In the Big Discussion we bring together a panel of industry experts and focus on one key topic within the field service sector. In the third of a four part series on AI our panellists, FieldAware's Mark Tatarsky and ServiceMax's Amit Jain, discuss the benefits the technology can bring to a business.

Steve Zannos, Director, Customer Care, Elextrolux and FSN20 alumni shares his thoughts on service in the latest Field Service Podcast.

Steve Zannos is a worthy addition to 2019's most influential in service list, the FSN20, our annual run-down of those making a significant impact on the sector. As Senior Director of Service at Electrolux, Steve oversees a vast pool of engineers as well as external contractors and has shifted the firm's service strategy to a modern outlook with tangible outcomes.

Steve wrote a fascinating piece on management and engineer engagement so we got him onto the podcast to discuss the article; challenges that arise when introducing new technologies; and how the the profession can encourage more young people into the sector. It's essential listening for any service professional.
You can connect with Steve on LinkedIn here and join the Customer Services Management Professionals LinkedIn group here.

Authentication platform Veridium launches its proprietary facial recognition technology, vFace.

Face enables facial recognition on all mobile devices with a front facing camera (2MP or above), meaning older or less expensive devices without biometric sensor technology built in can be converted into robust security solutions available to all. The software is available as part of the VeridiumID authenticator application on Android or iOS, as well as for businesses to integrate into their existing apps via an SDK, and will soon be available for Windows desktop authentication.

Additionally, Veridium has developed innovative patented behavioural biometrics, which gather data from a device’s motion sensors in order to analyse particular patterns of behaviour unique to the user. This could be the way you use your phone, use an application, or use a biometric, complimented by the device’s location or time of day – providing an additional layer of security in the most seamless fashion. Veridium’s behavioural software can also uniquely be used in conjunction with a device’s native biometrics, as well as use workflows from other applications to inform and improve fraud detection.

John Spencer, Chief Product Revenue Officer of Veridium said: “We are very excited to be launching vFace, our facial recognition software, which complements our existing digital fingerprint technologies on VeridiumID - our robust authentication platform. vFace allows advanced security solutions to be implemented on any smartphone with a front camera – replacing expensive equipment with a frictionless and convenient app. Businesses implementing biometric authentication such as vFace will see increased security, without the associated costs from substantial password administration and data breaches.”


“We are also delighted to offer our unique behavioural biometrics capabilities, which we believe signal a new era in cybersecurity. In the event a malicious actor steals someone’s device and attempts to impersonate their biometrics, they will have an extremely difficult time trying to replicate the genuine user’s unique mannerisms. By unlocking the power of behavioural biometrics, Veridium can help businesses penetrate the final frontier in security in a way that is both transparent and seamless for the end-user,” he concluded.

In the Big Discussion we bring together a panel of industry experts and focus on one key topic within the field service sector. In the second of a four part series on AI our panellists, FieldAware's Mark Tatarsky and ServiceMax's Amit Jain, define the difference between Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

Field Service News' Editor-in-Chief, Kris Oldland, offers opinion on what 2020 could bring for the service sector...

Maybe it’s just the bluster of a new year, magnified but a whole shiny new decade, and not just any decade, 2020 an iconic turning point for an ageing Xennial like me old enough to remember the exciting future that Doc Brown showed us back in the 80’s, yet young enough to harbour the distinctly millenial disappointment that actually the early part of the twenty first century was pretty much the same as the end of its predecessor - just with more anxiety a far, far worse movies.

But I can’t help but feel a tinge of anticipation and excitement as we cross into 2020. Sure, I might have been massively let down by ‘hover boards’ but wont stop my enthusiasm for celebrating the future with the vim and vigour of someone raised on a diet of sci-fi movies that are almost all now set in the past.

But stepping away from childhood flights of fancy and back into my grown up job I actually think there is a huge amount of potentially very rapid development that is going to take the FIeld Sector by storm in the next twelve to eighteen months. And this, dear reader is why this issue is entitled “it’s all coming together” comes from.  Let me take a moment to explain further. 

"It feels much less like a crisis now and more of an objective to be undertaken..."

To begin I think it is become increasingly clear that we are moving away from an age where technology existed in silos. The concept of the technology stack is not a particularly new one, but it has finally begun to really take root in our broader consciousness in terms of how we view the tools we need to improve on our field service efficiencies.

As Amit Jain comments in this issues Big Discussion which is on Artificial Intelligence: “Ultimately, I think the days of viewing technologies in isolation are rapidly becoming a relic of the past. In today’s modern systems and solutions, you should expect to see a wide range of technologies all sitting alongside each other working in harmony towards an improved outcome.”

This echoes my own thinking I couldn’t have put it better myself. In another area of pressing concern again I feel we are coming together to overcome challenges - this time namely the ageing workforce crisis.

We are now quite some way into to dealing with this and many of us have gone through the process of replacing the retiring ‘boomers with incoming millennials to the point where the look and feel of the field workforce has begun to change and as the blended workforce gains traction that evolution will continue.

But it feels much less like a crisis now and more of an objective to be undertaken.

It’s an important objective make no mistake, but nothing we can’t handle.

Paul Joesbury, Commercial Operations Director at Homeserve discusses the pitfalls and victories 'Uberizing' can bring to your firm.

Paul Joesbury joins the pod again this time discussing the Uberization of service and how him and his team at Homeserve are implementing it into the service offering.

Listen here to Paul's last visit to the podcast when he suggested tech will eventually supersede the human in service and to take this up with him or to discuss any of the points he raised you can connect with him on LinkedIn here.

Sigfox operator WND UK exceeds 90% coverage for secure sensor data network.

WND UK, the UK’s Sigfox Network Operator, has deployed the UK’s first wireless public network for secure sensor data, achieving over 90% population coverage in just 18 months.

The network uses Sigfox, a proven, low-power wide area network (LPWAN) technology, which is purpose built to provide low-cost connectivity and enable the use of cost-efficient silicon modules.

Sigfox is the world’s first dedicated low-power wide-area communications service for the Internet of Things (IoT). Harnessing ultra-narrow band technology, Sigfox provides basic connectivity to devices that do not require high throughput. This approach is ideally suited to the vast majority of IoT devices as it requires very little power – enabling devices to run for years on a single battery.

“Our Sigfox data sensor network is fully operational today,” said Tim Harris, chief executive, WND UK. “We now have over 130 channel partners and the list is growing by the day. These companies are using the network for real-world commercial applications – from metering to flood detection to legionella monitoring.”

“Sigfox has growing momentum worldwide,” said Luke Thomas from EBI, a WND UK Channel Partner. “If you want to deploy an IoT application, Sigfox is the logical choice. The other technologies we explored simply did not come close. WND UK’s network rollout has been extremely impressive. The Sigfox network is reliable and the technology is market leading. With thousands of active devices performing above expectation, our IoT deployments have been a huge success and award winning.’’

“We have pioneered the development of AMR, or automated meter reading, using Sigfox,” said Ian Rose, professional services director at PassivSystems. “As part of an ongoing deployment programme with a major utility, we’ve already delivered 3,000-meter readers for district heating installations, enabling accurate billing for residents. With 17,000 district heating networks in the UK connected to nearly half a million properties, the market opportunity is substantial.

“Most retrofit AMR devices use mobile GSM networks but achieving reliable signal connections can be problematic. Heat meters are often tucked away, located in a basement or in housing blocks with poor signal coverage. Using Sigfox is cheaper than using GSM networks and we get a higher level of coverage that offers better penetration within buildings. In addition to the improved reliability in signal for accurate billing, we can also collect data on the flow and return temperatures within a property to optimise performance of the heating system.”

“We’re continuing to strengthen the network by working with our customers to achieve deep in-building coverage where it’s required,” continued Tim Harris. “We will also be installing a further 500 repeaters during 2020, which will further enhance our coverage. The range of IoT applications is set for explosive growth and Sigfox is the natural, low-risk enabling technology.”

Firm says enhanced customer-focus contributed to strong figures.

IFS has announced its financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2019, revealing a 51 per cent business growth in its Field Service Management business.

“I am incredibly proud to lead the team that has delivered this impressive performance. Our employees clearly understand our focus, feel ownership of our progress, and stand united in a passion for our customers. Our differentiator is not that we talk about customer centricity, but that we commit to delivering customer value.” IFS Chief Executive Officer Darren Roos said. “The investments made last year into our product and partner enablement will benefit the company in the long-term and will have a positive impact for our customers – and our own business – in 2020 and beyond.”

The year the firm added notable brands to its roster across the five focus industries it serves, including SPIE, Rolls-Royce, Tietex, Revima, Resolute Mining, Primo and Cryostar. It also joined with PTC for product innovation, Acumatica for channel innovation and, in December, completed the acquisition of Astea International.

In the Big Discussion we bring together a panel of industry experts and focus on one key topic within the field service sector. In the first of a four part series, we turn our attention to AI where our panel includes FieldAware's Mark Tatarsky and ServiceMax's Amit Jain.

Just how important is ArtificIal intelligence going to be in the future of field service?

Mark Tatarsky, SVP Marketing, FieldAware

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already working its way into many different aspects of field service delivery today.

However, its prevalence and impact will be more influential for some field service organizations than others. It really depends on the industry served; the type of service provided as well as the complexity of the equipment serviced. AI can impact all field service delivery to varying levels.

In many instances, AI can be applied behind the scenes to improve efficiency without the end-user, even knowing it is at work.

An example of behind the scenes activity is when AI improves the optimization engine results for scheduling and routing. Even basic consumer-oriented routing systems like WAZE or GoogleMaps use varying levels of AI to help select the most efficient route.

When field service organizations are servicing sophisticated equipment monitored via IoT connectivity, AI will be applied to the monitoring and deployment process to enable predictive maintenance and automated dispatch based on AI processes and equipment tolerance thresholds.

Amit Jain, Senior VP of Product, ServiceMax. 

Artificial Intelligence is going to play a significant role in many areas that are crucial to field service delivery today and moving forward—it is early stages now.  Much of the conversation in field service now is centred on two key aspects - how we drive efficiency and how we establish the 360-degree view of the customer. In each of these areas, data is an essential factor in terms of driving improvements - and having a view into asset service data is equally important.

Connected asset and service data as maintained in the field hold insights far beyond the service department, providing a better business lens for almost every other line of business. Within field service operations, a major component of any day-to-day business is the data that is used in the variety of operational processes. Field service engineers, dispatchers and managers rely on and collect valuable data direct from source and ensure its accuracy, whether that’s product status and performance, contracts, location or account details.

With the advent of predictive analytics and condition-based maintenance, this data, which can be curated and fed into an organization’s data system has the potential to provide accurate intelligence across the organization. As it gravitates towards the data lake, it can touch and enhance other data sources such as CRM, ERP, parts, logistics and supply chain, HR, compliance and even data sources such as traffic and weather forecasting. Essentially, field service and asset data gives all other data relevance and accuracy.

However, the sheer unprecedented volumes of data being generated today, which is set to continue to increase almost exponentially moving forwards, is simply too vast to be useful unless we implement Artificial Intelligence within FSM systems. This is also the case with interpreting IoT data, which is largely predicted to be the backbone of field service operations of the future, and is empowering field service organizations to move away from the traditional break/fix approach to much more effective and profitable advanced service models.

The second part of this Big Discussion will be published next week, when the pair are asked the difference between Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.