In the third and final article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Praxedo, we look at the role of technology in empowering technicians to enhance customer relationships.
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Sep 29, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • Software and Apps • GLOBAL • Praxedo
In the third and final article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Praxedo, we look at the role of technology in empowering technicians to enhance customer relationships.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 Praxedo who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Equipping field technicians with a mobile app gives you additional opportunities to increase efficiency. But it does much more than that. A mobile app is key to delivering the extremely high service levels needed to enhance customer relationships and differentiate from the competition.
The app runs on any mobile device, and is connected to the software used in the office. It gives technicians anytime, anywhere access to all of the information they need throughout their day, even when they’re working in locations without cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Technicians have the resources and flexibility they need to work smarter, take on more responsibilities, and increase customer satisfaction at every step throughout their day.
All Schedule and Travel Information is at Technicians' Fingertips
There’s no need for technicians to start their day from the office, or return to the office to check the latest schedules. Technicians can see their appointments, map-based views of the optimal travel routes to job sites, and detailed work order descriptions at a glance on their mobile device. And they can automatically communicate job progress to office staff by changing their status in the app.
Technicians also have more flexibility to manage their own schedules. If they finish a job early, they can schedule themselves for nearby jobs. They can also create work orders on the spot if new opportunities or require- ments emerge during the day. They can reschedule jobs if needed, and are instantly notified if office staff reschedule a job while they’re on-the-move.
Technicians Arrive On Site Fully Informed and Prepared to Act as a Trusted Advisor
All customer information, including the site address, contact details, and customer history are also available through the app. Before they arrive, technicians can re- view reminders and tips for working at the site, as well as any previous recommendations made to the customer by company sales staff and other technicians. They can also check spare parts availability and locations.
Technicians’ ability to review all of this information while they’re in the field means they always arrive on site fully prepared and equipped to efficiently execute on the job, and to have informed conversations with customers — whether they’re answering questions, reviewing mainte- nance packages, or explaining service options. And there are no delays or mix-ups if customers have multiple sites and different types of equipment.
During the service call, technicians can use the mo- bile app to access real-time solutions to real-time pro- blems. They can check data sheets, technical guides, and checklists of procedures to follow when troubleshooting or repairing specific types of equipment. They can also exchange instant messages and photos with other tech- nicians and company experts to get immediate assistance to challenging problems.
Service Reports are Always Accurate, Complete and Instantly Available
When service is complete, technicians can impress customers by immediately providing the completed electronic service report for validation. The report form includes mandatory fields, and is designed with checkboxes and drop-down lists so it’s fast and easy to complete, and en- sures technicians provide all required information.
Technicians can even collect customers’ electronic signa- tures and attach photos that illustrate the extent of the problem and verify the repair was properly completed.
The Benefits of a Mobile App Really Add Up
At the end of the day, giving technicians a mobile app helps you build every aspect of your business. You can:
- Increase profitability by providing faster, more res- ponsive customer service, improving first-time fix rates, and accelerating billing.
- Differentiate from the competition by empowering technicians to become trusted advisors that add value for customers at each stage of service delivery.
- Grow your business by expanding your relationship with existing customers and attracting new ones through referrals from happy customers.
- Improve technician satisfaction and retention by gi- ving them the flexibility and freedom to take more initia- tive and achieve greater success.
"There's a significant opportunity for field service providers who recognize the difference between serving customers and selling to them. When technicians make informed and helpful recommendations in the field, it must be in the context of providing better service. The worst thing a service organization can do is try to turn their technicians into sellers."
Jim Baston, Field Service Industry Expert
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 Praxedo who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Software and Apps @ www.fieldservicenews.com/software-and-apps
- Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com//leadership-and-strategy
- Learn more about Praxedo @ en.praxedo.com/
- Follow Praxedo on Twitter @ twitter.com/Praxedo
Sep 28, 2021 • Features • research • HSO • Servitization and Advanced Services • CSAT • Customer Service
FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.
FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.
At the same time, the study also explored the digital transformation journey our sector has been on for several years and how this was significantly accelerated due to the pandemic across 2020 and into this year. Having published the results, Dan Snowdon, Danny Wieder and Kevin Brown of HSO joined Field Service News Editor-in-Chief, Kris Oldland to discuss the findings of the study in greater depth.
In this excerpt taken from the second of two in-depth debrief sessions, the group take a moment to discuss why the shift towards servitization is such an appealing move for an increasing number of field service organisations.
Want to know more?
FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute second part of this detailed FSN Research debrief session.
For a limited period, this content will also be available to those on our free-forever, FSN Stanard subscription tier.
If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more.
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, HSO who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this study.
Further Reading:
- Read more exclusive features from FSN Research @ research.fieldservicenews.com/
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/digital-transformation
- Read more about Service Innovation and Design @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/service-innovation-and-design
- Read more about customer service trends @ Features on CSAT trends
- Read more insights from HSO and how they are helping field service companies drive improvements in customer satisfaction and increasing operational efficiency here
- Arrange a consultation to find out how HSO can help your field service business grow by clicking here
Sep 24, 2021 • Features • White Paper • Digital Transformation • IFS • Covid-19 • Remote Services • GLOBAL
In the first article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by IFS, we look at companies that have accelerated adoption of remote services in their operation during the pandemic.
In the first article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by IFS, we look at companies that have accelerated adoption of remote services in their operation during the pandemic.
This feature is just one short excerpt from an white paper recently published by IFS.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 IFS who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
In the midst of COVID, one of the most talked-about and widely leveraged digital toolsets was augmented and merged reality tools that enable remote interaction, collaboration, and service.
In a time of lockdowns and travel restrictions, software that blends two real-time video streams into an interactive environment proved incredibly useful as a business continuity measure for countless businesses, but particularly for field service organizations.
To be fair, many companies had begun using augmented reality and remote assistance technologies prior to the pandemic – but the conditions of COVID rapidly accelerated adoption by those who had not yet considered the role of remote service in their operations. I’ve written about the value proposition of augmented reality for years and am a huge proponent of the impact it can have on remote customer support and resolution, remote diagnosis to increase first-time fix, better utilization of valuable resources, as well as more rapid employee training and knowledge transfer.
What makes for the most interesting conversation today, however, and the purpose of this report is to explore the role remote service will play in a post-COVID world. The
use of the technology when on-site visits are impossible or unsafe is very simple to understand and put into action. What begs a harder question is how organizations who have turned to remote assistance tools for those business continuity purposes will evolve their use of the technology and incorporate it into their overarching service strategy as we move forward. Is it a key enabler of a remote-first service strategy? Or just another tool in the arsenal to improve customer outcomes? This is the question many companies are grappling with as service conditions normalize.
To weigh in on this topic, I invited some of the service leaders I’ve talked with over the last year about their companies’ uses of remote service. On the following pages, we discuss some of the key points related to determining the fit for remote service in your business and how to maximize its potential to create efficiency gains, customer satisfaction, and competitive differentiation.
Beginning the Remote Service Journey
Some of these companies were leveraging remote assistance tools pre-pandemic, others quickly turned to the technology to ensure service could persist throughout the pandemic.
For those who were already leveraging remote assistance, there’s a sense of relief that the investment had been made and that the technology could serve as a means for business continuity in incredibly uncertain times. For those who had the foresight when COVID struck to very quickly get the technology in place, it is clear that it wasn’t an investment made only as a means to survive the pandemic – but a technology that could have both short and long term benefits.
RICOH is one of the companies that had already been leveraging augmented reality before COVID hit but saw use spike 775% when agents and technicians’ normal business practices were impacted. “Originally, we started a Dispatch Avoidance program, now rebranded as Remote Resolution, to focus our service in three key areas (Field Service, Onsite Managed Services, and Commercial Print). All three areas targeted different processes and elements, but in the end, were all primarily focused on shifting support “left” and integrating technology such as augmented reality as part of the process, providing tech to tech support,” says Dr. Marlene R. Kolodziej, DBA, ITIL, Vice President, Centralized Services at RICOH Digital Services. “We did experience an increase in skill set for those resources in the field, since they were potentially supporting devices through augmented reality that they had never supported previously, thereby increasing their knowledge and skills, as well as a shift to increase calls resolved at first level instead of routing to the field.”
While RICOH was able to rely on use of the technology during the pandemic, and therefore saw the 775% spike in use, that rate has normalized now to 150% of pre- pandemic use. “We have also successfully deployed our truck driver MFP Program, using augmented reality with our truck driver delivery program to reduce the deployment of a new MFP from three visits to one. Previously a truck driver would deliver an MFP to the customer, then a field service technician would visit the customer to perform the installation, then the truck driver would return to pick up the old device. Now the truck driver works with our technicians and installs the printer using augmented reality, as well as deliver new/retrieve old MFP, all in the same visit,” says Marlene.
Smart Care Equipment Solutions also had augmented reality in place prior to COVID, but its experience with the technology during the pandemic was far different than RICOH just based on its industry. “We initially invested in the technology because we were looking at two pieces of equipment that had high complexity and a high callback ratio for us: ice machines and combi-ovens in this industry, because remarkably, both of them have electronic controls and both of them have a lot of water with them. There was enough of a gap between those two pieces and all the rest of the equipment and we turned to remote service because we wanted figure out how we could bring the competencies of our trainers, who knew those pieces of equipment well, out to the field more quickly to drive down those callback ratios,” says Gyner Ozgul, COO of Smart Care Equipment Solutions. “We had just kicked this off before the pandemic hit and of course our industry was heavily impacted with restaurant closures. I’m pretty confident that it’s going to have a bigger impact as things normalize.”
Utility FortisBC is an example of a company that turned to remote assistance specifically to adjust to trying to maintain service amidst pandemic circumstances. “We were limited in entry into our customers’ premises,” explains Scott Lowes, Construction Supervisor at FortisBC. “Remote service software has allowed our field employees to continue working and providing the best possible customer experience throughout the pandemic, while increasing their safety and reducing potential exposures.” While FortisBC’s initial use of remote surface stemmed from the pandemic, the organization sees potential for use of the technology far beyond those needs.
"We turned to remote service because we wanted figure out how we could bring the competencies of our trainers, who knew those pieces of equipment well, out to the field more quickly to drive down those callback ratios."
Gyner Ozgul, COO of Smart Care Equipment Solutions
Munters had remote service on its radar before COVID, but it was on the future roadmap of technology investments. When the pandemic struck, the company saw the opportunity to act fast and speed up this portion of its plans as a way to persist through COVID conditions but also set the stage for post-pandemic success. “We’d been researching remote service applications prior to COVID, primarily looking at how to enable third-line support for technicians. When COVID hit, we saw the opportunity to act fast on the use of the technology in a different way, which was directly with customers,” describes Roel Rentmeesters, Director of Global Customer Service at Munters.
The company was able to act adeptly on the potential for remote service, acting fast to select IFS Remote Assistance and deploying it to more than 200 users across 20-plus countries in just two weeks.
“As our initial use unfolded, we quickly realized we could also use the technology in other areas of the business impacted by COVID, For instance, we used remote assistance to open new manufacturing facilities that previously required travel that became restricted. We also recognized the opportunity to use this technology to train junior technicians – if they get stuck on a job, they can interface with a more experienced resource to aid in resolution,” says Roel. “While the initial use began during COVID, it has become embedded in our organization. Does it mean that every technician is using it? No, but customers accept it and welcome it because you give a faster response than you used to be able to do. It’s more efficient because you don’t need to go onsite before you do it. So, it has become part of our daily way of working and our solutions towards customers.”
"We have also successfully deployed our truck driver MFP Program, using augmented reality with our truck driver delivery program to reduce the deployment of a new MFP from three visits to one"
Marlene Kolodziej, Vice President, Centralized Services at RICOH Digital Services
Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions Europe also acted fast to put remote service in place for business continuity during COVID. “Remote assistance was not yet on our road map prior to COVID. The pandemic obviously advanced the need to have something in place pretty quickly. We started this journey with IFS around April of 2020, right at the UK lockdown time. And of course, primarily, we wanted to provide support to customers. We couldn’t dispatch our engineers in the way that we were used to doing, whether that was for direct line product support or some kind of technical support,” says Karl Lowe, Head of Panasonic European Service at Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions Europe. “What we’ve found since we’ve gone live with this technology is that our resolution time has been really quick. We’ve had cases where we’ve had a heating problem in a client’s home, and we’ve been able to use IFS to have the heating operational again within 16 minutes. Normally, that would mean maybe a day’s wait for an engineer to be available and then the engineer would drive to site and then spend some time on site. With remote service, within 16 minutes, the heating is back on and the client is happy. It’s helped us and it’s also helped the client. When it comes to heating, if it’s down and it’s not operating, the customer can’t wait too long before there’s a solution. So, for us, IFS Remote Assistance is key to be able to provide high first-time fix rates, high resolution rates but quickly, so that the downtime is kept to a minimum.”
The company has also been struck by the unique way in which remote service technology allows the sharing and transfer of knowledge in an easily accessible, global manner. “Panasonic has tended to work almost silo by silo or country by country, just because that’s how we’ve been organizationally set up. But what we’ve found with remote assistance is that location doesn’t really matter anymore. As such, we’ve been able to network and link our service organizations together,” explains Karl. “So rather than being a siloed service organization, say for example, the UK, has been able to call in an expert from Panasonic in Germany, obviously language allowing. But bringing them into the call to support them. That enables greater knowledge transfer, which certainly for me, is super important because you do get those technicians that have been in companies for an awful long time, they’ve got a wealth of experience. And it’s difficult sometimes to get that experience out into the younger members of the team, the least experienced guys that are struggling to pick up that knowledge. Where with IFS Remote Assistance, we’ve been able to bring them into calls to provide, again, a quicker solution for the customer but also the engineer learns something at the same time as well."
This feature is just one short excerpt from an e-book recently published by IFS.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full e-book now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 IFS who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Further Reading:
- Read more about IFS on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/ifs
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Remote Service on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/remote-service
- Learn more about IFS @ www.ifs.com
- Learn more about IFS Cloud @ www.ifs.com/ifs-cloud-overview/
- Follow IFS on Twitter @ twitter.com/ifs
Sep 23, 2021 • Features • research • Digital Transformation • HSO • CSAT • Customer Service
FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.
FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.
At the same time, the study also explored the digital transformation journey our sector has been on for several years and how this was significantly accelerated due to the pandemic across 2020 and into this year. Having published the results, Dan Snowdon, Danny Wieder and Kevin Brown of HSO joined Field Service News Editor-in-Chief, Kris Oldland to discuss the findings of the study in greater depth.
In this excerpt from the second of two in-depth debrief sessions, the group look at the data and discuss if we are seeing an acceleration in the move away from the traditional break-fix approach to service delivery towards more advanced, servitized models?
Want to know more?
FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute second part of this detailed FSN Research debrief session.
For a limited period, this content will also be available to those on our free-forever, FSN Stanard subscription tier.
If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more.
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, HSO who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this study.
Further Reading:
- Read more exclusive features from FSN Research @ research.fieldservicenews.com/
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/digital-transformation
- Read more about Service Innovation and Design @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/service-innovation-and-design
- Read more about customer service trends @ Features on CSAT trends
- Read more insights from HSO and how they are helping field service companies drive improvements in customer satisfaction and increasing operational efficiency here
- Arrange a consultation to find out how HSO can help your field service business grow by clicking here
Sep 22, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • Software and Apps • GLOBAL • Praxedo
In this second feature from a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Praxedo, we look at how the right field service management software for your organisation can massively increase efficiency.
In this second feature from a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Praxedo, we look at how the right field service management software for your organisation can massively increase efficiency.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 Praxedo who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
With cutting-edge field service management software that’s delivered from the cloud, you can access the technologies you need most in a fast, easy, and cost-effective way. You can smoothly evolve from yesterday’s way of working to today’s and tomorrow’s way with minimal dis- ruption and predictable costs.
Work Order Management and Scheduling are Intelligent, Automated, and Consistent
Centralized management of digital work orders streamlines and accelerates work order creation and processing. Work orders are customized for your business and your operations to ensure they match the way you work. And there’s a logical and consistent approach to work order management across your entire organization.
Work order scheduling is also faster, easier, and more intelligent. The software automatically creates the optimal schedule for every technician and every job based on constraints and requirements such as:
• Technician availability
• Technician location
• Skillsets required for the job
• Customer location
• Customer time constraints
• Level of urgency
Travel Routes are Optimised
The software recommends the best travel route to job sites and between job sites, considering factors such as time of day, traffic congestion, and construction. As conditions change throughout the day, you can easily reoptimize and update routes to maintain maximum travel efficiency.
Technicians spend less time on the road, and have fewer travel-related frustrations to deal with. And you can reduce fuel consumption and wear and tear on vehicles.
You're More Connected with Customers
The software also allows you to set up automated emails and notifications so customers are informed in real time as their work order progresses. They know when their job has been scheduled, when technicians are on their way, and when the job is complete, whether they’re present at the job site or not.
"It's much better for customers to know exactly when technicians will arrive rather than having to wait around for hours for someone who finally shows up at the end of the day."
Jim Baston, Field Service Industry Expert
Invoicing is Faster
There’s no need to worry about losing business-critical data. Electronic service reports that are fully customized for your industry, customers, job types, spare parts, and other factors make it fast and easy for technicians to cap- ture all required data while they’re still in the field. Tech- nicians can complete the service report on their mobile device and immediately send it back to the office for processing and invoicing.
Because the field service management software seamlessly integrates with your enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), or accounting software, all report data are automatically populated in the system so there’s no need for manual data entry.
Performance is Highly Visible
Real-time reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs) gives you immediate visibility into how work orders are progressing in the field. You can see KPIs, such as the:
-
Number of completed work orders
-
Number of work orders tracking on schedule
-
Actual time to complete work orders
-
Number of work orders that started at the scheduled time
-
Number of work orders meeting service level agreement (SLA) commitments
With historical analysis of these same KPIs, you can identify trends — good and bad — and take the appropriate actions.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 Praxedo who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Software and Apps @ www.fieldservicenews.com/software-and-apps
- Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com//leadership-and-strategy
- Learn more about Praxedo @ en.praxedo.com/
- Follow Praxedo on Twitter @ twitter.com/Praxedo
Sep 21, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • servicemax • Social Media • The View from Academia • Chris Raddats • Severina Cartwright • Katharina Streater
Is social media being woefully underused in our industry, or is it a saturated mass communication tool that lacks the nuance required for effective customer interactions that drive service excellence amongst field service companies? Kris Oldland,...
Is social media being woefully underused in our industry, or is it a saturated mass communication tool that lacks the nuance required for effective customer interactions that drive service excellence amongst field service companies? Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News writes...
Social media has perhaps had a more significant impact on human society than any other technology in our history. It has evolved rapidly from sharing pictures of cute cats to becoming an integral; some may even say insidious aspect of twenty-first-century living.
Rightly or wrongly, almost every aspect of our lives is touched by some form of social media. Regardless of whether you wish we had all just quit at the cat videos or if you've developed turbo-speed thumbs as a Facebook superuser, there is no denying the prevalence of social media.
And yes, social media advertising and PR are now a standard part of any communications strategy. We can confidently say that field service companies are all using social media.
The question is, can we, or indeed, should we be using it more?
In a recent session online discussion group hosted by Field Service News, Drs Severina Cartwright and Chris Raddats of University gave an excellent presentation based on a paper the two had co-authored with Dr Hongfei Liu of Southampton University. The paper outlined the strategic use of social media within business to business marketing.
In her presentation, Dr Cartwright outlined the findings of the paper, which was a review of the current academic literature, and she outlined three key areas that are prevalent in terms of how business-to-business organizations are leveraging social media.
These were:
Social Media as a sales facilitation tool:
- Moving away from the dyadic face-to-face relationships
- Introducing the early processes of a sale before a salesperson even initiates contact
- The emerging phenomena of social selling
Social media as an integrated communication tool:
- Creation of timely and valuable content
- The creation of both corporate and personal personas
- Influencing customers' reactions and engagement via the linguistic style of corporate content
Social media as an employee engagement tool:
- Empowering and driving employee citizenship and allowing them to develop a personal brand in line with the parameters of the corporate guidelines
- Positioning the organization and the employees as thought leaders
Dr Cartwright's presentation gave those in attendance an excellent viewpoint into the broad trends of social media use amongst business-to-business focused organizations, which offered plenty of food for thought for those on the session and led me to the question – are we underestimating the power of social media within the field service sector?
For example, would social media prove to be an effective tool for fault reporting or even triage, particularly as we continue to see the demographic shift within the workplace as millennials replace baby boomers and more modern forms of interaction become the preference?
To dig a little deeper into this hypothesis, we spoke to Katharina Streater, Senior Product Marketing Manager, ServiceMax.
When it comes to triage, however, Streater believes that social media doesn't offer enough depth of insight to provide meaningful value.
"While social media serves as a powerful tool to generate brand awareness and connect companies directly with their users, I don't believe it is an appropriate tool for service triage at B2Bs who manage a large installed base," Streater explains.
"Therefore, I don't think field service organizations are underestimating social media; rather, they are choosing to leverage it only in the places that drive value.
"For asset-centric service organizations, a support case requires more than a brief rundown of the problem by a user whose social media profile is not associated with their business, or even their full name. To properly handle a case, the agent needs to authenticate the user, identify the asset that needs service and the company they're associated with. Then they need to find the correct information on the customer contracts and the service level agreements before tackling the issue."
"Using social channels for support requires several manual steps until a case is resolved, and most often ends with taking the service request offline—often because it contains details that are proprietary or are a matter of data privacy..."
- Katharina Streater, Senior Product Marketing Manager, ServiceMax
These are all, of course, highly valid points that would suggest that the power of social media is an ill-fit with triage. However, perhaps the most critical issue of adopting such an approach wouldn't necessarily be in the triage, but in providing step-by-step issue resolution and giving the customer the clear understanding that their issue is being taken seriously and there is someone at the other end that is taking personal responsibility to ensure resolution – something that can be diluted by both social media and even many support ticket solutions if poorly implemented.
As Streater adds, "Social media is focused on communication, not providing a 360-degree view into a customer's SLA and asset data–information necessary to resolve a case.
"Using social channels for support requires several manual steps until a case is resolved, and most often ends with taking the service request offline—often because it contains details that are proprietary or are a matter of data privacy.
"What's more, communicating the wrong entitlement coverage puts service organizations at risk of revenue leakage."
This doesn't mean that social media doesn't have its place amongst the tools deployed by field service companies. As per Dr Cartwright's presentation, the role of social media in terms of employee engagement can be a significant positive.
"Our customers do see the value in connecting directly with end customers on social media, keeping an eye on customer sentiment, and responding when necessary..."
Such use wouldn't necessarily need to be on an external social media platform either, instantly thoughts go to the use of internal systems to help drive knowledge bases for engineers and technicians. The same gamification aspects common across social media (such as badges, for example) can be used to drive additions to a knowledge base from a pool of end-users. Similarly, upvoting and downvoting can drive the best solutions within the knowledge base to the top of a search - assisting in the surfacing and identification of the best potential resolution to any specific issue.
In terms of customer interaction, social media can play a considerable part in measuring broader customer sentiment analysis.
Indeed, in a recent study by Field Service News Research that focused on technology and customer satisfaction, we saw that those companies who monitored more sophisticated metrics such as social media and sentiment analysis were more than two times as likely to state that they believed their CSAT metrics offered a highly accurate reflection of their customer service standards.
This is something Streater also sees within the ServiceMax customer base.
"Our customers do see the value in connecting directly with end customers on social media, keeping an eye on customer sentiment, and responding when necessary," she comments.
However, the removal of the dyadic relationship that Dr Cartwright reflects is a trend within the use of social media as a sales-facilitation tool, is the exact aspect we want to avoid in the role of service triage and continuing resolution.
"Instead of relying on social media for service triage," Streater explains, "our customers prefer to manage and control the process end-to-end from a secure, compliant app or portal experience. As opposed to social media, these tools give customers full visibility into their assets and service history and allow them to connect directly with a support agent who has all the information on hand to resolve the case."
Social media is indeed a powerful and prevalent tool. There is undoubtedly more we can do with it as an industry; however, as with every technology, it is essential to understand its limitations and strengths to use it appropriately.
Further Reading:
- Read more from Academia @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/the-view-from-academia
- Read more from Field Service News Research @ https://research.fieldservicenews.com/
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/digital-transformation
- Read more about ServiceMax on Field Service News @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/hs-search-results?term=servicemax
- Find out more about ServiceMax @ https://www.servicemax.com/uk
- Follow ServiceMax on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/ServiceMax
Sep 21, 2021 • Features • research • Digital Transformation • HSO • Covid-19 • CSAT • Customer Service
FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.
FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.
At the same time, the study also explored the digital transformation journey our sector has been on for several years and how this was significantly accelerated due to the pandemic across 2020 and into this year. Having published the results, Dan Snowdon, Danny Wieder and Kevin Brown of HSO joined Field Service News Editor-in-Chief, Kris Oldland to discuss the findings of the study in greater depth.
In this excerpt from the second of two in-depth debrief sessions, the group reflect on how wide-reaching the impact of the pandemic has been on field service companies in terms of driving even greater customer-centricity and becoming an unexpected catalyst for the acceleration of digital transformation.
Want to know more?
FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute second part of this detailed FSN Research debrief session.
For a limited period, this content will also be available to those on our free-forever, FSN Stanard subscription tier.
If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more.
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, HSO who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this study.
Further Reading:
- Read more exclusive features from FSN Research @ research.fieldservicenews.com/
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/digital-transformation
- Read more about Service Innovation and Design @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/service-innovation-and-design
- Read more about customer service trends @ Features on CSAT trends
- Read more insights from HSO and how they are helping field service companies drive improvements in customer satisfaction and increasing operational efficiency here
- Arrange a consultation to find out how HSO can help your field service business grow by clicking here
Sep 16, 2021 • Features • research • Digital Transformation • HSO • CSAT • Customer Service
FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.
FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.
At the same time, the study also explored the digital transformation journey our sector has been on for several years and how this was significantly accelerated due to the pandemic across 2020 and into this year. Having published the results, Dan Snowdon, Danny Wieder and Kevin Brown of HSO joined Field Service News Editor-in-Chief, Kris Oldland to discuss the findings of the study in greater depth.
Here the group discuss the tools and technologies that are being used to measure CSAT metrics and drive improvements in ensuring customer success.
Want to know more?
FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute second part of this detailed FSN Research debrief session.
For a limited period, this content will also be available to those on our free-forever, FSN Stanard subscription tier.
If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more.
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, HSO who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this study.
Further Reading:
- Read more exclusive features from FSN Research @ research.fieldservicenews.com/
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/digital-transformation
- Read more about Service Innovation and Design @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/service-innovation-and-design
- Read more about customer service trends @ Features on CSAT trends
- Read more insights from HSO and how they are helping field service companies drive improvements in customer satisfaction and increasing operational efficiency here
- Arrange a consultation to find out how HSO can help your field service business grow by clicking here
Sep 15, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • Software and Apps • GLOBAL • Praxedo
In the first article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Praxedo, we discuss how outdated operations can lead to losses to field services organisations and why it's important to switch to digital.
In the first article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Praxedo, we discuss how outdated operations can lead to losses to field services organisations and why it's important to switch to digital.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 Praxedo who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
We live in a modern, digital world where we’re surrounded by technology all of the time. And we rely on that techno- logy more than ever — to work, to manage our lives, and to have fun. The global pandemic has shown us how we can use technology in new ways, and in more aspects of our lives. There will be no going back.
As a field service provider working in the “new normal”, you’ll need to meet increasingly high expectations for digital operations from your customers and your em- ployees. If you continue working on paper, emails or dis- connected web-based tools like Google or DropBox, you won’t be able to meet those expectations. And you’ll face significant business risks:
- Lower profits. Dealing with paper and emails at each stage of service delivery is time-consuming and cumbersome. The need to manually exchange pieces of paper slows service delivery, forces technicians to frequently return to the office, and extends billing times. These inef- ficiencies quickly eat into profit margins.
- Lost data. Those many pieces of paper contain bu- siness-critical data you need for comprehensive and ac- curate billing. But paper is easily lost, misplaced, or da- maged in the field. Handwritten service reports that are incomplete, illegible, or inadequate for billing purposes further increase risks.
- Poor customer perception. Delayed service and old- fashioned ways of working give customers the impression your business is behind-the-times. And it’s all-too-easy for customers to assume this lack of sophistication also reflects your technicians’ capabilities and expertise levels.
The Losses Associated with Outdated Operations Quickly Add Up
These risks affect every area of your business. It’s a vicious circle, with every loss compounding on another.
At a minimum, you’ll fall behind the competition. In the cost-conscious, and often crowded, world of field service, you need every possible advantage to edge out competi- tors. With fewer ways to differentiate and make a strong, positive impression on customers, it will be far more diffi- cult to stand out in the crowd.
You’ll also lose valuable technicians, especially those who grew up with digital devices in their hands. They’ll quickly become frustrated with old-fashioned, inconvenient, and unwieldy ways of working and jump to your more technologically advanced competitors.
"When field service providers can retain customers and renew contracts, they can spend less time worrying about how to win new business simply to make up for customers they’ve lost. It becomes much easier to grow the business"
Jim Baston, Field Service Industry Expert
Sales opportunities will decline. Customers who have a poor perception of your business are unlikely to expand their relationship with you, or recommend your services to other businesses. And, if they share negative reviews of your services, it will influence the decisions of other potential customers.
Finally, you will lose customers. Customers can choose who they work with. And their expectations are high. If customers don’t feel your business is responsive enough, or your technicians are adequately informed and equipped to look out for their best interests, they won’t hesitate to switch providers.
Field service providers who are working on paper simply cannot afford to continue working as they are.
It's Time to Go Digital
The good news is field service providers no longer need to struggle with slow, outdated, and disjointed ways of working. There are affordable technology solutions that address the challenges and risks they currently face, and bring additional business benefits.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 Praxedo who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Software and Apps @ www.fieldservicenews.com/software-and-apps
- Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com//leadership-and-strategy
- Learn more about Praxedo @ en.praxedo.com/
- Follow Praxedo on Twitter @ twitter.com/Praxedo
Field Service News is published by 1927 Media Ltd, an independent publisher whose sole focus is on the field service sector. As such our entire resources are focused on helping drive the field service sector forwards and aiming to best serve our industry through honest, incisive and innovative media coverage of the global field service sector.
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