Resource Type: White Paper Published by: Astea Title: Preparing for the Connected Customer
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Jun 14, 2017 • Features • Astea • Future of FIeld Service • resources • White Paper • White Papers & eBooks • Customer Satisfaction and Expectations
Resource Type: White Paper
Published by: Astea
Title: Preparing for the Connected Customer
Synopsis:
This is the era of the connected customer—consumers who are used to having the entire Internet at their fingertips, who can instantly interact with friends and associates via text or social media, and who can quickly summon a ride, make restaurant reservations, or order a gift with a few clicks and swipes on their phones.
Connected customers present both challenges and opportunities for field service organisations. Their expectations have increased based on their experiences interacting with other types of service providers such as Amazon.com, Uber, FedEx, and Zipcar.
These customers want more information, along with faster, better service, and more control over their experience.
This white paper asks if your organisation is ready to meet their increasing demands...
Overview:
Supported by research by Frost & Sullivan, this white paper covers three key areas:
Rising Expectations of the Connected Customer
Connected customers are intimately familiar with the capabilities of mobile computing technology in a way that they were not 10 years ago. They expect field service technicians to be able to access those same or even more advanced mobile capabilities.
Leveraging Customer Connectivity
Enterprises are rapidly embracing mobility. According to data from Frost & Sullivan, 47% of North American businesses have at least 11 different mobile worker apps deployed, and 88% plan on introducing at least one new employee-facing app within the year.
Meeting the Challenge of the Connected Customer
Engaging effectively with connected customers requires an investment in field service management (FSM) and mobile technology that can keep pace with the technology in which your customers already have access. There are a number of challenges involved in that process, including:
- Navigating a fragmented and confusing market
- Predicting customer needs
- Determining the best technologies to deploy
Want to know more? If you're a Field Service Professional then click here to apply for a complimentary industry subscription to Field Service News and get the white paper "Preparing for the Connected Customer" sent directly to your inbox now
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Jun 13, 2017 • News • Alex Tepper • Asset Performance Management • Avitas • Future of FIeld Service • Bill Ruh • GE Digital • Industrial Internet • servicemax
Today at Minds + Machines Europe, GE outlined the course they have mapped out for digital industrial growth, unveiling solutions aimed squarely at the world of industrial assets, environments and operations.
The event has aimed to outline a path towards greater productivity for customers who take up the advances in their Asset Performance Management (APM) and ServiceMax industrial applications, powered by Predix, GE’s platform for the Industrial Internet.
“Europe can lead the digital industrial era,” said GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt. “Investment in technology, such as automation, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence – along with new skills – can transform industry and drive productivity. GE has long been committed to Europe, and we are invested in its future.”
Delivering the Industrial Service Model of the Future
Transformation of the current industrial service model is a critical element of the digital industrial journey. Most companies today lack the ability to combine insights from data with actions in real time when managing and servicing assets. This contributes to unplanned downtime, which has significant impact on industrial productivity.
To reduce cost and eliminate downtime, it is critical for asset-intensive industries to shift from a reactive, break/fix service model to a predictive model. This change will help companies better understand potential equipment issues preemptively or act upon them quickly with the correct tools and parts.
To achieve this, GE Digital unveiled an integrated solution to deliver the industrial service model of the future that combines the power of ServiceMax, its cloud-based field service management (FSM) solution, with its intelligent Asset Performance Management portfolio. Available in late 2017, the combination of ServiceMax + APM will enable industrial companies to transform how they predict, manage and service the entire asset lifecycle.
The Industrial Internet is enabling companies to take advantage of possibilities that previously seemed out of reach -Bill Ruh, CEO, GE Digital
GE Digital’s APM and FSM solutions automatically collect and analyze service data – from predictive maintenance needs to failure information and recommended work actions – to help industrial companies move beyond traditional asset monitoring to advanced predictive maintenance and asset performance management.
This new approach also provides enhanced scheduling capabilities. Matching customers’ service workforces with their service needs, the offering helps industrial companies dispatch the right engineers to the right job at the right time – and ensure they are qualified, prepared and equipped to successfully complete their work. Receiving updates from workers in the field, the software provides a closed loop from issue identification to resolution, while 'learning' about the most efficient issue resolution methods over time to improve analytics with each alert.
As companies accelerate digital transformation through the combination of GE Digital’s APM and ServiceMax offerings, they can more proactively manage the entire asset lifecycle, increasing productivity and operational efficiencies that can open the door to future business growth.
Transforming service at the edge
Additionally, GE Ventures today launched Avitas Systems, a new data-driven company that will use predictive data analytics, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver advanced inspection services to the oil and gas, transportation and energy industries.
“The inspection services industry requires cutting-edge technologies to avoid unplanned asset downtime and deliver new, valuable insights,” said Alex Tepper, Managing Director of Avitas Systems. “We deploy state-of-the-art robotics and cloud-based technology to give customers the customised service and insights-based data they need to advance from reactive to predictive repair – no matter where their assets are located.”
GE estimates that service transformation represents a $40 billion market opportunity.
By reducing high-risk tasks through robotics, Avitas Systems can make inspection processes safer and more efficient through data automation, decreasing costs by up to 25%. By performing inspections based on anticipated risk, instead of regular time intervals, Avitas Systems can also help to increase asset longevity.
GE estimates that service transformation represents a $40 billion market opportunity. With ServiceMax + APM and Avitas Systems, GE is helping industrial companies manage, optimize and gain insight into their assets across each stage of the lifecycle – all driven by Predix. As the only platform that provides computing capabilities from the edge to the cloud, Predix gives GE customers visibility, control and analytic insights to every part of their industrial infrastructure and operations.
Transforming Energy Management and Customer Operations
GE also announced a suite of new industrial applications, solutions and partnerships to help companies take advantage of the Industrial Internet – moving beyond the factory walls to enable the digital industrial companies of the future. The solutions build on GE’s expansive suite of Predix-powered tools and applications purpose-built for the Industrial Internet.
- Data-Optimized Energy Trading & the ‘Digital Utility’: To help utilities navigate the changing energy market, GE Power unveiled the ’Digital Utility,’ a suite of Predix-based applications that connect real-time machine data with a utility’s profitability. The new Business Optimization software is first of its kind, bringing analytics to the business side of power and utilities companies to help energy traders act profitably in long-term, day-ahead and short-term wholesale markets. The Digital Utility includes updates to GE Power’s Operations Optimization software, incorporating closed-loop analytics to improve generation efficiency for entire fleets. Additionally, GE’s APM solutions for energy businesses now connect all assets across the entire Electricity Value Network (EVN) in an integrated application, providing customers with a single view of assets spanning power generation to the grid.
- Advanced Utility Operations: GE Digital alliance partner PwC showcased its Predix-powered commercial operations solution for utility companies. This solution enables executives to identify margin ‘leakage.’ The solution analyses plant performance data from GE’s Operations Optimisation application, commercial data from dispatch and market-facing system from GE's Business Optimisation application. The solution is expected to launch this summer.
- Reduced Carbon Dioxide Emissions: GE Distributed Power and Dalkia announced that through GE distributor Clarke Energy, the companies have equipped more than one-third of Dalkia’s 170+ Jenbacher gas engines with GE’s myPlant* APM solution, powered by Predix. In total, the fleet of engines could power more than 240,000 French households, resulting in lower carbon dioxide emissions – which equates to taking nearly 100,000 European cars off the road annually.
- Predix-Powered Clean Energy: GE Renewable Energy and Fina Enerji signed a 10-year full service agreement that covers 150 GE wind turbines in Turkey. The deal will implement GE’s Predix-based Digital Wind Farm hardware and software solutions, which use data analytics to increase wind farm operations. With these digital capabilities, GE Renewable Energy will help develop smarter wind power forecasts for the Turkish market.
- Predix-Enabled Additive Manufacturing: GE Additive will add Predix edge technology to its Concept Laser M2 cusing additive machines. This move allows customers to remotely monitor and collect data from their machines – helping them analyse trends and uncover insights to improve asset performance and operations.
- Data-Driven Drilling: Last year, GE's Marine Solutions and Maersk Drilling announced a partnership to collaborate on a data analytic-driven pilot project, aimed at increasing Maersk’s drilling vessel’s productivity by reducing maintenance costs by up to 20 percent and increasing drilling productivity. The deployment of SeaStream* Insight, GE’s APM solution for Marine powered by Predix, is already showing great potential, and Maersk and GE are looking to expand onto Maersk’s second rig, Interceptor, to broaden the outcomes achieved from the pilot project.
Together, these solutions and deployments advance GE’s vision for the Industrial Internet with a portfolio designed to accelerate customers’ transformation journeys and create new paths to growth for customers of every size and scale.
Minds + Machines Europe 2017 convenes the best and the brightest of the technology world —including GE customers, developers, partners, industry luminaries and technology thought leaders. This year’s event dove deeper into the technology driving digital industrial transformation.
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Jun 12, 2017 • video • Future of FIeld Service • Oil and Gas • Power Generation • drones • SkyX
SkyX, a Canadian company specialising in long-range unmanned aerial monitoring, have recently announce the successful delivery and installation of its first production xStation, a unit that remotely recharges SkyX drones during missions – a key...
SkyX, a Canadian company specialising in long-range unmanned aerial monitoring, have recently announce the successful delivery and installation of its first production xStation, a unit that remotely recharges SkyX drones during missions – a key milestone in the company’s evolution.
For field service organisations, particularly those operating in sectors such as oil and gas or power generation, considering using drones to monitor their assets and infrastructure in the field this could be a significant development that could potentially increase efficiency of such operations dramatically.
The xStation is a rugged, all-metal piece of engineering designed to allow the SkyOne drone to remotely recharge while monitoring long-range infrastructure, then continue its mission. By installing multiple xStations along a route, SkyOne can monitor assets like oil and gas pipelines or railroad tracks that stretch hundreds – even thousands – of kilometres.
SkyX is the only operational Unmanned Aerial Systems company to combine a fixed-wing VTOL aircraft with remote charging stations, giving it a distinct competitive advantage.
When algorithms tell SkyOne it’s getting close to recharge time, the aircraft autonomously seeks out the next xStation instead of having to return to home base
For clients, xStations are installed along the route. When algorithms tell SkyOne it’s getting close to recharge time, the aircraft autonomously seeks out the next xStation instead of having to return to home base. The clamshell-like station roof opens automatically; SkyOne then transitions to vertical mode and descends like a helicopter onto the xStation landing pad. The roof closes, providing safe harbour while SkyOne recharges and performs a complete systems check before continuing on its mission.
The complex proprietary engineering behind the xStation was developed completely in-house. SkyX proved the concept with a scaled-down xStation in August of 2016, and has since pushed ahead to ensure the production xStation is as efficient and robust as possible, built for demanding conditions in a wide range of climates.
For the production models, SkyX has partnered with leading-edge Canadian automated solutions firm CMP and the first xStations are scheduled to be installed for clients in July of 2017.
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Jun 12, 2017 • Features • Augmented Reality • Future of FIeld Service • Niklas Rengfors • XM reality • Big Debate • David Nedohin • Evyatar Meiron • FieldBit • ScopeAR
In this the final week of the first edition of our new series "The Big Discussion" we've now looked at three key questions on the important topic of Augmented Reality.
In this the final week of the first edition of our new series "The Big Discussion" we've now looked at three key questions on the important topic of Augmented Reality.
The idea behind this new series is that we take one topic, bring together three leading area experts and put four key questions to them across four weeks, to help us better understand its potential impact on the field service sector...
Our first topic has been Augmented Reality and our experts are Evyatar Meiron, CEO, Fieldbit, Niklas Rengfors, Head of Sales & Marketing, XM Reality and David Nedohin, President, ScopeAR...
So far we've asked our panel:
"Just how big an impact can and will Augmented Reality have on field service delivery?" ,
"What advantages does Augmented Reality offer over video calls such as FaceTime and Skype etc?" and
and now onto our final question in our Augmented Reality Big Discussion...
Question Four: How closely tied to the development of smart glasses is augmented reality – are the two co-dependent or are tools on smartphones/tablets sufficient?
David Nedohin, President, ScopeARMany visualise the ability to have a hands-free environment, where AR information shows up in front of them through smart glasses. However, very few enterprises have yet to adopt and deploy smart glasses, including devices such as Microsoft’s HoloLens, ODG’s R7 or RealWear, at scale. Although these glasses are advancing quickly. adoption of wearables in today’s market can be hindered by price, production and specific product limitations depending on the environment and user.
While hardware manufacturers continue to address these challenges, field workers are starting to reap the benefits of augmented reality using the hardware (smartphones/tablets) currently available to them, and most importantly, that they are comfortable with, while exploring glasses.
With so many AR tools available on today’s smartphones and tablets, enterprises are already realising success without having to make an additional investment in new hardware. With the addition of depth cameras and new computer vision techniques, handheld devices are becoming more and more practical.
Evyatar Meiron, CEO, FieldbitSmart glasses are poised to take the world by storm. Leading smart glasses companies (including Microsoft) have already invested billions of dollars in design and development. Clearly, augmented reality is a key driver behind the development of smart glasses.
With respect to field services, it’s important to remember that we’re still at a very early stage. Most smart glasses on the market today cannot support all field service needs. The decision on whether to use smart glasses or a smartphone depends on the industry segment and the use case. For example, when working with ink-filled printing systems or in high-voltage environments, smart glasses are critical for enabling hands-free collaboration.
Another key advantage of smart glasses is that they enable both augmented reality and mixed reality. A hybrid of augmented and virtual reality, mixed reality enables users to overlay digital content onto a realtime physical space in 3D mode for highly realistic interactions.
Niklas Rengfors, Head of Sales & Marketing, XM RealityDevelopment of smart glasses are important but not crucial. For XMReality with core focus on customers within industrial field service, hands-free options, like glasses working in rough environment is something there is a demand for.
However our customers struggle a bite on how to use glasses, there are also so many different preferences on what you like, monocular, binocular so smartphones/tablets are sufficient in most cases and also something one in general carries.
For us it is important to get an understanding on the customers use cases, to recommend what would be their best choice to use.
The next instalment of The Big Discussion will be focussed on the topic of IoT and Servitization is coming soon...
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Jun 05, 2017 • Features • Augmented Reality • Future of FIeld Service • Niklas Rengfors • XM reality • Big Debate • David Nedohin • Evyatar Meiron • FieldBit • ScopeAR
As we move into week three of our new series we've now addressed a couple of big questions around the core topic of Augmented Reality.
As we move into week three of our new series we've now addressed a couple of big questions around the core topic of Augmented Reality.
The series is called The Big Discussion and the idea is that we take one topic, bring together three leading experts on that topic and put four key questions to them across four weeks, to help us better understand its potential impact on the field service sector...
On this first topic of Augmented Reality and our experts are Evyatar Meiron, CEO, Fieldbit, Niklas Rengfors, Head of Sales & Marketing, XM Reality and David Nedohin, President, ScopeAR...
So far we've asked our panel "Just how big an impact can and will Augmented Reality have on field service delivery?" and "What advantages does Augmented Reality offer over video calls such as FaceTime and Skype etc?"
and now onto this weeks question in the Big Discussion...
Question Three: Do you see Augmented Reality ultimately becoming a standard tool included within wider FSM solutions or should it be viewed as a specialist standalone application?
David Nedohin, President, ScopeARAugmented reality is a communication technology that will be integrated into FSM tools and made available to the workforce to access when and where they need it.
This may be required to meet government regulations, to engage with an expert, or improve competency or safety.
However, AR will be a tool in the toolkit that will be used when needed, and part of a larger set of technologies.
If a picture, voice call or video is appropriate, perhaps AR will not be needed, but as workers become more familiar with the value of AR once integrated into their FSM apps, it will be a tremendous resource, when it is needed.
Evyatar Meiron, CEO, FieldbitAs mentioned earlier, augmented reality is a disruptive technology that is radically changing the way organisations perform field service maintenance. It is an innovative platform that uses new technologies.
For this reason, augmented reality is more likely in the short term to remain a standalone tool that complements FSM solutions. That said, some of the more basic telesupport-oriented augmented reality features - those that enable real-time remote communications between the onsite technician and the expert at company headquarters - could be integrated at some point with the FSM software.
In contrast, the knowledge management component, including the information capture, storage, sharing and search capabilities, is more complex in nature and requires specific expertise. I believe that this component will continue to develop as a separate specialist system.
Niklas Rengfors, Head of Sales & Marketing, XM RealityDefinitely included within wider FSM solutions, we are currently working with different partners already, IFS to mention one is strong partner in field service.
By connecting information flows between systems for example between mobile work orders and XMReality, it adds a lot of value to the customer.
Can be things like storing for documentation purposes, saved videos later then used for training purposes etc. As solutions to display or create content gets more efficient AR will most likely become a standard tool.
Next weeks the final question: How closely tied to the development of smart glasses is augmented reality – are the two co-dependent or are tools on smartphones/tablets sufficient?
May 26, 2017 • Features • Future of FIeld Service • Ishida • Jason Smith • Servitization • Servitization and Advanced Services
While for many the shift from traditional transactional product focussed business models to a more strategic service centric approach that focuses on longer term, outcome based contracts is a complex process to navigate. However, Jason Smith,...
While for many the shift from traditional transactional product focussed business models to a more strategic service centric approach that focuses on longer term, outcome based contracts is a complex process to navigate. However, Jason Smith, General Manager, Aftersales, EMEA for Japanese food packaging and weighing manufacturer Ishida is a man that has not only been through the process, he has done it twice.
Kris Oldland, spoke exclusively with him about the importance of executive level buy-in to undertake such a move and why customer selection when rolling new service models out is vital….
KO: All too often I hear that despite the fact that service operations of a business brings in a significant proportion of revenue into a company, there is a general lack of support for the service team of many businesses at the top tier executive level.
This of course would be a fundamental barrier to moving to an advanced services model and is a challenge many senior service executives are confronted by even though they can see how both their business and their customers could benefit from a move away from the traditional break-fix maintenance to the type of proactive service operations that advanced services require.
So how can we get the voice of the service department heard at the executive level?
JS: I think the only way to do that is to have a fairly compelling argument and there is nothing like having a very compelling customer story to help give that leverage at board level. Traditionally, businesses are built upon delivering a product and they will have done that very successfully to have grown to a large size. It is the case really that they will have done so on tangible benefits.
I think within most manufacturing organisations there is still probably a lack of understanding about the value services can deliver to a customer combined with a product
Its still regarded as a separation – that’s why we have terms like aftersales – it’s after the sale, its not combined with the sale.
For your typical product salesman it’s hard to comprehend something as intangible as advanced services and how to explain it and describe the value when he hasn’t got any evidence or experience to back it up with.
KO: So does the adoption of servitization as a business model need to be driven from the top down?
JS: Absolutely, without that support from the top it is dead before it’s ever started.
KO: What about the customer point of view - it’s one thing pushing an advances services route and getting buy in internally, but what about externally?
Is it a case that some customers just don’t want to come down this route because they are so used to the transactional nature that they have always operated within?
JS: Very much, it is a cultural thing for a customer and customer selection is therefore very important.
A customer who is used to transactional relationships, that may have those pressures on them themselves from their own customer base, would be one who is very transactional and possibly looking to exploit the relationship.
I think customer selection is absolutely vital. The question is along the lines of technology push/customer pull – which is best?
Therefore, I think customer selection is absolutely vital. The question is along the lines of technology push/customer pull – which is best?
I think it depends very much on the pace at which you want to work. Customer pull you lose control of the pace and velocity at which you want to work at in terms of the delivering the service. But if you push it out to your customers you have the challenge of convincing them to get on board.
KO: Ultimately will there always be two-tier customers, will there be those companies that you take on the servitization journey with you and those that remain doing business in the traditional sense or is the long term aim to eventually bring everyone on board with advance services?
JS: I think there is really three types of customers and I would support the Caterpillar approach that there are those who want to do it themselves, those who want us to do it with them and those who want us to do it for them.
In terms of servitization probably you are always going to have an element in each of those three camps. The challenge that we face as service providers is moving them out of the ‘do it myself’ to ‘do it with me’ to ‘do it for me’.
Obviously moving them from a point where they are doing it themselves, to where you are doing everything for them is a big leap of faith. It’s not something you can do overnight, certainly not at a risk that you can sustain economically. So it’s a case of migrating that customer and building that trust over a period of time, to gain the confidence that you can deliver and that you can add value to their business.
KO: We touched on the fact that servitization needs to be driven from the top down, but do you need buy-in across the whole organisation as well?
For example with our field technicians - do we need their understanding of the concept and if so how do you achieve that?
JS: The easy answer to that is yes, you need buy in across the whole organisation because you are going to be relying on those inter-siloed relationships within the business to deliver within your promise. You’re going to have to rely on your supply chain and you’re going to have to rely on all your internal supporting departments to deliver that.
It is a fundamental change to the way you do business and the way you have done things traditionally, so yes the answer is yes you do need to have buy in from all levels and in particular your service engineers
There will be a lot of knowledge in those teams, which is experiential and built up over time together with product training and in some ways you’re starting to both capitalise on their experience but also put it in a bottle so that you can use it in your supporting systems and algorithms for example.
That represents a fairly big challenge and that’s also going to have it’s own implications for supporting systems such as knowledge management.
KO: Finally, technology is the key enabler to allow us to move to advanced services, but how far along the journey do you think we are in terms of the development of the technology such as IoT and Cloud? Are we there already or is there more to come?
JS: In terms of being enabled to do the job and to support the decision-making within servitization I think we are actually there with the Internet of Things. OK, there will be enhancements, maybe faster connection times, you can store more data etc., but I think it is essentially there.
We’ve got enough to be able to do it, maybe even too much.
The real challenge is what you are measuring, the volume of what you are measuring, how you analyse it and draw conclusions from it -to me that is the real challenge.
Also the prize is that the value of the analysis that you do is metamorphosed into the value that you can then create for your customer. How you do that, that methodology, is your future IP. That’s where your sales proposition will lie in the future.
So its not the fact that you can get the data, its what you measure, how you measure it and more importantly how you analyse it, what you do with it and being able to express that value in a manner which the customer can fully understand.
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May 24, 2017 • Features • Augmented Reality • Future of FIeld Service • Niklas Rengfors • XM reality • Big Debate • David Nedohin • Evyatar Meiron • FieldBit • ScopeAR
Last week we launched a new feature called the Big Discussion where we take one topic, bring together three leading experts on that topic and put four key questions to them across four weeks, to help us better understand its potential impact on the...
Last week we launched a new feature called the Big Discussion where we take one topic, bring together three leading experts on that topic and put four key questions to them across four weeks, to help us better understand its potential impact on the field service sector...
Our first topic is Augmented Reality and our experts are Evyatar Meiron, CEO, Fieldbit, Niklas Rengfors, Head of Sales & Marketing, XM Reality and David Nedohin, President, ScopeAR...
Last weeks question was Just how big an impact can and will Augmented Reality have on field service delivery? Check out our panel's answers here if you missed them
and now onto next weeks question in the Big Discussion
Question Two: What advantages does Augmented Reality offer over video calls such as FaceTime and Skype etc?
David Nedohin, President, ScopeARUnlike a video call, augmented reality offers the ability to overlay specific content (animated instructions, annotations, drawings, 3D content, graphics, text, etc.) onto the real-world and have it “stick” to the part or area being referenced. Using AR, field workers can visualise content, such as predefined instructions, on top of a piece of equipment they’re assembling or repairing to show exactly the right steps, regardless of previous training.
Another advantage that AR presents is that it facilitates more efficient and effective knowledge transfer from a subject matter expert in real-time -- who may be located at the company’s headquarters or a call center -- to the remote worker. With an AR-enabled video calling platform, an expert can collaborate with a colleague out in the field, seeing what they’re seeing in real-time and simulate an “over-the shoulder” view of having someone walk the field worker through the correct procedure.
For example, while viewing a live video stream of a machine undergoing maintenance, an expert could use augmented reality to circle a bolt in real-time and tell the technician in the field to remove it. And with today’s AR technology, the correct bolt would stay circled even as the technician moves around, allowing for an unprecedented level of interaction between the expert and technician. Instead of just “telling” a worker how to do something, the expert can now “show” them and then document that conversation.
Evyatar Meiron, CEO, FieldbitReal-time video can be useful for remote diagnostics, allowing the technician to transmit video from the faulty machine to an expert off-site. Effective field service, however, requires two-way data transfer beyond the capabilities of video.
Augmented reality allows the flow of knowledge from the expert to the technician or user on site. It enables the quick addition of context-sensitive information, such as text annotations, diagrams and other messages, on top of the live video so technicians can zero in on how to fix the machine.
Another key advantage is knowledge capture. Advanced augmented reality platforms, such as Fieldbit, accumulate practical knowledge related to service and repair processes by recording all actions and information exchanged between experts and the field technician.
All visual records, including augmented reality, are stored and are retrievable from a central repository, allowing information to be shared and re-used across the organisation.
Niklas Rengfors, Head of Sales & Marketing, XM RealityAt XMReality we are focusing on industrial users and field service. We have taken experience and put it into features that match customer needs.
We have seen impacts on our low bandwidth functionality and also since we add AR, problems are solved quicker and more efficient and more accurate.
The customisation and integration part we offer also comes into play our discussions with our customers.
Next weeks question: Do you see Augmented Reality ultimately becoming a standard tool included within wider FSM solutions or should it be viewed as a specialist standalone application?
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May 17, 2017 • Features • Augmented Reality • Future of FIeld Service • Niklas Rengfors • XM reality • Big Debate • David Nedohin • Evyatar Meiron • FieldBit • ScopeAR
In a new series of features we will take one topic, bring together three leading experts on that topic and put four key questions to them across four weeks, to help us better understand its potential impact on the field service sector...
In a new series of features we will take one topic, bring together three leading experts on that topic and put four key questions to them across four weeks, to help us better understand its potential impact on the field service sector...
Our first topic is Augmented Reality and our experts are Evyatar Meiron, CEO, Fieldbit, Niklas Rengfors, Head of Sales & Marketing, XM Reality and David Nedohin, President, ScopeAR...
Question One: Just how big an impact can and will Augmented Reality have on field service delivery?
David Nedohin, President, ScopeARMany analyst firms forecast that the AR market will continue its rapid growth, reaching upwards of $140 billion in just a few years. The impact augmented reality can have on field service specifically is unprecedented as it pertains to training, equipment maintenance or repair and knowledge transfer.
For the first time, augmented reality is allowing field workers to take advantage of the power of computers and interact with them in the real world -- moving from a two dimensional screen to seeing information locked on top of the image of the equipment in the real-world and in real-time. I believe AR will be the user interface of the future, making all of a company’s information, intelligence and analytics actionable, by overlaying content directly on top of the real world - when and where a worker needs it most.
The reason that field service industries will lead in benefitting from AR is due to a combination of an ageing workforce that is retiring at staggering rates, and a younger workforce that changes positions quicker than ever.
Expert knowledge is difficult to retain and even more difficult to get into the hands of those in the field without significant delays and expense. AR allows organisations to retain their experts without sending them into the field, while being able to rapidly leverage and measure the expertise they have by putting it right in the hands of the worker who needs it. Augmented reality is enabling “on-demand knowledge transfer.”
Evyatar Meiron, CEO, FieldbitAugmented reality is changing the way people live, work and interact with one another. The introduction of augmented reality for field service represents nothing less than a seismic shift. The magnitude of its potential impact is comparable to the impact that personal computers had on office workers.
FSM solutions address the communication and workflow needs of service managers, allowing them to tell technicians where to go, what problem needs to be fixed, and which spare part to use. Augmented reality platforms complement FSM by telling the technician how to fix the problem.
This was the missing link.
With this capability, enterprises will be able to drastically boost the productivity and efficiency of their field service operations.
Using augmented reality, technicians can receive precise visual instructions from remote experts to execute complex machinery fixes. Not only does this increase first time fix rates, it also relieves mental stress since technicians can enjoy “over-the-shoulder” coaching throughout the process.
Niklas Rengfors, Head of Sales & Marketing, XM RealityWe believe it has a big impact already today, business cases show unreal savings by making the field service delivery more efficient, due to less travelling, increased uptime etc.
We also see big drivers at customers in being able to deliver more profitable service offerings and in the end gain more satisfied customers.
Next weeks question: What advantages does Augmented Reality offer over video calls such as FaceTime and Skype etc?
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May 16, 2017 • Features • Future of FIeld Service • Paul Whitelam • wearables • ClickSoftware
Whether useful or not, hundreds of smartwatches, glasses, health trackers, and even smart jewelry have hit the market in the past several years.
Whether useful or not, hundreds of smartwatches, glasses, health trackers, and even smart jewelry have hit the market in the past several years.
There are connected lights that dim when a users peaks into their smartwatch. Motorcycle helmets with heads-up displays alerting riders they’re driving too fast. Temperature tracking pacifiers that alert parents to sudden changes.
There’s even a washing machine that turns on when a service dog barks at it. Woof, indeed.
But in service, wearables have been slow to catch on.
Opportunities for leveraging these devices to improve field service management outcomes most certainly exist.
In the following paragraphs, we uncover three ways wearables could improve service for organisations willing to make the technology investment.
Route Optimisation and Safety
Route optimisation, and improved route efficiency can both bolster service profits. Naturally, keeping techs safe on the road is also a no-brainer.
Wearables provide a path to improving both.
An array of mobile and wearable technology are making route mapping, hands-free communication, and field-based driving more efficient every year.
Organisations implementing connected car technology for optimised route mapping are currently realising major cost savings. For example, the UPS ORION route mapping overhaul has projected annual reductions of 100 million miles driven and fuel savings of 10 million gallons per year for the organisation. No small feat, if scaled correctly. But route optimization is just the first step.
If empowered with smartwatches, tech safety and route efficiency could be improved through handsfree communication and route updates delivered via these devices, in real time.
How?
Many service techs currently must field calls via smartphones while on the road (if it’s legal while driving in their state). This requires them to take one hand off the wheel, furthering distraction.
Many also get driving directions from this same device.
If equipped with smartwatches capable of delivering directions and calls via voice technology, techs could focus more attention on driving.
Real-Time Calls & Logging Service Details via Voiceactivated Wearables
An obvious reality in most service roles is the need to work with your hands. If a call comes in, or job details must be logged, the tech has to stop the work they are performing in order to take a call, or jot down some notes.
The tech simply speaks the service details into their notes, sends an email, or makes a call without ever moving away from the service task at hand.
This means common note-taking applications, text messages, email, or phone calls can be used via voice-activation.
The tech simply speaks the service details into their notes, sends an email, or makes a call without ever moving away from the service task at hand.
Giving Techs Access to Remote Knowledge While in the Field
High first-time fix rates and speedy service resolutions are essential to customer satisfaction and profit margins. But all too often, techs arrive to job sites with the wrong parts, a lack of knowledge about the customer service request, or face a service scenario they cannot resolve.
The bridge to better service is giving techs all the resources they need, in order to fix customer jobs on the first visit. Aberdeen reports that nearly 75% of best-in-class service organisations provide techs with access to remote experts while in the field.
Wearables could be the golden ticket to connecting field techs to remote experts.
How?
Wearable glasses technology allows field techs to stream live video feeds from service sites directly back to headquarters or an expert, in real-time. This means experts can guide techs through challenging scenarios, without needing to be on-site for every job. This opens up a world of possibilities for remote training, logging on-site service problems, and field worker safety.
Plus, Gartner predicts smart glasses could save the field service industry $1 billion per year. We couldn’t agree more.
For more news, trends, updates and advice, head to the ClickSoftware blog homepage https://www. clicksoftware.com/blog/
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