We’ve been a busy bunch over the last few months bouncing around the globe trying to keep on top of the rapid developments within the field service sector and cherry picking the top solutions. From Singapore to Sweden and from California to...
ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘features’ CATEGORY
Jul 08, 2019 • Features • Management • Future of field servcice • Field Service Management Solutions • localz • Mira • Augmentir
We’ve been a busy bunch over the last few months bouncing around the globe trying to keep on top of the rapid developments within the field service sector and cherry picking the top solutions.
From Singapore to Sweden and from California to Coventry and everywhere in between - where there has been an opportunity to learn more about developments in field service we’ve been there. As such we’ve spoken to more field service management professionals and field service solution providers than anyone else on the planet and we think we’ve a pretty good idea of what the solutions the industry is most keen to see and the companies that have emerged to deliver the solutions that meet those needs.
So without further a do here is our list of three of the best new solution providers service the Field Service Sector who have really impressed us across the last 12 months...
Localz
You can’t go to a conference, not just in field service, but in any sector and avoid the term Uberization. Within our sector alone there has been endless articles, white papers and presentations on how to ‘Uberize’ field service. Half of these are just focused on what the hell Uberization means in the first place.
Well a good place to start is implementing Localz, which can act like a plug in to go on top of whichever flavour of FSM or scheduling tool you have and deliver a very cool end customer interface that allows them to see the ETA of your engineer on route across the last mile.
Localz is capable of a ton of other stuff all centred around ‘Last Mile Communications’ but this really is the Uberization of Field Service many have called out for and with an implementation of weeks it is little wonder the have already secured some very high profile clients like British utilities giant British Gas. Localz can be as lightweight as a plug-in and delivers exactly what the market has been asking for in a brilliant way.
Mira
When Google Glass first came around everyone in the field service sector rushed to embrace it. All the Field Service Management Software guys raced to get the first App developed for it and there were loads of reports of companies doing beta trials everywhere.
Why? Because Hands Free working in field service just makes a massive ton of sense.
However, ultimately as we know the idea was great the technology not so much. And whilst there have been some very good alternatives coming onto the market in the field service sector for a while now, nothing has dominated because the price point for entry is just so high companies are uncertain if they will see a quick ROI if any at all.
Enter Mira who have the potential to absolutely dominate in the sector through a simple, well thought out and smartly designed headset that takes advantage of the fact that pretty much every engineer has a phone in their pocket.
Their headset allows a phone to be placed into the frame, much like the gaming VR headsets such as Samsung’s Gear VR or Google’s Daydream but also gives the user visibility of the real world through a clear display.
The headset itself is exceptionally well thought out and you can see the team behind this product come from a design background - little touches like easily attaching to standardised hard hats for PPE compliance are testament to this. Similarly, as the headset is literally powered by your engineers existing smartphone there is no additional MDM concerns. A low cost, yet effective way to implement AR today.
Augmentir
Sticking with Augmented Reality, the last company on the list is Augmentir, who come with a very strong pedigree and a very neat approach to things.
At first glance, you may be forgiven for thinking that Augmentir are just another of the many Augmented Reality providers that have suddenly noticed the potential in the field service market. However, scratch the service and you will see that there is actually quite a lot more to them than that.
The first thing to pay attention to is who is behind this brand. It is the same team that previously developed ThingWorx, which was ultimately sold to PTC and became the backbone of their IoT solution and recognised as an industry leading solution. They were also responsible for Wonderware which statistically almost two-thirds of our readers from the manufacturing sector will already be using. So when these guys rend to turn their hands to something they have a pretty good track record of getting it right.
However, the really interesting thing about Augmentir is that they’ve gone far beyond the initial approach that many of their peers are offering when it comes to Augmented Reality (AR) and dived straight into an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered approach. In their own words they position themselves as ‘the first software platform built on Artificial Intelligence in the world of the augmented or connected worker.’
This could be a significant game changer in terms of AR being used in field service because it takes the technology beyond its initial use case and into something far, far more useful by leveraging another exciting technology in AI directly alongside it. In fact, as their VP Marketing Chris Kuntz told us they are “a 100% AI first company” who have just been smart enough to realise that AR is the interface that makes most sense for modern field service operations.
From Singapore to Sweden and from California to Coventry and everywhere in between - where there has been an opportunity to learn more about developments in field service we’ve been there. As such we’ve spoken to more field service management professionals and field service solution providers than anyone else on the planet and we think we’ve a pretty good idea of what the solutions the industry is most keen to see and the companies that have emerged to deliver the solutions that meet those needs.
So without further a do here is our list of three of the best new solution providers service the Field Service Sector who have really impressed us across the last 12 months...
Localz
You can’t go to a conference, not just in field service, but in any sector and avoid the term Uberization. Within our sector alone there has been endless articles, white papers and presentations on how to ‘Uberize’ field service. Half of these are just focused on what the hell Uberization means in the first place.
Well a good place to start is implementing Localz, which can act like a plug in to go on top of whichever flavour of FSM or scheduling tool you have and deliver a very cool end customer interface that allows them to see the ETA of your engineer on route across the last mile.
Localz is capable of a ton of other stuff all centred around ‘Last Mile Communications’ but this really is the Uberization of Field Service many have called out for and with an implementation of weeks it is little wonder the have already secured some very high profile clients like British utilities giant British Gas. Localz can be as lightweight as a plug-in and delivers exactly what the market has been asking for in a brilliant way.
Mira
When Google Glass first came around everyone in the field service sector rushed to embrace it. All the Field Service Management Software guys raced to get the first App developed for it and there were loads of reports of companies doing beta trials everywhere.
Why? Because Hands Free working in field service just makes a massive ton of sense.
However, ultimately as we know the idea was great the technology not so much. And whilst there have been some very good alternatives coming onto the market in the field service sector for a while now, nothing has dominated because the price point for entry is just so high companies are uncertain if they will see a quick ROI if any at all.
Enter Mira who have the potential to absolutely dominate in the sector through a simple, well thought out and smartly designed headset that takes advantage of the fact that pretty much every engineer has a phone in their pocket.
Their headset allows a phone to be placed into the frame, much like the gaming VR headsets such as Samsung’s Gear VR or Google’s Daydream but also gives the user visibility of the real world through a clear display.
The headset itself is exceptionally well thought out and you can see the team behind this product come from a design background - little touches like easily attaching to standardised hard hats for PPE compliance are testament to this. Similarly, as the headset is literally powered by your engineers existing smartphone there is no additional MDM concerns. A low cost, yet effective way to implement AR today.
Augmentir
Sticking with Augmented Reality, the last company on the list is Augmentir, who come with a very strong pedigree and a very neat approach to things.
At first glance, you may be forgiven for thinking that Augmentir are just another of the many Augmented Reality providers that have suddenly noticed the potential in the field service market. However, scratch the service and you will see that there is actually quite a lot more to them than that.
The first thing to pay attention to is who is behind this brand. It is the same team that previously developed ThingWorx, which was ultimately sold to PTC and became the backbone of their IoT solution and recognised as an industry leading solution. They were also responsible for Wonderware which statistically almost two-thirds of our readers from the manufacturing sector will already be using. So when these guys rend to turn their hands to something they have a pretty good track record of getting it right.
However, the really interesting thing about Augmentir is that they’ve gone far beyond the initial approach that many of their peers are offering when it comes to Augmented Reality (AR) and dived straight into an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered approach. In their own words they position themselves as ‘the first software platform built on Artificial Intelligence in the world of the augmented or connected worker.’
This could be a significant game changer in terms of AR being used in field service because it takes the technology beyond its initial use case and into something far, far more useful by leveraging another exciting technology in AI directly alongside it. In fact, as their VP Marketing Chris Kuntz told us they are “a 100% AI first company” who have just been smart enough to realise that AR is the interface that makes most sense for modern field service operations.
Jul 08, 2019 • Features • Parcel Holders • Parts Pricing and Logistics
Ed Fraser, Managing Director at Parcel Holders responds to a Field Service News article on spare parts being the "black sheep" of the sector and wonders what role the supply chain will play in parts logistics...
Ed Fraser, Managing Director at Parcel Holders responds to a Field Service News article on spare parts being the "black sheep" of the sector and wonders what role the supply chain will play in parts logistics...
Following on from Kris Oldland's informed piece about parts management labelled the ‘black sheep’ of the service industry, I’d like to reflect on this constantly shifting sector of the service industry, discuss what’s available (and most often used), and offer some solutions.
As MD of a company which was set up to solve problems associated with getting parts to engineers, I can sympathise with the issues faced by parts managers - there are just so many ways to manage parts, and to get them where they need to be. Maybe you’ve just got to grips with one method when your engineers or boss start suggesting something else entirely! We know it can take a while for us mere humans to catch up with today’s constant change in technological innovation.
Let’s face it, technology has made much of the world and how we interact with it, almost unrecognisable to that of 20, even ten years ago. Some of us even remember flicking on a light switch to activate the tungsten element in a spherical bulb! Halogen bulbs, mini fluorescent tubes, long-lasting energy efficient LEDs… now, if we have Alexa, we don’t even need to lift a finger to illuminate a room. The way we socialise, watch TV, drink coffee, light, heat and cool our spaces, and pay for it all, presents us with a vast arena of change and choice.
But is change just due to technological innovation? Well, I would argue it has just as much to do with development in laws surrounding regulation.
Remember those dirty words: CFC gases? Those ozone-depleting nasties? Well, happily of course, they’ve been replaced with more enviro-friendly refrigerant gas. Renewables: wood pellet heaters, solar-electric systems, ground source and air source heat pumps are increasing in popularity. Your client wants the latest ‘green’ thing, it makes them look and feel good. But are your engineers up to installing, maintaining and fixing it? That’s the real challenge, getting the parts to them to do these jobs shouldn’t be.
Now, if your answer to improving service is to increase van stock, then you may have missed the point slightly. Sure, if you’re completely virtually integrated and your engineers are employed to fix one specific brand of machine, then van stock may make a lot of sense. But, for companies looking to win new business where part of the deal is maintaining a portfolio of equipment from a broad and expanding range of manufacturers, then van stock can easily become obsolete. It’s a burden on your service rather than an asset.
It's worth asking whether metrics show if doubling the van stock you can confidently predict doubling first time fix rates. If the answer is no, then this would indicate increasing vanstock is putting your business on a path to Malthus’s l law of diminishing returns. And with continual change in the marketplace, this method of managing parts is only going to get harder and more costly. Nonetheless, common sense will tell us there are certain things that the field tech shouldn’t turn up to a job without. But the more we stock the more we are depending on knowing the future and the further we get from the ‘just in time’ work philosophy which is considered a large factor in the meteoric growth of Japan’s economy.
I would argue that the way forward is better phone diagnosis and a faster supply chain. Sourcing parts and negotiating terms with suppliers can be a profession in itself! But if you want to keep this in-house then perhaps parts managers should spend their time sourcing supplies that can meet your business demand rather than stocking up on ‘general’ components that are increasingly unlikely to be needed.
Financial institutions are ahead of the curve of course when it comes to revising the value of inventory held by organisations and the potential for them to become obsolete. The new trend is for them to not consider parts held as a financial asset, rather as such, inadmissible as security.
"I would argue that the way forward is better phone diagnosis and a faster supply chain..."
"I would argue that the way forward is better phone diagnosis and a faster supply chain..."
In light of this, many field service businesses are looking to pass back their stock of inventory to primary suppliers. But what they may not realise is that these suppliers are equally reticent to order smaller and smaller batches of parts they may never ship. As such, suppliers are increasingly drop-shipping parts direct, and in doing so, not just saving themselves the threat of investing in static inventory but also saving on the extra logistics of the part travelling to their warehouses, plus the time it takes to stock the inventory only to subsequently pick and package the part once again for re-shipment.
It looks like this trend inevitably leads to more and more complex supply chains that are increasingly hard to manage. All of which makes the ‘holy grail’ of first time fixes ever more elusive.
In addition, sourcing the right part is a very different ball game to getting it into the hands of the engineer that needs it. Most field service businesses make all their revenue charging for the parts and service their engineers provide to their clients. But I’d argue that product complexity and increases in regulation mean that the scope of equipment an engineer could have at one time ‘tried their hand at’, has become ever more restricted. This, together with the natural desire to win new business means engineers increasingly work over wider territories. If you’re going to have them return to base to collect parts then during that time on the road, their skills (which you’re paying for) are redundant as they assume the work of expensive same day couriers.
OK, so I’ve thrown out stocked vans and driving to base/depots. What now?
If parts managers want engineers generating income, then they don’t want them sitting at home waiting for parts to be delivered. Sending parts direct to clients sites? It works in some sectors, but the bigger the site, the more this tends to be fraught with problems as parts are mislaid and jobs are delayed, as recipients on front desks fail to report parts’ arrivals. (This method is impractical of course in the domestic market with homes empty during working hours.)
Logistics businesses have seized the opportunity to offer premium solutions for the field service sectors with in-night delivery, forward stocking locations and locker boxes. But, far from simplifying the delivery process, they invariably require the part to travel though their delivery network, protracting an ever lengthening supply chain.
So, what if the supply chain could be turned on its head? What if we take inventory management out of the equation altogether? This at least seems to be making life easier for parts managers. Some are now cutting out the parts journey from supplier to van / home / site / locker box. Instead they are sending parts direct from suppliers and their suppliers, straight to engineers using alternative methods like PUDOs (pick up, drop off points) which are ‘open all hours’ and in convenient locations, within a few miles of engineers’ homes.
Field Service business can rest assured, innovations and change isn’t restricted to physical products. It’s equally providing greater insight into the supply chain than ever previously achieved and minimising the path and time taken for engineers to receive the parts they need. But perhaps in the midst of technological advancement and future-gazing, we may just need the human touch more than ever.
Click here for more information about PUDOs.
Jul 04, 2019 • Features • Artificial intelligence • Asset Maintenance • Homeserve
As machine learning, artificial learning and the Internet of Things play a more prominent role in service is there a danger the human will no longer be needed? Mark Glover spoke to Paul Joesbury at Homeserve, someone who believes it’s only a matter...
As machine learning, artificial learning and the Internet of Things play a more prominent role in service is there a danger the human will no longer be needed? Mark Glover spoke to Paul Joesbury at Homeserve, someone who believes it’s only a matter of time before robots will be fixing our boilers...
Will the asset eventually become more important than the engineer? It’s a question I put to most of the guests when I’m hosting The Field Service Podcast. As a journalist, I get a thrill of throwing a curve ball into interviews, and while it is often patted back with a straight bat by most; Paul Joesbury, Operations Director at utilities firm Homeserve is firmly on the side of technology. In fact, Paul is fought technology’s corner as part of a very juicy debate at Field Service Connect in May entitled, Today’s field service workforce will soon be redundant: The future lies in embracing technology to replace the need for human intervention when he went head-to-head with Anita Tadayon, Optimisation Director at British Gas, who argued for the engineer and technician.
Leading up to the event, I was fortunate enough to record a podcast with Paul where we discussed his views (It must be said at this point – and in the interest of journalistic impartiality – that Anita at British Gas was approached to also record a podcast, but her busy schedule meant it was not a possible) on the role of the human in future service. Straight away, I asked him if indeed, he felt there really would never be a case for human intervention in any area of service. “Certainly, from my perspective I can definitely concur,” he says confidently. “I do believe the asset will be more important than the engineer. I think assets are becoming smarter, I think we’re also seeing associated technologies, whether that be bots or something that’s aligned to the actual asset itself learning from each other.”
As a utilities company, Homeserve has the potential to lead the way in this type of service. “We’re doing a lot in water and boiler technology which I can definitely see it will tell us more about what the problems and faults are and will be less reliant on a human to come and do the diagnosis.” Paul explains.
He continues: “We’ve been having debates with our suppliers around use of drones to deliver parts, boiler diagnoses itself or what the problem is, then actually all we need is that part to be delivered and someone to fit it. It doesn’t need that highly skilled technician. Now obviously there may be certain appliances which do require a certain level of technical ability, however you could take it even further, when assets start fixing them themselves. Now that’s a really experimental concept,” he admits. “but there are things out there, nanobot technology for example, which is very, very clever.” When does he see this fundamental shift taking; where the human ceases to have a place in service? “I definitely think in five years’ time that there will still be humans in service but I think we’ll be doing different roles,” he predicts. “I think the important aspect over the next five years is to learn to trust the technology and equally for the technology to work.
But can the human ever truly be replaced? Surely face to face interaction is just as, if not more important? “Clearly there’s always the human empathy piece, that’s the bit that I haven’t yet seen any of this technology yet replicate to a high standard,” Paul admits. “I think there is still that human interaction. It’s different if you’re a lone worker fitting a part but certainly in our industry, the one I work in which is around going into customers’ homes, there is that empathy and there’s still a human approach to that, and I haven’t seen empathy replicated anywhere particularly well yet.
And perhaps this is where the rub lies and I’m in danger of opening up a bigger debate here beyond service; but nothing will ever truly replace the emotion of a human. That said, with self-driving cars around the corner nothing would really surprise me.
Will the asset eventually become more important than the engineer? It’s a question I put to most of the guests when I’m hosting The Field Service Podcast. As a journalist, I get a thrill of throwing a curve ball into interviews, and while it is often patted back with a straight bat by most; Paul Joesbury, Operations Director at utilities firm Homeserve is firmly on the side of technology. In fact, Paul is fought technology’s corner as part of a very juicy debate at Field Service Connect in May entitled, Today’s field service workforce will soon be redundant: The future lies in embracing technology to replace the need for human intervention when he went head-to-head with Anita Tadayon, Optimisation Director at British Gas, who argued for the engineer and technician.
Leading up to the event, I was fortunate enough to record a podcast with Paul where we discussed his views (It must be said at this point – and in the interest of journalistic impartiality – that Anita at British Gas was approached to also record a podcast, but her busy schedule meant it was not a possible) on the role of the human in future service. Straight away, I asked him if indeed, he felt there really would never be a case for human intervention in any area of service. “Certainly, from my perspective I can definitely concur,” he says confidently. “I do believe the asset will be more important than the engineer. I think assets are becoming smarter, I think we’re also seeing associated technologies, whether that be bots or something that’s aligned to the actual asset itself learning from each other.”
As a utilities company, Homeserve has the potential to lead the way in this type of service. “We’re doing a lot in water and boiler technology which I can definitely see it will tell us more about what the problems and faults are and will be less reliant on a human to come and do the diagnosis.” Paul explains.
He continues: “We’ve been having debates with our suppliers around use of drones to deliver parts, boiler diagnoses itself or what the problem is, then actually all we need is that part to be delivered and someone to fit it. It doesn’t need that highly skilled technician. Now obviously there may be certain appliances which do require a certain level of technical ability, however you could take it even further, when assets start fixing them themselves. Now that’s a really experimental concept,” he admits. “but there are things out there, nanobot technology for example, which is very, very clever.” When does he see this fundamental shift taking; where the human ceases to have a place in service? “I definitely think in five years’ time that there will still be humans in service but I think we’ll be doing different roles,” he predicts. “I think the important aspect over the next five years is to learn to trust the technology and equally for the technology to work.
But can the human ever truly be replaced? Surely face to face interaction is just as, if not more important? “Clearly there’s always the human empathy piece, that’s the bit that I haven’t yet seen any of this technology yet replicate to a high standard,” Paul admits. “I think there is still that human interaction. It’s different if you’re a lone worker fitting a part but certainly in our industry, the one I work in which is around going into customers’ homes, there is that empathy and there’s still a human approach to that, and I haven’t seen empathy replicated anywhere particularly well yet.
And perhaps this is where the rub lies and I’m in danger of opening up a bigger debate here beyond service; but nothing will ever truly replace the emotion of a human. That said, with self-driving cars around the corner nothing would really surprise me.
Jul 03, 2019 • Features • future of field service • IoT
The total installed base of connected devices is projected to amount to 75.44* billion worldwide by 2025, an astonishing five-fold increase in ten years. Mark Glover, plots IoT’s extraordinary evolution, its potential impact for service and asks if...
The total installed base of connected devices is projected to amount to 75.44* billion worldwide by 2025, an astonishing five-fold increase in ten years. Mark Glover, plots IoT’s extraordinary evolution, its potential impact for service and asks if concerns around its governance are being addressed...
The Internet of Things (IoT), another buzz world (and acronym!) is a crucial element of Industry 4.0, or the fourth industrial revolution as it’s also called; the use of data automation and data exchange in modern manufacturing. Loosely described, IoT is everything that is connected to the internet.
However, it’s the increasing ability of devices such as laptops, phone, watches, cars and fridges to “talk” to each other that is coming to define what it actually is. But how does it work? The blood of this digital eco-system is data, and its oxygen is automation. When combined, information is gathered, analysed and acted on producing an outcome. We’ve all probably got an Alexa-type smart device blinking in the corner of our living room or kitchen, our TV knows when to record Game of Thrones and our thermostat remembers when we’re coming home from work so the living room is nice and toasty but as much as your fridge sending you a text to tell you you’re out of milk is handy, it’s in the realm of service that IoT can really make an impact.
On the surface, its potential is enormous. I often write about the asset becoming more important than the engineer and enjoy the debate that comes from such a statement. Yet, with machine learning, AI and in particular IoT it’s looking more and more likely that eventually, at some point, the role of the human in service could go all together. The smart asset – a wind turbine, for example – could flag-up a fault through a sensor, communicate with another turbine about the failure, who could respond with a solution, without the need for an on-site engineer.
This, example, I admit is rather woolly, but you get the idea; the potential is huge and in the industrial sector its impact is starting to be felt. Research conducted by PwC on US manufacturers’ attitudes towards digitization revealed 70% of those surveyed predict to be at a stage of digital advancement by 2020, compared with 33% currently. Furthermore, those firms are investing $907 billion annually on greater connectivity and smart factories suggesting, firms are realising the financial benefits of such technology. However, with all disruptions there comes challenges.
"On the surface, its potential is enormous..."
A report from Gartner in 2014, around the time the IoT enthusiasm was building, checked the momentum slightly by highlighting issues around security and consumer privacy. Given the vast amount of data being shared by the possibility of a breach could have severe consequences. On the flip-side data collected on consumers and their behaviour is another area for concern. And while data collection can enhance a company’s ability to provide better services, any sort of mis-hap can in-turn, be just as damaging to firm’s image and the market in general.
Furthermore, as the number of connected devices increase real-time processses could be affected as storage and security requirements widen Five years on, where are we with IoT governance? Gartner’s 2018 report Top Strategic IoT Trends and Technologies Through 2023 suggested that some sort of protocol was essential. “As the IoT continues to expand,” the report’s summary read, “the need for a governance framework that ensures appropriate behaviour in the creation, storage, use and deletion of information related to IoT projects will become increasingly important.
Governance ranges from simple technical tasks such as device audits and firmware updates to more complex issues such as the control of devices and the usage of the information they generate. CIOs must take on the role of educating their organizations on governance issues and in some cases invest in staff and technologies to tackle governance.” There’s no doubting the potential of IoT. As mentioned, it can truly change the way service is delivered.
However, citing the statistic in the standfirst of this article, 75 billion devices are projected to be connected by 2025 and with that, the potential for. It’s the role of all firms, from the top-down to ensure they’re ring-fenced accordingly.
* https://www.statista.com/statistics/471264/iot-number-of-connected-devices-worldwide/
Jul 02, 2019 • Features • Software & Apps • Aftermarket • field service • software and apps • Trimble • Trimble Pulse
Jun 28, 2019 • Features • Cognito iQ • Data Analytics • Future of FIeld Service • Konica MInolta • David Bochenski • Dave Webb • Ged Cranny
It is often said that data will be the true currency of future businesses across all sectors, but have we already reached a point where the seamless flow of data within an organisation is now essential for effective service delivery?
It is often said that data will be the true currency of future businesses across all sectors, but have we already reached a point where the seamless flow of data within an organisation is now essential for effective service delivery?
Want to know more? There is a video with Konica Minolta's Head of Direct Service, Ged Cranny outlining how they have revolutionised their business through data analytics available exclusively to fieldservicenews.com subscribers on the link below...
sponsored by:
Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this content...
In modern field service, it is impossible to ignore the power of data and its potential to drive businesses forward.
One company that has been able to harness that power effectively to push their own service delivery levels to new levels of efficiency, has been print and copy giant Konica Minolta and in a forthcoming exclusive Field Service News webcast we were joined by Ged Cranny, Head of Direct Service for Konica Minolta as well as Dave Bochenski and David Webb of Cognito iQ - the organisation providing Konica Minolta with the tools that have allowed them to fully embrace data-driven service.
Cranny often speaks about the importance of transparency that adopting such a data-centric approach has yielded and how such visibility has empowered important conversations around their service delivery in multiple layers across the organisation - and it is the seamless flow of data across an organisation that is crucial to being able to reach such levels of transparency across the various business units within an organisation.
So is this smooth movement of data across different divisions within an organisation the fundamental building block of modern service excellence?
Have we now reached a point where it is imperative for field service businesses to break down the data silos that often exist within their systems in order to remain competitive?
“I think transparency of data is important in the service world because service can often be viewed by the rest of the business as something of a dark art,” explains Cranny.
"Transparency of data is important in the service world because service can often be viewed by the rest of the business as something of a dark art.."
This is indeed true for a vast majority of organisations. Whilst for those of us engaged within the sector, we can absolutely see the key strategic importance of having an effective and efficient field service operation, which increasingly can become a significant contributor to overall revenues, the fact remains that within many organisations field service is all too often still viewed merely as a necessary evil and something that is a huge red line on the P&L sheets.
However, by being able to clearly outline the various complexities and benefits of a field service operation, supported by robust, accurate data that can be viewed in real-time, it is far easier to make the case as to why field service should be a key area of strategic focus within any customer-centric organisation.
“One of the most important things for me when we got the data from Cognito iQ during the trial phase, was that we were able to show it to our Financial Director and Managing Director and straight away they were able to see the value of that data across the business. Essentially it took away the ‘dark art’ element of what we do,” Cranny continues.
However, it is not just at the exec level that such visibility into the data can have an impact. Right across an organisation, there are wins to be had from being able to share data-led insights with various different stakeholders.
“We’ve actually opened up the data to anybody who wants to look into the top level figures within the business. For example, our CX manager can see the information relevant to customer satisfaction levels. In fact, anybody can see how we are performing on any given day, in terms of how well we are meeting our SLAs. That openness has led to much more informed questions to us in the service department, which in turn raises the level of both our service engineers and our service managers,” Cranny explains.
“It is absolutely key that service organisations are able to harness field service teams as a whole and that they really encourage collaboration around the data,” concurs Webb.
“I think that is the nature of the world that we are operating in now. It is no longer the preserve of the management teams to manage the customer experience, to manage the performance of the business and to worry about all the dimensions of success for an organisation - it is now down to all contributors.”
"Openness and transparency are key, but also the way in which you engage teams in the discussion around that performance is critical..."
Field Service engineers are the people that interact the most closely with the customers and the old adage of the customer advisor is absolutely true today. Therefore being able to share with the engineers the impact that their contribution is having on the overall performance of the operation, to ensure that you have that openness of communication is hugely important.”
“What I’ve seen Ged and his team at Konica Minolta do so effectively is to make that performance discussion about the process in the operation. It is far less about people and far more about their contribution to the process and identifying those aspects of a process that are failing or that could be improved.”
“So openness and transparency are key, but also the way in which you engage teams in the discussion around that performance is critical.”
“If you use good data badly, then you’ll only get to use it once, if you use it well then the reality is it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, you get to see a continuous performance improvement mindset emerging within your teams - which makes a huge difference to the overall business.”
This of course also frees up management teams who can then offer a huge amount of value in other areas of the business as well such as new business development, key account management and other more strategic aspects of the role.
Essentially by freeing these key personnel up from the day to day service delivery, they are able to focus purely on management by exception around the operation and then really focus on where the next business development role is coming from and how they can contribute - essentially making the service operation come alive for their business development colleagues when they are dealing with prospects and customers.
Of course, this is the optimal end goal. However, it is not necessarily a simple path for an organisation to follow. It is clear that the relationship between Konica Minolta and Cognito IQ is one which is well grounded in a level of trust and openness and there is a clear willingness from both sides to work in tandem to help Konica Minolta unlock the insights held within their data.
But how much weight falls on the shoulders of a solution provider to be able to guide their clients on that path, and how much responsibility does the field service organisation have for plotting their own path themselves?
“I think the answer ultimately here is that it really depends on the dynamics within the relationship in any given scenario and either can have contributions on that level,” comments Bochenski when the topic comes up.
"If you can harness the data then the rewards are absolutely there..."
”It is certainly true that data is the new arms race within business and being able to marshal and gain insights into that data is really what can drive benefits and opportunities for you to beat your competition. If you can harness the data then the rewards are absolutely there,” he adds.
“That then comes into the two sides. You can have some insights yourself, but it also helps to have someone from the outside also looking at things that perhaps you might not have seen within your own data - sometimes companies can become a bit tunnel visioned about their data without that external viewpoint.”
“I see the role of service providers being to help with platforms to bring that data into a place where meaningful insight can be drawn from it - to establish one place where companies can access all of their data through APIs etc.”
“Then, when we have that the flow of data from different parts of the business available, a solution provider can not only help you access it, but also glean additional insights that you might not have necessarily got yourself.”
“Another benefit is that the data is also available to other parts of the business and often I find that when you have established this kind of structure within your data, you have emergent things happen that you may not have initially anticipated.”
“Essentially, if you have two different people looking at the same piece of data, very often you can find something that neither of them would have seen were they only looking at the data on their own.”
This is a hugely salient point as often companies are able to unearth unexpected value within their data - sometimes that can help them improve their own processes, but equally it can be insight that is intrinsically valuable for their clients as well - leading to ways to further increase an organisations stickiness with their customers, or even opening up completely new revenue streams entirely.
Indeed, the benefit of breaking down information silos within a business does appear to be perhaps one of the most crucial tasks field service organisations must undertake in today’s world of data-led field service.
By working alongside CognitoiQ Konica Minolta certainly seem to be an excellent example of a company that has achieved that and they are now positioned to reap the rewards of that forward.
Want to know more? There is a video with Konica Minolta's Head of Direct Service, Ged Cranny outlining how they have revolutionised their business through data analytics available exclusively to fieldservicenews.com subscribers on the link below...
sponsored by:
Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this content...
Jun 28, 2019 • Features • bybox • Parts Pricing and Logistics
Claudine Mosseri, General Manager, ByBox reflects on research that they have recently conducted that shows that in the face of an engineering skills shortage, efficiency in the field service sector is more important than ever...
Claudine Mosseri, General Manager, ByBox reflects on research that they have recently conducted that shows that in the face of an engineering skills shortage, efficiency in the field service sector is more important than ever...
There is a serious shortage of skilled engineers in the UK, despite the government declaring last year to be the ‘Year of Engineering’ in a bid to recruit more engineers. However, the difference between supply and demand is worsening year-on-year.
According to one Government study, businesses would need to recruit around 186,000 skilled engineers by 2024 to bridge the gap. Between 20% - 30% of all UK engineers are employed in facilities management (FM), so this is particularly concerning for the sector.
With such a dramatic shortage, facilities management companies have to make sure the engineers they do have are making the best possible use of their time; working efficiently and effectively. But this is far from the truth.
ByBox’s research of the major FM service providers reveals that engineers spend more time sourcing parts from wholesalers; whether it be driving to, waiting in store or on site for deliveries than they do actually fixing plant.
In an industry facing a critical skills shortage, why are we allowing highly-skilled and paid engineers to spend more time shopping than fixing?
Our research shows that the distribution of spare parts to sites is seriously flawed, often relying on the engineer to pick up the spare from the wholesaler, on the way to site having understood the problem over the phone or through using remote monitoring equipment. Or the engineer may travel to site, diagnose the issue and then drive to the wholesalers.
This problem is increased by regular payment issues when the engineers get to a wholesaler. Sometimes the supplier has put the FM or M&E company on ‘stop’ – meaning that the engineer may have to visit several suppliers before they can purchase a part.
Or the FM company’s finance team won’t allow the engineer to purchase an expensive part because the client organisation is behind with their payments. The engineer is stuck between the client and their own employer’s procurement and finance team.
All of which is demotivating and frustrating for the engineer leading to potential recruitment and retention problems for the service provider in an industry already facing a skills shortage. And it can lead to maverick purchasing by engineers which causes the supply chain further issues.
"Our research shows that the distribution of spare parts to sites is seriously flawed..."
All of these issues led FM providers to give an average satisfaction rating for engineer productivity of 6.3/10, the lowest score in our research, indicating the depth of the problem. But there is a recognition in the FM sector that things need to change.
The FM firms ByBox spoke to for the report had five key recommendations:
• The centralisation of the procurement and distribution of M&E spares;
• Greater reliability and proactivity from the supply chain to be able to source parts from one location before the day starts;
• More standardisation of assets and parts within buildings including architects, specifiers and construction firms stopping installing systems manufactured / maintained by one-man bands where any spares come from a single source supplier;
• The ability to store more critical spares in a fixed location close to site;
• Better use of CAFM systems to manage inventory at site level, improving the use of data to better forecast break fixes / predictive-based maintenance.
Through this research we have found opportunities to streamline the procurement, forecasting and distribution of spares.
The industry needs to review its inefficiencies from standardisation to improved data analysis to ensure inventory is controlled, distribution spend is reduced and engineers are fixing more, not running around shopping for spares.
Click here for your free copy of the white paper visit.
Jun 27, 2019 • Features • Management • Software & Apps • FieldAware • Service Evolution • Software and Apps • Customer Satisfaction and Expectations
Frankie Guynes, Customer Success Manager of FieldAware outlines what field service organisations should consider before making the next move in their field service maturity planning...
Frankie Guynes, Customer Success Manager of FieldAware outlines what field service organisations should consider before making the next move in their field service maturity planning...
You might think I am biased, but I truly believe that my Customer Success team has the best job. Why? Because that job allows us to participate in our client’s growth and success. Each day, we guide our clients to overcome all types of obstacles, ensuring they are getting everything they need from their field service solution. In fact, identifying these obstacles together, and supporting the client through their own individual maturity model is what ultimately makes the difference in their organisations.
To explain better: we work with clients who are at various stages of field service maturity. We use a well-established model which outlines five stages. By identifying a client’s current stage, we can more succinctly consult with clients on process improvements and activities that will progress them through the stages of maturity.
The stages start at basic, reactive business operations moving to more transformative business operations. The obstacles faced by these businesses are different; varying from lack of standard processes, poor change management, or inadequate technology. We focus on overcoming these obstacles, and the role that can play to advance an organisation to a market leader in their industry.
Wherever an organisation is in their field service maturity, what matters most is for the organisation to: map out a quick-path-to-value in their current stage of maturity, visualise where they want to be in the maturity model, and execute on operational changes that move the organisation to that goal.
The Right Fit Software
My team is greeted by many organisations that are “getting by” with existing technologies and processes. These technologies and processes are typically born from gaps in business processes as their business continues to grow. When technologies are deployed from necessity, organisations find themselves unable to scale; hampered by these disparate processes.
Although there are many factors that are involved in an organisation’s maturity stage, it is without question that the effectiveness of their technology is highly impactful. With technology as a cornerstone to success for an organisation’s maturity, organisations need to evaluate software based on the current state and the goal state for their business.
"The effectiveness of their technology is highly impactful..."
This doesn’t mean to implement technology well beyond the organisation’s current field service maturity, making change management and success difficult to achieve. Rather, find software that stretches beyond the current maturity stage and that allows the organisation to evolve within the technology.
The Path to Success
A fundamental step to success is for field service leaders to invest time to map out the current state of their organisation, along with a clear vision of the goal state. They must ensure that the technology for which they invest can evolve and support the business through their own field service operational maturity.
Mapping out the current state of the organisation consists of three activities. First, carry out a need’s assessment with an honest evaluation of current inefficiencies in organisational processes. Then, evaluate how current technology could evolve to support organisational changes, and finally, take a critical look at the decision-making process of investing in new technology.
Making the Next Move
This exercise inevitably means greater knowledge of your business; its operations and areas that are preventing the organisation from increased growth or value. It is essential to identify,
document, and “well-circulate” the goal state of the organisation and the measurements that will be used by leaders to identify success in these metrics.
When tackling this, it can help by focusing on the business goal and work backwards from that point. For example, delivering added-value to customers is a priority for many organisations, so it is given that operational changes should support this, and technology developments should enable it. Therefore, starting with this end point will mean a greater understanding of how the business can deliver this customer value successfully and consistently and what that looks like.
Use What you Have
Mapping out your current state will also uncover if you are making the most of your current technology. An important part of my role is to ensure our team is helping clients get everything they need from the solution. This means all software releases are communicated and demonstrated through solutioning sessions. It means new users are fully trained, and advanced solutions on the platform are well implemented.
In the end, I advise organisations to seek guidance from software experts to help with the journey. Transformative technologies can be difficult to navigate and implement into an organisation’s business processes. Find a technology partner that well identifies your organisational maturity path and that will help evolve your field service maturity from concept to reality.
This exercise inevitably means greater knowledge of your business; its operations and areas that are preventing the organisation from increased growth or value. It is essential to identify,
document, and “well-circulate” the goal state of the organisation and the measurements that will be used by leaders to identify success in these metrics.
When tackling this, it can help by focusing on the business goal and work backwards from that point. For example, delivering added-value to customers is a priority for many organisations, so it is given that operational changes should support this, and technology developments should enable it. Therefore, starting with this end point will mean a greater understanding of how the business can deliver this customer value successfully and consistently and what that looks like.
Use What you Have
Mapping out your current state will also uncover if you are making the most of your current technology. An important part of my role is to ensure our team is helping clients get everything they need from the solution. This means all software releases are communicated and demonstrated through solutioning sessions. It means new users are fully trained, and advanced solutions on the platform are well implemented.
In the end, I advise organisations to seek guidance from software experts to help with the journey. Transformative technologies can be difficult to navigate and implement into an organisation’s business processes. Find a technology partner that well identifies your organisational maturity path and that will help evolve your field service maturity from concept to reality.
Want to know more about FieldAware? Click here to access their page in the field service directory for more information , articles and resources.
Jun 26, 2019 • Features • Software & Apps • crowdsourcing • manuel grenacher • SAP • Software and Apps
Manuel Grenacher, GM of SAP Service Cloud looks at why field service organisations are increasingly recognizing the potential benefits of the crowdsourcing model within a field service context...
Manuel Grenacher, GM of SAP Service Cloud looks at why field service organisations are increasingly recognizing the potential benefits of the crowdsourcing model within a field service context...
Crowdsourcing is an established trend in the workplace, although primarily known from industries such as software engineering, rideshare platforms or finance in the form of crowdfunding.
However, companies in field service are increasingly recognizing the benefits of this collaboration model for their business strategy. Amongst some of the advantages are a faster processing of service orders or improved customer satisfaction to name just a few.
But why exactly should companies jump on the crowd service bandwagon?
Build a strong ecosystem with skilled partners
By establishing a crowd service concept in their field service management, companies can add as many external technicians to their talent pool as they require in addition to their internal technicians – sourced from its partners and subsidiaries to freelancers.
That way, they create an ecosystem of certified experts performing simple tasks such as installing standardized machines and equipment or replacing cables, but also solving complex issues with specially configured systems or according software. In that case, it is of paramount importance that this expert knowledge is digitally recorded.
"Crowdsourcing is an established trend in the workplace..."
With the support of a partner ecosystem, companies can increase the capacity of their workforce as well as expand their geographical coverage. This is particularly helpful in remote areas or certain countries where it does not make sense to have a full-time employee on standby waiting for service calls or in areas with high demand where companies do not have the capacity to respond to service requests fast enough. Moreover, it gives flexibility despite high volatility in demand and peak times.
Finally, companies can expand their knowledge pool. This is especially important for very specific maintenance and repair tasks of old equipment at a time when highly qualified specialists are becoming rare or they are already retired.
Accelerate the completion of service orders
After having received a service call, the artificial intelligence-based crowd service tool can match the most suitable and qualified technician from the pool with the specific service request. The technicians are selected based on their location, availability and work schedules, required skills and additional criteria that companies can determine individually.
Afterwards, the system sends a request to the technician’s mobile device. The expert can then accept the service job and receive all the information needed for the tasks in the application. Once the assigned tasks have been completed, the technicians receive a fixed payment for their job – and customers can rate the performance the same way they would rate a driver working for a ride-share provider.
Transform customers to fans
So, what is the biggest advantage of crowd service? The improved customer experience for your clients, of course. Benefiting from a larger pool of technicians, companies can respond to service requests faster and reduce the waiting time for their customers.
Moreover, sending the most suitable technician to the job that needs to be done leads to a higher service quality, boosts your first-time fix rate and, therefore, leads to minimized downtimes of mission critical machines and equipment.
This is the decisive moment in customer service: companies need to help their customers to achieve their business goals despite machine or equipment failures.
In return, customers will reward companies with their loyalty.
Manuel Grenacher is GM of SAP Service Cloud.
Finally, companies can expand their knowledge pool. This is especially important for very specific maintenance and repair tasks of old equipment at a time when highly qualified specialists are becoming rare or they are already retired.
Accelerate the completion of service orders
After having received a service call, the artificial intelligence-based crowd service tool can match the most suitable and qualified technician from the pool with the specific service request. The technicians are selected based on their location, availability and work schedules, required skills and additional criteria that companies can determine individually.
Afterwards, the system sends a request to the technician’s mobile device. The expert can then accept the service job and receive all the information needed for the tasks in the application. Once the assigned tasks have been completed, the technicians receive a fixed payment for their job – and customers can rate the performance the same way they would rate a driver working for a ride-share provider.
Transform customers to fans
So, what is the biggest advantage of crowd service? The improved customer experience for your clients, of course. Benefiting from a larger pool of technicians, companies can respond to service requests faster and reduce the waiting time for their customers.
Moreover, sending the most suitable technician to the job that needs to be done leads to a higher service quality, boosts your first-time fix rate and, therefore, leads to minimized downtimes of mission critical machines and equipment.
This is the decisive moment in customer service: companies need to help their customers to achieve their business goals despite machine or equipment failures.
In return, customers will reward companies with their loyalty.
Manuel Grenacher is GM of SAP Service Cloud.
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.
Leave a Reply