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In this third part of this series looking at the findings of our exclusive research report into field service software we focus on the future of field service software. You can read the first part of this series which looked at scheduling and integration and interaction here and the second part looking at management reporting here 

If you want to read the full 10 page benchmarking report then you are able to download it by clicking this link.

Looking forward:

In the final section of the survey we asked respondents to identify what they thought were the most important technologies likely to appear in service management software, where they believe their organisation should focus their investment and finally what the barriers were to implementing new technologies.

Perhaps the most revealing result of the entire survey was in this final section, specifically surrounding “the biggest concern when implementing a new technology” Surprisingly  “Cost of implementation” is now only the second most common concern with “Legacy issues with former systems” becoming the industries greatest concern in 2014. The amount of companies that now cite this as their biggest concern when implementing a new technology has increased from just 22% in 2013 to 38% today.

This represents a potentially significant shift in the industry. In the last few years we have seen rapid developments in service management software, with key trends, such as the requirement for system wide integration as discussed earlier in this report, starting to emerge. The impact that the Software as a Service model has had on costs offers many companies the ability to invest in service management software, when in the not too distant past such an investment may have been beyond their reach.

Earlier this year in another research project conducted by Field Service News we saw that number increase to 38% of companies with a further 48% of companies stating they could possibly do so in the near future. However, the same report also highlighted that currently only 23% of companies have made the shift to a Cloud based environment for their service management software.

This would indicate that there is indeed a trend for companies to be migrating their service management software to Cloud based systems and it is an on-going process. If this is indeed the case then it would also explain why cost has become less of a concern whilst integration with existing legacy systems becomes a greater worry.

We also asked which emerging technologies would be likely to have an impact on field service software in the near future. The results whilst not surprising indicated how many in the industry seeing field service software evolve once again in the very near future. Over 45% of companies felt that Big Data, The Internet of Things and Connected Vehicles will all start appearing as options within field service management solutions within the next three years.

If each and all of these concepts live up to the massive hyperbole that surrounds them then it the way our industry operates will be fundamentally changed. At the same time 37% of companies also think that they wearable devices will become commonplace within the next three years also.

Whether this comes true is likely dependent on the success of Google's Glass product which offer the greatest promise, although the development of smart watches could potentially offer another wearable device that could be put to use in field service. Interestingly perhaps one of the technologies most established that could offer great benefits to certain field service verticals, namely 3D printing was only cited by 19% of companies as being likely to make an impact in field service.

However, this could be a reflection of the wide ranging industry verticals field service incorporates as much as a lack of faith in the technology. 3D printing will certainly be of more of a benefit to some industries (e.g. manufacturing) rather than others (e.g. retail). That said anecdotally there are are certainly those who have (an unfounded in most instances) lack of faith in 3D printing, we are reminded of echoes of the exaggerated fear of the security of the Cloud somewhat with 3D printing. It many ways the technology simply seems to much like science fiction to be fully trusted.

When we looked at the more immediate needs of the industry we saw some familiar patterns. Despite the questions we raised earlier in this report about the suitability of optimised scheduling for all companies, such systems appear to remain in demand amongst field service organisations.

Our final question in the survey was “In terms of investment, which of the following areas of technology do you think it the most critical for your company to remain competitive?” and we gave respondents 8 choices asking them to rank them in order of priority. The options were Route optimisation, optimised scheduling, integrated CRM, contact centre/help desk, mobile hardware, mobile software, logistics/spare parts management, and reporting/analytics tools.

Optimised Scheduling was ranked as the number one priority by 29% of companies, this was followed by Integrated CRM and contact centre/help desk software, which were the number one priority for 27% and 17% of companies respectively.With nearly three quarters (73%) of companies identifying one of these three areas as their key focus for investment it seems that these are clearly the biggest needs for the industry at large.

 

It is also interesting to note that whilst relatively few companies (7%) identified logistics/spare parts management systems as there number one priority, many companies identified it as either their second (27% of companies) or third (23% of companies) priority. This would indicate that whilst most companies do not see logistics/spare parts systems  as the most burning issue, they do acknowledge that it is an area that they should invest in should funds become available.

The one technology that has perhaps now had its day is route optimisation. This scored as the lowest priority for 56% of companies. There are many reasons route optimisation is now no longer a significant area for investment, whether this is because it is included in many service management software packages or that the technology has been around long enough to reach to near market saturation - the fact is that most companies will now have some sort of route/navigation software already even if it is simply Google Maps and a BYOD.

If you want to read the full 10 page benchmarking report featuring additional exclusive analysis then you are able to download it by clicking this link.

By registering for this white paper you agree to the fascinating terms and conditions which you can read right here.

Towards the end of April this year specialist rugged computer manufacturer Getac launched perhaps one of the sleekest fully rugged devices yet to be seen in the T800. With heavyweight processing power, in a slim line 8.1-inch chassis yet still meeting the full militarised rugged standards it is an extremely impressive device for sure. But with the on-going consumerisation of business hardware what does the future of hold in store for rugged devices in the field service arena?

We spoke exclusively to Getac UK President Peter Molyneux and looked at how he saw the market for rugged devices evolving.

There are of course a number of considerations for companies when it comes to selecting what hardware is right for a their mobile workforce. One of the biggest of these considerations is how long a device will last.  With this in mind the first thing we asked Molyneux is what type of life span should we expect from devices today?

“Typically if you look at fully rugged notebooks customers will look for 5 years.” Molyneux states before pausing a moment. “I’ve actually seen some customers push their assets to seven years, which is quite an impressive return frankly. But generally in the tablet market at least, customers in utilities and field service are looking to hold onto their devices for three years.” He adds.

However, three years it would seem is a minimum expectation for Molyneux. “At Getac, we will uplift warranty to four or five years or even further – it’s one of the service models that we offer.” He comments revealing a subtle confidence and pride in his company’s offerings.

Of course there are a number of factors that will impact on the life of your hardware as Molynuex alludes to “It comes back to maybe your software requirements will change, although this is not always the case, especially in utilities sectors where they do tend to fix their software and operational performances rather than replace programs, but in field service, software is very key to delivery, so by purchasing the the very latest technology in terms of hardware, you are giving yourself the best opportunity for a long unit life span and I expect from that perspective you could push top end units past five years.”

An  extended life span sits at the heart of the argument for specialist rugged device manufacturers when faced with cheaper consumer devices such as Apple and Samsung who through domination of the consumer tablet and smart phone market have been able to establish a presence in the enterprise mobile computing sector. The total cost of ownership is often far better when opting for a specialised device and the cheaper option at the time may not prove to be the cheaper option in the long term.

 

As Molyneux explains “It does depend on the working environment and how the devices are treated but with better technology you have a better chance of extending the life of the unit. Clearly if you look now at customers now that are looking at the Smart phone market as an alternative then the lifecycle is perhaps 18 months maybe even just 12 months.”

Another consideration for selecting hardware for your mobile workforce is how its software will sit with your other back office systems. It is interesting to see that the T800 is back to being on a Microsoft OS after Getac’s previous tablet launch was on Google’s Android OS.

In fact the T800 is capable of supporting both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 although according to Molyneux the devices 8.1inch size makes it a perfect host for the latest iteration of Windows. So does Molyneux see Windows getting back on track in the enterprise mobile space via Windows 8.1 after WinMobile lost siginificant ground to both Android and Apples IoS?

“Starting from a device perspective, the new intel processors are windows 8 compliant which is an important factor” Molyneux starts “As for 8.1 as a business application in the B2B market… we work very closely with Microsoft in the UK and we have seen Microsoft getting very committed in the last 6 months by focussing resource and technical expertise in how to take your business from Win7 to Win 8”

Of course with Windows being so dominant in the office space, a strategic effort to aid companies to upgrade, aligned with the fact that Windows 8.1 is essentially comfortable across both desktop and tablet could see them start to reclaim lost market share in mobile devices.

Whilst the company became a little lost in their direction not so long ago, new  CEO Satya Nadella has ushered in a clearer focus for the Redmond giant of being a device and services focussed organisation and Molyneux believes we are already seeing the impact of this.

“I see their strategy as becoming quite cohesive now” he says before diving straight into one of the seemingly endless real life examples he is able to think back to at any given moment.

“I’ve been surprised how open government has been to windows 8 particularly in the police forces…” he begins  “one particular constabulary were using BitLocker in a single stack for their security compliance so there are certain features we are seeing in Windows 8 that allow the customers to move quickly.”

Look out for the concluding part of this feature where we discuss why Moloyneux thinks BYOD will never become a trend in field service

It is practically a given in technology that for every new trend, application and problem solved, somebody somewhere will coin a name to label the solution and market beyond its original boundaries. But this is more than just a matter of semantics when it comes to Field Service Management and it's younger but far bigger cousin Enterprise Mobility Management. Motion Computing's Head of UK, Ian Davies explains why… 

The naming of new industries and their obligatory acronyms is in itself is no bad thing as it leads to the creation and refinement of entire markets.  Once upon a time, someone at Gartner coined the phrase ERP, and that is now a billion dollar industry in its own right.  Likewise the same for CRM.  And even document management.

But within field service, this rush to label activity has led to some confusion.  As mobile computing solutions have become ubiquitous, present throughout an organisation, from the boardroom to the delivery van and beyond, field service has been swallowed up by the name of enterprise mobility.  Whilst it would be easy to fall prey to hyperbole, this is a dangerous development.

Field service - more specifically, field service management (FSM) - refers to a system that is often hosted or cloud-based and combines hardware and software - typically internet services - to support companies in locating vehicles, manage worker activity, schedule and dispatch work, ensure driver safety, and ideally integrate with inventory, billing, accounting and other back-office systems.

FSM usually refers to companies who need to manage the installation, service or repair of systems or equipment.  Typically this means utilities, telecommunications, construction and logistics organisations, though this is by no means an exhaustive list.

FSM is already a pretty mature market.  Gartner research puts the revenue for packaged field service dispatch and workforce management software applications, not including service revenue, at approximately $1.2 billion in 2012, with a compound annual growth rate of 12.7% and Gartner estimates that market penetration for field service applications has reached just 25% of the addressable market.

 

By comparison, enterprise mobility  - or to give it the inevitable three letter acronym, enterprise mobility management (EMM) - is the set of people, processes and technology focused on managing the increasing array of mobile devices, wireless networks, and related services to enable broad use of mobile computing in a business context.  Critically EMM is an emerging discipline that has become increasingly important over the past few years as mobile computing, via smartphone, laptop or tablet has become the norm.

 

Figures on the entire EMM market vary wildly but the incredible growth of tablet manufacturers, mobile application developers and network providers point to a market undergoing explosive growth.    Aberdeen Group highlights that over 1 billion smartphones and 200 million tablets have shipped globally since 2007.

Which fish eats which?

So, the question now becomes one of hierarchy - does FSM live within EMM or the other way around?  Whilst field service management has a greater legacy than enterprise mobility, it is clear that the reach of enterprise mobility will soon far outstrip FSM.  And therein perhaps lies the answer: FSM is essentially a collection of business critical processes that relies upon enterprise mobility in order to get the job done.

Why is this important?  If FSM is just an example of EMM at work, why does it need to be so carefully labelled and kept separate?  Simply put, because the very value of EMM is dependent on the specific business context of the mobile deployment.

For example, it is pointless giving consumer grade tablet PCs, without the right accessories and running cheap, yet unproven software to a legion of field engineers and expect anything other than chaos to result.  The tablets will not be rugged enough and they will break.  The lack of correct accessories will hamper productivity and work flow.  The software will not interface with back office systems and jobs will be lost.  This is nothing against the tablet or the software itself - just that it is not fit for purpose in the FSM context.

Of course, elsewhere that same tablet and cheap app may be ideal - for example in a controlled office environment. The point is that the very value of FSM is that it is a specific example of enterprise mobility, but that the generic nature of EMM will not sit well in the FSM context.

So what does this mean for those field service managers looking to explore mobile technologies?  Firstly it means that they must recognise that they hold the key to a valuable deployment of mobile technology that will bring real ROI.  Traditionally these decisions have lain with IT or perhaps finance - but for EMM to work for a field service organisation, it must be operationally driven.

And secondly it means that field service managers must become well versed in the options available to them.  If the Gartner figures are correct, then the remaining 75% of the field service management market will - over the next three to five years - be intensely active with many enterprise mobility technologies moving into the industry.  Separating those technologies that truly are field service specific - and not just named as such - will be vital.

Internet connectivity has become such an integral part of field service and as the Cloud becomes more prominent in the delivery of Field Service Management software having a fast reliable broadband connection at HQ is imperative. In the UK the government has acknowledged this and made a grant available for smaller and medium sized companies to improve their broadband speeds. Andrew Gedny, Managing Director of NextGen Access who are working with the Government on this project explains more…

With fast, reliable broadband internet access becoming increasingly essential for businesses throughout the country the UK Government created the Super Connected Cities Programme (SCCP). With funding of £150m, businesses in 22 cities around the country can take advantage of this scheme to upgrade their access to the internet. The fund aims to support economic growth and jobs across the UK by improving  Small and Medium sized businesses’ (SMEs) ability to access high-grade broadband.

In part this was a response to the lack of access to fast internet connectivity in many parts of the country including, surprisingly, the Tech City area of London. That part of the city, home to many companies requiring high speed data connectivity has been, surprisingly not that well served.

Working with the 21 City Councils and, through the Mayor of London’s office, all of the London Boroughs, Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) will manage the distribution of this grant funding via a voucher scheme.

BDUK, part of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, was given responsibility for defining the qualifying rules and creating the application processes. Alongside companies such as NextGenAccess and the other scheme registered telecoms suppliers, BDUK is working to promote the programme and to inform SMEs about the business benefits of enhanced broadband connectivity.

How much is the Grant and what does it pay for?

Individual companies may apply for vouchers worth up to £3,000. This money can only be used to cover the costs of the improved Broadband connection, in other words just the capital and equipment costs of installing faster internet access. It cannot be used to pay for any ongoing service rental fees. The grant recipient is responsible for the VAT element of the connection charge as well as the subsequent monthly line charges levied by the telecoms provider delivering the service.

To qualify there needs to be a genuine and real change in broadband speed: this has been defined as being at least  30Mbps on a shared line or 20Mbps if a dedicated service is being provided on a dedicated basis. The other qualifying criteria is that the new speed must be at least double the previous one.

An interesting rule is that SME’s sharing a building may pool together their grant money and in doing so can collectively obtain a better level of service than they would otherwise get on their own. The only caveat to this is that the combined pool of money cannot exceed £20,000 except under exceptional circumstances. However that amount of money is usually sufficient to provide a very fast shared service.  A single company applying may be able to install a 100mbit connection but if 3, 4 or more companies applied jointly then potentially they may be able to share a 1gbit connection for the same price.

Who Can Apply for the Grant?

Applicants for the grant must be:

• a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
• or a registered charity, social enterprise or sole trader.

In addition, an applicant must be located in one of the 22 participating cities, use a registered supplier and choose a high speed/ high grade connection.

The definition of a SME is defined as:

• Employing less than 249 people or volunteers
• Having a turnover of less than €50 (around £41m) and/or having a balance sheet of less than €43M (around £35.5M)
• Having received less than €200k in public grants in the last 3 years
• Not operating in sector which is excluded from the Scheme*
• Not having a parent company or linked enterprise which does not meet the eligibility criteria

The vouchers can be applied for until March 2015 but do not need to be used by then. More details on the full details of the eligibility criteria can be found at www.nextgenaccess.com/super-connected-cities

What does Superfast Broadband Deliver?

SME’s increasingly need high speed broadband connectivity to improve operational efficiency, remain competitive and maximise their addressable markets. As SMEs migrate additional services to the cloud, transfer and access more central data and collaborate with customers on projects, high speed, reliable business grade connectivity becomes a key business tool.  The SCCP vouchers are designed to ensure that SMEs can access services that will drive the digital growth of the economy.

 

In this second part of this series looking at the findings of our exclusive research report into field service software we focus on management reporting. You can read the first part of this series which looked at scheduling and integration and interaction here.

If you want to read the full 10 page benchmarking report then you are able to download it by clicking here.

About the research:

Across April and May of this year (2014) Field Service News in partnership with mplsystems undertook a research project to assess the current usage of field service software.

The survey was split into four categories. Scheduling systems, integration and interaction, management reporting and future options. In total we spoke to over 120 field service companies of differing sizes and differing industries. These were predominantly UK based although there were respondents from all over the world including Europe, America, Africa and Asia.

Reporting:

It may be a cliché but the maxim “You can’t manage what you don’t measure” rings true in all industries and with technology now offering more measurement and analytics tools, with greater levels of sophistication than ever before management reporting is an important element of service management software.

In fact 78% of respondents stated that as a manger the ability to get clear and comprehensive management reports from their service management software was an important tool. Further to that, 63% of these went on to define management reporting as “Critical – I couldn’t do my job without it”

When we also factor in that a further 19% of respondents stated that management-reporting tools were “Helpful” it is clear that such tools are utilised by all but a very small minority  (less than 5%) of field service managers.

It may have been what we expected to find but the findings of the research absolutely confirm the fact beyond all doubt. Management reporting is an absolutely integral facet of Field Service Software.

However, whilst management reporting is clearly such vital piece of the field service management software whole, it appears that when it comes to functionality and performance, there remains plenty of room for improvement in the eyes of many field service managers responding to our survey.

In response to the question “Is the reporting functionality you get from your current system up to the task” almost two thirds of respondents stated that they found their current system merely “Acceptable”

So whilst the functionality of these tools is workable, they are still far from perfect. In fact whilst there are a reasonable amount of companies (21%) who identified their reporting functionality as “Excellent”” there is a similar amount of companies (20%) who state that the management reporting of their current system “Doesn’t meet their needs at all”

 There certainly a number of different considerations when purchasing a field service software solution , research is absolutely essential and taking the time to identify your own reporting needs both now but also in the future, before comparing this with the options available to you will potentially save both time and money for your organisation in the longer term.

 

Of course within field service perhaps one of the most important aspects of reporting is real time visibility into the actions of your mobile workforce.

In this area there is an interesting division between companies.

It seems that a large percentage of the companies in the industry (42%) are able to provide real time location and status of their field technicians to not only their dispatchers but also their help desk and customer service teams.

This is an improvement of 24% compared to 2012 figures. Such a dramatic rise is likely due to the fact that such a level of visibility is a powerful tool both in terms of managing efficiency as well as delivering excellent customer service and therefore a key area for investment.

Despite this fact, a surprisingly large number of companies (30%) still have no visibility at all into the activities of their mobile workforce. Whilst this figure has decreased by 9% since 2012 it remains a significant proportion of the industry.

Such a large number is somewhat worrying in that without any visibility there is little hope of these companies being able to improve the efficiency of their field service operations at all. It also means that the levels of customer service are potentially impacted as well.

This gap in implementation of technology could lead to a genuine division appearing in the industry. Those companies who are able to continue to deliver excellent service in today’s modern environment of demand twenty first century consumers, and those whose service standards remain stagnant and out-dated.

When it comes to competing on service, which has become a key battleground for businesses in recent years, there can only be one winner…

If you want to read the full 10 page benchmarking report then you are able to download it by clicking this link.

By registering for this white paper you agree to the fascinating terms and conditions which you can read right here.

You can also now find the third part of this series looking at the future of field service software here

Over recent months, recruitment in the field service market has boomed, with a wealth of opportunities now on offer for field service engineers, managers, representatives as well as specialist roles. John Cameron, general manager, Trimble Field Service Management (FSM) looks a little deeper into this trend...

In line with this boom, field service organisations are seeking a new type of worker, one which has the necessary technical ability to carry out skilled and complex work but which also has the interpersonal attributes to deal with, and build a relationship with, the customer.

Trimble recently released a report, ’Transforming Service Delivery 2014 – An Insight Report’, which investigates the most pressing issues affecting fleet and field service organisations today. Interestingly, the report found customer centricity to be at the heart of field service business’ strategies and highlighted an era in field service where customer satisfaction, retention and profitability are intrinsically linked. As a result, organisations are revolutionising their strategies in order to conform to growing customer expectations.

A direct impact of this has been the role of the field service worker, which has shifted from one of operational necessity to strategic importance. Why this shift? Because today’s customer values one-to-one interactions and with the field service worker often being the only contact a customer will have with a company, the quality of service and information the field worker provides can be the only way for customers to measure the integrity, credibility, effectiveness and overall brand promise of the service-based organisation.

The emergence of a ‘new’ field service worker

Jo Causon, chief executive of the Institute of Customer Service and third party expert cited in Trimble’s report, has found that having well trained and professional employees who are genuinely empowered to do their jobs is something that customers truly value.

“The biggest change we’ve seen in customer service,” Jo Causon explains, “is the move from a transactional economy to the relationship economy where value lies in one-to-one interactions and service leaders prevail in the marketplace. In a relationship economy companies that excel in customer service are increasingly able to cross into and disrupt marketplaces with a common purpose of changing the rules of engagement with the consumer and the employee, raising expectations of, and commitment to, service.”

With this shift, the skills agenda is becoming increasingly important as customers expect a greater level of engagement and real understanding of their needs. “Those organisations that concentrate on developing relationships rather than transactions will be the ones that are able to drive greater loyalty and commitment,” says Jo. “The types of new skills sets required are the ability to combine strong emotional intelligence, commercial acumen and technological awareness. All of which will be integral in an environment which is increasingly complex. There will be a growing challenge for organisations to bring together the required skills in order to deliver service experiences that are simple and intuitive and run across the organisation.”

Field service organisations therefore need to ask themselves when they are recruiting, are the individuals they are interviewing those who have not only the technical skills to do the field service role but also the  required emotional intelligence to make the connection with the customer.

 

Will Sambrook managing director of The Akenham Partnership and an additional expert cited in Trimble’s report, says of field service organisations, “I think a lot of organisations are often guilty of wanting people, especially young people, to arrive at the workplace ‘ready’ for the work and the culture and it’s not as simple as that.

“Businesses need to do more to engage with the colleges and schools showing students what they can expect from an organisation like theirs. What they can do in terms of getting themselves ready, demonstrate where their career can go in their industry.”[quote float="right"]Aberdeen found best-in-class companies were 35% more likely to use workforce management solutions such as performance management tools to optimise resources and workforce management processes.

 

But it is not just new starters in a company that need to be considered.  It is essential that any changes being implemented to an organisation, whether it is rolling out new technology or processes or ways of working, are communicated thoroughly to the existing workforce. Engagement is essential for a successful outcome. Employees need to be fully prepared so that a culture can be fostered in which they understand the changes, why they are needed and how to embrace them.

Will Sambrook adds, “Board engagement is absolutely essential. But it is important that Boards do not believe they have to be all-seeing, all-doing or all-acting. Their role is much more about creating the line of sight, from the Board strategy to what’s happening in the organisation; the processes, the people, their engagement with the customer – everything is aligned.”

Retaining top performers

In terms of field service workers it is not just about focussing on those being recruited or going through change but also managing those in the business and doing the job every day. Best-in-class organisations understand the ramifications of having an undertrained, underqualified workforce. When a company sends a field service worker on a service call, the worker needs to resolve the issue the first time. According to Aberdeen, however, 26% of cases are not resolved on the first visit, requiring additional follow up visits. While this is not all down to skillset, it nonetheless erodes customer confidence and can reflect the need for worker training.

One way managers of field based workforces can manage performance is through the use of workforce management solutions which provide capabilities to evaluate field worker performance and determine who delivers the best results. Once managers identify best-in-class workers they should do what they can to retain them. Aberdeen found best-in-class companies were 35% more likely to use workforce management solutions such as performance management tools to optimise resources and workforce management processes.

For more information on the transforming landscape of customer service and associated change and skills gap download Trimble’s latest industry report, ‘Transforming Service Delivery: An Insight Report’ via the following link: www.trimble.com/fsm/insightreport

The fleet management industry has seen some radical changes in recent years but the future promises to deliver innovations far beyond anything we have seen so far. Our friends at SmartVan.com have been taking a closer look at the technologies that will shape fleet management in the not so distant future…

Field service technicians are road warriors who often spend a lot of time behind the wheel. But those hours spent driving to the next service call (or sitting in traffic) can mean overtime for techs who need to finish the day’s work. A new wave of Internet-connected vehicles, however, could turn the field service engineer’s vehicle into a mobile office.

“This year is a tipping point,” Gartner analyst Thilo Koslowski told The Wall Street Journal. “There has been a lot of talk about apps in cars, but from 2014 forward, the revolution really happens.”

Here are a few features that drivers can expect to find in their next work truck or van:

4G high-speed Internet: Next year, GM and Audi are set to release automobiles with high-speed Internet and touch-screen dashboards, so drivers won’t even need to look at their smartphones.

In-car app store: BMW is developing an app store, similar to the iTunes App Store, to enable users to purchase mobile apps for their vehicles.

Vehicle data tracking: Automobile manufacturers are working with software developers to pull data from the cars themselves, such as MPG data, idling information as well as driver behaviour.

With these high-tech updates, field service engineers should no longer be stranded without a connection. Of course as with other advances in telematics this will also lead to bigger improvements in driver safety.

However, despite all of these improvements to vehicles the fact remains that distracted driving is inevitable — whether it’s checking an urgent text message from the boss or mopping up spilled coffee — any field service manager would be hard-pressed to find a member of their team that hasn’t experienced a time when their eyes weren’t exactly glued to the road.

 

While not a comforting thought, it’s a reality for field service technicians who are juggling full schedules, heavy traffic and route navigation, to name a few.

Yet, this very human issue of distracted driving may soon be a thing of the past. Recently Google showed off a prototype of its self-driving car, a vehicle without a steering wheel, gas or brake pedal, “because they don’t need them,” Google announced.

While the current prototype can only go as fast as 25 mph, the promise for the future of fleet management could include better route and fuel efficiency, safer driving, and giving field service engineers the ability to answer email and work while on the road.

For urban fleets, the vehicle could even drop the field tech off at the service location, go find parking for itself and then be summoned to pick the tech up once the call is finished. This scenario, however, is contingent on the California Department of Motor Vehicles (and then beyond) adjusting their regulations for autonomous vehicles to allow them to travel without a licensed human driver behind the wheel.

“Ever since we started the Google self-driving car project, we’ve been working toward the goal of vehicles that can shoulder the entire burden of driving,”  Chris Urmson, director of Google’s Self-Driving Car Project. “Just imagine: You can take a trip downtown at lunchtime without a 20-minute buffer to find parking. Seniors can keep their freedom even if they can’t keep their car keys. And drunk and distracted driving? History.”

One challenge to overcome whilst we await for the robot car revolution is that while night driving is inevitable, it comes with an increase in safety risks for drivers.

Well-lit roads are vital for preventing accidents and keeping drivers safe, but governments have struggled with the costs of maintaining street lamps. In the Netherlands, for example it has been reported in the government is shutting down streetlights at night to save money.

To solve this, designer Daan Roosegaarde has partnered with Heijmans, a Dutch civil engineering firm, to create interactive highways that are lit at night with luminescent paint that allows them to glow in the dark. Says Roosegaard, “This road is about safety and envisaging a more self-sustainable and more interactive world.”

A 500-meter stretch of a Dutch highway is the first real-world test case for these technologies.

The green glow in the dark paint charges in the daylight and can glow for up to 8 hours at night. However, the project still has some questions to be asked b efore being accepted as a viable alternative to elective lighting. For example, does the product perform on short winter days and long nights or under overcast and cloudy conditions?

Regardless it seems certain that the future of fleet management is set to see changes in the near future.

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.

The generous host for the event was Unisys, coordinated by Alistair Martin, who ensured guests were treated to first class refreshments and facilities at the Customer Services Centre in Milton Keynes

Clara Downton, Steve’s second eldest daughter opened the session with a touching message from the Downton family reflecting on the spirit of the occasion and how proud Steve would have been to see the passion that was on show. Steve’s widow Kate, was guest of honour and engaged with old friends and new community members throughout the event.

The agenda had been deliberately paced to pack in many presentations and practitioner case studies to showcase the Community at its best. We were not disappointed.

“Transforming for Tomorrow” kicked off the presentations in earnest. Pitney Bowes’ Field Service Management Andy Beer and Mark King shared a fascinating case study of how they deployed a service application to avoid meaningless data and to provide real-time information to ensure that their field service team were truly optimised.

To follow this punchy opening, would take something special, luckily Mark Rawding of Coca Cola Enterprises was ready for the challenge. Mark’s insight into deploying technology for customer satisfaction, dovetailed perfectly with the Pitney Bowes’ experience. The key messages of Mark’s success were appropriate for a mobile application; focus on device selection and engage more with the customer. Both these opening presentations generated great interest from the audience, with pertinent questions and full engagement a true indicator that the sessions had nit the mark.

The Service Community welcomed Martin Gilday to the stage. Martin, SVP at Elekta (manufacturers of medical equipment) recounted his memories of Steve as he blended the importance of effective knowledge management at Elekta with personal experiences from his long services career. The content and relaxed delivery kept the audience captivated and carried us effortlessly to the halfway mark. The networking opportunity of the Community is a key feature that Steve understood to be one of the value-added benefits of the organisation; this was underscored by the lively discussions and interactions that ensued throughout the break.

 

The penultimate presentation got underway, Martin Summerhayes picked up without missing a beat, deliberating about the reality of field service practices, describing what is known at Fujitsu as the ‘infinity loop’ of the service cycle. His interactive style ensured that Martin gained optimal feedback as he demonstrated why he has been invited to speak on several occasions at the Service Community events.

Incredibly after what was aptly described as a ‘marathon sprint’ the final presentation was underway. Graeme Coyne of Siemens hit a chord as he described the challenges of inspiring the next generation of Service Engineers and producing a powerful service operation. The audience responded energetically, asking hard hitting questions about how to relate to young people in a way to attract them into the service industry. It was a lively conclusion to the formal presentations and generated relevant content for a future meeting.

This packed Special Event easily delivered on its objectives, whilst the energy and involvement of the guests certainly demonstrated that active participation is the only type that matters. Chris Farnath of Allocate Software chaired the event and wrapped the formal session. As indicated ahead of the event, he then invited interested guests to debate the future direction of the Service Community. As a testimony to the success of the proceedings, nearly three quarters of the guests remained for the break-out session, where it became very clear, very quickly that the Service Community had relevance, longevity and a unique position to offer service professionals.

The content of the meetings is the life-blood of The Community, followed closely by the generosity of participants to offer facilities and key skills such as PR, marketing promotion or other services that will keep The Service Community alive. To this point, the next event is scheduled for September – date to be confirmed.

Zero-hour contracts have long been a contentious issue, with arguments back and forth about why they are or aren’t good for both business and employees. And it looks like an issue that isn’t going away anytime soon. Robert Williams, VP Sales, UK&I, ClickSoftware explains more...

Just recently the Business Secretary Vince Cable announced a ban on exclusivity contracts in a bid to give employees the opportunity to seek additional work elsewhere. It had meant if people were working on zero-hour contracts, they couldn’t seek additional work, inevitably leaving some people short if they didn’t get enough hours from that employer.

So why are zero-hour contracts such a contentious issue and is it simply a case of employers looking to have the most efficient workforce possible?

Well first and foremost it isn’t just an argument around employers being right or wrong to use them. The real point of conversation is how beneficial they are in the long-run. Of course you get the instant saving on resource by reducing your commitment to long-term staffing costs. But what if you sign a big piece of business or a product flies off the shelves faster than you can replenish the stock. The major business around zero contract hours is that they are rarely based on long-term forecasting, leaving companies vulnerable for changes in their market which, with some decent planning, can be accounted for in a good forecasting model.

Now it is also true that you cannot have a bloated workforce that is operating inefficiently just in case resource is needed. I suspect many businesses have been operating this way for years and adopted zero-hour contracts to counterbalance a huge excess in the level of resource and productivity. Yet going from one extreme to the other isn’t the best way to solve this problem. Instead, there should be a middle ground whereby careful analysis is conducted and factored into a detailed resource plan.

This plan could then identify where zero-hour contracts have a continual benefit for both employer and employee. For example, if you are a business which traditionally sees seasonal peaks and troughs in the level of resource coupled with personnel that tend to be short term and high churn, then zero-hour contracts are absolutely a viable option to ensure you have the most optimised staff possible.

For those high churn positions where you know you will see people coming and going in roles, there is little need to go the extra mile to keep them motivated as more often than not, those people will only have a fleeting relationship with the company. Where zero-hour contracts become more problematic is when they are applied to job roles which see less churn and are more skilled. With this sub-set of the workforce, there is an intangible benefit of keeping them engaged and motivated. At the heart of this is fostering an environment where they feel valued and wanted. Identifying this real engine room of the business is where good planning comes into play again.

 

This does entail a central planning function which can identify these incidents and then be capable of implementing the new staffing solutions, but this is something successful companies are doing. Having all of this in place will give you an optimised and diversified workforce that is equipped to change with the market. So if one section needs to be upscaled, then that can be taken from another part of the business where it is less critical.

With this best practice in place the benefits of having an engaged and motivated workforce will become apparent. The days of a job for life may be coming to an end, but you can still certainly engender a sense of loyalty from staff whilst they are there. Planning the way they are deployed and in which roles, is a primary way of doing this.

For employers, the good news is that technology has never been able to offer them more insights than it does today. From timesheets to smart devices, there is a whole range of data that can be crunched and fed into a system that comes up with the best answer. It’s new of course, and not absolutely perfect, but is surely a wiser path to take than simply employing too many people or using zero-contract hours to provide a rudimentary solution on a week-by-week basis.