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May 15, 2015 • Features • Management • AGeing Workforce • MIllennials • resources • servicemax
Featuring exclusive sessions from both Nick Frank who will be looking at how we can harness IoT in field service and Patrice Eberline of ServiceMax who will be sharing her insight into the challenges of an ageing workforce and how we replace this talent with a Millennial generation of workers this webinar promises to be a valuable event for field service professionals looking to the future.
In the first part of this series that looks ahead to the webinar and gives us some insight into what we can expect from the sessions we explored the dangers field service companies are facing when it comes to an ageing workforce and the potential knowledge leak that we could face as our accomplished and experienced field service technicians begin to edge closer to retirement age.
Now in this the second part of the feature we take a closer look at the generation that will be replacing them and try to understand just what it is about the so-called millennials that makes them tick and why they could just be a perfect fit with the field service industries.
There are a lot of traits that define millennials, and despite the sometimes negative perception of them, Time Magazine famously running a cover defining them as the Me, Me , Me generation for example, actually many of these traits are highly positive.
As Eberline exlpains there are perhaps three key traits that truly apply to both the modern workplace and more pertinantly modern field service as we march forward from 2015 and beyond
“The first trait is that they love technology.” Eberline asserts. “In fact Millenials have grown up with technology so much that most only have a cell phone, no landline at all. They have also fully embraced social media as a truly integrated part of their lives”
Indeed there are many statistics which certainly back up this assertion.
52% of Millenials have over 500 facebook friends, whilst 91% make all of the check-ins that you see whether it be going to a concert, a restaurant or applying to a job public to there network.
“This is an expansive group that loves technology” Eberline continues “Beyond this, this is a group that has access to millions of pieces of digital content and they are consuming this content eagerly on both tablets and phones. Google is where they live” she adds
“What is truly important to consider” Eberline comments “is that they tend to believe that technology can be the key that brings people and society together”
If we consider the fact that in just five years, not a particularly long way away at all in fact, millenials will comprise of 50% of the workforce. So it is truly imperative that we really begin to understand their way of thinking, and we start to do so now.
Without doing so, we may really struggle when it comes to adapting what is one of the biggest generational shifts in work force personel for many, many decades.
And it is not just a matter of the technology this generation are born seemingly ready to use. The second key trait Eberline identifies is that the millennial generation have a “truly boundless energy and they genuinely want to make a visible impact on everything around them, be it their work, their community and even on society in general.”
“This is a confident group” Eberline states “They’ve been reared in a world where they’ve been given constant attention and support”
Indeed millennials are shown to place a higher priority on helping people in need than on high paying job roles.
Millennials are much more likely than any previous generation to state making a contribution to society is very important to them.
Again as we return to their potential role within the field service industries this could be another highly important factor to consider.
The third trait that Eberline highlights is that millennials are highly collaborative and creative creatures by default.
“They truly do live in a world of We rather than a world of Me” Eberline expands “and because of that they crave a life of rich experiences based on relationships rather than leverage. They value the creativity and they value the feedback they get for bringing that creativity to the workplace.”
With these three traits it is relatively easy to build a compelling case for millennials to be a perfect profile of candidate for the field service industries.
As Eberline explains “If you think about these three traits technology, impact in society and creativity millennials are a very, very good fit for field service if they are cultivated, coached and developed appropriately.
So as fears of losing both talent and knowledge loom largely on the field service horizon it appears that whilst our young knights in shining armour may be more likely to brandish a smartphone than a spanner. And whilst they may not have all of the answers it’s not a problem – theres almost certainly an app for that.
Look out for the next part of this series where we look at how we can attract this new workforce of millennials to the field service industries.
Want to know more? Join Patrcie Eberline and hear her presentation on millennials in field service PLUS Nick Frank’s session on how we can harness IoT in field service for our next webinar on the 20th May @4pm BST. You can register for the webinar by clicking this link.
Click here to find out more about ServiceMax in the Field Service News Directory
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May 15, 2015 • Features • Cranfield • millenials • Pitney Bowes • Events • Service Management Expo • telogis
Running across the 16th, 17th and 18th of June the Service Management Expo remains one of Europe’s key field service events and Field Service News is pleased to be hosting the free educational sessions in the Field Service Solutions theatre once...
Running across the 16th, 17th and 18th of June the Service Management Expo remains one of Europe’s key field service events and Field Service News is pleased to be hosting the free educational sessions in the Field Service Solutions theatre once again this year.
So as we continue our series looking at what you can expect at this years Service Management Expo we turn to Day Two the 17th of June where as well as an excellent calendar of events there will also be our daily networking session where you can continue the debates fostered by our mix of presentations, interviews and panel discussions over a beer or glass of wine amongst your peers.
Once again our day begins with an opening session from our theatre co-sponsors IFS and Field Service Management who open the proceedings with a presentation at 11:30am.
Following on from this session we turn to our first live interview of the day. Kris Oldland, Editor of Field Service News will be back in the hot seat as our question master and moderator for the day as he interviews Pitney Bowes, European Director of Customer Care, Andy Beer.
The session entitled “Service management 2.0 implementing a service management system across Europe” will have a focus on how the franking and posting giant’s recent pan-european implementation of a field service manager we will be looking at the pain points Beer and his colleagues went through when going through such a significant transformation to their field service operations, what they identified as key components of the new system and what benefits they have felt since making the transition.
We return to the presentation format once more as we welcome Sergio Barata of Telogis to the podium to give his 1.45pm presentation entitled "If you can connect it you can transform it" during which Barata will give us his expert insight into the fast paced, ever evolving and increasingly exciting world of the connected vehicle.
With experts predicting that by 2020 it's predicted over 50 billion things will be connected to the internet Barata’s session promises to give us vital insight into how we can keep in step with the revolution
Importantly for us field service professionals we will be able to see how we can use connected intelligence to lead and differentiate our own service businesses and still double the ROI from our fleet operations.
Barata is not only has a deep background in fleet automation, but is also an intelligent and eloquent speaker so this promises to be a fantastic session for fleet and field service managers alike.
Following on from Barata’s presentation we return once more to the interview format with Oldland this time speaking to Professor Howard Lightfoot of Cranfield University. As well as being one of the founding thinkers in the area of Advanced Services, Lightfoot is now playing a critical role in the development of the next generation of engineers with the pioneering work he is doing at Cranfield University.
Lightfoot is in a unique place to give his insight into what makes the so-called millennial generation tick. What motivates them, what are their weaknesses, what are the skills they have that the ageing ‘boomer generation they are replacing lack?
Lightfoot also returns for the final session of the day with Oldland moving form questioner to moderator as with hold the second panel session of the event. This panel discussion which also sees the return of Barata and Beer tackles the ‘Changing face of Field Service’.
The aim of this panel discussion will be to asses just how big the threat of an ageing workforce really is for field service companies and is there really such a big difference between the outgoing and incoming generations of field workers? What are the common traits of the next generation of workers – both the good and the bad, not only from Lightfoot’s academic point of view but also from the real world perspective of Beer as a Senior Service Director? And finally how big a role will technology play not only in attracting the best of the next generation, but also in shaping the very format of the field engineer of tomorrow.
Register for Service Management Expo by clicking this link
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May 14, 2015 • Features • Kirona • resources • white papers • White Papers & eBooks • Software and Apps • software and apps
Resource Type: White Paper Published by: Kirona Title: Six steps to being a leader - the field service checklist Download: Click here to access the white paper By downloading you agree to the T&Cs listed available here
Resource Type: White Paper
Published by: Kirona
Title: Six steps to being a leader - the field service checklist
Download: Click here to access the white paper
By downloading you agree to the T&Cs listed available here
Synopsis:
Field workforce management software enables organisations with a mobile workforce to significantly improve their operational performance. The State of Service Management 2015: Connect To Your Customers report by Aberdeen's Aly Pinder found that best-in-class field service organisations achieve on average a 14.4% year-on-year improvement in workforce productivity compared to a 4.1% industry average.
This white paper looks at six key steps that field service companies must take in order to reach these heights themselves and establish their organisations as leaders amongst their competitors.
Overview:
Topics within the white paper include:
- Optimising resource planning: Field resource planning is complex. If you have 100 workers carrying out 5 jobs a day, then that are 10,000,000,000 (1 billion) possible combinations of how those jobs could be allocated. There may also be a myriad of additional scheduling criteria such as worker skills/trade, certification required (and the validity dates), languages spoken, job time frame (appointment slot/site access), the region/ geography, the worker’s experience, parts, materials, equipment required, and the list goes on. No human planner can possibly consider all these scenarios and determine which is financially the best option with the highest chance of customer satisfaction. It is therefore, not surprising that over two-thirds of Best-In-Class service organisations leverage software for Optimised Resource Planning.
- Making and keeping appointments: Compliance to your work schedule is critical for two reasons, first it ensures you are working in the planned most optimum way, but second and more importantly, it means you are delivering against commitments to customers. For work types that require a customer appointment, the complexity of scheduling increases. Now an organisation needs to schedule work by considering two diaries; that of the workforce and the customer. Appointments are also disruptive to the customers, so keeping them is essential to achieving high customer satisfaction
- Connecting with the mobile workforce: Equipping field workers with mobile devices is a well-trodden path, however, whether through limitation in mobile working applications or lack of integration, we tend to find that most field service organisations are not maximising the full potential of connecting the field workforce.
- Real time tracking and dynamic scheduling: One of the biggest challenges for any organisation is how to track and monitor field-based activity and to manage the emerging day. Exceptions will always arise, whether through an overrun, no-access or emergency work, the skill is being able to take this in your stride and be able to dynamically reschedule work to take into account the unexpected while ensuring you continue to work to the most optimum schedule.
- Analysis & Continuous improvement: Standing still is not an option for field service organisations. We see continual change from our clients’ including customer demands, executive level priorities and changes in the workforce – all of which requires them to analyse and continually improve their operation. Knowledge is key. Understanding every aspect of your field service operation, gaining insight into not only what is happening, but why this is happening, and then being able to take action on this insight.
- Integration leads to automation: The more staff ‘touch points’ that are required in a service process, the greater its inefficiency. Not only do manual processes create a drain on labour and therefore an increased cost, they are error prone and they create timescale lags. Workforce management software provides an opportunity to avoid this by automating key activities in the service management chain of processes. The more 3rd party systems that are integrated into automated workflows, the greater the benefit to the organisation.
Click here to access the white paper
Click here to find out more about Kirona in the Field Service Directory
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May 13, 2015 • Features • Future of FIeld Service • future of field service • pristine io • Smart Glasses • Uncategorized
In the first part of this series we looked at the why despite Google removing their Glass Xplorer program in field service at least the future of Glass and other competitor products is very much alive and well. Now in the second part of the series...
In the first part of this series we looked at the why despite Google removing their Glass Xplorer program in field service at least the future of Glass and other competitor products is very much alive and well. Now in the second part of the series we continue our exclusive interview with Pristine IO CEO Kyle Semani as he outlines some very significant savings that can be made through the correct application of smart glasses in field service...
Indeed when it comes to genuine cost savings the early statistics from Pristine make a very compelling case for adoption. Something Samani is clearly keen to get across in our conversation. His business is built on offering significant savings to their client base. “I think the ROI of implementing smart glasses actually delivers far more than a smart phone or tablets did when they first appeared.” He begins
“Our data is still young but looking at our primary customers these companies are going to save millions of dollars by using our technology.”
What is particularly compelling about the smart glass argument, and Pristine’s approach is that such savings are far more tangible than those discussed when we talk about other devices such as smart phones, laptops, tablets etc.
It’s not all theoretical efficiency gains, this is money going right back on the bottom line. This is cash.”
“Our general line in the sand we’ve drawn is if the cost of downtime is above $2,000/hour then we get really excited because we know we can deliver you an awful lot of value.” He surmises.
Perhaps we are putting the cart before the horse here though.
Of course such talk of tangible cost saving is attractive to any company, but what exactly does the Pristine product do and how can it be used to offer such significant rewards?
Samani describes the Pristine app as the only pure solution to stream live audio and video from Google Glass (or any other smart glasses) to any other device within the world in a secure capacity so it can be deployed in an enterprise setting.”
Basically the app in combination with a pair of smart glasses will provide a true “see what I see” experience which will in turn enable people to collaborate remotely, whilst the engineer (or even customer) on site are able to keep their hands completely free.
In Samani’s own words “Rather than actually sending a technician to a site now customers can put on the Glass and walk through what the problem is whilst being is remotely connected to a service centre.”
“If field service companies can centralise their workforce somewhat then their field workers can get a better quality of life and their customers are getting better customer support in every case.”
“The goal here is to save field service trips, so to save cost and also to help companies deliver a better customer experience.”
With such remote access tools becoming readily available, this could genuinely open the doors to many companies centralising their operation, bringing their most experienced engineers into a central hub,
With such remote access tools becoming readily available, this could genuinely open the doors to many companies centralising their operation, bringing their most experienced engineers into a central hub, and outsourcing a large amount of work to less skilled (and therefore less expensive) local workers, or even getting the customer to take on the work themselves.
This is certainly something that Pristine are seeing within their growing customer base.
“We’re seeing our customers equip both their existing customers and their existing field engineers with the technology. The goal is to deliver a player to every single case.” Samani explains.
However, the benefits of such a move aren’t solely financial there is also the soft benefit of improving the work/life balance of existing engineers.
“If field service companies can centralise their workforce somewhat then their field workers can get a better quality of life and their customers are getting better customer support in every case.” Samani asserts
“They [the field engineers] used to fly around 50 weeks a year now they fly around 20 weeks a year - it’s a totally different lifestyle for these guys and they spend more time with their kids and their families.”
A noble, if exceptionally forward thinking sentiment of course.
However, there are certainly the seeds of not just change but revolution being sowed as smart glass manufacturers, empowered by companies such as Pristine turn their focus onto field service.
This is a good point to bring up the fact that whilst Google are the most prominent manufacturer of smart glasses they are certainly not alone.
In fact both Epson and Vuzix sit proudly on the Pristine website front page alongside Glass. Pristine already work with pretty much every manufacturer of Smart Glasses available – a market Samani believes will continue to expand.
“Just Like there are 100 different mobile phone makers there will be 100 different manufacturers of Smart-glasses.” He explains “We’re going to be rolling out lots of different hardware to our customers. Our customers are going to get cost benefits from there being more choice and competition and they are also going to be able to choose the device that is right for them and right for their needs”
“Just Like there are 100 different mobile phone makers there will be 100 different manufacturers of Smart-glasses.”
Is this a potential issue for a developer working in a fledgling market that is, by it’s definition, going to be fragmented as a number of companies release their own products?
Well it would seem that here smart glasses have been able to take advantage of the evolutionary path of the smart phones that went before them.
In short for Samani and his team at Pristine the variety of devices doesn’t raise too many issues. Outlining their working process in greater detail Samani commented “Whilst we are not using HTML5 we are using some web technologies, however we are using primarily Android type platforms. Basically we are now starting to see the types of decisions the device manufacturers are likely to make and are able to design for that.”
“Generally we find that our platform will work out of the box with most devices but if it doesn’t it’ll take one business day of tweaking to get it right.. We’ve encountered most of the variables of change and we don’t expect there to be that many more as the market evolves” He adds It all sounds rather exciting. (Something that is also clearly detectable in Samani’s voice is not just the passion he has for his product but the general excitement that smart glasses will changethe world in the not too distant future) But let’s not forget the huge amount of excitement when Glass was first announced.
May 12, 2015 • Features • Management • Advanced Field Service • management • research • Research • Decision Making
In the first part of this exclusive research project run in partnership with Advanced Field Service, we looked at the types of mobile devices being used in the field and why it seems that the days of pen and paper are becoming increasingly numbered....
In the first part of this exclusive research project run in partnership with Advanced Field Service, we looked at the types of mobile devices being used in the field and why it seems that the days of pen and paper are becoming increasingly numbered. In the second of this four part series we look at whether there is a future for wearables in field service, are devices being used rugged or consumer and has BYOD worked?
Now in the third part of this series we turn our attention to the feedback our field service engineers are providing...
There is also a white paper accompanying this series, with even further insights, which you can download here
Engineers reaction to mobile devices in general
We asked our respondents “Do you think your your field engineers have appreciated a move to using a mobile device?”
The results showed that in the main there is a strong acceptance from field engineers that using a digital device as part of their role is a benefit. In fact over a third of respondents (37%) stated that they had “absolutely taken to mobile” while the largest response to this question was “we have mostly had a positive response from our mobile workers” which was stated by just under half (44%) of respondents.
Just under a fifth of companies (17%) stated they had received a mix of positive and negative feedback from their field workers, whilst less than 1% admitted they had “some success but getting widespread adoption is tough”.
The largest reason for engineers responding to the implementation of a mobile devices was that it “makes their work-flow easier” with 57% of companies stating this to be the case.
One respondent summarised the dual benefits of the approach for both engineers and company alike stating: “The engineers have appreciated the move from a rugged PDA to an Android device because it offers them more advantages; web, apps, email, etc. From a business perspective we got them access to industry apps (fault code analysis, parts availability, etc.) as well as improving the acceptance of the company solution”
Involving engineers in the selection process
Given the importance of quick user adoption, we wanted to see how involved field engineers were in the selecting the devices they would be using. We asked our respondents “Did you have any input from your field engineers in selecting both the devices and apps they use in the field?”
Whilst it is an approach recommended by many hardware, software and change management experts to help improve swift user adoption rates, it is not one that is adopted by the majority of companies when selecting the tools their field service engineers will be using. In fact almost two thirds (61%) of companies admitted that they don’t involve their engineers in the decision making process.
Almost two thirds (61%) of companies admitted that they don’t involve their engineers in the decision making process.
Indeed it would seem that whilst the majority of respondents failed to take advantage of their engineers insight during the selection process, there may actually be a growing groundswell to see this happening more frequently as almost half of those who didn’t take input from their field engineers admitted that in hindsight they think this would have likely helped speed up the adoption of the new solution. “The engineers have appreciated the move from a rugged PDA to an Android device because it offers them more advantages; web, apps, email, etc.”
The decision making unit
So engineers input aside, who is involved in the decision making unit when it comes to selecting a new field service mobility solution? Having put that question to our respondents our research would certainly back the assertion that the single decision maker seems to be somewhat of a myth, or at least a very rare scenario.
The most common role to be involved within the decision making unit (DMU) is IT Director with 64% of companies stating that their IT Director would be involved in the decision making process. This was followed by MD/CEO (58%), Field Service Director (53%) and Field Service Manager (45%). Meanwhile 20% of companies have procurement involved within the DMU also. Perhaps contradictory to these statistics is how a company will approach the early selection process.
The most common approach for this initial phase of selecting a new field service solution is when the “field service director/manager identified the need for a mobile solution and made recommendations to the board.” Which was how 35% of companies began their search for a new system. The second most common means of instigating this process is when “the board decides to implement a mobile solution and tasks the IT manager & Field Service Manager together to identify the right solution” which was what was reported by exactly a quarter of companies.
Other options that were board driven were for the board to task the “Field Service Manager/ Director to identify the solution” (13%) and the board task the “IT Director to identify the right solution” (8%) whilst amongst 17% of companies it was the ‘IT Director identified the need and advised the board”
Choosing a solution
When it comes to selecting a solution the most common approach is to view three different solutions which exactly a third of companies opted to do.
Just under a quarter (23%) of companies will leave no stone unturned and look at five or more solutions when making their decision
A similar amount (22%) will look at just two solutions whilst a tenth of companies made their decision based solely on looking at one solution. In terms of the frequency of updating a field service solution the consensus is very much that every three years is the optimal time between updates with just under half (47%) of companies stating they believe this to be the case. The second most common thought is two years (30%) whilst all other options were 10% or below.
But how does compare to the reality?
Well, whilst a similar majority (42%) refresh their solutions every three years it would also seem that many companies keep their existing assets longer than they would like.
41% of companies state they will wait four years or more to refresh their field service solution,
Compared to this ‘finding the time’ to arrange an implementation was a minor worry for most with just 12% of companies stating that this is their primary concern. What is interesting is that 34% of companies see worries around integration being their biggest challenge. Of course the irony here being that the longer you ‘sweat’ an asset the greater the chance of the technology becoming tougher to integrate with the latest emerging tech.
Want to know more? Download the exclusive research report now!
Find out more about Advanced Field Service in the Field Service News Directory
Please note that by downloading the above research report you agree to these fascinating terms and conditions
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.
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 08, 2015 • Features • Software & Apps • Gas Engineers • home maintenance • HVAC • servicemax • Software and Apps
Yorkshire based company Service2 show that smaller companies don’t need to wait until they grow before adopting a field service software platform...
Yorkshire based company Service2 show that smaller companies don’t need to wait until they grow before adopting a field service software platform...
One of the biggest changes to field service companies in recent times has been the advent of the Cloud and the Software as a Service (SaaS) model and perhaps the biggest shift that the introduction of SaaS has brought is that for the first time ever field service software is no longer the domain of large enterprise companies only.
Due to the subscription based nature of SaaS offerings smaller companies are now able to access the types of software that only a few years ago would have been cost-prohibitive to them.
As such they are able to offer their customers similar levels of service as the big boys whilst at the same time being able to reap the benefits of enhanced productivity and efficiency such systems yield. The playing field has been well and truly levelled – or at least so the theory goes.
However how does this filter down in reality?
Is there truth in such assertions or is it just a case of clever marketing spin form the software providers?
To find out how field service management software can help a small company we spoke exclusively to Kate Lovery at Service2, a Yorkshire based Gas appliance installation and maintenance provider who have implemented the ServiceMax platform.
The business originally came into being when founders James and Chris, who both have background in engineering themselves, (Chris was predominantly working with catering equipment and boilers whilst James was more focussed on heating and ventilation) found themselves being approached with promises of Directorships for a new start-up.
However, as is sadly often the case, the promises didn’t meet reality, but the seeds of a successful business had been sown between the two, so in November 2011 they decided to set up by themselves.
Having started like most young businesses do taking as much work of any form that they could to build up the business and establish contacts and clients on the way, they quickly established a successful niche for themselves as they moved away from domestic jobs and began establishing a strong reputation for contract based commercial work.
Big name clients such as NG Bailey, Norland, and the Marriott group soon came along and with them so did more engineers, more office staff and 200% year on year growth.
However, the flip side of such success is the growing logistical headache of how to manage the business.
As Lovery explains “We’ve got a really nice spread of clients but my focus over the last year has been look how can we manage this? I can’t manage ten engineers and how ever many clients on an Excel spreadsheet so what are we going to do?”
“I needed to stop and ask how can we take this forward and be more dynamic? How can we be faster, quicker, more streamlined.” She adds
With the need to find a solution Lovery began opening the conversation up to the team and in fact it was one of their engineers who suggested ServiceMax.
At the same time she also had a recommendation from one of their commercial partners for the SaaS based field service software provider. Contact details were swapped and soon they were reviewing the ServiceMax system.
“They came to see us and gave us a presentation and we looked at it and thought about it and then initially put it on the back burner.” Admits Lovery.
Something that many companies in Service2’s position will do as the day to day tasks of keeping your business growing take over your To Do list.
However, Lovery was wise enough to take a step back, to focus on the forest rather than the one tree ahead of her as it were and realised if Service2 was to continue to grow they would be better off acting sooner rather than later.
“We thought you know what we really need to do this now.” She concedes “Our plan is to be twice the size, three times the size year on year and I thought I don’t want to be implementing a system for 50 people when I can implement it now for 15.”
“Our plan is to be twice the size, three times the size year on year and I thought I don’t want to be implementing a system for 50 people when I can implement it now for 15.”
Such an approach is of course extremely forward looking and one that many companies only realise they should have taken when it’s too late. However for Lovery it was simple common sense.
“Coming from a clients service/account management background for me it is absolutely vital that we can manage our accounts properly, we just simply wouldn’t be able to grow unless we do” she explains
“With our previous system I just couldn’t see how we could manage that. It’s just too many plates spinning, For us it’s like we’ve employed the system instead of employing another person to some degree."
And it’s not just the task of managing the engineers that is proving useful to Lovery. It is also the ability to keep a much closer eye on the P&L.
“Before we didn’t have such huge visibility we didn’t really have much transparency to be honest. Not because it’s wasn’t there I just didn’t have time to go and find the information I needed.” She explains
“Unless I’ve got a system like ServiceMax how can I track every nut and bolt that is purchased against a job? I can do some costing and put some rough numbers around what our profit and loss is but without a system like this in truth “ To me that’ visibility is really, really vital. It’s about being able to see both where we can maximise profitability but also where we can make cost savings etc.”
Of course the Field Service Software market is a highly competitive one and despite the recommendations Lovery looked at some of the other providers available before opting for ServiceMax. So what was it that made them the preferred option? “I found ServiceMax to be a to be a lot more dynamic.” She starts “I also liked the fact that it was Cloud based not something that was built on our system.”
“At times you think well we’re only a small company of 15 people, how is that going to work for us - but surely principles that the business is built on, the foundations, they are the same regardless of size.”
“For me best practice isn’t what the engineers on the other side of town are doing, I look to Cannon and GE and those types of brands and ask what are they doing? So I love the fact that ServiceMax has small family owned businesses as much as multi-nationals as part of their client list.”
It is here that we perhaps begin to see why ServiceMax have gained such a glowing reputation from this particular customer.
For whilst Lovery is clearly very happy with the software, her endorsement of the software provider runs far deeper than product alone.
“I really like the networking opportunities and the different people it would bring you into contact with that other providers couldn’t offer.” She continues referring to the many client focussed seminars , workshops and conferences ServiceMax run each year.
“I’ve really enjoyed the seminars at their usergroup and for me just being able to take part in that type of event, listen to other peoples issues – what they love about the platform what they don’t, is just so helpful.”
“You don’t know what you don’t know so, just listening to others who have been with the platform longer or have experience managing bigger teams than ours, such sessions are really useful.” She adds.
It is through such activities that ServiceMax are able to encourage their customers to grow with the platform. An approach that generates more than enough brand loyalty to make these events worthwhile.
It may seem cheaper or easier at the time to have taken another platform but we really like the direction of ServiceMax as a company and it seems that they are someone we can grow with.
In addition to the networking opportunities that ServiceMax offer to their user base it is also their commitment to delivering excellent customer service that has Lovery so impressed.
“Our account manager has been really excellent I have to say” she comments “he has been really supportive, helping us make the right connections, just offering support and advice when we need it, on that level the client service is fantastic and that’s the case with the whole team so far.”
And with a dedicated project manager available Lovery is confident that she will be able to be fully adapt the software to their needs as the company continues to grow and evolve.
“Because I’m implementing it myself my project manager, who I speak to two three times a week is teaching me the tricks and tools that I might not have been aware of and that has given me a certain amount of independence to run with it.”
She explains “If in six months time I want to make a few changes I’ll be able to do that myself”
Indeed in the often ruthless world of corporate software it is refreshing to note Lovery’s enthusiasm for her provider.
Yet by giving Lovery and Service2 the freedom to make such changes, and empowering them to be able to manage their system as their business grows, supporting them with excellent service, and helping them establish a wider network of contacts, ServiceMax are likely to secure the business of this fast growing company for many years to come.
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May 07, 2015 • Features • Podcast • resources • Exel Computer Systems • HVAC
Welcome to the latest edition of the Field Service News podcast. This month we welcome back Simon Spriggs of Exel Computer systems as we look at what are the biggest challenges for large field service companies, what lessons can smaller companies learn from their larger counterparts and why the HVAC industry is leading the way in many aspects of field service.
Click here to download the full podcast now!
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May 06, 2015 • Features • Aly Pinder • NetMotion • resources • White Paper • White Papers & eBooks • Software and Apps
Resource Type: White Paper Published by: NetMotion Wireless Title: Service Mobility: The right technology for the right tech Download: Click here to download this white paper
Resource Type: White Paper
Published by: NetMotion Wireless
Title: Service Mobility: The right technology for the right tech
Download: Click here to download this white paper
By downloading you agree to the T&Cs listed available here
Synopsis:
Written by Aberdeen’s Aly Pinder, this white paper highlights the key trends in field service driving further interest in and adoption of mobility. This report will also take a look at what capabilities are necessary to successfully deploy mobile tools.
Overview:
Topics within the white paper include:
1. Mobile still has a strategic place in service
Many firms have identified the field service team as a channel to not only deliver service but also interact with the customer. The importance of the technician to the success of the organization has led to the search for weays to equip them with the right tools. These tools must help these valued resources excel at their jobs while also providing invaluable insight to the rest of the organisation.
2. Mobility must keep service ahead of customer expectations
Will customers ever ask for service to devolve or become slower? Customers will always want more for their dollars, sometimes even if they are not actually paying for their service. In regards to field service, the top pressure facing service organisations that is leading them to focus on mobility is the customer demand for faster service.
3. Mobility is more than a device
Much of the buzz around mobility and deploying new technology is around flashy new devices that have ever more processing speed. But inherent to this buzz is the fact that any technology will eventually become obsolete. The true value in mobile tools is the ability for this technology to provide insight and intelligence to workers in real time.
4. From paper to productivity
The goal of improved service for the customer starts with some key leading indicators: worker utilisation and worker happiness. Leaders outperform Followers in many key metrics, not least of which is the proof that exceptional field service aided through mobile devices works (see renewal of service contracts with customers.) Happy and productive employees will go that extra mile to not only do their jobs, but even more importantly, word hard to positively overwhelm the customer.
5. Successfully deploy the value of mobility
Heightened performance in KPI is not a by-product of plugging in mobile technology alone. Top performing organisations implement strategic internal capabilities to ensure that a mobile strategy is maximised by the field to resolve customer issues efficiently.
6. Excel at making mobility key to service excellence
In order for mobility to avoid the buzzword wasteland, organisations need to see a direct impact on what matters to the top and bottom line, profitability. The key link to profitability is delivering the level of service that customers are willing to pay for. This valuable service is not the historical view of service, which was reactive, now service must go above and beyond.
To reach this level of success service firms should follow a few best practices implemented by industry leaders:
- CSOs drive service initiatives in mobile strategy. The chief service officer within an organisation must ensure that a mobile strategy isn’t just a product spend from IT. There must be a clear strategy that understands the ramifications and opportunity of real-time insight into technicians, customers, products, vehicles and equipment. A senior leader also will understand that all things even mobility, must come back to the customer and in turn profitability.
- Build buy in from the front line. A strategy is only as good as the workers that embrace it. Many initiatives have failed as a result of not gaining buy-in from the stakeholders , who ultimately have to use the tools being implemented. Therefore it is integral that service organisations work with front-line employees in regard to the identification, selection and deployment of any mobile technology. If the technician is involved in building the mobile strategy, they are more likely to work to maximize the value of technology for the organisation.
- Make data a source of insight for learning, training, and improvement. Data stored in a knowledge base at headquarters is a waste of time money and effort. Top performing firms empower their organisation to enhance products and service through the data captured in the field. Customers might let you get away with failure once, but they expect the service organisation to continuously improve. In order to improve, the entire team needs to be tied into service excellence.
Click here to download this white paper
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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