ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘field-service’ CATEGORY

Data collation has become perhaps one of the most important factors in delivering the levels of standards that today’s empowered customers demand. However, many companies are now finding themselves struggling to turn the vast amounts of data being generated today into meaningful insight. Bill Pollock, President for Strategies for GrowthSM explores how field service companies can find a balance between flood and thirst...

Many reports have been written about services organisations (and businesses of all types) “drowning in data lakes”. However, the key to success is to establish early on what data is needed to effectively run services operations, and focus specifically on those types of data when collecting and processing the reams and reams of data points generated from your IoT-based systems.

Too much data is … well, too much data, if you don’t have a plan to harvest it effectively.Too much data is … well, too much data, if you don’t have a plan to harvest it effectively.

The most important asset a services organisation owns is the cumulative knowledge and expertise it has acquired, developed and utilised over time to support its customers’ systems and equipment – and, in many cases, the entire customer enterprise.

Some of this knowledge may be in the form of bits of information stored in a database, while other knowledge is often manifested in the form of new systems, tools and technologies that have been placed into use.

However, knowledge can only be built on a strong foundation of data and information – and these key components of knowledge must be inherently accurate, clean, well-defined, and easily accessible.

Today, everybody talks about data analytics, but many often confuse data with information and knowledge. Basically, data is a core corporate asset that must be synthesised into information before it can serve as the basis for knowledge within the organisation. As such, data may be defined primarily as:

• Facts about things, organised for analysis, or used to support or make decisions; or
• Raw material from which information is derived to serve as the basis for making intelligent decisions.

Information, on the other hand, is defined as:

• Collections, or aggregations, of usable facts or data;
• Processed, stored, or transmitted data; or
• Data in context, accompanied by precise definition and clear presentation.

Finally, knowledge may be defined as:

• Specific information about something; that is, the sum or range of what has been discovered or learned;
• Information known, and presented in the proper context; or
• The value added to information by people who have the experience and/or acumen to understand its business potential.

The quality of the data that an organisation collects, measures and distributes is also a key factor in database building. To attain an acceptable level of data quality, the organisation must be able to mine its data whilst focusing on key areas, such as:

• Clear definition or meaning
• Correct values
• Understandable presentation format
• Usefulness in supporting targeted business processes

However, regardless of the state of the organisation’s data assets, there must still be a balance of data, process and systems in order to meet the company’s stated business objectives, which generally focus on things like:

• Increasing revenues and margins
• Increasing market share
• Increasing customer satisfaction

However, if there is not a match between data quality and the application of that data, then the entire process will ultimately become a fool’s errand (i.e., garbage-in; garbage-out).

Regardless, data is ubiquitous – it is used to support every aspect of the business, and is an integral component of every key business process. But, the usefulness of the data is only as good as the data itself – and this is where many organisations run into trouble.

You don’t go to work wearing 12 watches; you don’t buy 48 oz. of steaks, per person, to put on the grill for a summer barbecue; so, why would you pay for more data than you will ever needAs such, services organisations need to be able to identify which data is “need to know” vs. which data is only “nice-to-know”. Nice-to-know data is ultimately way too expensive to collect, process, analyse, monitor and distribute; however, need-to-know data is not only invaluable – but critical to ensuring the operational and financial well-being of the organisation.

For example, you don’t go to work wearing 12 watches; you don’t buy 48 oz. of steaks, per person, to put on the grill for a summer barbecue; so, why would you pay for more data than you will ever need when you can harvest just what you need for now (plus whatever else looks like you may need in the future)?

The quest for knowledge is the key that can unlock the potential applications and uses of the organisation’s existing – or planned – databases.

In fact, most businesses are already sitting on a goldmine of data that can – and should – be transformed into actionable information and knowledge with the potential to:

• Enhance and expand their existing product, service, supply chain, CRM and operational databases;
• Create knowledge-oriented delivery systems for new, or enhanced, value-added products, services and support; and
• Differentiate itself from other competitive market players.

Knowledge that was previously unknown – or unavailable – such as profiles of potential buyers, or specific patterns of product/service usage may be uncovered and put into practical use for the first time. The end result can lead to anything ranging from improvements in operational efficiency to improved service delivery performance, more accurate parts forecasting, and higher levels of customer service and support – all based on a strong foundation of data collection, measurement and distribution.

Consider your data repository as a storage space for all of the data you will need today, tomorrow and in the future. If large enough, put it in a data lake – but make sure you don’t use Loch Ness for what a smaller data lake can do for you more efficiently.

Be social and share

IFS, a global enterprise applications company, has previewed major updates of its IFS Field Service Management™ (FSM) offering at the IFS World Conference in Atlanta today.

IFS Field Service Management 6 features a number of enhancements, including:

• New user experience (UX): With a completely re-engineered, fully responsive front end, IFS FSM 6 will run on any browser and on any device at any time. The new UX features user-centric and intuitive action patterns as well as stunning graphic designs including high-resolution charts and diagrams.
• Major performance boost in IFS Planning & Scheduling Optimization™ (PSO): The IFS PSO component of IFS Field Service Management yields a 50% improvement in processing performance on Microsoft Azure. In addition, the maximum number of activities per standard Dynamic Scheduling Engine (DSE) for dynamic responsive processing has been significantly increased.
• Next-generation configurability: Written in an all-new scripting language that empowers customers to configure data fields, workflows, and user behaviour, IFS FSM 6 eliminates the need for costly customizations, providing greater agility while evergreen service management capabilities ensure seamless updates.
• Key functional enhancements: Alongside these major new architectural changes, IFS FSM 6 introduces a multitude of significant new features and extensions to existing functionality in areas including increased scheduling optimization flexibility, warranty claims management, mobile synchronization, and UI improvements.
• Pay and deploy with even more flexibility: Customers can choose to deploy IFS FSM 6 as a true multi-tenant solution on the Microsoft Azure cloud, as a managed service in the cloud, or on-premise. This flexibility also offers customers choice in how they pay, from outright ownership to a monthly subscription.

“We are very excited to offer a preview of IFS Field Service Management 6, which leads the market in terms of usability, configurability, connectivity, and flexibility,” said Mark Brewer, IFS global industry director for service.

Choice is a good thing, and with IFS, the customer can decide what makes sense for their business.“With this major new release, we are further differentiating our value proposition but are continuing to provide customers with the ability to choose the functionality they need and deploy in the way they want—be it in the cloud or on-premise. Choice is a good thing, and with IFS, the customer can decide what makes sense for their business. Combine this flexibility with industry-leading functionality, leading AI and optimization technology and a new user experience and it is evident that IFS really does represent the most complete, connected field service solution on the market.”

One of the early adopters is Eickhoff, a leading manufacturer of machinery and gearing technology used in mining, wind turbines, and other industrial applications.

Commenting on IFS Field Service Management 6, Dietmar Schmitz, Head of Product Development Service at Eickhoff, said, “As a provider of mission-critical machinery, we see service as a core competency and competitive differentiator. Consequently, we needed a solution to manage our more than 6.5 million items in complex parts lists for over 15,000 custom units. IFS FSM 6 provides an engaging and effective way to make this possible.”

Be social and share

Fast Lean Smart (FLS) is working with Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions (RMPFS) to implement a new scheduling software system to increase productivity and establish a site ownership model.

RMPFS wanted to upgrade its current scheduling and route planning software to achieve new levels of efficiency and productivity from its service operations. The company’s existing system is over 10 years old and no longer meets its needs.

“We looked at several scheduling and route planning systems providers, FLS being one of them,” says Scott Maddocks, Project Manager for RMPFS.

“After the initial demonstration, we carried out a number of FLS customer site visits to see the software in action. We engaged our management teams, our engineers and our unions because we wanted them all to be happy that the software would work.”

After the initial demonstration, we carried out a number of FLS customer site visits to see the software in action. We engaged our management teams, our engineers and our unions because we wanted them all to be happy that the software would work.In the end, FLS came out on top. “We chose FLS for a number of reasons,” says Scott. “The user front end was better than the other products we looked at, and FLS gave us confidence that their software could be integrated with our existing service management system. We also thought that FLS would be good to work with, more agile and better able to deliver what we wanted than the other suppliers.”

One of RMPFS’s goals was to plan jobs more efficiently. FLS’s ability to plan optimised routes in real time will help it do this. FLS software takes into account specific business priorities, traffic-based driving times and countless other variables for both planned and reactive work. RMPFS also wants to reduce the number of return visits its engineers have to do. FLS will give them a portal where they can see four weeks of planned work in advance and allocate the necessary resources to each job. Engineers will be able to request job assists and equipment hire in advance of the job using the new portal.

Another key requirement for RMPFS was the establishment of a site ownership model, i.e. the allocation of tasks to preferred engineers according to a set of criteria to ensure that the right skills are in the right place at the right time. “We wanted software that could navigate several tiers of engineer choices, to allow them to build their site knowledge and relationships and reduce their travel time,” says Scott. “FLS proved that its system was up to the challenge and could enable our engineers to work at preferred sites in preferred regions based on an extensive and complex series of rules.”

Be social and share

For our latest research project, which we ran in partnership with ServiceMax from GE Digital our focus was to see what the field service engineer of the near future will look like. We are now into feature three of our online coverage of the findings of this research where we look at some of the conclusions drawn from the first part of our analysis and highlight some of the key statistics the research revealed.

To recap in the first part of this series we looked at the research aims, the threat of the ageing workforce and the changes in training methodologies that are emerging. In part two we explored if and if and how field service companies are utilising their experienced field service engineers to train the incoming generation.

Now let's dive in to part three...

 

There is also a detailed white paper outlining the wider findings of this report which is available to fieldservicenews.com subscribers...

Not a subscriber yet? Click here to apply for a complimentary industry practitioner email and get this resource sent to you instantly

(Please note that by applying for your subscription via this link you accept the terms and conditions here and a plain english version is available from our main subscriptions page here) 

Companies are aware of the challenges but are they reacting quick enough?

It is clear from our findings that the role of the FSE is undoubtedly changing.

Field service companies are today seeking much more rounded individuals, who are as proficient as dealing with face to face interactions with the customer as they are dealing with technical maintenance issues.

It is also clear that whilst it may have been exaggerated in some quarters the challenges of replacing an ageing workforce is very much a real threat to a large number of field service organisations. However, the fact remains that these challenges may also essentially be set resolve each other.

There have been numerous explorations and studies into the traits of the Millennial generation and one of the key observations that is often raised is that Millennials are on the whole a more confident generation than those that preceded them, who also value variety within their working lives - perfectly suited to a role that balances both technical and customer service elements perhaps?

Connected Assets, Machine Learning, AR and of course a solid FSM system can all empower field service engineers to be the brand ambassadors field service companies today are seeking.What is clear though is that the link between the two will be provided by technology. As discussed above, technologies such as Augmented Reality can go a huge way to bridging the gap between the experienced engineers that are in the latter part of their careers and those who are just entering the workforce. It is, therefore, a bit of a surprise that so few companies are actively embracing such tools as yet.

Perhaps, here is the real issue and the underlying challenge.

Technology really does provide an answer to most of all of the challenges discussed in this series so far. Connected Assets, Machine Learning, AR and of course a solid FSM system can all empower field service engineers to be the brand ambassadors field service companies today are seeking.

They also provide a platform for easing the transition from ‘a ‘Boomer workforce to a Millennial one by creating far more economically efficient means of extending the older FSEs productive career span, bringing them out of the field and allowing them to offer guidance remotely.

However, it seems that for many perhaps there is a lack of urgency.

There is a sense that for many companies it is a case of ‘yes - we see the challenge and we’re aware of it but aren’t actioning it just yet...’ One suspects that perhaps because the issue of an ageing workforce isn’t quite critical enough as yet and the fact that solutions do exist and are in-fact becoming fairly well established already, the danger doesn’t seem as particularly real as it should for many.

However, whilst the systems and technologies are certainly available to overcome these challenges, implementation and realignment of processes will take time and unless companies act soon, the ageing workforce crisis and rapid evolution of the FSE in a millennial guise may just catch them unawares and then the risk may just still live up to the hyperbole after all.

Some of the key statistics from the findings:

• 48% of field service companies believe the threat an ageing workforce poses to their field service operations is either significant or severe
• 18% of field service companies believe their exposure to an ageing workforce will be limited
• Only 10% of field service companies have redeveloped their training methodologies to be more attuned to Millennials entering the workplace
• 78% of field service companies are in the process of or are planning to overhaul their training processes
• 20% of companies actively use their senior engineers in a remote expert capacity to guide younger Field Service Engineers in the field
• 98% of companies are prioritising softer, inter-personal skills as key attributes more now than they have done in the past when hiring new field service engineers[/unordered_list]

Want to know more? There is also a detailed white paper outlining the wider findings of this report which is available to fieldservicenews.com subscribers...

Not a subscriber yet? Click here to apply for a complimentary industry practitioner email and get this resource sent to you instantly

(Please note that by applying for your subscription via this link you accept the terms and conditions here and a plain English version is available from our main subscriptions page here) 

 

Be social and share 

Three of the largest insurance companies in the UK and Europe have deployed FLS’ appointment scheduling software to improve service and enable efficient field service scheduling and routing of field based resources.

FLS, Fast Lean Smart, a leading provider of workforce scheduling software and mobile workforce management solutions with UK offices in Reading and Warrington, announces that three major general insurance companies have recently deployed FLS VISITOUR for workforce optimisation, appointment booking, workforce scheduling and routing of their claims assessors, including motor engineers and property surveyors, in total more than 500 field based employees.

The challenge

Insurers each operate a criteria upon which they determine when an insurance claim needs to be assessed by a surveyor, either a review of photographs at their desk or a field visit.

Some perform these assessments using employed resources, others outsource this to third-party service providers, often there is a combination of these to best cover the country and cope with ‘surge’ events, for example a flood in Devon can result in an extraordinary number of claims to be managed in that area.

The Insurers objective is to detect fraud whilst also resolving genuine claims quickly and so build a reputation for good service. Insurers use key performance indicators to monitor each stage of the process from first contact to closure but in parallel to this is the continuous need to control and reduce costs so they can offer competitive insurance policy premiums.

The business need

For each of these FLS customers the requirement was to speed up the appointment booking process to visit and assess claims and to gain efficiencies for office and field based staff. VISITOUR achieves this by enabling a central claims liaison team to instantly offer a flexible choice of time slots which are also the most cost efficient to achieve with the available field based resources (and in some cases desk based resources using images) and whilst ensuring previous appointment commitments must be kept.

The approach and benefits realisation Each Insurer took advantage of the FLS offer for a Software-as-a-Service ‘try before you buy’ pilot. FLS VISITOUR was configured and used live for a region of the country to prove the suitability of the solution and return on investment, before the choice was made to continue from pilot to rollout.

Within the first two weeks of pilot, one insurer determined as much as 50% reduction in average mileage and 2 hours a day driving time could be saved, however, for rollout the most important business objective was to give the best possible customer experience to their customer by attending appointments and closing claims sooner, therefore the settings were adjusted in VISITOUR to achieve these priorities.

 

Mobile App for real-time communication and reporting two of these insurers have also deployed FLS MOBILE which enables paper-free provision of case information, capture of assessment reports, and real-time appointment status updates.

This field information also makes it possible to track that progress is on-time, to automatically message customers with estimated arrival times, and to book new ‘same day’ appointments based on this progress – further advantages to offering market leading customer service. FLS UK Managing Director, Jeremy Squire, comments “We are very proud of the success and benefits achieved using VISITOUR by our customers. In partnership with these insurance market leaders, FLS will continue to develop the unique capabilities of VISITOUR to their advantage”.

 

---

 

For those attending Field Service Management Expo FLS are exhibiting on Stand Q770 visit them to find out more

 

---

 

Be social and share this feature

Mark Brewer, Global Industry Director, IFS looks at the changing realities of business and how field service companies must adapt to new expectations...

A 2015 study conducted by Microsoft concluded that the average human attention span was 8 seconds, down from 12 seconds in 2000.

Technology has changed considerably since the year 2000, our smartphones have become smarter, social media has exploded and instant gratification is at every consumer’s fingertips thanks to faster-than-ever service from Amazon Prime and others.

But what does a shorter attention span have to do with field service? Firstly, it directly correlates with expectation. Consumers expect organisations to effectively capture and keep their attention. As well as do the legwork for them, facilitating constant interaction and information. Secondly, marketing becomes less effective. You have to find new, innovative ways to attract and retain customers.

So how do you combat the curse of an “uberized” world that demands instant gratification, short attention span and all? Here are three ways to solve your organisational woes to delight your customers and maximise your potential.

Problem: your future (and current) customers don’t have time for you

Solution: increase engagement using various media Attracting potential customers and keeping current customers engaged demands an understanding of their needs and behaviours.

According to a Microsoft study, 84% of millennial customers have used a self-service portal for customer service.

Find new ways to engage like a customer app or a loyalty reward programme. Incentify your prospects using gamification practices, enticing them to interact with your brand through a mobile game offering or discount site. Make booking a service as easy as possible with options like scheduling via Facebook, etc. According to Bain & Company, it costs 500% more to acquire new customers than it does to keep current ones, and the cost of bringing a new customer up to the same level of profitability as an old one is up to 16x more expensive.

 

With ever-mounting consumer demands and dwindling profit margins, empowering your technicians seems like common sense. Just make sure you have provided them with the right tools and technologies to be sales heroes as well as install-it, build-it, fix-it experts.

Use your field service technicians as your frontline sales guys. Maximise those closely developed relationships by teaching them to up-sell and capture customer attention and loyalty on-site, in person.

Problem: customers expect a completely engaged field service transaction

Solution: uberize your offering to the best of your ability

ComScore reports that, on average, 65% of consumer digital media time is spent on mobile devices. Customers now expect that the experience they get with Uber will translate into field service.

They want information at every stage of the service lifecycle, faster resolution times, more in-depth information about parts and processes and reviews to prove you’re trustworthy. Provide customers with a constant information stream from appointment to service to invoice with a robust field service management solution.

 

Send your customers a link to a customised portal that allows them to track technicians and stay up to date. Provide customer surveys onsite or after the field service interaction to close the feedback loop and improve performance.

Make your customers feel empowered at every stage of the service lifecycle by providing them with more options when it comes to their schedule, appointment windows, service offerings and add-ons.

Problem: instant gratification means no margin for error

Solution: mobility is the answer

First-time fix rate is imperative to customer satisfaction as well as maximised service margins. Short attention spans translate into higher expectations.

Customers expect field service organisations to know where their field techs are at all times and be able to report arrival times, traffic delays, and more. On-site, they expect field technicians to have the materials and expertise to accomplish tasks on the first visit. Enabling your workforce with a mobilised field service solution ensures success.

 

In their 2016 Mobile Enterprise Applications survey, Frost & Sullivan reported that a mobile solution increased competitive advantage by 55% and enhanced customer engagement by 52% for enterprise users. As your organisation moves to embrace and adopt new technologies for increased efficiencies like IoT, a strong mobile strategy is imperative to continued success.

The future of field service

The world has changed forever. It’s not enough to just sell a product, and then provide service if something breaks. Customers expect more. This goes hand-in-hand with diminishing attention span. Even the process of evaluating and buying a product has changed dramatically.

Convenience is key for buyers and oftentimes it is the aftermarket service that becomes the competitive differentiator.

Thanks to the reducing attention span and the need for instant gratification, the process of buying has changed, the criteria for product selection have changed, and the expectation for aftermarket service has changed. Are you ready to embrace this transformation in your organisation?

 

---

 

Be social and share this feature

Manuel Grenacher, CEO at coresystems looks at why the predicted boom of the field service management market is set to bring workforce challenges of its own and proposes that the crowd-sourcing of field service could be the solution to these issues...

According to a recent report from Markets and Markets, by 2020 the field service management (FSM) market will be worth $5.11 billion – nearly triple its size in 2015. Major drivers behind that projection include skyrocketing customer expectations, the ever-increasing demand for enhanced productivity, and the steady escalation of field service operation costs.

Furthermore, Gartner forecasted that by 2020, two out of three large field service organisations will equip field technicians with a mobile application that drives profitability by creating revenue streams, efficiency and customer satisfaction. This is a positive outlook for the FSM market, but there’s a problem with the traditional field service delivery model that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

The exponential growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the real-time connectivity it enables has led to a massive spike in consumer expectations for instantaneous customer service. As a result, organisation of all sizes and across all industries have been forced to rethink their strategies for customer service delivery, including their workforce resources and supporting technologies. In doing so, many organisations are finding that they lack the technician specialists required to deliver real-time field service to their customers, and until now there has been no technology-based solution to help organisations find and deploy those specialists.

 

Compounding this resource availability problem is the fact that every day the number of IoT connected devices in circulation is increasing, which further adds to organisations’ backlogs of field service requests. But what if the field service industry were to adopt a new delivery model – one that could shift the balance of technology versus technicians back to a sustainable equilibrium for organisations?

This would be the tipping point that could help organisations leverage FSM to realise the true promise of the IoT. And the field service industry need look no further than some of the forward thinking companies that lead the way in the sharing economy, such as Uber and Airbnb.

By introducing technology that enables the crowdsourcing of field service to independent, for hire field service technicians (just like Uber does for drivers), FSM software providers would be able to help their customers find those field service technicians anywhere and anytime. This would check organisations’ critical box of providing real-time customer service.

[quote float="right"]The bottom line is that businesses today need to focus as much – if not more – on stellar customer service as they do on building innovative products

Furthermore, by utilising crowdsourced field service (or “crowd service”) for IoT-connected technologies, organisations will not only be able to deliver real-time customer support, but could also provide service and maintenance before those technologies suffer an outage. For larger organisations, we see two scenarios: a “public crowd” of crowdsourced freelance-technicians and a “private crowd” of technicians within your business ecosystem such as contractors, partners, subsidiaries and corporate professionals. Imagine that: through crowd service, organisations can proactively ensure that they never face the dreaded downtime that can end up costing millions of dollars per hour.

 

The bottom line is that businesses today need to focus as much – if not more – on stellar customer service as they do on building innovative products, but finding the time and resources required to meet rising consumer demands for real-time service has become increasingly difficult.

With crowd service, organisations can streamline their field service operations to deliver service as quickly as the same day the customer requests it, which delivers benefits from both a cost savings and customer satisfaction standpoint. Clearly, this crowd service model has the potential to be highly disruptive in the field service industry, but unlike many other technology based developments that are often lazily called disruptive, crowdsourced field service isn’t simply a nebulous concept.

 

FSM software providers are not only laying the groundwork for crowd service as we speak, but have customers deploying the technology in the real world – and many in the FSM industry, including Coresystems, expect crowd service to revolutionise the way that organisations service their customers in 2017 and beyond. So, as organisations look for a solution to the field service resourcing problem created by the IoT, they should turn to the crowd.

 

---

 

Be social and share this feature

Mark Brewer, Global Industry Director - Service Management, IFS explains how the field service sector is being undeniably changed by the growing shift of companies towards servitization...

When I first started working in the field service management (FSM) space more than a decade ago, the industry landscape looked much different than it does today.

Ten years ago, organisations were looking to automate their field service processes in an attempt to decrease unpredictable costs and inefficiencies while gaining a little more control and visibility over an otherwise unpredictable industry. The core focus was scheduling and dispatch. Today, the focus has shifted, moving from core functionality towards a new, more holistic emphasis on the end customer.

The potential is limitless and the changing market cannot be overlooked. In a 2016 research report by Markets and Markets, it is estimated that the field service management market will grow from $1.97 billion in 2015 to $5.11 billion by 2020.

 

Low profit margins, increased competition and growing consumer demand fuelled by technological revolution have contributed to a major shift in the field service management market, both in demand and vendor response.

As field service organisations look to find new innovative ways to maximise operational efficiency and reduce operational costs, enterprise software vendors have established a sweet spot, spurring a flurry of field service management vendor acquisitions.

This change has created a fundamental shift in field service management, from expectations through to functionality and approach. As product-based organisations transition towards servitization and as traditional field service organisations look to adapt and grow, the following trends have emerged in order to enable the transformation.

1. END-TO-END. A NEW APPROACH MOVING AWAY FROM BEST OF BREED

Ten years ago, service organisations were simply looking to automate their existing processes.

In the majority of cases, schedules were generated on whiteboards or spreadsheets, paper work orders were manually distributed and communication between the field and back office was limited or non-existent. Best of breed solutions provided badly needed automation enabling organisations to increase efficiencies and reduce costs. Automation is now a given.

Today it is all about the data. As technology has advanced, organisations are now able to capture the data required to drive key business decisions at the highest level.

Where an automated solution provided process efficiency, an end-to-end intelligent service solution provides the seamless data flow required to optimally drive and scale the business while delighting customers. With end-to-end field service management, an organisation has access to real-time data, empowering fact based decisions and future plans.

2. CONSUMER-DRIVEN PRODUCT AND SERVICE DIRECTION

Now more than ever, today’s consumer is empowered and knows what they want. The world has become smaller thanks to globalisation, social media and connectivity in general.

Experiences are more important than ever as today’s customer has a multitude of platforms available to make their voice heard. Customer engagement is now imperative.

In the traditional make and sell model, you design a product, engineer it, procure materials, manufacture the end product, market and sell it to customers and then optionally provide aftersales support.

 

The shift now is moving away from selling products towards delivering ‘product-as-a-service’. Where price has traditionally been based on product output and performance, now ‘contract value’ is based on a defined outcome, thus moving away from a transaction based model to a value based partner relationship. A field service organisation needs the right platform to facilitate this change in order to drive value from the product throughout its entire lifecycle.

3. REINVENTING OPTIMISATION

Whilst Servitization can be a strategy to drive enhanced revenue, this should not be to the detriment of service execution. Service will always be measured by how well you perform, and that means optimising the entire service chain from human capital to parts and logistics.

It also encompasses real-time measuring and monitoring of service execution enabling the transition to a proactive ‘manage by exception’ model, rather than providing a reactive response.

Optimisation is no longer viewed in isolation, optimising intraday schedules and inventory. Rather it should be considered holistically in an effort to deliver flawless end-to-end service.

How do field service organisations prepare for what’s next in the industry while ensuring continued success?

 

The first step is to ensure they have a strong foundation or platform to start from. Core processes and systems should be running optimally to allow an organisation the ability to effectively scale and adopt new technology.

Organisations must embrace change with an enterprise-wide change management strategy.

Lastly, the most successful field service organisations have a clear understanding of the end consumer’s expectations for today and tomorrow to ensure these can be met or exceeded today as well as anticipated for the future. Value added service is no longer optional, it is the very future of service.

 

---

 

Be social and share this feature

Resource Type: White Paper
Published by:  ClickSoftware
Title: The Uberization of Service: A consumer and supplier view

---

 

Click here to subscribe to Field Service News and get this white paper sent directly to your inbox now

---

 

Synopsis:

With the advent of real-time communications and new technologies such as social media, wearables, IoT, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, there are countless opportunities for businesses to transform customer service. Key research from ClickSoftware presented in this white paper looks to the challenges of the near future of field service...

ClickSoftware, have commissioned a global industry and consumer research project to further understand consumer expectations when it comes to services being delivered to the home.

By comparing this with field service supplier plans to implement and enhance their offering and roll out new technologies, the survey set out to make comparisons between the two in a rapidly changing landscape, and uncover any discernable gaps or challenges in the provision of a great customer experience. The findings of this research are in this report.

Download this white paper published by ClickSoftware to find out:

• How the ‘Uberization of service’ is driving a more demanding, hard-to-satisfy, customer base
• Why 61% of all respondents globally have cited ‘customer satisfaction’ as a key priority
• Detailed analysis of Consumer vs. Supplier Findings and how the needs of customers and focus of suppliers marry

Overview:

The modern day consumer has a new perspective on customer service, and irrespective of sector or business, they expect and demand a level of real-time communication and visibility. Service levels provided from retailers, such as Amazon and Uber, are driving expectations across the board, forcing other industries to play catch up.

With this in mind, ClickSoftware, the leading provider of field service management software, commissioned global industry and consumer research to further understand consumer expectations when it comes to services being delivered to the home. By comparing this with field service supplier plans to implement and enhance their offering and roll out new technologies, the survey set out to make comparisons between the two in a rapidly changing landscape, and uncover any

With the advent of real-time communications and new technologies such as social media, wearables, IoT, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, there are countless opportunities for businesses to transform customer service. The research highlights the differences in expectations versus reality, critical in an age where organisations can no longer expect customers to accept the old way of operating.

 

It also points out one key difference: suppliers are focused on the delivery of new technologies rather than recognising that optimised, real-time communications and a transparency for service delivery are high on the customer agenda. The survey results also highlight some key differences in expectations and communications methods by geographic region, underscoring the complexity of running an international field service business, where end users in each region expect different things from customer service.

The white paper then moves into three key sections:

Executive Summaries: Consumer Survey

Overall, the survey responses show customer expectations are increasing across the board, with the ‘Uberization of service’ driving this and generating a more demanding, hard-to-satisfy, customer base. Essentially, customers know that the advent of technology now allows for engineer location tracking and up-to-the-minute communication, and they have come to expect this

Executive Summaries: Supplier Survey

When field service suppliers were asked which measure of field service management their organisation values most, an average of 61% of all respondents cited ‘customer satisfaction’ as the top field service measure, with as many as two-thirds of those polled in Australia selecting this answer.

Comparative Survey Analysis:

The final section of the white paper is the most detailed and insightful, bringing the data from these two essential pieces of research to identify the most important trends appearing on both sides of the service spectrum. With the data laid out in clear graphical formats accompanied by well thought out and intelligent analysis, it is advised reading for any senior field service professional.

 

---

 

Click here to subscribe to Field Service News and get this white paper sent directly to your inbox now

---

 

Be social and share this feature