In the first feature from a recent white paper we published in partnership with FieldAware, we look closely at the difference between driving customer satisfaction and driving customer success for field service organizations.
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Nov 05, 2021 • Features • White Paper • FieldAware • Leadership and Strategy • customer experience • customer success
In the first feature from a recent white paper we published in partnership with FieldAware, we look closely at the difference between driving customer satisfaction and driving customer success for field service organizations.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a recent white paper we published in partnership with FieldAware.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 FieldAware who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
There is now little doubt that Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) metrics are viewed as a critical part of measuring effective field service operation.
This is a trend that has been becoming increasingly obvious for several years. In a 2020 Field Service News Research report, “Understanding the metrics that matter in a rapidly changing field service sector”, it was revealed that 51% of field service companies now saw an equal weighting in importance between operationally focused KPIs and CSAT-focused KPIs.
Furthermore, 13% of field service companies stated that they felt CSAT focused KPIs were of greater importance for measuring their business success.
In a more recently published Field Service News Research study, “Customer- Centricity, Technology and the New Normal of the Field Service Sector” from 2021, we saw that CSAT metrics were a crucial indicator of revenue growth metrics amongst field service organizations.
This was anticipated for growing revenue with existing clients, but interestingly, strong CSAT metrics were viewed as an essential indicator for winning new business also.
In fact, of the 293 respondents within the study, 88% stated that strong CSAT metrics were at the least a ‘very strong’ element in winning new business. 32% of the total respondents even said they were an ‘extremely important’ element.
Given the above, it is a reasonable assessment to make that the importance of strong customer satisfaction has firmly taken root within the field service sector.
Yet, increasingly those discussions centred on delivering excellent customer service are morphing into discussions centred on ensuring customer success.
The question many service leaders are asking is are the two synonymous? Is customer success a natural evolution from customer satisfaction or are the two areas related but distinctly separate (like servitization and outcome-based solutions, for example)
Perhaps to help us better understand the question, we should outline some definitions of customer success.
CRM and CMS provider and specialist platform for inbound marketing software HubSpot defines customer success as follows:
“Customer success is anticipating customer challenges or questions and proactively providing solutions and answers. Customer success helps you boost customer happiness and retention, thus increasing your revenue and customer loyalty.”
The Customer Success Association however define customer success as “a long- term, scientifically engineered and professionally directed business strategy for maximizing customer and company sustainable proven profitability."
A third definition provided by Gartner is “Customer success is a method for ensuring customers reach their desired outcomes when using an organization’s product or service. A relationship-focused customer success strategy includes involvement in the purchase decision, implementation and use of products or services and customer support.”
If we look at each of these definitions, we can see why many are confused regarding the difference between CSAT and customer success.
The first definition from HubSpot doesn’t seem to stray too far from good customer service, the foundation of customer satisfaction. Within this definition, the two terms could indeed be interchangeable.
The second definition from the Customer Success Association comes across as something of a buzz-word salad – with phrases smashed together, leaving the average reader with little additional insight into what the term means and even potentially adding more confusion into the mix.
Finally, as we look towards the Gartner definition, we find something we can begin to utilize as we seek an answer to our question.
Within Gartner’s definition, we can see that customer success is more than meeting or even anticipating customer requirements as we saw in the first definition, but instead has an understanding of the customers end goas and establishes a path to achieving these utilizing the organizations own service or product.
Within our industry, a considerable amount of discussion for the last few years has centred around servitization and outcome-based service models.
"Outcome-based solutions are certainly one end-point of servitization, but if we viewed servitization as a spectrum of advanced service design rather than the traditional linear perspective, could the customer success methodology sit somewhere else on that same spectrum?"
Reading through Gartner’s customer success definition, it could be viewed that customer success could and perhaps should be included within the increasingly broad umbrella of servitization.
As the continuing academic research and literature into servitization grows alongside the case studies of successful servitization, the existing model of servitization being a series of steps that lead towards a goal of outcome-based solutions is perhaps outdated.
Outcome-based solutions are certainly one end-point of servitization, but if we viewed servitization as a spectrum of advanced service design rather than the traditional linear perspective, could the customer success methodology sit somewhere else on that same spectrum?
Suppose we break down the difference between outcome-based service and customer success methodology. In that case, there are certainly plenty of aspects that are shared. It could be argued that the final responsibility for the delivery of the outcome is the only true differentiator.
Indeed, an intimate understanding of the end goal shared with the customer and the service provider is required in both service models.
Equally, while CSAT is a solid foundation to begin building towards any form of servitized offering, the leap from CSAT to a customer success based model is arguably as significant as it would be to an entirely outcome-based offering.
In the next feature from this white paper, we shall explore why...
This feature is just one short excerpt from a recent white paper we published in partnership with FieldAware..
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 FieldAware who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Data Management @ www.fieldservicenews.com/data-management
- Read more about FieldAware on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/exel
- Learn more about FieldAware @ www.fieldaware.com
- Follow FieldAware on Twitter @ twitter.com/fieldaware
Nov 04, 2021 • Features • White Paper • BigChange • Covid-19 • Leadership and Strategy • EMEA • customer experience • Customer Service
In this final feature from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we explain why businesses are increasingly looking at customer experiences as a new source of competitive advantage.
In this final feature from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we explain why businesses are increasingly looking at customer experiences as a new source of competitive advantage.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
USER EXPERIENCE AS COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
The field service sector is incredibly competitive.
Fewer than half of field service firms are currently profitable. A quarter of reported losing money in the 12 months to July 2021 and one in eight fear they could go out of business in the next year.
With costs rising, especially for fuel and materials, the scope for field service businesses to compete on price is getting smaller.
Businesses are instead looking at customer experiences as a new source of competitive advantage.
Our survey looked at what ‘good’ looks like in the sector, and the evidence suggests that standards are getting more exacting.
- Two-thirds (68%) of leaders say ‘Good’ customer service now means same- working-day fixes for reactive jobs.
And nine out of ten say within 24 hours is the minimum. - Two-thirds (65%) say good service involves the customer being kept fully informed digitally with precise arrival-time updates, details of who is doing the work, confirmation of work completed, and instant invoices.
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More than half (54%) say that, when it comes to operations, a ‘good’ system is one in which every part of operations – from job scheduling to invoicing – is automated and optimised within a single system.
When it comes to customer service, the bar is rising quickly.
The Amazon Effect
The Amazon effect means customers are demanding better. Rapid progress in online retail has created an expectation for quick, reliable, effective services and real-time digital updates in all walks of life.
What does it take to deliver good customer service for field service firms?
- 68% of leaders say 'good' service meands same-day fixes for reactive jobs
- 65% say good service involves the customer being kept fully informed
- 54% say a single system optimising activities is essential for good operations
Let's Grow Stronger
BigChange is the complete Job Management Platform that’s helping field service businesses across the UK to win more work, take control of their operations and deliver winning customer experiences. Bringing together job management, mobile workforce applications, CRM, finance and business intelligence into one simple to use and easy to integrate platform, BigChange liberates you from inefficient paper-based processes and the complexity of multiple different technology systems that hold your business back. Loved by office and field teams alike, our customers are achieving industry leading results and return on investment. The BigChange team is committed to customer success and no matter your sector or whether you have a mobile workforce of 10 or a 100, we’re here to make a big difference to the way you work and to help your business grow stronger.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Further Reading:
Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategyRead more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
Read more about BigChange on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/bigchange
Learn more about BigChange @ www.bigchange.com
Follow BigChange on Twitter @ twitter.com/bigchangeapps
Oct 28, 2021 • Features • BigChange • Covid-19 • Leadership and Strategy • EMEA
In this third feature of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we analyse the key issues that hit field service businesses in the past 12 months.
In this third feature of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we analyse the key issues that hit field service businesses in the past 12 months.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Despite rapid growth, businesses with field-based teams reported three key issues that had materially hit their business in the past 12 months.
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Covid-19 and its consequences
81% of businesses said the pandemic had hit turnover or profits in the last 12 months. Four in ten reported that it had led to staffing difficulties.
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Expensive materials and fuel
Three-quarters of companies say the rising cost of materials (76%) and fuel (74%) are hurting their business. In the 12 months covered, pump prices for petrol rose by 18% t o near-record levels; diesel leapt by 16%.
Firms expect the same factors to dampen or even eliminate profitability in the next 12 months.
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Staying within the rules and regulations
Compliance challenges – including those stemming from the pandemic – are hurting firms. Two-thirds of field service companies say that new regulations hit their profits in the year to July 2021.
In the last 12 months, more than half breached industry regulations in ways that led to a fine, loss of reputation or loss of work. A quarter (25%) incurred financial penalties for breaches.
The risk of accidentally contravening rules and regulations increases as companies expand rapidly. Two further issues for firms also emerged in our analysis.
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The productivity pinch point
When it comes to employment, the trades have outperformed the rest of the economy in the last year. The number of people working in field service firms increased by 48%.
But this increase was slower than the 70% rise in workloads.
Firms anticipate further growth in workloads (74%) in the next 12 months, and a lower increase in the extra employees they will take on (54%).
There will be pressure on already busy field service teams to work even more efficiently.
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Rising debt levels
The amount of debt taken on by field service businesses increased by 50% over the last 12 months.
While some businesses have used finance to underpin their expansion activities (average debt increased by 43% at firms reporting good profit and growth prospects), the biggest increases in debt levels were among loss-making firms borrowing for survival.
Average debts were up 117% over the last 12 months at businesses that said they were struggling and feared going out of business and increased by 61% at loss-making firms where leaders believed a turnaround was possible.
Access to Government-backed finance made it easier for most businesses to borrow last year. This debt will add an additional cost burden to some already struggling firms.
STATE OF THE FIELD SERVICE SECTOR
Demand and workloads are soaring. Essential costs are on the rise. And recruitment is challenging. Many firms in the survey have addressed these challenges by pushing hard to improve productivity.
Where is time and money lost in field service businesses?
Less strain, efficiency gain: The rise and rise of job-management technology
- 2Poor management oversight: 27% said difficulties getting complete and up-to-date management oversight stops them from working as efficiently as possible. 82% want oversight of all parts of operations in real-time.
- Outdated technology: Clunky legacy workforce-management systems that couldn't keep pace with the demands of today were an efficiency issue for 27% of firms.
- Poor planning and workflow: 24% say that wasted time between jobs, including travel, is harming efficiency efforts.
As a result, many are now looking to optimise operations with technology.
- 73% of field service businesses increased investment in technology in the last 12 months. Technology spending increased by an average of 54% year on year.
- Firms expect to keep up these rates of tech-spending growth into 2022 as they turn to technology for management oversight, process automation, job scheduling and route planning.
Year on year company growth was faster, on average, for users of field service management technology. And those growing quickly are doubling down on technology: they are more likely than other firms to invest in it over the next year.
Productivity
Where is time and money lost in the field service business?
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27% say difficulties getting real-time insights harms efficiency
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27% of firms felt outdated technology was an efficiency issue
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24% say wasted time between jobs is harming efficiency
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Further Reading:
Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategyRead more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
Read more about BigChange on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/bigchange
Learn more about BigChange @ www.bigchange.com
Follow BigChange on Twitter @ twitter.com/bigchangeapps
Oct 21, 2021 • Features • BigChange • Covid-19 • Leadership and Strategy • EMEA
In this second feature of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we have a look at what happened in the field service sector after Covid measures began easing in the UK.
In this second feature of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we have a look at what happened in the field service sector after Covid measures began easing in the UK.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
GROWTH IN TURNOVER, WORKLOAD AND PROFIT ACROSS THE UK FIELD SERVICE SECTOR
Britain’s trades have bounced back from Covid-19 lockdowns and disruption. And they expect more growth in the 12 months to come.
Plumbers, electricians, maintenance companies and other firms with field service staff report that workload, turnover, and profit have increased significantly since Covid measures began easing in July 2020.
In the 12 months since then (August 2020-July 2021), these companies have reported:
- Turnover up by 79% on average (compared with the previous 12 months)
- Workload up by 70%
- Total profits up by 66%
A third of companies increased profits by at least 50%. Three-quarters (74%) increased turnover; a pattern repeated when it comes to demand for work and total profits. One in five has doubled turnover since July 2020.
The sharp bounce back comes after a period (August 2019-July 2020) when Covid-19 significantly affected business activity.
Since then, growth has been particularly strong in the facilities management, fire and safety, hire, and plumbing and heating sectors.
But surging demand is not benefiting everyone. For every strong, profitable business in the sector, another is struggling to keep up – just breaking even or even losing money.
Demand for facilities management, building maintenance, electrical contracting, fire and security, and plant hire services bounced back particularly robustly – each sector recording workload increases of more than 70% year on year.
AVERAGE GROWTH RATES FOR FIELD SERVICE FIRMS
Looking forward, more than eight out of ten firms expect turnover to grow into 2022. One in five (19%) expects to at least double turnover by next summer.
Only 2% expect to be less profitable this time next year.
Overall, the picture is of surging workloads, turnover and profit – albeit from a suppressed start point. Like a coiled spring now released, the sector is growing very fast.
Many businesses will increase prices to help offset increasing costs. Prices charged across the field service sector rose by 47% in the last 12 months and are predicted to increase by a similar amount over the next year.
However, there are still concerns that growth in profit will continue to lag behind the rise in turnover, and that predicted profit increases will not be enjoyed uniformly across the sector.
13% of field service firms say they are already struggling, and fear that they could go out of business in the next 12 months as costs continue to rise and Covid-19 support measures are phased out.
This includes many that experienced booming demand last year, but couldn’t pass on their increasing costs to customers in the form of price rises.
STATE OF THE FIELD SERVICE SECTOR
Strong Growth and Profit Prospects
Small Profits Firms
- 22% of field service leaders told researchers their businesses were performing incredibly well, with good profit and growth prospects. This equates to 276,000 firms nationwide
- Half (50%) of these firms experienced increases in demand for their services of between 10% and 99% over the last 12 months, while another quarter (26%) saw workloads double
- On average, these strong growth businesses have seen workloads rise by 97% while achieving similar increases in turnover (99%) and profit (100%)
- These champion businesses increased employee numbers by 58%, prices by 62% and investment in technology by 76% in the last 12 months
- 26% of leaders, the equivalent of 323,000 UK firms, reported their businesses were succeeding in making a small profit each year
- Workloads increased by 57%, on average, ahead of both turnover (49%) and profit (43%)
- These businesses plan to increase prices by 42% over the next year to offset rising costs
- They expect to increase employee numbers by 37% and investment in technology by 42% in the year to July 2022
Small Profits Firms
- A further 26% of field service businesses – 330,000 across the UK – broke even over the last year
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On average, these Breakeven Businesses put up prices by 31% to stay on top of costs, and increased turnover by 57% from a 39% increase in workloads
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Employment in these businesses rose 26% on the year and is predicted to grow at a similar rate (29%) over the next 12 months
- The businesses plan to increase their investment in technology by 36%
BIGCHANGE'S GROWTH MATRIX
Loss Making Turnaround Firms
Small Profits Firms
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Around one in every eight leaders (13%) said their firms were currently losing money but expected to be able to turn their fortunes around over the next year. We estimate that 161,000 field service firms nationwide are in this situation
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Increases in workload of 46% in the last 12 months were met by a 55% increase in employee numbers
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83% of these businesses said higher labour costs had hurt their businesses last year.
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Another 13% of leaders told researchers their firms were struggling to the extent that they could go out of business within the next year. This equates to a further 161,000 businesses across the UK
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Their struggles aren’t due to a lack of demand. Struggling businesses took on the highest average increases in workload (146%) and turnover (151%) of any segment
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However, meeting this demand required a 92% increase in employees, a factor that 91% price increases couldn’t offset
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97% of strugglers said they were severely impacted by Covid-19, while the rising cost of materials, fuel and people were negative factors for more than 80% of these firms.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Further Reading:
Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategyRead more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
Read more about BigChange on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/bigchange
Learn more about BigChange @ www.bigchange.com
Follow BigChange on Twitter @ twitter.com/bigchangeapps
Oct 18, 2021 • Features • BigChange • field service • Covid-19 • Leadership and Strategy • EMEA
BigChange shares with Field Service News how field service organisations can increase their profits in the post-pandemic world.
BigChange shares with Field Service News how field service organisations can increase their profits in the post-pandemic world.
During August 2021, BigChange engaged the research consultancy Opinium to survey field service businesses about how they fared since the UK government eased their strictest lockdown measures.
Although, for the most part, many companies are doing better now than they were in July 2020, the study revealed that fewer than half of companies reported making a profit. In fact, those in the worst affected category fear they will go out of business in the next year as costs continue to rise and COVID-19 support measures are phased out. Here are three ways to increase profits for your business and bounce back post-pandemic.
HOW TO BOOST YOUR PROFITS
1. Reduce Travel Expenses
One of the best ways to maintain a healthy profit margin is to reduce business expenses. With petrol prices rising by 18% and diesel leaping by 16% to a near-record level over the last year, it's worth looking at your current travel costs and devising ways to minimise them.
If you're currently relying on spreadsheets to schedule your technicians' working days, you could be missing out on the opportunity to optimise their routes. Thankfully, technological advancements in recent years have made it simple to assign relevant workers to jobs based on their location, skills and qualifications and vehicle type.
A job management platform optimises routes, which helps to reduce the amount of time each technician spends on the road. Lowered travel times increase the number of appointments technicians can attend each day, making it a worthwhile investment.
2. Improve First-Time Fix Rates
Did you know, companies that achieve a high first-time fix rate of over 70% enjoy a 4% increase in revenue? Subsequently, it's crucial to equip your technicians with everything they need to complete their assignments the first time.
Keeping a close eye on your stock, equipment, and assets will ensure that you always have the correct items for each job and allows you to attend more reactive appointments. Modern asset management systems give you complete, real-time visibility over your inventory and allow you to assign gear directly to jobs.
By allocating equipment before each job, your technicians can rest assured they have the right tools to finish the work there and then. Plus, an increase in first-time fixes will liberate more time for your workers to take on additional jobs — which will prove to be particularly lucrative, as the workload has increased by 70% across the field service industry.
3. Digitise Your Processes
On average, we found that users of job management software grew faster than businesses still relying on spreadsheets and paper processes last year. Better still, those that made the most of the latest technology are now in a better position to take on further work and deliver it profitably in 2022.
Using job management software like BigChange, you can digitise all your processes and manage them on one easy-to-use platform. As a result, your back-office team can handle bookings — from the moment the customer makes an appointment right up to invoicing and payment — at the click of a button.
Furthermore, the system records all customer interactions, meaning you'll have a comprehensive record of information to refer back to whenever you need it without having to sift through mountains of paperwork. Additionally, you'll reduce business costs by eliminating the need to store documents on-site or pay for storage.Consequently, your team will have more time to spend on activities that contribute directly to business growth, leading to significant profits further down the line.
JOB MANAGEMENT PLATFORMS ARE THE FUTURE
It's no secret that COVID-19 has taken its toll on field service organisations. Currently, fewer than half of field service firms are profitable. That's why business leaders will need to think outside the box and look for innovative solutions that will help their companies bounce back.
In order to stay ahead of the curve and thrive in a turbulent economic landscape, you must consider how technology will help you overcome the obstacles you're facing presently. Job management platforms arm you with all the tools you need to boost profitability and provide a great return on investment, which will benefit your business long after the effects of the pandemic have disappeared.
HELP YOUR BUSINESS BOUNCE BACK STRONGER THAN EVER ON BIGCHANGE
BigChange's job management platform is helping field service businesses across the UK win more work, take control of their operations and deliver winning customer experiences.
Bring your customer relationship management (CRM), job scheduling, workforce management, financial data and business intelligence onto one easy-to-use platform and begin enjoying the benefits of a smarter way of working today.
Want to find out more? Discover how your business can grow stronger on BigChange here and arrange a free demo today.
About BigChange
BigChange is the complete Job Management Platform that’s helping field service businesses across the UK to win more work, take control of their operations and deliver winning customer experiences. Bringing customer relationship management (CRM), job scheduling, live tracking, field resource management, financial management, business intelligence into one simple to use and easy to integrate platform, BigChange liberates you from inefficient paper-based processes and the complexity of multiple different technology systems that hold your business back. Loved by office and field teams alike, our customers are achieving industry leading results and return on investment. The BigChange team is committed to customer success and no matter your sector or whether you have a mobile workforce of 10 or a 100, we’re here to make a big difference to the way you work and to help your business grow stronger.
BigChange will be exhibiting on stand D1 at the Field Service Expo.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategy
- Read more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
- Read more about BigChange on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/bigchange
- Learn more about BigChange @ www.bigchange.com
- Follow BigChange on Twitter @ twitter.com/bigchangeapps
Oct 15, 2021 • News • SMEs • UK Government • Telecommunications • Leadership and Strategy • EMEA • PLEXAL
Plexal, the innovation company established by Delancey, is working with the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) to support the diversification of the UK’s telecoms market and stimulate the creation of products and...
Plexal, the innovation company established by Delancey, is working with the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) to support the diversification of the UK’s telecoms market and stimulate the creation of products and services from SMEs and startups. The announcement was made by Minister of State at DCMS Julia Lopez at techUK’s Our Network Future event yesterday.Through its LORCA programme, Plexal has worked with leaders from the telecoms market to assess where there could be opportunities for SMEs to provide products or services.
Plexal has now identified SMEs that will take part in a 12-week sprint aimed at developing robust business cases, technology roadmaps and investment plans. The aim is to create a diverse commercial ecosystem for private 5G networks that enables large and small vendors to play a role.
THE SMEs WILL WORK WITH PLEXAL AND THE GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP OPPORTUNITIES AND TO OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS THAT EXIST IN PLAYING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE TELECOMS INDUSTRY.
The SMEs will work with Plexal, the government and industry to carve out and develop opportunities and overcome any barriers that exist for startups to play an active role in the telecoms market. These barriers could include making sure the products are interoperable and have robust cybersecurity built in.
Plexal is looking at current and future 5G private networks in two categories:
- Fully private, where the value outcome remains isolated from the public
- Private today, but will need to integrate to the public network to realise all the benefits
The sprint will support the UK government’s aim of developing a domestic capability for 5G and making sure the telecoms market includes a diverse range of vendors – including a larger number of small and medium-sized companies.
Commenting on the innovation challenge, Andrew Roughan, managing director of Plexal, said:
“We think there’s a big opportunity to understand and develop the role of SMEs in the telecoms market. Our open collaboration model, which is bringing industry, the government and SMEs together in a pre-competitive environment, is a novel way to approach the challenge of how the UK creates a diverse telecoms market that supports the creation of homegrown, sovereign technology.”Plexal is an innovation company that delivers programmes for both industry and government, including NCSC For Startups, Cyber Runway, LORCA and London RoadLab. Plexal also works with industry to solve their innovation challenges and partner with startups.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Leadership and Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategy
- Read more about Telecommunications on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/telecommunications
- Read more articles about SMEs on Field Service News @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/smes
- Learn more about Plexal @ www.plexal.com
- Follow Plexal on Twitter @ twitter.com/Plexalcity
Oct 14, 2021 • Features • BigChange • Covid-19 • Leadership and Strategy • EMEA
In the first feature of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we look at their first health check of UK businesses running field service teams.
In the first feature of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we look at their first health check of UK businesses running field service teams.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
These trades are the backbone of the economy: plumbers, electrical engineers, construction businesses, maintenance companies, environmental services, and many others with field-based workers.
One in five UK businesses rely on field service teams to deliver their services. We estimate that there are now more than 1.2 million field service businesses in the UK employing 6.7 million people.
Because they all run field service teams, they face similar opportunities and challenges:
- Managerial oversight
- Job scheduling and management
- Recruting suitably skilled workers
- Compliance
- Maximising job efficiency
- Competing on customer experience
During August 2021, we engaged the research consultancy Opinium to survey businesses of all sizes with field service teams.
Opinium spoke to 504 leaders from businesses in the building maintenance, cleaning services, drainage, electrical contractors and electricians, facilities management, fire and security, plant hire, industrial doors, plumbing and heating, and the waste and recycling sectors.
We asked about business health and how they fared from August 2020 to July 2021 – the first full 12 months since the easing of the strictest UK lockdown measures.
Across the field service sector, firms have performed significantly better since the end of the first strict lockdown in July 2020
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Workloads are up 70%, and turnovers have soared as prices charged for services increased by an average of 47%
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Demand for facilities management, fire and safety, plumbing and heating, and plant hire services bounced back particularly welL
While the headline figures are positive, the benefits of booming demand are not enjoyed by everyone
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Turnovers rocketed across the sector, yet fewer than half of companies reported making a profit. 26% of firms lost money in the 12 months to August 2021 as the industry was hit by Covid-19 complications, compliance issues and surging costs
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One in eight field service firms fear they could go out of business within a year
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More than eight out of ten firms expect turnover to grow into 2022. But a talent crisis means firms face this increased demand without employee numbers increasing at the same rate. 56% of field service leaders reported difficulty retaining frontline operators.
Productivity is now a major focus for field service firms
- Poor management oversight, outdated technology, and poor planning and workflow were significant barriers to more efficient work. 82% of field- service leaders said they wanted oversight of all parts of their operations in real-time
Our analysis indicates that there is a big difference between growing and growing stronger
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The strongest firms took advantage of rising demand to do more work, but remained in control of costs and became more productive
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In contrast, many firms now struggling for survival, grew too quickly. They took on the highest increases in workload and turnover of any segment, but doubled the size of their workforces and their levels of debt
Customer experience is key for competitive advantage
- Facing rising costs, the ability to compete on price is getting smaller. Customer experience has become the new source of competitive advantage. Most leaders said good service now requires same-working-day fixes for reactive jobs (68%) and that customers be kept fully informed digitally (65%)
Technology is critical in helping firms thrive
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Technology spending across the sector increased by an average of 54% in the last 12 months as firms focused on job management, productivity and customer experience
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Users of job management technology grew faster, on average, than those relying on spreadsheets and paper processes last year. They are in a better position to take on further work and deliver it profitably in the year ahead
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Most leaders expect spending in this area to continue growing into 2022
A Defining Period for the Field Service Sector
The following 12 months will be pivotal for field service firms. Everyone has the opportunity to grow, but they must manage significant cost increases and face major challenges recruiting and retaining skilled frontline operators. It will be a year of abundance for some - gaining market share and driving growth in turnover and profitability. Others will see their margins eroded further. Everyone would benefit from becoming more productive and competing on customer experience rather than price.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.
www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.
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 BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategy
- Read more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
- Read more about BigChange on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/bigchange
- Learn more about BigChange @ www.bigchange.com
- Follow BigChange on Twitter @ twitter.com/bigchangeapps
Oct 11, 2021 • News • BigChange • field service • Covid-19 • Leadership and Strategy • EMEA
Demand for UK trades has boomed since the end of the initial lockdown in July 2020. Plumbers, electricians, building-maintenance firms and other trades making up the UK’s 1.3-million-business field-service sector have seen their workloads increase...
Demand for UK trades has boomed since the end of the initial lockdown in July 2020. Plumbers, electricians, building-maintenance firms and other trades making up the UK’s 1.3-million-business field-service sector have seen their workloads increase by 70 per cent year on year, according to a new report published by field service management software provider BigChange.
BigChange’s State of the Field Service Sector report, now available at Field Service News, reveals that three-quarters of trades businesses saw demand increase in the year to July 2021. Almost one in five (18 per cent) took on over double the work they did in the 12-month period before. BigChange’s research indicates that demand for Plumbing & Heating, Plant Hire and Drainage increased fastest.
THREE-QUARTERS OF UK BUSINESSES SAW DEMANDS AFTER THE FIRST STRICT LOCKODWN ENDED, BUT MANY ARE STILL SUFFERING THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC, COMPLIANCE ISSUES AND SOARING COSTS
Despite soaring turnovers (up 79 per cent on average) and average price increases of 47 per cent, fewer than half of trades businesses (48 per cent) said they were profitable in the year to July 2021. Debts have increased by 117 per cent among the worst performers in the sector, and one-in-eight firms fear they will fail within a year as Covid complications, compliance issues and surging costs continue to hit hard.
Most businesses surveyed (81 per cent) said that the pandemic had continued to impact their finances negatively in the last 12 months. 67 per cent said their margins had been squeezed by the cost of complying with new regulations, and rising prices for materials, fuel and labour are cited as ongoing problems by more than 70 per cent of respondents.
Richard Warley, BigChange CEO, comments: “While demand for the trades has boomed since the first lockdown, this backbone of the economy is not as strong as it might look. Only half of firms are profiting from this extra work. There’s a big difference between growing and growing stronger.”
“Many trades businesses have seen profit margins hit by a perfect storm of Covid, compliance and rising costs. One-in-eight fear they won’t last another year, partly because they’ve taken on more debt and racked up colossal overtime bills meeting customer demand.
“The strong, profitable businesses are succeeding by working smarter to stay in control of their operations, keeping a lid on costs, and making their teams more productive. They are using technology to improve management oversight, plan better and automate processes, and improving communication and response times as part of efforts to make the customer experience their new source of competitive advantage.”
You can access Big Change's State of the Field Service Sector white paper here:
Further Reading:
- Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategy
- Read more about the impact of COVID-19 in the Field Service industry @ www.fieldservicenews.com/covid-19
- Read more about BigChange on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/bigchange
- Learn more about BigChange @ www.bigchange.com
- Follow BigChange on Twitter @ twitter.com/bigchangeapps
Sep 29, 2021 • News • Digital Transformation • servicemax • Leadership and Strategy • GLOBAL • BAIN & COMPANY
The top three most important trends affecting the future of field service are new pricing models, data as an asset, and standardizing and simplifying processes, according to new research conducted by Bain & Company and ServiceMax, a leader in...
The top three most important trends affecting the future of field service are new pricing models, data as an asset, and standardizing and simplifying processes, according to new research conducted by Bain & Company and ServiceMax, a leader in asset-centric field service management software. The global study, “Future of Field Services”, which includes survey data from 283 field service technicians and 25 service executives across the US and Europe, looked at the future of services, organization maturity and trends across commercial models, operations and technology, as well as key challenges and enablers in the field service arena.
THIS CO-AUTHORED GLOBAL STUDY EMPHASIZES THE EVOLVING SERVICE BUSINESS MODEL, THE IMPORTANCE OF ASSET DATA AND OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE WASTE AND FRICTION
“In addition to giving us insights into the future of service, the research highlights opportunities to both eliminate waste and reduce friction in service organizations, as well as increase service value and monetize engagement,” said Sumair Dutta, industry analyst and senior director of digital transformation at ServiceMax. “Field service is changing, and the pace of change is likely to accelerate in the next three to five years. This study shows key areas where service executives can close the gap between strategic expectations in the boardroom and tactical execution by technicians in the field, such as empowering cross-selling and upselling enablement, streamlining and simplifying processes, and properly training a digitally-empowered field force.”
According to service executives, the number one trend set to impact the future of field services is the creation of new commercial opportunities, such as the evaluation of new pricing models. Executives increasingly expect their field forces to play a role in selling services, with some companies generating up to 30% of service revenue originated by technicians. However, 70% of surveyed technicians feel they are not particularly skilled to drive sales.
Service executives said the second most important trend is harnessing data as an asset. However, 47% claim current tools aren’t easy to learn and use, and 60% of technicians say that when they’re asked to collect data, they don’t know the reason behind it. Increased access to data is particularly important for supporting dynamic pricing and changes to the commercial model, such as shifting from selling reactive service to selling solutions and outcomes.
Service leaders identified the standardization and simplification of processes as the third most important trend. However, one in three technicians report struggling with current processes. To address this, service leaders should prioritize standardizing the largest part of processes, customizing to specific market dynamics only when required, and embedding customer feedback loops into process continuous improvement efforts.
“In capital-intensive industries, field service has become increasingly critical to growth, profitability and commercial performance,” said Prashant Iyer, a partner in Bain & Company’s Advanced Manufacturing & Services practice. “We at Bain & Company believe that the people closest to the work, those on the frontlines, often have the most valuable input about their business. While there’s no shortage of trends affecting the quickly evolving field service market, this new research allows us to narrow in on the most critical pain points and solutions, as told by the technicians and executives leading this work.”
The full Bain Brief can be accessed hereFurther Reading:
- Read more about Leadership and Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategy
- Read more about ServiceMax on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/servicemax
- Download a copy of the "Future of Field Service" study @ lp.servicemax.com/Bain-Report-2021
- Find out more about ServiceMax @ www.servicemax.com
- Follow ServiceMax on Twitter @ twitter.com/ServiceMax
Field Service News is published by 1927 Media Ltd, an independent publisher whose sole focus is on the field service sector. As such our entire resources are focused on helping drive the field service sector forwards and aiming to best serve our industry through honest, incisive and innovative media coverage of the global field service sector.
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