionals over a beer or glass of wine.
Across the coming weeks we will be looking in a bit more detail at what these sessions will entail with each of the days being brought together under a broad theme for the day. Here we look at the sessions for the first day of the sessions Tuesday the 17th of June.
After an opening presentation by the theatres co-sponsors IFS and Field Service Management the next session of the day comes from George de Boer, International Alliance Manager at TomTom Telematics which begins at 11.45am
DeBoer’s presentation entitled “Open innovation: The key to seamlessly connecting your back office with your mobile workforce” sets out to outline how your Field Service Application can be connected to your service vehicles and engineers? With a focus on those field service managers who are looking for more control, lower vehicle cost and a paperless process. De Boer’s presentation will set out to show attendees how TomTom Telematics’ open fleet management platform WEBFLEET connects your back office with your mobile workforce.
After two presentations from software vendors we move towards a more strategic topic as Nick Frank gives us his presentation “Service Thinking & Imagination: The secret ingredient in monetizing the iotS and all that connectivity stuff” at 12.30pm
Looking at The Internet of Things (IoT), M2M, Big Data and the premise of Frank’s presentation is that whilst they are an inherent part of the future of field service connected products have no value by themselves. It is the data they deliver that can enable us to start blurring the distinction between Products and Services and it is here that we will start to see significant value.
For Field Service to really leverage these exciting technology concepts, companies must re-orientate their focus from purely the product related experience argues Frank and his session focuses on how increasingly Field Service companies must gain insights into the value they create deep within their customer's business, and figure out how they use their technology and know how to make a difference.
Following directly on from Frank’s presentation is the first of the day’s on stage interviews with host Kris Oldland, Editor of Field Service News talking to Professor Tim Baines of Aston University in a session that begins at 1.15pm.
Following on neatly from Frank’s preceding presentation this session titled “Advanced Services 101 - Just what the hell does servitization mean anyway?” Takes advantage of the eminent Professor Baines position as one of the leading proponents of the growing servitization trend to try and identify exactly what is meant by Advanced Services and Servitization. With the Aston Spring Servitization Conference running just a few weeks earlier Baines will also be able to give us all of the latest thinking on this increasingly important topic to the field service industries.
One of the key questions we will be exploring is this concept suited to companies of a specific size or vertical as well as what are the benefits and how will it impact Field Service operations?
The interview sessions continue as we turn our attention to another of the emerging challenges of modern field service – i.e. data security at 2.00pm
This time Oldland welcomes Steve Foxley, Director Customer Services for manufacturing giant Siemens to the stage with the conversation being focussed around the challenges that field service organisations will face when it comes data security as through trends like big data and the IoT the issue becomes ever more pressing.
With the Field Service operations having gone through (and continuing to go through) a period of rapid evolution and as the day’s sessions will have discussed IoT, Servitization and Big Data amongst others are opening the doors to ever more efficient and profitable service operations, but are also introducing new challenges.
With the Field Service operations having gone through (and continuing to go through) a period of rapid evolution and as the day’s sessions will have discussed IoT, Servitization and Big Data amongst others are opening the doors to ever more efficient and profitable service operations, but are also introducing new challenges. So this session will look at not only how can we mitigate them but also how important it is to understand these challenges when before we take the first steps down such a path.
After what promises to be day full of plenty of interesting concepts that should provide plenty of food for debate we will provide an hour of networking to continue the conversations in a more relaxed environment with complimentary drinks.
Register for field service news now for free by clicking this link
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May 04, 2015 • Features • Hardware • NetMotion • Panasonic • Events • hardware
Panasonic Toughbook's Enterprise Mobile Technology was the first big UK event of the field service calendar and it set the bar high for the rest of the year writes Kris Oldland...
Panasonic Toughbook's Enterprise Mobile Technology was the first big UK event of the field service calendar and it set the bar high for the rest of the year writes Kris Oldland...
Deep in the heart of the English country side lies the St Georges complex, home to aspiring dreams of the English football association, and given the fervour that surrounds the English national team every time a major footballing tournament comes around, such dreams of aspiration and success are reflective of an entire nation’s subconscious.
Such auspicious surroundings then were an ideal location for an event that had aspirational themes of it’s own. Namely the continuing evolution and improvement of how we operate our field service divisions, how we streamline our efficiency and establish ever greater levels excellence in our service delivery.
And as with modern sport, including the beautiful game, the alignment of technology with forward-looking strategy is a core part of how we take these steps forward. And technology was of course at the heart of the Enterprise Mobile Technology conference (admittedly the clue was in the name!)
With a number of new advances being revealed both by host Panasonic and a number of their key partners including the likes of Brother, NetMotion and Microsoft, the day certainly met it’s objectives.
Such auspicious surroundings then were an ideal location for an event that had aspirational themes of it’s own. Namely the continuing evolution and improvement of how we operate our field service divisions
The day began with a brief introduction from Kevin Tristram, General Manager, UK & Ireland Panasonic Computer Product Solutions before we moved to an excellent look at ‘smarter technologies for a connected mobile workforce” presented by Russel Young-Husband, Sales Director Panasonic Computer Product Solutions, which nicely set the tone of the day, giving us insight into the technology our hosts were developing and how it can improve our workflows, without ever feeling like a hard sales pitch.
Given the backdrop, and the many reminders of great moments in English Footballing history that adorned the walls throughout the impressive complex, there was perhaps a definite hint of fate’s irony in the fact that the closing session of the morning was presented by Welshman Jon Tucker, European Product Marketing Manager, Panasonic Computer Product Solutions.
However, obligatory rugby jokes aside, today was about collaboration not rivalries and this very much came to the fore in what proved to be a highly interactive opening session, cleverly enabled by some of the mobile technology being showcased later on throughout the day.
Tucker posed a series of questions to the audience based around some strong industry research from a number of sources and with each table having a FZ-G1 on the table quick polls were taken from the audience to see if the consensus in the room match the wider research findings.
What was particularly interesting was that throughout the session we kept seeing the audience responses matching quite closely with the wider research adding validity to the trends being highlighted in a very tangible way.
It was a good start to what would prove to be an excellent day.
In the first break of the day there was the requisite buzz amongst the delegates that can so often signify how an event will pan out.
Yet this was not down to chance.
For a start this is that was not Panasonic’s first rodeo when it comes to putting such an event together, but this isn’t only evident in the slick presentations and great execution, it is at events like this that real relationships can be formed and much of the conversation was of people reconnecting.
There were clearly many such relationships both between Panasonic and their customers, but also between the delegates themselves, who despite coming from wide and disparate disciplines, face similar challenges in managing their relative mobile workforces.
With opportunities for such peer-to-peer networking somewhat more restricted in field service compared to other business sectors (largely due to the horizontal nature of the sector itself) the chance to resume conversations and compare notes at such events is often taken up with gusto when presented.
Indeed the conversations continued right through the break and back into the next session, which featured David Rodger, Commercial Lead, Windows Business Group, Microsoft UK Unfortunately, we are unable to tell you much about this session as there was a no media policy in place so we an say is that it possibly interesting and probably was about holograms and that Microsoft 10 is hopefully going to be more of an XP than a Vista.
It is an ironic fact of how business works, that often the people we would most like to here from as leaders in there field are often simply too busy doing what it is they do (and what it is that we want to here about) to find the time to write a presentation about it for our benefit. The panel debate format allows us to benefit from hearing from such folks and the panel here certainly didn’t disappoint.
The conversation was open, honest and insightful with a number of key learning’s being presented from the panel and as with any session of this format we left with not only a number of answers, but also with a number of new questions
Indeed again the conversations across lunch were vibrant fuelled by the morning sessions, with ideas generated from the panel were being bounced around and exchanged.
A short hour later, the delegates were separated into four groups as we moved into the smaller breakout sessions. I mentioned earlier the dreaded death by PowerPoint scenario and often it is at such a point in a day that the risk of this raises its head. I always find that an early start, some intensive early sessions and a full stomach are natural enemies of attention when it comes to sitting through presentation after presentation.
Thankfully, the event organisers were of the same mind-set and so put together a great mix of approaches to the afternoon sessions.
The first of which was a look at some of the latest technology to come from Panasonic.
Whilst this session could of potentially have strayed worryingly into sales pitch territory, thankfully the hands on approach delivered Tom Szwed, Customer Relationship Manager, Panasonic Computer Product Solutions didn’t ever have the feel of a straight marketing push, instead the underlying vibe of the session was more akin to earnest excitement, and genuine pride in the technology on show.
With the announcement of Panasonic’s latest rugged laptop the CF-54 having been made just a few weeks earlier this took pride of place within the session although much of the thinking of the new launch seems to apply to Panasonic’s approach to product development moving forward.
The CF-54 boasts a wide range of customisable options which makes it an interesting proposition for a number of industry verticals, but it’s thinner, sleeker profile has much of the look of a consumer device despite the device being certified as ‘semi-rugged’.
Powered by a fifth generation Intel Core i5 vPro processor and running Windows 8.1 Pro or Windows 7, with the option of an upgrade to Windows 10 upon availability, the CF-54 delivers an impressive computing power compared to similar products yet.has also been put through vigorous test, which Swzed guided us through to achieve it’s semi-rugged certification.
As well as being able to survive a fair share of drops and bumps, the CF-54 is also capable of operating between temperatures as low as -10C to 50C, is dust and water plus boasts additional spill protection, which now covers both the screen and the keyboard.
However, if the CF-54 was the central product in this session, it was the yet to be released and as yet unnamed prototype device that generated the most buzz.
This device was what could potentially be the world’s first rugged detachable, and straightaway it’s potential application within the field was being discussed. As those attending the session got their hands on this initial prototype, which at first glance looked like a standard rugged notebook but whose screen could be detached to be a fully operational tablet in it’s own right the application of such a device was clear.
“They [the engineer] would just take the tablet into the customers, but then could slot it into the keyboard as soon as they are writing up their reports” commented one fellow attendee.
Indeed, the idea of a rugged detachable makes a huge amount of sense. Detachables are not anything particularly new and surely we will see a number of similar devices appear on the market in the not too distant future.
However, there is a definite advantage in being the first to deliver such a device, and on the evidence available here it would seem Panasonic, with a working prototype that is close to a final iteration, may well be able to gain that advantage and further grow what is an impressive market share within the rugged space.
There is a definite advantage in being the first to deliver such a device, and on the evidence available here it would seem Panasonic, with a working prototype that is close to a final iteration, may well be able to gain that advantage
We were led into a room that was dominated by a huge snakes and ladders-esque board.
Split into teams our challenge was to navigate our way from start to finish with challenges such as dropped devices, drained batteries or working in the rain barring the way. With half of the teams being allocated a Toughpad and the other half being allocated a ‘consumer device’ Perhaps unsurprisingly (and despite strenuous denial of any underhand rigging) the game was comfortably won by a team brandishing a Toughpad.
However, whilst there may have been a less than subtle message around the benefit of rugged vs. consumer when it comes to total cost of ownership it was delivered in what was a genuinely enjoyable format.
The next session we returned towards convention with a presentation from event partner NetMotion Again the session had the potential to stray into dangerous territory. There is only one thing worse than death by PowerPoint, that is death by PowerPoint whilst being sold at.
I’ll admit to having some trepidation as energetic American Erik Helms, VP Strategic Partners & International Sales, NetMotion Wireless, began his presentation. Being a reserved Brit, with an upper lip so stiff it may have passed away without me noticing, my natural defences tend to get raised when confronted by American presenters.
They are just so excitable, so enthusiastic and so damn friendly that I can’t help but think ‘what’s the catch’.
So admittedly Helms already had a significant hurdle to overcome. Yet he not only managed to win me over, he did it with style and panache.
The NetMotion product whilst having a number of functionalities and layers is relatively straightforward. It just makes online stuff better, much better in fact.
All of this was outlined by Helms, with the assistance of his two colleagues Lee Johnson, Global Field and Channel Marketing Director, NetMotion Wireless and Chris McKie VP Regional Salesw EMEA, NetMotion Wireless, through one of the best 30-minute presentations I’ve sat through in a long time.
Helms based his presentation around one user comment that the system ‘just worked like magic’ and played on this with a magician theme that quoted some of the great classic magicians, bringing an excellent sense of theatre to the session – with a great use of props including some beautifully lo-fi home made faraday cages made of aluminium foil.
It was also the first time I’ve ever seen someone use a machete as part of their presentation, well in field service at least.
However, Helms didn’t just rely on gimmicks to promote his product. What was truly impressive was the technology he was showcasing which sat at the heart of each section of his presentation.
Similarly, Helms himself was by no means just there for his admittedly very good presentation skills. As the session came to an end a number of questions were fielded and name was able to give knowledgeable answers throughout. For the second time in an hour I found myself leaving a presentation I had expected to be a straight sales pitch, genuinely interested in what I had seen, and with the way it had been delivered.
It was in the final break-out session however, run by John Harris, General Manager- Engineering, Panasonic Computer Product Solutions, which had not only peaked my interest but was also perhaps the most effective in communicating why field service companies should seriously consider spending their money with Panasonic – yet there was no sales pitch here.
In fact it was a forward look at products in development with Harris providing some insight into some hands on testing he himself had undertaken.
We were given a detailed overview of smart watches Harris had trialled including the Intel and Samsung offerings and a fascinating glimpse of a wearable vest that Harris was actually wearing during the presentation which monitored heart rate. One simple application of which Harris outlined could be linking the sensors to the engine of commercial vehicles – the implication of this of course having added resonance in the wake of a recent tragedy in Scotland where a bus driver suffered a heart attack at the wheel causing an accident with multiple fatalities.
As well as also showcasing some impressive technology around digital signature capture and processing the potential benefits of such applications there was the show stopping demonstration of a 3D camera, which was able to measure, the full dimensions of a real-life box accurate to within a few millimetres.
The technology on display was certainly impressive and Harris was an assured and clearly knowledgeable speaker, however what was perhaps the most impressive aspect of this session was the two-way dialogue.
There were a number of requests and suggestions made throughout the session, which largely due to Harris’ relaxed style felt more like an open forum than presentation, including one attendee pointing out that the Panasonic camera’s his organisation (a broadcast company) required standard SD cards for storage, yet the Toughbook’s they used had no option for incorporating this format.
It was an obvious issue which whilst certainly not insurmountable would impede and slowdown the workflow for their remote operators. However, as the explanation was outlined to Harris, he not only quickly grasped the issue but also promised to look into the issue and see how this could be fixed in future product iterations.
Admittedly, many presenters in most organisations would say something similar, at least paying lip service to the request.
However, there seemed an earnestness about Harris which when aligned with his role and seniority made me genuinely believe that he will actually look into each of the requests made.
Observant readers may have noticed that is the second time I have used the word earnest and this was perhaps the biggest surprise and also the most powerful argument for why a company should opt to work with IT giant.
Very simply I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised by just how accessible the senior management at Panasonic were. There was a true willingness to engage with and listen to their customers throughout the day, and this was exemplified by Harris’ session.
After one final coffee break it was time for my own keynote presentation. Which was of course excellent but modesty prevents me from saying much more other than we covered a lot of the topics regular field service news readers will be familiar with as we looked at what tools the field engineer of 2020 may be using, including NFC, 3D Printing, IoT and Wearables.
However, whilst it was a privilege and a pleasure to share my thoughts with the audience, and I really enjoyed the opportunity to have a number of really great conversations around my presentation over a beer or two in the drinks reception that followed, today was Panasonic’s day, and they had delivered an excellent event, with an excellent mix of thought-provoking content, delivered in a clever and engaging mix of sessions.
As the first main event of the year in field service, the bar has been set nice and high. Lets hope the rest of the calendar meets the same standards.
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May 01, 2015 • Features • aston university • Events • Servitization
Hosted by Aston Business School and the Aston Centre for Servitization Research and Practice this conference which is being held across the 18th and 19th May 2015 at Aston Business School promises to be a showcase for current, relevant and...
Hosted by Aston Business School and the Aston Centre for Servitization Research and Practice this conference which is being held across the 18th and 19th May 2015 at Aston Business School promises to be a showcase for current, relevant and innovative research in the study of Servitization...
Servitization can protect and enhance business performance, leading to long term growth and sustainability. Over the next 3 years, 65% of manufacturing businesses worldwide will turn towards offering services*. Set against this backdrop the annual Spring Servitization Conference as Aston Business School will showcase current. relevant and innovative research in the study of servitization.
Presentation themes for the conference include:
- Business model innovation for servitization
- Customer interaction and co creation through real time data and social media
- Techniques for the identification of service opportunities and design of services
- Organisational capabilities and environmental conditions required for successful servitization
- Digital technologies as service providers; connected products and the IoT
- Business ecosystems and co opetition for delivery of advanced services
- Implementation of servitization; the challenges, barriers and enablers
- The circular economy and environmental
About the conference:
The Spring Servitization Conference 2015 returns for a third year, attracting a strong international gathering of academics working in the field of servitization research. The organising committee is pleased to announce a record number of research papers have been submitted this year, covering themes such as: business model innovation, the circular economy and environmental sustainability and digital technologies as service enablers.
Who should attend:
This event is targeted at researchers working in the field of servitization, managers and directors from manufacturing companies both large and small, software producers and other technology innovators of all sizes.
Keynote speakers
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Professor Tim Baines, Director, Aston Centre for Servitization Research and Practice. Tim is an international authority on servitization and works extensively with manufacturers to transform their operations to compete through advanced services. He has published over 200 papers on management and engineering, and is amongst the most frequently-cited authors on servitization. His career started with a technician apprenticeship, and has progressed through a variety of industrial and academic positions. Read Tim Baines latest exclusive feature for Field Service News here
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John Cullen, VP Services Marketing, Metso Corporation. John Cullen is VP Services Marketing at Metso Corporation. In this role John is responsible for productizing the service portfolio, transforming the business to value based solution selling as well as communications for this 1 Billion Euro plus mining services business. Previous to working for Metso, John had a long history in business development and sales working for global brands, such as Nokia and O2, as well as having his own successful business development and sales company. John has an Engineering Science degree from St Catherine's College, Oxford University.
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Harman Lanser, Product Development & Logistics Group Component Products for AIRFRANCEKLM Engineering & Maintenance Within his scope is development of new products within the Component Availability area, OEM strategy and Supply Chain Development. Before that Harmen was Director Component Management at KLM Engineering & Maintenance for five years after a period of 6 years in Purchasing at KLM E&M as Director and Vice President Strategic Purchasing. Harmen has an experience of 28 years within Engineering & Maintenance. Since the Air France/KLM merger in 2004 he is one of the key players in the alignment of the procurement and supply chain activities of Air France Industries and KLM E&M. Harmen has his BSc. in Aeronautics and an MBA in E-commerce
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Christian Kowalkowski Associate Professor of Industrial Marketing at Linköping University, Sweden & Assistant Professor of Marketing at Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki. Christian Kowalkowski is His current research interests include servitization, solutions marketing, service innovation, relationship dynamics, and value-creation strategies. Christian has published extensively and serves as an Associate Editor of Journal of Services Marketing and is on the Editorial Board of Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research, and Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing. Over the years, he has collaborated with companies such as ABB, Electrolux, Linde, Saab Group, Tetra Pak, Toyota Industries, Volvo Group, and Xylem and been invited speaker at research seminars, associations and practitioner-oriented conferences across Europe.
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Michael J. Provost MA (Cantab) PhD CEng FIMechE FIET MIAM Engineering Fellow, Asset Management and Business Intelligence Services at Intelligent Energy Ltd. Before t joining Loughborough, Michael spent twenty-seven years at Rolls-Royce, two years at a Rolls-Royce spin-off company, Data Systems & Solutions (working on applications of aerospace asset management techniques in other industries) and five years at Bombardier Transportation. He is currently advising on the development and roll-out of a range of asset management techniques across Intelligent Energy Ltd.'s automotive, consumer electronics and distributed power product lines.
The Venue:
Conference Aston, Aston Business School, Birmingham, UK, B4 7ET
Contacts:
Further details can be found at www.aston.ac.uk/ssc2015
Telephone: Jill Forrest +44 (0) 121 204 3249
Twitter @_servitization
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Nov 04, 2014 • Management • News • management • Events • Service Community
The Service Community’s Manchester Event attracted over thirty delegates from a broad spectrum of small, medium and large organisations with guests travelling from as far afield as Brazil and the USA. The growth of The Community by more than 75%...
The Service Community’s Manchester Event attracted over thirty delegates from a broad spectrum of small, medium and large organisations with guests travelling from as far afield as Brazil and the USA. The growth of The Community by more than 75% since the Special Event in June underscores that this clearly taps into the real desire to share best practice, debate relevant issues and network with like-minded professionals...
The generous host on this occasion was Siemens Industry GB&I coordinated by Graeme Coyne, who personally welcomed all guests in the impressive ‘Sir William Siemens House’ facilities in the outskirts of South-West Manchester.
Aston Business School’s Professor Tim Baines opened with a truly engaging and interactive key note presentation focused on “the challenges faced by UK Manufacturers as they adopt Servitisation as a Growth Strategy”. This insight into some of the pitfalls that face an organisation as they adopt advanced service offerings, supported by pertinent academic research and analysis, was both a warning and highly educational. This fabulous opening set the standard for an informative and entertaining afternoon.
[quote]In the spirit of topical content, the audience was treated to an innovative view of the potential of remote servicing equipment and the Internet of Things
In the spirit of topical content, the audience was treated to an innovative view of the potential of remote servicing equipment and the Internet of Things. John Pritchard of MAC Solutions explored the trends in device connectivity, leveraging the revelation that the number of connected devices exceeds the number of people on the planet. With this point in mind, John described techniques and cost savings in a forward thinking delivery that included a live software demonstration.
Both these opening presentations generated great interest from the audience, and led to a lively networking break that enabled guests to further explore their questions more personally with the speakers.
The networking break seemed to pass as a fleeting blur; however, the promise of further insights lured back the eager delegates. Martin Hottass rose to the challenge as he laid down the gauntlet that the Field Service Industry is facing the retirement of a quarter of engineers in the next 10 years! Martin, responsible for Skills & Professional Education at Siemens Energy didn’t just leave us worried about this startling demographic certainty but went on to explain techniques and government funding options available to organisations to help build apprenticeships and graduate recruitment programmes within the industry.
The final keynote offered a case study delivered by Daniel Kingham from Elekta (manufacturers of medical equipment). The fascinating study illustrated how migrating from a solely field based operation to a jointly managed remote and field based service operation transformed the customer experience. Daniel’s empirical expertise was evident and he smoothly handled an abundance of questions which truly demonstrated his knowledge and left the audience satiated.
Once again, The Service Community delivered on its objectives. The content of the meetings remains the life-blood of The Community, followed closely by the generosity of community members to host events and volunteer time to keep The Service Community alive. To this point, the next event is proposed for March 2015 – date and location to be confirmed.
Want to know more about the Service Community? Click here for more information and resources including presentation slides!
Sep 26, 2014 • News • Medical • Events • hospitality • Software and Apps • Asolvi
The team at service management specialist software provider Tesseract are in for a busy October as they take to the road to showcase their software on both sides of the Atlantic this October.
The team at service management specialist software provider Tesseract are in for a busy October as they take to the road to showcase their software on both sides of the Atlantic this October.
If you’re in the US you can find them at the MD Expo – Orlando. This event showcases the very latest products and technology in the medical equipment industry.
With a solid reputation for attracting a senior audience, the show runs from the 1st - 3rd October 2014 at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort, Orlando, Florida.
Tesseract, who were the first company to ever develop a cloud based service management solution will be showcasing the latest iteration of their software, Service Centre 5 to the events delegates, having established themselves as a leading player in this sector by working with companies such as Toshiba Medical for many years.
Back in the UK the Tesseract team will also be attending another important event within the medical sector the Healthcare Estates Conference, Exhibition & Dinner which runs from the 7th - 8th October 2014 at Manchester Central Convention Complex.
This is a unique event that brings together the highly prestigious IHEEM Annual Conference, Awards Dinner as well as the UK’s largest trade exhibition for the sector, for which of course enterprise mobility solutions can mean not just impacts on companies bottom line, but can be the difference between life and death itself.
Finally the team will be attending the Ceda Catering Equipment Technical Conference 8th October 2014, Staverton Park Hotel, Daventry, Northants. This year’s conference will include headline speakers and interactive workshops and will be of great interest to both the general management and the service management of both distributors and suppliers to the catering industry.
Sep 18, 2014 • Mobility of Things • Events • Uncategorized
Welcome to our live coverage of the fantastic Mobility of Things Event, hosted here in the fantastic venue The Brewery sat right between London's City district and Silicon Roundabout. Throughout the day we will be updating this blog live so be sure...
Welcome to our live coverage of the fantastic Mobility of Things Event, hosted here in the fantastic venue The Brewery sat right between London's City district and Silicon Roundabout. Throughout the day we will be updating this blog live so be sure to keep coming back to get all of the latest insight from what is promising to be an excellent day focussing on Enterprise Mobility.
7:44 AM:
Everything is all set now for the event and I have to say the team at McDonald Butler have done a superb job in terms of both selecting this fantastic venue and getting everything set for the off. Looks like its going to be an excellent day. Be sure to keep coming back to us throughout the day as we keep you updated on the superb agenda which you can check out here
8:45 AM:
Just waiting for things to get started now with the main conference room filling up nicely.
9:00 AM:
Some early forced networking from done very well by our host and a very slick app for audience interaction well demonstrated. Now up is John Delaney IDC...
9:50 AM Overview of The Critical Path to Enterprise Mobility Maturity – How Ready is Your Organisation?
The first speaker of the day John Delaney, Associate Vice President, European Mobility at IDC opened up his presentation stating that he believes we are in the early stages of enterprise mobility. "We are now starting to see companies stepping into the front foot in terms of enterprise mobility." he explains.
Next Delaney takes us through the what he sees as the key indicators that enterprise is starting to take a more mature approach towards mobility. A serious approach to mobile app development is one of the biggest of these.
Delaney outlines the fact that the enterprises have mostly been dealing with enterprise mobility are focussing on 'consumersiation' This is a huge sea change from last big shift in enterprise computing that we saw in the 80's where enterprise drove technology we eventually adopted in our personal lives.
Today consumers have adopted smart phones and apps into their personal lives first. Now they can see how useful these are in their working lives and want this translated into their working lives. However, there are of course clashes between security and personal technology.
Delaney defines this phase as Mobility 1.0 which is all about getting the balance between corporate security and the devices we are used to in personal lives.
i.e. Manage the cost of buying & using mobile devices. Keep pace with device development. Manage fragmented mobile OS environment. Manage device capabilities such as GPS . Protect the devices from loss, theft and damage. Protect corporate content from loss theft & unauthorised sharing, control manage corporate usage of personal devices.
It is key that IT understands the need to start driving mobile not just treating it as a side job
Delaney then moved on to highlight that in mobility 2.0 the shift is away from devices and more with applications. The simple reason for this he explains is that in mobility 2.0 companies begin to think of competitive advantage - which is app driven not device driven.
Delaney then moved on to approach and process.
Companies moving to Mobile2.0 will begin to think of a lifecycle approach to mobility - how to bring in mobile applications into the same process as traditional IT. Interesting point around app wrapping and security where apps can only be accessed via VPN for example are becoming increasingly common solution to security concerns.
One of the major driving enablers of enterprise mobility is 4G. Delaney explains 4G widens the scope of application mobility. Mobile devices can now be utilised like a desktop application, with higher speeds, lower latency, higher capacity, and it is a global standard. This means things that you would only do on a mobile device with a 3G network if it was absolutely essential, are now commonly done on a mobile device on a 4G network. This move is driving enterprise mobility in that the mobile device is becoming the number one means of interacting with IT systems.
An interesting point Delaney makes is that Mobile investment plans are shifting from device management to application development. IDC research shows that Western European governments are looking to spend far more on applications than device management. Of these Office Apps and file sharing/collaboration top the charts in terms of apps companies are intending to being develop. Interestingly 34% of companies of companies plan to deploy some components of mobile conferencing.
10:48 AM Overview Business In Motion – Transform Your Organisation Into A Profitable Mobile Enterprise
Second speaker today is Piero A. Chiodo, Director, Mobility Services Center of Competency IBM Global Technology Services.
Chiodo picked up very much where Delaney left off basing his presentation around three waves of enterprise mobility. However he first of all gave us a fantastic fact in that there are more smartphones than toothbrushes in the world! Chiodo also outlined that mobile data traffic predicted to be 11.2 exabyte by 2017 an incredible amount.
Chiodo then outlined two major areas of mobility as defined by an IBM survey of 600 customers. First of all enhancing customer experience. Secondly improving employee productivity. It is the second of these that Chiodo is primarily focussing on today.
Chiodo outlined that the same research outlined for key aims for best-in-class companies utilising mobile.
These were: Transfrom the way they do business, engage their customers, build apps that unlock core business knowledge, and finally protect and securely manage devices.
Echoing Delaney's earlier presentation Chiodo also asserted that the move from wave one to wave three required rethinking enterprise mobility.
Looking at each wave in turn Chiodo outlined Wave 1 as Enterprise mobility. This he defined as risk and cost avoidance when focussing on Mobile. The companies in this space have been looking primarily at mobile device management MDM, and how to secure the devices and keep them connected.
Chiodo next outlined some further insight form IBM research which followed one specific client implementation of BYOD program which showed a reduced cost of mobility infrastructure by $5.5M.
Turning to Wave two. Chiodo defined this wave as that of Optimisation and productivity. Companies that currently sit in this wave are looking to improve productivity, optimise efficiency, increase collaboration , and manage expenses. The mobile solutions for this area are more of a managed mobility approach, something much more complex then the simpler MDM we saw in wave one.
Chiodo also explained that here we also start seeing application stores within your infrastructure, and application platforms are required to develop the products. Telephony and collaboration are also integrated within this wave and of course the management of telephony costs need to be managed accordingly.
The final phase is Wave3: which Chiodo defines as The mobile enterprise - which he essentially defines as businesses essentially born on mobile.
Companies in this wave are looking at mobility to drive transformation. They are likely to drive forward with mobility led business process,which enable them to engage with customers in real time, provide insight at the point of analytics, and there apps are designed for mobility first, cloud is transforming IT and business process into digital services.
Chiodo concluded by looking at what a company that operates as a Mobile Enterprise should look through the term "Individual Enterprise"
Describing how mobility can redefines business Chiodo explained that mobile first approach should create new business value, be powered by analytics, take advantage of the new technologies mobile devices offer and finally unleash employees power.
11:20 AM Overview of Digital Citizen: You
Dragan Pendić, Chief Security Architect, Diageo finished the morning session with a vibrant presentation that was refreshingly focussed on the possibilities of mobility from a IT security professional. Pendic opened up by firmly stating that we have no choice but to be a mobile focussed company as mobility is everywhere.
Through a series of clever, image driven slides Pendic firstly highlighted how mobility is simplifying our consumer lives, explaining the importance of context to the consumer, and the power that mobility can bring to us in understanding our customers.
The world is complex so lets focus on two simple elements the person and the application, Pendic asserted
Having then provided a great and vibrant overview of the digital world we are living, Pendic took a focus on privacy. Describing the relation of business and consumer in terms of privacy as a fine line that can deliver either a rich contextual experience or 'a little bit creepy.' He pointed out that it is up to us to get the right balance, to keep our clients onside.
Focussing still on the reward rather than the risk Pendic explained that we should be asking ourselves what do we know about our customers identity? How long does it take for people to buy our products? Do we understand what people are saying about us? These are options that can help us develop the understanding of our customers but of course they bring security issues.
Talking on Security - Pendic sommented "It is important to focus your attention on the top priorities of your company, what are the key resources you are making money on? Then you can start to understand how people are likely to attack you? It will likely be a sequence of attacks, but we know what they will be up to?"
12:20 PM Overview of Embracing the Mobile Customer Experience of the Future
After a brief refreshment break we return to the sessions with Sylvaine Smith, Field Mobility Director, Motorola Solutions. Mobility is data begins Smith, how can we collect it, manage it visualise and communicate internal data.
The future of mobility... as a device manufacturer Smith has seen how the world of mobility has changed completely. "How can we change the form factor of a device can fit into the workflow that it will be used within?" Smith asked. She answered this question by showcasing a fully handsfree device the HC1 which allows the field worker to completely hands free. Whilst its a bit of a bulky looking device it certainly offers fully handsfree user experience, and this was outlined in a case study video with Areva.
Smith followed the video introducing the device by outlining the need to work alongside their customers to understand their workflow. Another video followed, this time showing the power of RFID via the Zebra motion works sports solution which utilises RFID both within the stadium and the players themselves to provide data on how sports players are performing. Again a very cutting edge technology and an exciting application.
"To harness the power of mobility we need to understand what our strategies and objectives are before assessing the technologies we are using" Smith comments.
Taking a more specific look at specific industry verticals Smith then outlined how mobility solutions can enhance productivity in Utilities, before looking at how mobility can enhance the customer experience in retail.
This time it is Motorla's Wing5 that was showcased and the result of integrated technologies is impressive
Moving on from retail Smith next showed us a video on how mobility solutions can benefit the housing association sector. This case study showed how South Yorkshire Housing Association (SYHA) were able to bring their mobile workers into the twenty first century by moving away from laborious paper based processes to a fully mobile environment. As well as productivity improvements there were important benefits to loan worker protection.
One of the key messages of the case study was the benefit of working with a specialist mobility consultant (Peak Ryzex). The result of the shift was impressive, over 1,000 jobs completed in the year and significant cost savings also.
Smith concluded by stating that to take a mobility roll out from concept through to live and it is important of understanding key factors such as operating temperatures, battery usage, data input requirements etc and then running a pilot to ensure that the solution is the right fit for your needs.
12:47 Overview of Transforming the Mobile Workspace
The next presentation is from John Spencer, Director, Systems Engineering, Citrix Systems. Who gave us a an overview of how companies can be moving towards a more fluid mobile workspace.
Spencer began with a look at why we need enterprise mobility citing workforce mobility, flexible working, next generation workspaces, BYOD, security & compliance, and business continuity.
Spencer then posed the question is there a way to make everybody happy? Looking at the balance between IT, end users and the business. IT no business/end user yes.
Spencer then followed on to highlight that on the whole people just want to be productive. However, this often means a working around IT rather than with IT. 90% of people want to access email., 52% want to be able to focus on lines of business. and 48% want to data share - are these secure - there are challenges around all of these applications - how do we overcome these?
Spencer then introduced the Citrix Workplace Suite which incorporate Xen Desktop, Xen Mobile, Sharefile & NetScaler - which Spencer asserts can resolve many of the issues he has just outlined.
Xen Desktop - is a desktop as a service solution, it is a very secure model as it is essentially server basedand what Citrix have built there business around. Xen Mobile runs native devices and comes with out of the box MDM capability to add in security and incorporates secure Mail, Web, Cloud based storage, Note keeping, an office editor and XenDesktop.
Spencer next outlined the integration of the devices whilst highlighting that whilst there are many competitors to Citrix across there different offerings no one else can deliver across the whole range.
13:17 pm Panel Debate: Who’s Stealing Your Lunch?
First of todays panel debates: (abridged paraphrased notes)
On the panel:
Roy Sheppard – Facilitator
Dr. Thorsten Kramp, Researcher and Master Inventor, IBM
Kenny Fraser, Editorial Board, Enterprise Mobility Network
Stuart McKnight, Managing Director, Ascendant Corporate Finance
RS: What is the most exciting mobile enterprise example you have worked with
KF - Working with a scheduling tool for SME's. Why mobile is the next big thing is that SMEs are personal and mobile is personal.
RS: Is mobile perhaps bigger for SMEs then?
SM: Mobile is an enabler... small business are becoming much much more able to compete due to mobile.
RS: How is technology helping UK companies to move away from HQ's
KF: The technology is there to engage and collaborate far more than you have ever been able to do in the past. Is the technology there? Yes Are companies taking advantage of this? Not as much as they could be.
TK: From my opinion still nothing quite meets with kicking around ideas around the watercooler. The challenge is how do we do this in the virtual world.
RS: What industries are more under threat than others from mobile start-ups
SM: There is no place hide. IBM have a venture fund, Motorola have a fund. These companies are looking to find the latest innovation. In London it is the financial services market where there is a big focus on technology.
RS: What threats would say people need to be more aware of?
KF: I think that the threat is twofold. Firstly People will work out a workflow that uses non-corporate tools, with the best of intentions but they are working in a way that you don't know about. Secondly watch out for unestablished providers, particularly from emerging markets.
RS: Is mobility another .com bubble
SM: In short No.There are a number of different reasons why not but no.
14:15 Breakout session: Building the case...
Fantastic breakout session... look out for a future feature detailing what was discussed. Some excellent tech showcased by Lenovo. More to follow
16:09 Customer Case Study: Consistent Customer Experiences In a Mobile World
As we head into the final sessions our next speaker is by Ashley Payne, Former Head of Digital Operations, Alvarez & Marsal
Online usability used to be dead simple is Payne's opening gambit. In explantation of this Payne outlined a brief history of web commerce. From 2,000 - 2006 the only real worries were a new web browser. Website usability was the hot topic. Then along came customer research firms, sign in barriers became removed etc. and we got it right.
However, today now 'online' means something different. Retailers typically maintain multiple sites as we use multiple devices.
Almost 2/3rd of retailers now operate 4 or more touch points. Yet only 1/3 however feel these are integrated. The customer needs consistency and ease of use. Mobile optimised presence, tablet friendly sites, seamless interaction with email across channels. We're not delivering.
We must go back to basics. A simple customer journey should not require learning.
Payne next moved on to things to avoid. Content is the first thing to go missing when things are delivering at a pace. TopShop was a prime example of getting this wrong although they have since improved their approach. There needs to be continuity across mobile and desktop versions of websites otherwise the customer journey is a disparate and uncomfortable journey which will lose sales, Payne argues.
Retailers have experienced that conversion is much lower on a tablet than a desktop. However, should this read to panic? Not necessarily... understanding the customer journey is important. Mobile are predominantly used for research whereas desktops are used more frequently for purchase. Although mobile commerce now counts for 36% of online sales.
To conclude Payne further emphasised the need for a cohesive journey across the variety of devices we are using.
17:32 Overview of the final session Insight and Lessons From London 2012 Olympics: The Power of a Mobile Enabled Customer Experience
After a long and enjoyable day focussing on the issues around enterprise mobility we turn to the final session which brings us Greg Nugent, Former Director of Brand, Marketing and Culture for the London Olympics and Paralympics.
As the man responsible for the two largest ever marketing campaigns the UK has ever seen (he was also responsible for LeChunnel) Nugent spoke at length about the approach he and his team took.
However, the key take away - mobile and physical should sit together and as an integrated whole. As Nugent states the best brands thrive on Change.
Sep 12, 2014 • Directory • Events • Field Service Events • Steve Downton • The Service Community
Next Service Community event:
Date: 1st October Time 1pm - 5pm Venue: Sir William Siemens House, Princess Road, Manchester, M20 2UR To Register: Attendance is free but you must be registered Click here to email the Service Community team to register
Next Service Community event:
Date: 1st October
Time 1pm - 5pm
Venue: Sir William Siemens House, Princess Road, Manchester, M20 2UR
To Register: Attendance is free but you must be registered Click here to email the Service Community team to register
All about... The Service Community:
"The Service Community is made up of people interested in finding out more about the service industry from its participants. The Service Community aims to provide opportunities to find out what practices have worked for others, and what hasn't worked, and why; to move away from the theory of what could be done by examining what others do and evaluate successful practices. Meetings (no fee is charged) will aim to provide content which doesn’t appear to be readily available, and to stimulate and inform in a format that is easy to access and use, and relevant to the user." - Steve Downton
Founded by the late Steve Downton, The Service Community is a non-profit organisation that seeks to drive service improvements and innovation through collaboration. Run by service professionals for service professionals The Service Community runs a series of events across the year with expert presentations from some of the UKs leading service professionals from a wide array of industries. Recent speakers include: [unordered_list style="bullet"]
- Mark Rawding, Coca-Cola Enterprises
- Andy Beer, Pitney Bowes
- Martin Gilday, Elekta
- Martin Summerhayes, Fujitsu
- Graham Coyne, Siemans
[/unordered_list] Attendance is free for all Service Professionals and each event is not only a fantastic opportunity to hear of best-practices from leading industry professionals but also to network with other service professionals across the day also.
News & Features from The Service Community:
Next Service Community event announced
The next session of the Service Community has been announced and will be held in Manchester on the 1st of October.
Following on from the fantastic success of the last meeting which was dedicated to the memory of founder Steve Downton this event sees yet another fantastic line up of service specialists from across the a broad spectrum of industries speaking. Click here to read more
A sense of community… Service Community special event review
The Service Community’s Special Event attracted nearly 60 service professionals who were clearly up to the challenge of debating key service challenges whilst paying tribute to the legacy of Steve Downton, founder of the Community who lost his battle with cancer in January this year. Click here to read more
Service Community to host Steve Downton tribute
Field Service News is delighted to announce the Service Community is hosting a business as usual event this June to celebrate the achievements of the late Steve Downton within the service industry.
This includes presentations from businesses influenced by Steve’s way of thinking; Pitney Bowes, Coca Cola, Elektra, Fujitsu and Siemens. Click here to read more
Steve Downton: A friend, guide and mentor to the whole of the Field Service industry
The field service industry made it’s final farewells to a trusted friend, guide and mentor yesterday as one of it’s leading lights Steve Downton was laid to rest after a long fight with Cancer. Click here to read more
Sep 12, 2014 • Management • News • management • Events • Service Community
The next session of the Service Community has been announced and will be held in Manchester on the 1st of October.
The next session of the Service Community has been announced and will be held in Manchester on the 1st of October.
Following on from the fantastic success of the last meeting which was dedicated to the memory of founder Steve Downton this event sees yet another fantastic line up of service specialists from across the a broad spectrum of industries speaking.
Sessions include:
-
Professor Tim Baines, Aston Business School discussing: ‘Challenges faced by UK Manufacturers as they adopt Servitisation as a Growth Strategy’
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John Pritchard, MAC Solutions, discussing “Remote Servicing & Internet of Things – Principles”
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Martin Gilday, Elekta, discussing “Reactive & Proactive Remote Service – Case Study”
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Martin Hotass, Siemens, discussing “Resource Planning for the Future. Attracting people to the Service Industry”
Event Details:
Date: 1st October
Time: 1pm – 5pm
Location: Sir William Siemens House, Princess Road, Manchester, M20 2UR
The event is free to attend for all service professionals but please register your attendance in advance by emailing theservicecommunity@gmail.com.
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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