Field Service News | Features (8)

Which mechanisms are best for customer feedback?

Sep 07, 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.

At the same time, the study also explored the digital transformation journey our...

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 first of two in-depth debrief sessions, the group look at what is the most effective means of collecting customer feedback - SMS, email, or directly via the engineer.

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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.

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The Disconnect between Marketing Leadership and Service Leadership

Sep 03, 2021 • Features • Michael Blumberg • Blumberg Advisory Group • Service Leadership • Servitization and Advanced Services • Digital Symposium • service marketing

Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined on the Field Service News Digital Symposium by Michael Blumberg, President and CEO of Blumberg Advisory Group.

The Journey to Achieving Your Desired Outcomes

Sep 02, 2021 • Features • Data • field service • Leadership and Strategy • Sam Klaidman

In this new article for Field Service News, Sam Klaidman, Founder and Principal Adviser at Middlesex Consulting, discusses the service leaders' journey to achieve their desired outcomes.

Here is an interesting conversation from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland:

‘Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’ [asked Alice.]

‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the [Chesire] Cat.

‘I don’t much care where—’ said Alice.

‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat.

‘—so long as I get somewhere,’ Alice added as an explanation.

‘Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, ‘if you only walk long enough.’

Fortunately, service leaders know exactly where they want to go. They want to achieve the business objectives they signed up for in the strategic plan or in their individual goals and objectives (which are used to calculate their annual bonus.) Unfortunately, many of these leaders are missing a terrific opportunity to win their own version of the Euro Cup because they are not using all the tools available to them.

DRIP

Service businesses are buried in data. They get operational data from their products in the field, the people in the call centers, service managers, logistics people, and their peers in Finance, Marketing, Sales, Customer Success, and anyone else with an opinion. But what they are missing is insight – actually actionable insight. I call this condition DRIP:

Data Rich Insight Poor

Here is an example:

Most Field Service organizations survey their customers and measure one or more metrics they then use as key performance indicators (KPIs). The three most popular KPIs are:

Net Promoter Score (NPS)
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)
Customer Effort Score (CES)

You collect data about each customer and lump it all together to arrive at a single KPI number. Unfortunately, using any of these KPIs will not guide you to the actions you need to take to achieve your desired business outcomes like growing revenue, increasing employee satisfaction, and improving productivity. To get down to these actions, you must link individual data to actual actions taken by the customer to 1) find out what customers really did and how they responded to your survey and 2) go back and find out specifically what you have to correct to achieve a better outcome for your business.

The solution to the DRIP problem is to take your team on this journey:

SK1

There are not enough people doing this detail work, what one of my friends calls working in the weeds. So, let’s look at how NPS is generally used to see what you don’t want to continue doing.

Net Promoter Score

Net Promoter Score (NPS) first saw the light of day in 2001 when it was marketed as “The One Number You Need to Grow.” Today it is used in many businesses of all size and all industries. Also, it is used by many field service organizations. Interestingly, the NPS system has an enormous number of critics who think the whole thing is BS. However, there are real world examples that also support the validity of the system.

Let’s look at an example of where NPS and a high-level analysis yields some data that makes the analyst and their company feel like they are actually accomplishing something important. But they are not increasing desired outcomes.

A Quick Review of NPS

The interested party asks their customers the following question:

“Based on XXX, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or associate?”

They use an 11-point scale where 11 is definitely likely, 5 is neutral, and 0 is definitely unlikely. The results are then grouped as follows:

SK2

The 2 green scores are promoters, the 2 yellow are passives, and the 7 reds are detractors. The NPS score is the percent promoters minus the percent detractors so the score can be anywhere from +100% to -100%.

Some Data

Here is a chart produced by Bain & Company, the originator of the NPS system.

SK3

In this example, the surveyors are not worried about the NPS score: they want to understand how customer’s feelings correlate with their buying intentions. In this case, the promoters appear to be about 90-95% likely to consider their current manufacturer, the passives 75-80% likely to consider the incumbent, and the detractors only 40-45% likely to consider their current supplier.

Since the surveyors know the score each individual submitted, they can create unique programs to follow up with their customers in individual segments, or even sub-segments, to identify the reasons behind their feelings and then either correct any issues and/or offer compensation if their issue is beyond their control or unresolvable. Of course, in parallel, they must look at their internal procedures and policies to prevent alienating other customers.

But this is about intent. One of my all-time favorite business books is “Five Frogs on A Log” by Mark L. Feldman and Michael F. Spratt. The book is about mergers and acquisitions and is scary. The title comes from a child’s riddle:

Five frogs are sitting on a log.

Four decide to jump off.

How many are left? 

Answer: Five. 

Why? 

Because deciding and doing are not the same things.

This is important because we don’t care what people say they will do; we care about what they do! A customer who says she will be back to you tomorrow with a purchase order is worthless until the P.O. is actually received and booked.

With respect to the Bain & Company data, I think it would be much more useful if the question were reworded to “Based on XXX, how likely are you to lease or purchase your next vehicle from our brand (or maybe from our dealership)?” After all, your business objective is to sell or lease vehicles, not get referrals. Then the surveyor could track each respondent and find out the percent at each response level, e.g., 0, 1, 2… who leased or purchased a car from them. It might take one or two years to understand the value of increasing the percent of promoters by one point, but at least they would be able to move ahead with their CX program based on actual data.

Another Example but About Service Parts Usage, not NPS

Data - Your business is the Field Service arm of a hardware product OEM. And, unfortunately, you consume a large amount of parts every month. To find out what is going wrong, you have your parts manager prepare a report of actual total usage by part number and another report breaking out the same data but by type of transaction; i.e., installation. warranty, billable, and service contract. You quickly notice that one expensive part is the most used part during warranty.

Insight - If you are only concerned about minimizing your customer’s downtime, you would increase stock levels. But if your desired outcome is to increase company profit and CSAT levels, you would make sure that each defective part is returned for failure analysis.

Action – The failure analysts would share the FA results and the total cost of each field repair with both Engineering and Manufacturing. Most likely, the results would be either a part redesign or modification plus a change in manufacturing process

Outcome - When this is done, you might find it relatively inexpensive to swap out the old design whenever you have a field engineer on-site with access to the equipment. And obviously you would pull all the old parts from stock and replace them with the new design. Your overall cost savings is your desired outcome.

Conclusion

Without linking your data to your desired outcomes, you are basically looking at a gratification metric. It makes you feel good, but it doesn’t get you any closer to where you have to get.

Note: Net Promoter, Net Promoter Score, and NPS are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., Fred Reichheld, and Satmetrix Systems, Inc.

When is the best time to collect customer feedback?

Sep 02, 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.

At the same time, the study also explored the digital transformation journey our...

FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.

In this excerpt from the paper the group discuss how the various pros and cons of when to collect customer feedback from the customer - during the service call or after?

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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.

Does good customer service create a competitive advantage?

Aug 31, 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.

In this section from the first of two full length debrief sessions the group look at the data and discuss exactly how strong CSAT metrics can be an indicator of competitive advantage for field service organisations.

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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.

Best practices regarding collecting customer feedback data

Aug 26, 2021 • Features • research • Digital Transformation

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...

FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.

In this excerpt from that debrief session the group look at the various nuanced findings around exactly what is the best mechanism for collecting customer feedback and ask is this changing?

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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.

Keeping Your Assets in Shape

Aug 25, 2021 • Features • Coen Jeukens • servicemax • Leadership and Strategy • GLOBAL

In this new article for Field Service News, Coen Jeukens, VP of global customer transformation at ServiceMax, explains how to create a custom fitness plan to keep your assets in shape...

Do you have this feeling that the battery of your phone drains faster and faster? Internet forums are full of testimonials and resolutions for keeping your battery in tip-top shape. How does this apply to B2B products, equipment and assets? Can asset owners monitor the performance of the equipment, and what handles do they have to maintain output/ outcome at the nominal level promised at point of sale?

For many years I’ve captured the digital and service transformation journey in a single tagline: “from fixing what breaks to knowing what works.” The message is driven by a simple principle: customers expect things to work. Even more, they expect the outcome of the asset to be stable over the lifecycle.

Another simple truth is that everything eventually deteriorates and breaks. This prompts the following questions:

What is the life expectancy of the asset?
What do I need to do to keep the asset in shape?
What can I do to extend the life cycle of the asset?

Building a Fitness Plan

Preventive maintenance might be the first thing that comes to mind as the way to keep your assets in shape. But what does preventive maintenance (PM) prevent? And how does it affect asset performance and life expectancy? This was a tough question to answer when one of my counterparts in procurement, who was looking to reduce the selling price of a service contract, asked me, “What will happen when we reduce the PM effort by lengthening the interval?” This was even more difficult to answer when it became a numbers game, and the purchaser asked me to prove the offset between PM and break-fix.

So where do we look next? I propose condition-based maintenance.

We know that the performance of an asset will deteriorate over time, and we know the rate of deterioration will depend on various attributes like aging and usage. Because these attributes are measurable, we can use them as levels to trigger a service intervention.

So rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach based on time intervals, you can create a custom fitness plan for keeping your assets in shape. One that looks at the condition of the asset in relation to its expected performance. This can look like an intervention being triggered when the output of an asset or the viscosity of a lubricant drops below a certain threshold.

To continue with the fitness metaphor, we often don’t just want to stay in shape—we also want to increase our longevity and even get in better shape as we age. When it comes to your assets, this is where mid-life upgrades, booster-packs and engineering changes come into play. And in the same way that you use predefined levers to trigger service interventions, you should use these levers to trigger updates, upgrades and lifecycle extensions.

Both of these service strategies use asset health at the core of your service delivery model, steering you away from ‘fixing what breaks’ and towards ‘knowing what works.’

A Real Life Example

Imagine you have a pump and valve combination that has a nominal capacity of 140 m3/h.

If you used a preventive maintenance model that runs every 6 months, it would not take into account the age of the pump and valve combination, nor would it account for the corrosiveness of the transported materials.

But if you took a condition-based approach using IoT-connected sensors, you could measure attributes like vibration, temperature, and energy consumption and use them as indicators for asset performance. For example, if the capacity drops below 130 m3/h, a service intervention would be triggered. It’s like the pump saying: “I’m not feeling well, I need medicine.” On top of this, if you detect the pump is consistently pushed beyond original specifications, you can know that it’s necessary to initiate an upgrade conversation to safeguard asset health and durability

Asset Centricity

The common theme of these service strategies is asset centricity. It’s about putting asset health at the core of your service delivery model and continuously comparing an asset’s current output with its expected performance.

By looking at current performance, expected performance and demand, you can also advise your customers on when it’s time to downgrade or upgrade the asset. Through this asset-centric lens, you can truly become a fitness coach, advising your customers on the right fitness program that will keep their assets in tip-top shape.

Learn more about IoT and condition-based maintenance here.

Why field service companies see high customer satisfaction as critical to winning new business

Aug 24, 2021 • Features • research • Digital Transformation

FSN Research recently undertook a detailed study in partnership with HSO to understand precisely what CSAT metrics are being tracked by field service organisations.

In this excerpt from that debrief session the group go deeper into the study's finding that improved CSAT is being used not just to drive greater revenue from existing customers but also for winning new business.

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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.

Need to Consolidate Your Tech Stack?

Aug 24, 2021 • Features • Coen Jeukens • servicemax • Leadership and Strategy • GLOBAL

In this new article, we look with SimPRO at how field service organisations can consolidate and fully integrate new technologies within their existing technology ecosystem...

What's in your current tech stack?

Over the past 10 years the field service industry has seen a boom in technologies aimed at streamlining daily operations. Adopting new pieces of software has since become key to running a large and successful field service business and solving everyday problems in the office and the field. Office managers and admin teams use accounting software to invoice and track cash flow, stock management software to oversee stock levels and order job-specific materials, and mobile apps to schedule field staff and communicate job-specific information. On top of this, teams in the field are utilising technology to help cost and quote jobs, submit health and safety compliance, communicate effectively with customers using email and SMS automation, and much more. As new technologies have gradually been adopted however, many businesses are noting a common issue: The different pieces of software in their tech stack do not integrate with one another, resulting in too much time spent on double data entry and a lack of reporting capabilities. If this sounds familiar, it may be time to update your tech stack to ensure all the software and apps your business is using integrate with one another.

What should you look for when identifying the best tech stack for your field service business

Is it cloud-based?

Does it integrate with your accounting partner?

This one is a deal-breaker. If the tech you’re using to track timesheets and travel times, manage stock levels, raise POs and quote jobs does not integrate with your accounting software how will you ensure your invoicing is accurate and you’re reporting on all accrued costs?

Does it integrate with your key suppliers?

Managing stock levels and ordering job-specific materials requires time and resources. When it comes to choosing a piece of software to streamline the process it’s advisable to choose one that both allows you to order stock as part of a specific job and syncs with your key suppliers catalogues. This integration with key suppliers not only saves time, but will ensure you have up-to-date pricing for more accurate estimating.

Does the mobile app act as more than a timesheet?

For bigger businesses in particular, having your field staff head into the office daily to collect and submit paperwork wastes precious time. To ensure field staff are maximising their billable hours businesses need to choose the best mobile app for their workflow. When picking a mobile app it is important that it can assist with the scheduling and dispatching of field staff, as well as tracking their progress in the field. But more than that, it’s key to choose an app that acts as a medium for field staff to upload job notes and photos, submit compliance forms and quote from the field.

Are you able to automate your customer communications?

In order to automate customer communications your SMS or automated email service needs to be able to pull data from both your scheduling system (to update customers about your expected arrival times), and your accounting system (to send and chase up unpaid invoices). If these systems don’t integrate with one another this could lead to wasted time spent on double data entry.

Can you report on productivity and profitability?

As well as the additional administrative time caused by non-integrated technologies, another limitation you may encounter is the shortfall in your reporting abilities. By ensuring all the technologies you’re using talk to one another you’re also ensuring you can report on all aspects of your business in real-time. This is invaluable as reporting not only allows you to track the productivity and profitability of jobs, but also enables you to highlight areas of improvement and potential cost savings.

It is safe to say that more and more technologies will continue to emerge in the field service industry. When it comes to assessing whether your business needs to add these to your tech stack however, the most important thing to consider is whether it fully integrates with your entire technology ecosystem. Only when your tech stack is integrated will you reach peak efficiency, grow your business and grow your profits.

Streamline your tech stack with cloud-based job management software, simPRO. This end-to-end system provides solutions for every field service workflow, including service, project and maintenance jobs, and integrates with key accounting software and suppliers.

simPRO can help businesses of all sizes streamline their processes and increase visibility, ultimately increasing profitability. Interested in aligning your tech stack with simPRO?

Learn more here.

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Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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.

Further Reading:

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Further Reading:

Further Reading:

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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.

Further Reading:

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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.

Further Reading:

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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.

Further Reading:

Further Reading:

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length 50 minute first 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.

Further Reading:

Further Reading:

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