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Manuel Grenacher, CEO, Coresystems, reflects back on some of the big predictions he made earlier this year and reflects on the progress made in interweaving the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality into the fabric of field service delivery across the last 12 months...

 

The days are getting shorter and colder, which means the holidays are approaching and 2019 is just around the corner (believe it or not!). So now is the perfect time to take a look back at 2018 and take stock of the advancements the field service industry made this year.

Back in March, we highlighted three trends we predicted would have major impacts on the field service sector in 2018. We noted that while 2017 introduced innovative new technology-based trends with the likes of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR), 2018 would bring real-world applications that put those buzzwords into practice.

So let’s review the progress of each of those three trends this year – after all, predictions don’t mean much if you don’t evaluate how accurate they were, right…?

 

The IoT Drives Proactive Device Maintenance, Service and Repair

Since the Internet of Things (IoT) became an integral part of almost every business’ technology mix midway through this decade, field service innovators have been finding ways to use the increased connectivity of the IoT to gain a competitive advantage. We predicted that in 2018, further innovation would allow field service technicians to utilize the IoT and automation in today’s devices – with the goal of providing service in real-time to meet (and exceed) customer expectations.

As is often the case in the field service industry, supply chain and manufacturing organizations were at the front of the line when it came to utilizing IoT-enabled and supported field service. Toward the end of this interview between SupplyChainBrain and various supply chain executives, the benefits of the predictive maintenance that the IoT enables become clear. Regarding sensor-equipped motors in warehouses, automation solutions provider Knapp noted:

“A motor might transmit information about vibration or heat, for example. It could indicate it needs potential maintenance services, and that's important because that would be predictive maintenance as opposed to breakdown maintenance, which is much more costly and can severely impact service levels.”

We’re seeing this focus on IoT-enabled predictive maintenance across the board with our manufacturing customers, so we can confirm that it definitely became a major focus in 2018 – and will continue to do so in 2019.

 

Artificial Intelligence Simplifies and Automates Service Appointments

Although artificial intelligence (AI) is in danger of becoming a somewhat empty buzzword in many industries, it’s here to stay – indeed, Gartner forecasts that 85 percent of customer interactions will be managed by AI by the year 2020.

The field service industry is applying AI in very meaningful ways as we speak, and it’s the concept of predictive maintenance that is driving the adoption of AI. For example, a recent study of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the supply chain sector found that most OEMs are gathering data from sensor-equipped products in the field—a key requirement for predictive maintenance. In addition, more than half of OEMs plan to make AI and machine learning a major investment, while 90 percent intend to invest in predictive analytics within the next 12 months.

Beyond predictive maintenance (but related to it), AI can streamline the field service technician dispatching process – which crucially means customers can get their equipment serviced faster. Influential software authority Capterra highlighted how design consultancy Philosophie, using AI, developed a field service program that handed 90-95 percent of the technician dispatching duties to an AI system – which enabled the field service team to dedicate its human talent to the more difficult field service jobs.

AI most definitely made its stamp on the field service industry in 2018, and the innovation is expected to continue next year and beyond.

 

Augmented Reality Provides Unprecedented Visibility into Worksites

Back in March, we noted that the increased connectivity that the IoT brings will continue to propel the application of augmented reality (AR) in the field service sector. In 2018, we saw AR applied by companies aiming to improve their first-time fix rate on service calls, as well as other vital field service functions.

ZDNet detailed several highly-recognizable brands using AR for service calls, including BP's U.S. Lower 48 onshore oil and natural gas business, which has been equipping field service technicians with AR platforms to assist with repairs, and Caterpillar, which recently tested an AR solution for the technicians who service a line of its onsite portable generators. Caterpillar provides field personnel with an internally-developed iPad app that interfaces with IoT sensors on the generator to provide real-time diagnostics and repair protocols.

While AR is in its infancy relative to the IoT and AI, we’ve seen our own customers' leverage AR to make better use of their field service resources – including servicing their customers’ equipment remotely through AR glasses. We’re very likely to see the usage of AR expand in the field service industry in 2019.

It certainly appears that the trends we highlighted earlier this year continued to gain significant traction in the field service industry in 2018, and we fully expect IoT, AI and AR technologies to continue to drive a wide range of innovative projects and initiatives in 2019. And once the calendar turns to 2019, look out for our predictions on the developments to look forward to next year!

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Customer needs require scalable, flexible cybersecurity solutions finds Frost & Sullivan...

High penetration of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology in critical infrastructure and the manufacturing sector has resulted in a growing number of potential cyber-attack surfaces.

According to a recent analysis from Frost & Sullivan, cyber-attacks within the energy and utilities industries alone cost an average of $13.2 million per year. These rising incidences of cyber-attacks, coupled with evolving compliance regulations by governments, and increased awareness among mature and less mature markets have accelerated the adoption of cybersecurity approaches. However, there is still a high level of ambiguity in addressing industrial cybersecurity, with existing cybersecurity services struggling to provide comprehensive visibility across both IT and OT networks.

[quote float="left"]The industrial cybersecurity services market is at the high growth stage of its lifecycle, with rising awareness among end users, increased industrial control systems (ICS)-based attacks, and the rising need for cybersecurity skills[/quote]"The industrial cybersecurity services market is at the high growth stage of its lifecycle, with rising awareness among end users, increased industrial control systems (ICS)-based attacks, and the rising need for cybersecurity skills,” said Riti Newa, Industrials Research Analyst. “Many end users have labor-intensive security practices and lack strong cybersecurity policies. Service providers can help automate cybersecurity services and provide a more holistic approach by offering joint solutions that provide a consolidated view of the IT and OT environment.”

Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, Global Industrial Cybersecurity Services Market, Forecast to 2022, explores market adoption rates, requirements, and trends across the market. It also covers emerging service models and their usages, as well as monetization strategies for those models.

For further information on this analysis, please visit: http://frost.ly/2yn

Companies that are eager to grow within the industrial cybersecurity market can find opportunities through:

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• Providing integrated platforms that can deploy a range of services to enhance the security posture of end users while incorporating the best security practices.
• Using automated management services and advanced analytics to develop a comprehensive service portfolio that can be adapted for all types of end users.
• Offering flexible pricing models, such as Cybersecurity-as-a-Service (CSaaS), and lifetime services to increase accessibility across industries at a lower cost.

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"Despite the growing frequency of cyber-attacks, industries still have very low cyber resilience, struggling to ensure cybersecurity in the OT environment," said Newa. "With complexity and sophistication of the attacks, service providers will need to focus on advanced services that can address the threat landscape and automate cybersecurity."

Global Industrial Cybersecurity Services Market, Forecast to 2022 is the latest addition to Frost & Sullivan’s Industrials research and analyses available through the Frost & Sullivan Leadership Council, which helps organizations identify a continuous flow of growth opportunities to succeed in an unpredictable future.

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I was asked recently if my thinking has evolved since writing Beyond GREAT SERVICE, The Technician’s Role in Proactive Business Growth. The book is based on the premise that field service professionals add tremendous value when they use their experience and expertise to make recommendations that will help their customers to be better off.

As I reflect on the book, that view has not changed. In fact, it has been reinforced as I have worked with more and more companies across North America and in Europe and with their local offices around the world. I have seen how field professionals react favourably to this description of their role and how managers see the value of this approach. It squares the circle between service and sales.

Although there is nothing specific that I would change about the strategy described in the book, there are two things that I would add. Firstly, I would spend more time and provide more guidance on strategies to implement a “Beyond GREAT SERVICE” approach. Secondly, I would focus more attention on the service nature of the field service team’s proactive efforts.

 

"I have seen managers struggle to provide the ongoing focus necessary to achieve the type of cultural change needed to ensure that business development by field service professionals becomes an integral part of service delivery..."

 

I have seen managers struggle to provide the ongoing focus necessary to achieve the type of cultural change needed to ensure that business development by field service professionals becomes an integral part of service delivery. To achieve this requires systems, processes and most importantly, constant coaching and support. Not everyone on the team will be convinced of the service value of proactively making recommendations to customers, and many of those that do will be uncomfortable in those situations. Without the support structures and ongoing encouragement, even those field professionals with the best of intentions will gravitate back to how they have always done things in the past.

The reason that some managers struggle with the implementation of business promotion as a service is due to the very nature of the service business itself. The day-to-day immediacy of service pulls management away from the thoughtful, important but not urgent work that is needed to successfully engage technicians in proactive business development. Much of service is, by its very nature, reactive and that means much time is spent responding rather than initiating.

Although this is changing somewhat, there will always be a significant element of responding to unplanned emergencies that demand immediate attention and draws managers from the task of implementing a “Beyond GREAT SERVICE” approach. The irony in this is that, as progress is made toward implementing the “Beyond GREAT SERVICE” approach, the increasingly proactive efforts of the field team will reduce the number of, and resources required for, unplanned emergencies as many issues will be addressed before they become a problem. That means that the more progress managers make in implementing this approach, the more time they will have to support it – almost the opposite of what is needed.

It is also important that the Beyond GREAT SERVICE approach be viewed as an integral component of the service provided – as much a part of the service as troubleshooting, repairing and maintaining. Sure, you could argue that they are “selling” when they make a recommendation to the customer, but semantics aside, when the field team makes recommendations for the purpose of helping the customer achieve their goals they are really serving in its truest sense.

 

"Most service companies fail to achieve the results they desire when they engage their field service team in business development..."

 

The serving vs. selling perspective is a unique and critically important differentiator. From my experience, most service companies fail to achieve the results they desire when they engage their field service team in business development. In addition to the reason cited above, a contributing factor for these less than ideal outcomes is that managers don’t integrate these efforts as part of the service. Promotion of services is often treated as an “add-on” that many within the field team see as “optional”. Some even feel that promoting services is an unreasonable expectation by management.

If the field service professional’s efforts are part of the service, it is easier to get the field service team to buy-in. They can see a direct connection between what they are doing in promoting their services and the impact on the customer’s business. Customers see value in this too. When explained to them that the field service team is being asked to use their expertise to proactively identify steps that can help the customer achieve their business goals (as opposed to looking to increase revenues), they can see the benefit for their business.

So, to address these two issues, I would add this challenge for the reader of my book:

Assume for a moment that you will be adding a new service offering to your service portfolio. The new offering has the following characteristics:

• It is an add-on to existing services (does not replace)
• It’s a new concept – the customer needs to be educated on the value
• New knowledge and skills are required to implement effectively
• No new tools or test equipment needed
• It has the potential to be highly profitable – efficiency in delivery critical
• The service relies on another division to deliver a part of the service
• There is a 1 to 2 year head start over the competition

When implementing a service of this nature, what steps will you take to ensure that you successfully and profitably introduce this service?

As managers ponder this challenge, they will come up with a list of things to be done such as: (Note: This list is far from complete)

• Define the service so it can be understood internally and externally
• Identify the processes needed to support the initiative
• Take steps to get buy-in from supporting divisions and a seamless coordination between groups
• Provide training and coaching to achieve the behaviour change needed
• Create the messaging and strategy to promote to our customers etc.

The point of this challenge is that the service described in the challenge is the service of promoting services to help the customer to be better off and this contributes to management’s efforts in two ways.

Firstly, it gives them a better perspective of all of the moving parts of a successful strategy in a meaningful way that is familiar to them (they have implemented new services before). Secondly, when the initiative is recognized as a service, management will see that its implementation is not a “part-time job” that is pursued if there is time but rather an important service initiative that requires continuous focus to ensure its successful implementation.

By devoting more space in the book to helping management implement the strategy as a service, I think that Beyond GREAT SERVICE would become an even more valuable resource for those organizations that want to truly help their customers achieve their business goals. I have a feeling that a second edition is in the works.

 

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Verizon Connect is expanding its fleet management system REVEAL with a solution that enables businesses in the UK to manage assets in addition to their fleet of vehicles.

With the launch of the new GPS tracking system for assets, companies can gain insight into the location and performance of valuable assets such as cranes, trailers and excavators. As a result, they will be able to deploy their assets optimally, plan maintenance more efficiently and help reduce the risk of theft and other types of unauthorised usage.

Derek Bryan, EMEA Vice President, Verizon Connect: “At Verizon Connect, we are committed to ensuring that businesses in the UK have the tools to harness the power of data from every company asset. Many companies already rely on our solution to help them manage their vehicles and employees, but being able to track other valuable equipment and assets will further help them drive efficiencies, lower operational costs and improve their planning.”

Insight in location, usage and productivity assets

Similar to REVEAL’s system for vehicles, the new asset tracking system offers the ability to access data in both near real-time and historically to understand where equipment is and where it has been. It is also possible to see if machinery is running and how often it is used. This gives users and managers insights into equipment utilization and determining which assets should be moved elsewhere within the organisation or perhaps cycled out of use.

Asset maintenance and control

REVEAL’s asset tracking solution also offers users a variety of options to help minimise theft risk and other unauthorised usages. For example, it is possible to set up alerts that send managers a warning when equipment is turned on or moved outside of working hours – or when machinery is moved outside of its designated location.

To help companies plan the maintenance of their assets more efficiently and maximise uptime, REVEAL’s asset tracking solution also enables companies to record when trailers and other equipment are due for maintenance. For each asset, the system keeps a log and alerts can be configured based on planned maintenance or predetermined options, including engine hours.

For more information on the REVEAL fleet management solution visit https://www.verizonconnect.com/uk/solutions/gps-asset-tracking/

 

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In this third excerpt from an exclusive fieldservicenews.com presentation Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined by John Hunt, Managing Director, EMEA, Astea to discuss the key findings of a research project Astea undertook with WBR.

 

Here, they turn their attention to the findings that were uncovered as the research focussed in on the adoption of IIoT amongst manufacturers as the two discuss just how widespread the adoption of connected field service is in today's business eco-system.

 

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Want to know more? The full length video of this presentation is available as premium content to fieldservicenews.com subscribers...

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Field Service delivery has become fundamentally reliant upon mobile computing technologies, almost all field service technicians now utilise a smartphone for at least some proportion of their work-flow during maintenance calls. 

So it is with keen interest that we look at Mark Jackson and Kevin Billings, Directors & Industry Principals, Telecoms & Media, Pegasystems predictions to what to expect within the realm of mobile across the last twelve months against a backdrop of transformative technologies and the latest regulations...

 

Prepare for fall of fixed-line home broadband

The advent of 5G means consumers will no longer need to rely on home broadband to access high-speed internet. For some customers, this means they will only require one internet contract which will allow them to seamlessly transition from the home to mobile. This will be particularly beneficial for rural communities who aren’t always able to access a fast internet service. In the US we’ve already seen Verizon going after cable-dependent areas, encouraging their customers to purchase a 5G hub as a replacement to home broadband, and we’ll soon see this trend appearing in the UK when 5G services go live.

 

Digitising the B2B offering – an untapped opportunity for telcos

As the B2B market grows next year, CSPs will have to pull their socks up to expand their service portfolios and dramatically ramp up their service levels. Business customers demand a differentiated ‘enterprise grade’ level of service, for example ensuring SLAs are met and the promised service specification is delivered in a certain timeframe. Fixed and mobile services are converging, and cloud-based solutions are being offered to reduce capital expenditure for customers and will open up new opportunities from connected devices and applications through IoT. To achieve this goal, an end-to-end automated digital operation is a must for CSPs to capture revenue, reduce operating cost and realise strong returns from new B2B services.

 

The mobile app is dead

 Hundreds of apps clog up the average smartphone and 2019 is going see a big app shake-up that could be terminal. Yes, smartphone memory is increasing, but the constant pinging of notifications, using up data and, battery consumption, has led to “App Fatigue”. Customers are simply ignoring or deleting all but their essential apps from their phones. CSPs will realise that investing thousands of pounds in an app that nobody will use is not the wisest initiative, particularly with today’s customers having more and more channels and devices available instantly to them to use - Alexa, WhatsApp, Skype and more. In order to support their customers’ digital demands whilst simultaneously increasing engagement, CSPs need to deliver a personalised experience via combined omnichannel AI and end-to-end Robotic Automation to enable streamlined, efficient journeys.

 

Can we cope with a connected everything?

IoT has become the fastest growing part of telco businesses. In fact, Samsung has announced that they want ALL of their devices to be connected - from your TV to your oven. While 5G will help facilitate IoT, it poses a myriad of challenges for the companies involved – who owns and is responsible for the data? On one hand, if businesses and individuals hand over their information in return for using an IoT network, companies can offer a better service or a cheaper contract. On the other, the responsibility of managing and keeping this data secure dramatically increases the burden of compliance. Companies need the right compliance tools to stay on top of this before it spirals out of control. Being able to prove CSPs are compliant to ever-changing rules means they, like the banks, will embrace regtech that can be created and configured easily and quickly without needing to have a deep knowledge of coding.

 

Strategic sales to raise new service development capital?

The development of new 5G networks is an overwhelming task, and telcos need to work out where to invest time and money in investing in new 5G networks. So, where do they start? With network rollout demanding a huge capital investment, next year will we see more and more telcos selling off businesses in other countries to raise capital to be able to invest in 5G network construction in their more profitable regions?

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Bill Pollock, President of Strategies for GrowthSM gives us five questions that we need to be able to answer if we are to meet our customers’ service expectations...

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Help build the next Strategies for GrowthSM analysis report by participating in their current benchmarking research project by clicking this link and taking their current Warranty Chain Management survey... 

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The margins on hardware, software and services revenues continue to compress due to increasing competitive pressures, and as customers are becoming more knowledgeable about the growing number of support options available to them.

As a result, customer service is now an even more important factor in establishing and maintaining a strong position in the overall services community.

Every day, more services organisations are relying on customer service to differentiate their otherwise commodity-like offerings in order to bring customers in, keep them happy, and make them loyal. However, while it is not “rocket science”, any services manager can look like an “Einstein” if he or she embraces the rudimentary aspects of customer service throughout all phases of services marketing and promotion, sales prospecting, writing the contract, and managing the customer account over time.

 

"Every day, more services organisations are relying on customer service to differentiate their otherwise commodity-like offerings in order to bring customers in, keep them happy, and make them loyal..."

 

While there are many ways to go with respect to defining and establishing a strong customer service mentality within the organisation, the most direct path to determining whether your organisation is on the right track is to test yourself on a number of questions that will indicate how well positioned your organisation is from a customer service perspective.

The basic questions that any sales, marketing or customer service professional should be asking, and a corresponding set of guidelines for addressing each of them, may include:

 

Does your organisation have a formal customer service or customer care department? Does it have a well-defined customer service mission or charter? Is it adequately staffed and empowered?

Surprising as it may seem, some services organisations have no formal customer service or customer care infrastructure. Even in cases where other departments may be “managing” portions of the company’s customer service activities (e.g., handling complaints, responding to inquiries, etc.), there may still be no formal company-wide procedures or processes for managing customer service. As a result, any customer service activities provided are probably not being performed in a consistent manner. Further, in cases where customer service is performed essentially as a “secondary” activity to the department’s otherwise self-defined “primary” activities, lack of adequate staffing, empowerment and accountability may become major inhibiting factors.

 

Is there a formal process for handling customer service activities? Are specific responsibilities defined and assigned? Is there accountable ownership?

All functions within the organisation require formal processes to ensure effectiveness. Documented processes are even more important when they involve customers and other external parties (e.g., vendors, dealers, etc.). But processes, in and of themselves, do not get the job done. They must be followed by specific personnel, with specifically defined roles and responsibilities, in order to be effective.

The capability to track who actually has “ownership” of each customer service activity as it is being performed will be critical in measuring overall company performance, as well as providing an ongoing record of success (or failure) in meeting the company’s customer service goals and objectives.

 

Does your company management promote and encourage customer service? Are there incentives for doing it right, or sanctions for doing it wrong?

Regardless of where your customer service personnel get their primary inspiration, they must still be fully supported by management at all levels. However, this is clearly a case where actions speak louder than words. Management must do everything possible to articulate and communicate its philosophy of customer service throughout the organisation in order to empower its customer service personnel to get the job done – and reward them for being successful at it.

 

How interactive is your organisation with the customer base? Does it communicate with them enough? Does it provide them with a means for giving their customer service input and feedback?

A one-way street for customer service is never adequate. A services organisation’s customers must also be able to articulate and communicate their concerns to the organisation, and they will need to know how to do so. Accordingly, the organisation should have a formal process in place for soliciting and receiving customer service input and feedback from customers. The process should be well-documented and promoted, easy to access, user-friendly and sincere. Most importantly, all communications coming from the customer base must be quickly and satisfactorily answered. It is generally also a good idea to summarize some of the customer feedback and related company responses in a communicated format such as a company newsletter or Blog, or on the company Website (e.g., FAQs, Customer Service Update, etc.).

 

Are your customer service personnel properly trained? Do they have all of the necessary tools to get the job done?

Just because certain individuals are “good with people” does not necessarily mean that they are fully equipped to handle all types of customer service situations. It may mean that they have the “right stuff” – but they will still need to receive the “right training.” Even with the proper training, a customer service representative is often only as good as his/her ability to get the job done. This requires access to all of the necessary customer service and support tools, such as guidebooks and procedure manuals; software systems that allow them to log in calls, and track how and when corrective actions are taken; and state-of-the-art mobile communications capabilities.

As you can imagine, there are dozens of additional questions that will still need to be answered before you can be certain that your organisation is addressing all of its key customer service issues. However, these five questions should be at the head of your list in order to make an initial assessment of exactly where your company stands with respect to its customer service philosophy.

 

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Visit Strategies For Growth SM website @ https://pollockonservice.com/

 

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ServiceMax, a GE Digital company, has recently commissioned independent market research specialist Vanson Bourne to explore the trends in asset connectivity. Here we look at some of their findings...

Asset and service data will be a crucial element of making the transition to a more outcome-based business model - something that is high on the agenda for many companies currently.

However, at present, surveyed organisations are not accessing the full potential of this data due to their inconsistent use of digital tools and technology. While 98% of respondents report that their organisation uses automated digital tools and technology to aid the collection and utilisation of asset service data, only around half or fewer state that these tools are used in the collection (51%), aggregation (43%) or analysis (52%) stages of the process.

 

"This intermittent use of automated technologies is not only opening the door for inefficiencies but is also directly leading to difficulties with data collection and utilisation..."

 

This intermittent use of automated technologies is not only opening the door for inefficiencies but is also directly leading to difficulties with data collection and utilisation.

Around four in ten respondents report that when it comes to the management of access to asset service data in real time (40%), aggregating asset service data in a structured way (39%), analysing asset service data (41%), and sharing asset service data analysis with the rest of the business (42%), their organisation either needs huge improvements in these areas, a complete overhaul or that they simply do not do this at all yet.

The difficulties regarding asset and service data are exasperated further by the 59% of respondents who agree that their organisation is held back from the successful analysis of data because the quality of it is usually poor.

Struggles are rife throughout the entire process, right from who is collecting it and how they do this, down to how it is being analysed and shared across the business.

How can these organisations possibly expect to make any informed, strategic decisions using the data that is readily available to them if the process is so disjointed, outdated and underdeveloped digitally?

 

Lack of Data Confidence

And these struggles have led to a distinct lack of confidence among surveyed decision makers and their colleagues, with only 50% of respondents reporting that they or other service leaders in their organisation completely trust the asset service data that they have access to.

But this will need to change because asset and service data is becoming an ever more integral part of organisations, and this is summed up by the 85% of respondents who agree that service asset data should be central to strategic decision making.

The requirement to boost trust levels is especially pertinent in those organisations where the C-suite is already using asset service data today (39%) or have plans to in the future (34%) because they will need to be able to trust in the data in order to make well-informed decisions for the business.

The use of asset and service data by the C-suite will also serve to set an example for leaders across other departments that this is the best way forward for the organisation.

 

Glaring Skills Gap

However, it is not just these deep-lying trust issues that are a concern for organisations, which is clear from the fact that only 22% of respondents are willing to admit that the IT and field service functions in their organisation work together completely effectively to achieve the goal of better data utilisation.

This lack of collaboration is compounded by a glaring skills gap whereby over three quarters (77%) of surveyed decision makers concede that the pace of data intelligence digitally collected by their organisation’s assets is outpacing the skills of those responsible for actually utilising the data.

Further to this, more than four in ten respondents report that the skills of engineers (45%) and the skills of management (44%) are a cause for concern when it comes to using data produced by advanced technologies (such as a digital twin) meaningfully. This should set alarm bells ringing for organisations because they are struggling with skills among both their employees on the ground and those higher up the organisation as well. It seems that even with the implementation of the appropriate technology for the collection and utilisation of asset and service data, there will still be work to be done in order to extract as much value as possible – this will likely need to be in the form of a rigorous training program.

 

An Appetite for Automation

A lack of collaboration between teams, an ever-increasing skills gap and an inconsistent use of the appropriate technology, leading to trust issues could become a recipe for disaster in these organisations if not addressed quickly.

 

"Over four in ten (43%) report that the automation of this process in their organisation is required to a huge extent, or that it is completely required because manually entered data never/rarely provides value..."

 

The need for automated digital tools has rarely been clearer, and respondents recognise this. Only 7% believe that automating the process of collecting and utilising asset service data is not at all required because all data manually entered by service engineers is structured and entirely usable.

Whereas over four in ten (43%) report that the automation of this process in their organisation is required to a huge extent, or that it is completely required because manually entered data never/rarely provides value.

Organisations will need to utilise automated digital tools more consistently if they are to progress, but they will also need to upskill their workforce and address any collaboration issues internally.

These three areas are crucial if asset and service data is to be utilised to its full potential and this will ultimately underpin the successful transition to an outcome-based business model.

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Michael Blumberg reveals some of the key findings of the latest research into field service Scheduling and Dispatch to come out of Blumberg Associates...

A critical success factor in managing a Field Service Organization (FSO) is the ability to effectively schedule and dispatch field service engineers (FSEs).

It is about making sure that technicians arrive at the customers’ site at the right time with the proper tools, knowledge, and resources to resolve the problem during their initial visit.

First Time Fix is the name of the game in field service. FSOs run the risk of incurring additional costs and damaging their customer satisfaction any time their First Time Fix target is in jeopardy.

There’s a lot at stake for FSOs when it comes to effectively scheduling and dispatching FSEs. There are significant challenges for FSOs, particularly if many service visits are required each day, dispatching is made from a large pool of FSEs, and the FSO is financially penalized by the customer when response time commitments or Service Level Agreement (SLAs) are not met.

 

"First Time Fix is the name of the game in field service. FSOs run the risk of incurring additional costs and damaging their customer satisfaction any time their First Time Fix target is in jeopardy..."

 

Over the last 10-20 years, FSOs have turned to advanced tools and technology to automate the scheduling and dispatch process to improve this activity.

These tools range from appointment setting applications to dynamic scheduling software based on artificial intelligence and operations research algorithms.

To understand how these tools are deployed in the field as well their impact on service performance, Blumberg Advisory Group and Field Service Insights in conjunction with Timing Software conducted a benchmark study among 150 FSOs. In this article, we will examine the impact of automated appointment booking applications and dynamic scheduling functionality on performance.

Most FSOs had limited flexibility in their appointment booking process.

 

• 59% offered their customers the first available time slot while the remaining 40% provided their customer with alternative options
• Approximately half (49%) set appointments 5 days out or longer. This reflects that they have limited ability to handle emergency and/ or expedited requests.
• Less than one-third (30%) were capable of booking appointments 1 to 2 days in advance. However, nearly two-thirds (65.7%) utilized automation to help identify or locate available appointment times.
• Almost three-quarters relied on the automation supplied by their CRM/ERP software vendor.
• Less than 9% utilized a separate, best of breed scheduling solution for appointment booking, while the remaining depended on a customized system developed in-house.

 

FSOs who utilize automated appointment booking offer a better customer experience than those who do not.

There is a higher level of customer engagement because it provides the customer with options and a feeling of control when service is provided.

Companies that utilize this functionality are four times as likely to handle a 500 or more service requests per day and experience a higher FSE to Dispatcher ratio that those who do not.

The second step from booking an appointment is the actual scheduling of FSEs.

 

• One half assigned FSEs to customer sites based on their skill set, availability, and proximity.
• Remaining 50% either determined the schedule for their FSEs by dispatching the same FSE to the same site every time or assigned the same FSE to the same site having the FSE determine their own schedule.

 

Two-thirds of survey respondents utilized an automated process/system.

Approximately half (51%) used software that contains some type of algorithm which optimizes scheduling based on specific criteria (e.g., cost, travel time, etc.) or pre-defined factors. Less than one-third (31%) have a scheduling system on a rules-based engine. The remaining 17% have an AI based system that improves their scheduling process based on dynamic variables.

 

"FSEs who use automated scheduling software are 47% more likely to complete 5 or more service visits per day..."

 

The use of automated scheduling software has several benefits to FSOs. Our survey results indicate companies who utilize this type of software are 45% more likely to handle 100 or more service requests per day.

They are also 39% more likely to experience an SLA compliance rate of 90% or higher. In addition, they are twice as likely to have FSE rates of 85% or higher.

 

Furthermore, FSEs who use automated scheduling software are 47% more likely to complete 5 or more service visits per day.

Our findings suggest that appointment setting functionality plays a critical role in improving customer experience, increasing service productivity, and operating an efficient dispatch centre.

Automated scheduling software provides measurable improvements with respect to FSE productivity and efficiency. In the last year, 99% of FSOs surveyed incurred a financial penalty or were required to provide a customer rebate for missing SLA/response time targets. Almost half (45%) missed these targets more than 24 times last year.

The use of advanced tools and technology like automated booking and scheduling software will have a significant improvement in reducing or eliminating the frequency of these occurrences.

 

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