Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined by Mark Belenky, CEO Software Outsourcing Solutions and a specialist in workforce management solutions to work through some of the key findings of an exclusive Field Service News Research project that spoke to over 100 service leaders from the field service sector and beyond to understand the key trends in workforce management.

During the discussion, the two discuss a number of key insights revealed from the data including the key metrics that define workforce management success, how companies are optimising the costs of managing the workforce and what tools and processes are being used for best-in-class workforce management.

In this excerpt from that full interview, the conversation focuses on the industry data revealing that, for service-centric companies, the biggest issue regarding workforce management is overwhemingly staff utilization.

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length interview plus many, many more in the Field Service New Digital Symposium.  If you have an FSN Premium account you can access the video on the button below. If you are currently on our FSN Standard subscription tier you can upgrade your subscription by clicking the link below.

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. 

Further Reading:

• Read more about Manage the Mobile Workforce @www.fieldservicenews.com/managing-the-mobile-workforce
• Read more about Workforce Management @ www.fieldservicenews.com/workforce-management
• Learn more about Software Outsourcing Solutions @ www.s-o-services.com
• Connect with Mark Belenky on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/in/markbelenky

Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined by Mark Belenky, CEO Software Outsourcing Solutions and a specialist in workforce management solutions to work through some of the key findings of an exclusive Field Service News Research project that spoke to over 100 service leaders from the field service sector and beyond to understand the key trends in workforce management.

During the discussion, the two discuss a number of key insights revealed from the data including the key metrics that define workforce management success, how companies are optimising the costs of managing the workforce and what tools and processes are being used for best-in-class workforce management.

In this excerpt from that full interview, the conversation focuses on the types of solutions used by organisations to manage the workforce in the ever-changing field service sector.

Want to know more?

FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length interview plus many, many more in the Field Service New Digital Symposium.  If you have an FSN Premium account you can access the video on the button below. If you are currently on our FSN Standard subscription tier you can upgrade your subscription by clicking the link below.

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. 

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Workforce Management @ www.fieldservicenews.com/workforce-management
• Learn more about Software Outsourcing Solutions @ www.s-o-services.com
• Connect with Mark Belenky on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/in/markbelenky

As the service sector looks to reduce site visits in line with current social distancing measures Aquant suggests a solution to maintaining continuity during the pandemic lies in (Artificial Intelligence) AI, remote technology and better data collection.

The service industry does what it does best when in the field, repairing or maintaining equipment. But the medical community is urging us to #StayHome while we fight the pandemic. Service pros can’t unilaterally stay home, but there are ways to reduce the number of site visits needed, while still solving customer issues. And even as the pandemic declines, we are likely to see some social distancing remain, and a rollout of more rigorous health and safety policies that slow a full return to business as usual.

THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE fIELD SERVICE CONTINUITY

Service leaders are accelerating longer-term transformation plans that include self-service solutions, AI tools, more remote diagnostics, better data collection for predictive maintenance, and other changes that limit the number of visits technicians must make to work sites. While some solutions can be deployed more quickly than others, there are ways for service organizations of all sizes to immediately resolve issues faster.

Problem Solving & Planning With AI

1. Increase First Contact Resolution

Resolve less complex issues on the first call. Al tools can enable customer support agents to triage problems during initial contact. To do so, empower agents with the assistance of a robust triage tool that understands every customer and their equipment, and is able to make intelligent service recommendations.

That smart system gives your customer support team the ability to walk through dynamically generated, intelligent checklists with customers. Unlike decision trees, these checklists are created by using smart algorithms that are validated and improved by expert employees and continue to learn and evolve over time.

The more information the agent can prompt the customer to provide, the more accurate the suggested solutions, and the shorter the job duration. For example, the more time spent on remote triage upfront, the better prepared a technician will be on arrival — bringing the appropriate parts or tools. In addition, it provides opportunities for customers to undertake simple solutions themselves when possible.

2. Offer Self-Service Solutions

In addition to providing customer-facing agents access to a diagnostic solution, consider adding a self-service tool to your website for customers to access directly. Direct customers to use the resource to diagnose, and in some cases resolve, simple issues remotely without the need to dispatch a field technician. The most important aspect is that self-service tools are intuitive and:

• Includes an easy-to-use UI
• Asks questions in plainly worded language
• Can understand customer intent regardless of word choice they use to describe a problem
• Recommends the most likely fix that’s possible to achieve remotely.

The addition of self-service tools will immediately mitigate some of the travel problems associated with COVID-19, while also laying the foundation for a longer-term strategy that reduces the burden on an over-scheduled workforce.

3. Use the Right Parts the First Time

Most service organizations face two big parts problems:

The first is a lack of parts or rather a lack of the right parts. If a technician goes into a job without enough context about the issue or is a more junior member of the workforce, there’s a good chance the first visit will simply be a diagnostic one, and then they’ll need to return at a later date with the correct part or parts to complete the job. No technician wants to make multiple visits right now.

The second problem is often harder to detect. That’s the challenge that goes by many names including shotgunning, swap ‘til you drop, or troubleshooting with parts. It’s far more costly when field technicians cycle through more parts than required for a job. It’s also a drain on resources when inexperienced technicians, without the right guidance, struggle by swapping out parts until the issue is resolved. Instead of trial and error, choose AI tools that tap into organizational data, analyze that data, and provide techs on-site with the most efficient path to resolution — decreasing the time it takes to complete a job while also lowering service costs.

4. Analyze Hidden Data to Transition to a More Predictive Service Model

We’ve talked to service leaders across the country, and a common thread is that they are preparing for the post-pandemic, new normal. Future-looking service organizations are driving towards more planned and predictive models which will allow for more strategic workforce planning, fewer site visits, and more steady streams of revenue. And they know that to get there, they need better ways to wrangle historical data along with the ability to monitor and react to IoT and machine outputs effectively.

Start Planning for the Future What’s next for your service organization? Learn how AI-powered Intelligent Triage reduces repeat visits, increases first contact resolution, and creates a better customer experience.

Further Reading: 

• Read more about remote technology in service @ www.fieldservicenews.com/remote
• Read the latest news about Covid-19 and service @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/covid
• To find out more about Aquant click here.

The concluding part of a series of video excerpts from Field Service News, in partnership with Field Nation we will be breaking down the challenges of building a modern field service workforce...

Want to know more? There is a full documentary that dives deeper into this whole topic, which is available as premium content to fieldservicenews.com subscribers...

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Part four of a new series of video excerpts from Field Service News, in partnership with Field Nation we will be breaking down the challenges of building a modern field service workforce...

Want to know more? There is a full documentary that dives deeper into this whole topic, which is available as premium content to fieldservicenews.com subscribers...

This Premium Content is Sponsored by:

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this content.

In the third in a series of video excerpts from Field Service News, in partnership with Field Nation we will be breaking down the challenges of building a modern field service workforce

In this third instalment of our series exploring what the modern field service workforce looks like, we explore the increasing trend of field service organisations embracing the use of contingent, 3rd party and gig-economy labour

Want to know more? There is a full documentary that dives deeper into this whole topic, which is available as premium content to fieldservicenews.com subscribers...

This Premium Content is Sponsored by:

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this content.

Part two of a new series of video excerpts from Field Service News, in partnership with Field Nation we will be breaking down the challenges of building a modern field service workforce...

Want to know more? There is a full documentary that dives deeper into this whole topic, which is available as premium content to fieldservicenews.com subscribers...

This Premium Content is Sponsored by:

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this content.

In a new series of video excerpts from Field Service News, in partnership with Field Nation we will be breaking down the challenges of building a modern field service workforce

In this opening episode of this series exploring what the field workforce of the 21st Century will look like, we establish the significant drivers that are changing the very landscape in which field service organisations operate within. 

Want to know more? There is a full documentary that dives deeper into this whole topic, which is available as premium content to fieldservicenews.com subscribers...

This Premium Content is Sponsored by:

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this content.

Field service organizations are under constant pressure to do more with less. As customer expectations for competitively-priced, high-quality services continues to grow, companies are looking for innovative ways to complete more work without taking on additional overheads. Mynul Khan, CEO, Field Nation discusses...