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Jeff Bird, Customer Experience and Analytics Consultant, Capgemini, outlines what he thinks the future holds for the field service industry.

The customer centric business models of today are geared up to meet the ever increasing needs of customer service from buying to after sales care. It has never been more important for businesses to wake up to digital disruption and have an edge on their competitors by being innovative.

Retailers have recognised that it isn’t just about offering a digital presence either; the traditional way of buying physically in the store is as strong as ever. Companies on the high street are realising that it is the connected blend of services being offered to consumers through mobility which is becoming the differentiator.

Once those giant leaps of transformation have been made it then remains a question of how to evolve further, providing the after sales service they desire. This is where a proactive customer service comes in, anticipating a problem before it has started and offering them a service before they come to you – it’s all about showing them how much you want their business and loyalty.

Field service and customer care, which helps to maintain the customer relationship, is providing a service to a business/consumer that predicts what you want and when you need it from its existing services. Over the years the role of self-service has had a positive effect on the way we communicate with organisations, now with 24/7 as opposed to business opening hours, the business/consumer has the power to take control and be kept updated on their status when they want it.

A brave new world in field service

The service model has now shifted from a supply (vendor) and demand (customer) to a new world in service management.

Traditionally in a business, if something breaks down, let’s say a vending machine (yes, the thought of employees not being able to grab a daily fix of chocolate on a break is important, you know). This would involve calling the supplier to report the problem or that stock needed to be replenished, but this has all changed.

New advances in Machine–to–Machine (M2M) software has revolutionised field service by use of wireless technology, to send signals back to a host that would alert them if there was a fault that needed repairing or it had run out of stock. For businesses, this is ideal because it not only takes away the strain and time required to report to a vendor, but it offers the company and their staff round the clock service. If that isn’t enough, there are also touch-less vending machines that use motion recognition devices to interpret user hand signals to indicate what products they want. Thanks to wireless technology, there are even machines that allow users to purchase products by sending text messages from their mobile phone and its all part of the service.

 

From a consumer perspective, the needs of customer service have never been greater. The opinion of service after a product has been bought can strengthen preference or loyalty to a brand.

Although the link for the individual consumer in field service has yet to be fully recognised, new innovations have delivered smarter technology to improve the customer experience. We   experience this in our everyday lives from using mobile apps to record TV programmes or sending a command to a washing machine to run a chosen cycle. By using an app to program washing, users have remote control and visibility which gives them an insight into the progress of the wash. Within the same app, users can also be notified to identify minor problems that they would be able to fix without the need to call out an engineer.

New service, new opportunities...

With the new reach of technology in the field comes new opportunities for the vendor supplier or company to improve their customer service by:

Using mobile software applications - the vendor supplier can now take advantage of getting up to date information from any one of their products being used by the customer. This enables a faster response to manage fixes, scheduling in a date to visit or the anticipation that a routine appointment is due for its customer.

Onsite representatives making a difference - whilst on site the value added opportunity is for its representative to train staff there on how a problem can be dealt with and sharing knowledge of up to date work instructions as a visual. Growing this type of trusted relationship also has its benefits. A repeat business customer who is happy with the service is more likely to be engaged in an upsell of a product or repeat business.

Cutting out the paperwork - enabling the use of smart devices for field representatives while working remotely also brings with it the opportunity to renew contracts and services electronically sooner and keep the competition at arm’s length.

Better understanding of the customer needs - with new technology comes the ability to understand customers better, insights into their buying behaviour and what products suit their needs over a period of time. These are essential metrics to reap the rewards of repeat purchases.

What will the future hold?

Within a customer service model, companies will see the continuing benefits of managing their customer’s activities through connected channels. The hub of this, likely to be the contact centre will incorporate the field service as part of the profile of a customer in one omnichannel experience.

To achieve that, companies will need a knowledgeable workforce to manage it. This was recently evidenced in a Salesforce connected manufacturing service report. Executives within that survey ‘understood the need to adopt new technologies into their field service departments, as more than half (52%) say it is very important for drivers or field service agents to be able to incorporate new technologies into their service activities’.

 

Bringing a service to the customer and using new technology to empower field representatives will enhance the customer experience but the challenge will be transfer of knowledge from one generation to another. Companies should act now to train and manage this space of learning. The resource challenge of field staff will be another factor but will be countered by the use of GPS tracking service software  and the continuing increase of customer self service knowledge.

Bespoke services, such as Bouton Darcy®, are already trailblazing the next generation of instant support to customers through their after sales offering.

To serve or not to serve?

We know that companies who fail to serve their customers and are not proactive are losing loyal customers. In field service, companies now have a chance to increase loyalty through new technology and be part of a great customer care experience. Is your organisation only thinking about this or doing it right now?  Imminent action is needed to sustain businesses and deliver customer’s expectations.

 

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Berg Insight estimates that global cellular M2M module shipments increased by 19.4 percent in 2015 to a new record level of 96.0 million. A somewhat higher growth rate is expected for 2016.

Until 2020, shipments of cellular M2M devices are forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.7 percent to reach 256.0 million units. East Asia, North America and Western Europe were the main geographical markets in 2015, accounting for around 75 percent of the total demand. The regions are similar in size measured by volume.

Berg Insight projects that the relationship in relative market shares between the three regions will remain relatively stable in the coming five years. The latest 3GPP standards for LTE – Cat 1, Cat M1, and Cat M2 – will contribute substantially to growth in the next coming five years.

 

These new standards are designed to be less complex to limit power consumption and are priced more favourably to address the mass market and make it viable to connect entirely new applications.

The results of Berg Insight’s latest cellular M2M module vendor market share assessment show that the three largest module vendors have 72 percent of the market in terms of revenues. “Annual module revenues for the three largest market players Sierra Wireless, Gemalto and Telit increased by 12.5 percent to US$ 1.12 billion, with the total market value reaching approximately US$ 1.6 billion,” says Johan Fagerberg, CEO at Sweden-based M2M/IoT analyst firm Berg Insight.

Sierra Wireless leads M2M module revenues, followed by Telit and Gemalto. SIMCom Wireless leads in shipments for the first time in 2015, but is only in fourth place in terms of revenues.

 

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As field service tools become increasingly Internet based connectivity becomes an ever more significant challenge. We look at how Volvo Construction overcame their connectivity woes...

About Volvo                                                  

Volvo Construction Equipment was established in Great Britain in 1967. A division of the Volvo Group, it has established a reputation for market leading quality equipment and customer support.

A supplier to the mining and construction industries, Volvo provides an extensive range of equipment including wheeled loaders, articulated haulers, excavators, utility equipment and pavers.

The business operates eight customer support centres throughout Great Britain, supplemented by strategically located home-based engineers. Its headquarters are located in Duxford, Cambridgeshire.

The challenge

Volvo Construction Equipment’s team of field engineers travel across the UK each day responding to customer queries – from initial fault diagnosis to servicing and updating equipment. These engineers are largely dependent upon access to internet-based tools, hosted on the company’s network, for diagnosis and configuration purposes. Yet visits can often take place in remote or inaccessible areas of the country with poor mobile signal.

Previously, engineers were provided with a single-network USB dongle that could be plugged into laptops for network access. The limited geographical coverage meant that this had proved hugely unreliable, with engineers often unable to find a strong signal from the network provider.

 

Without access to the internet, engineers were often forced to return to the nearest depot – which could be up to 60 miles away – or in some cases, seek out a local café or restaurant offering free Wi-Fi.

This inability to complete the job on the first visit was also frustrating for customers unable to progress a project due to a broken down machine.

Richard Shelford, IT Operations Manager at Volvo Construction Equipment, said: ‘‘Engineers would often arrive at a job and carry out the initial diagnosis only to find that the network signal was too weak. From a customer-service perspective this was really tricky, as they would be forced to abandon a job and drive off to seek Wi-Fi access somewhere else.”

He added: “This process was proving hugely costly for us in both time and mileage but also for our customer whose downtime costs can run into tens of thousands of pounds.”

The solution

Volvo Construction Equipment was recommended to contact M2M Intelligence to see if they could suggest a more efficient way to operate.

M2M was able to supply a Multinet roaming 3G SIM which enabled field engineers to create a local hotspot with a Wi-Fi router in their van. The M2M-i Multinet SIM enables the router to connect with any available UK network so Volvo engineers are no longer reliant on a single provider’s ability to supply a constant signal in all areas of the country.

These hotspots allow staff to connect and use the online diagnostics virtually wherever they are working.

 

A trial across eight vehicles was tested by senior engineers, with extensive experience of the industry - including first-hand knowledge of some of the challenges that the business was facing. Following a successful trial, the solution was quickly rolled out across the Volvo Field Service team.

The results

Volvo was able to vastly improve its customer service by eliminating wasted site visits and reducing equipment down-time. This has also had a number of additional benefits in regards to productivity, cost savings, employee satisfaction and internal communications.

Productivity increased

M2M’s Multinet roaming SIMs have ensured field engineers are connected virtually anywhere. This has had a major impact on productivity as engineers are now able to increase the average number of campaign updates, including diagnosis or configuration, each day.

Cost savings

The solution has also driven significant cost-savings for the business – both in terms of vehicle expense and staff time. Field engineers no longer have to drive back to the depot or a local restaurant to gain Wi-Fi access – and are operating more efficiently as a result.

Employee satisfaction rose

Increased productivity has removed many of the frustrations experienced by field engineers. Rather than facing obstacles around limited network signal or the associated stresses of having to find a nearby location with access, they can focus on the task in hand. This means delivering a speedier service to customers and getting equipment and projects back up and running as soon as possible.

Better internal communications

The business has also seen an improvement in internal communications. Staff can use internet-enabled video conferencing more frequently to communicate with product specialists and between different depots. This is allowing field engineers to tap into company resources – and quickly.

The company now has plans to continue a phased roll-out across the wider business, including product specialists and sales teams.

‘‘Almost immediately after trialling M2M’s solution, we knew we had to have it!’’ said Richard. ‘‘Our engineers were previously carrying out approximately two campaign updates per day. Using M2M’s solution, they can double that - so to say it’s had a big impact on productivity would be an understatement! To quote one of our own engineers, ‘it’s simply brilliant’.’’

 

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Service management organisations could miss out on vital business intelligence, lucrative new revenue streams or fail to meet rising customer demands unless they embrace machine-to-machine (M2M) technology. These are the findings of a new white paper commissioned by service management software provider, Advanced Field Service (Advanced).

The worldwide M2M technology market is forecast to grow to £30 billion by 2018* and is set to revolutionise the service management industry. However some businesses remain cautious about adoption due to limited time and resources, cost pressures and cultural resistance.

A recent survey[quote float="left"]“There is some confusion as to how M2M interplays with other technologies such as The Internet of Things, cloud, big data and mobile. While there is no clarity about what M2M is, and the benefits it offers, adoption rates will be slower than anticipated.

conducted by Advanced highlights that only 43% of businesses are currently using M2M. Just over a quarter (26%) of respondents revealed they are considering M2M but in contrast 31% said they had no plans to do so.

 

Greg Ford, Managing Director of Advanced Field Service, says, “There is some confusion as to how M2M interplays with other technologies such as The Internet of Things, cloud, big data and mobile. While there is no clarity about what M2M is, and the benefits it offers, adoption rates will be slower than anticipated.

“Many service organisations will need to wait for manufacturers to introduce the capabilities of M2M before they can take full advantage of it. For those who serve multiple manufacturer products, this can make planning and gaining access to data more difficult.”

M2M is effectively a subset of the Internet of Things and wirelessly connects machines, devices and equipment to collect and transmit data such as location, movement, temperature and environment. Typical solutions enable the remote tracking of a business’s field-based assets, ‘smart metering’ to monitor and control energy and utilities and telematics systems to enhance service delivery performance through automated processes.

Ford comments, “M2M technology provides valuable insight into the performance of equipment, vehicles and field engineers. With this crucial business intelligence, organisations can shift from reactive to predictive service, ensuring issues can be identified and resolved more quickly to meet rising customer expectations.

“M2M can also transform efficiency levels and increase profit margins. With rising costs and fierce competition continuing to impact the service industries, organisations who choose to overlook this technology may suffer a detrimental impact to their bottom line.”

Advanced Field Service’s integrated service management solutions enhance business intelligence for companies which provide installation, service or maintenance via a field or site-based workforce. Its Siclops system enables organisations to improve productivity, reduce administration costs and streamline scheduling processes.

KPN and Masternaut have recently announced an agreement to jointly develop and market telematics-enabled fleet management and telematics enabled insurance products for businesses looking to provide a step-change in customer service, employee safety and operational efficiency.

The agreement provides KPN’s M2M (Machine-to-Machine) teams access to Masternaut's leading telematics products and services helping the company accelerate its goal of providing M2M services beyond connectivity to KPN customers.

According to the terms of the agreement, the two companies will market joint products designed to target the fleet market with proven products including driver behaviour management, vehicle telematics to improve efficiency. The agreement also delivers enhanced vehicle expenses management modules, live vehicle tracking as well as products and services that reduce corporate and consumer risk in the insurance market.

The products will be distributed under the KPN brand, powered by the technology provided by European leader Masternaut. Masternaut will provide software services, applications, platforms and technical support, while KPN will contribute with its commercial network, including pre- and post-sales support, consultancy and customer care. Everything deployed over the best in class global networks of KPN.

Jimmy Wind, M2M Director of KPN:

"With this agreement, KPN are demonstrating our response to customers’ needs in the growing M2M market. We can leverage our experience and knowledge of our customers and provide them with telematics-based products and services that solve many of their problems and have the ability to transform their businesses”.

Martin Hiscox, Chief Executive Officer of Masternaut:

"We are delighted that this partnership with KPN allows us both to deliver the most comprehensive service to KPN’s core business market. The combination of KPN’s brand and values with our technology delivers a clear and valuable proposition for both large enterprise and mid-sized companies”.

According to industry analysts Berg Insight, approximately 2.5 million commercial vehicles have telematics deployed. They forecast that the installed base of fleet management systems will reach 5.7 million in Europe by 2016 – with the market in the Netherlands, Belgium currently only 18% penetrated. The agreement provides KPN and Masternaut a twin-market strategy targeting both businesses that have not started on the telematics journey whilst targeting 1st-generation users with new and innovative products delivered in a consultative environment.