ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘manuel-grenacher’ CATEGORY

Manuel Grenacher, CEO, Coresystems explains that although Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t necessarily a new innovation with the global enterprise value derived from AI set to total $1.2 Trillion this year you need to make sure it’s working for you...

You know that voice that answers the phone and tells you to input your account number after the beep? That’s one of the numerous applications of artificial intelligence (AI) we encounter daily. If you’re reading this you probably know what AI is, but as a refresher, the term refers to a machine’s ability to imitate human cognitive abilities like problem-solving, language, strategic thinking, and learning. But its innovations and opportunities go far beyond asking Siri for driving directions to your next appointment – specifically for enterprise organizations. According to Gartner, the global enterprise value derived from AI will total $1.2 trillion this year – a 70 percent increase from 2017 – with significant expectations in areas like customer experience.

With an almost infinite number of data points and constant generation of new data, it is now impossible for the human mind to sift, sort, analyze, and draw insights from that torrent of information – yet AI uses these data sets to empower companies with strategic, informed decisions. Considering this explosive growth of AI, the following are some examples of how the field service industry can implement the technology to innovate and improve the customer experience.

Increase Productivity

Artificial intelligence optimizes the scheduling, planning, and dispatching of service and maintenance calls in real-time. Whereas traditional dispatchers must fall back on manual searches, an AI-based system values data points to generate efficient results, leading to smoother operations and the best possible utilization of your resources - which also translates into a sizable return on your investments.

An AI-supported system can factor in a variety of data with an increased level of speed and accuracy – for example, technician availability or skill level. An AI-supported system can factor in a variety of data with an increased level of speed and accuracy – for example, technician availability or skill level. Other restrictions, such as work time hours, legally mandatory lunch breaks, and travel time and distance – among others – are also be taken into consideration. Moreover, such systems can automatically notify technicians (via text, email, or other channels) about the necessary tools and parts needed for the job, not only guaranteeing higher first-time-fix rates, but also reducing wait times for available technicians.

Elevate the Customer Experience

Artificial intelligence technology also streamlines and optimizes the customer experience. With an AI-enabled platform, customers can expect real-time solutions, competent technicians equipped with the right tools and parts, and early detection of potential breakdowns. By connecting via mobile, they can track arrival times and progress, easily schedule and change appointments, and count on a quick and reliable billing system.

Support Predictive Maintenance

Lastly, with predictive maintenance, artificial intelligence is solving problems before they arise. This not only eliminates unnecessary machine condition checks but also addresses the growing skill gap between service technicians, as AI solutions can identify and address trivial tasks, which then allows the technicians to focus on customers and solutions instead.

The strides made in AI are in the direction of chatbots, language processing, image recognition, and machine learning. Even though these are considerable cost-saving and productivity benefits, many workers are afraid of AI replacing their jobs, and the entertainment industry has capitalized on an image of AI (like Star Wars, Iron Man or Black Mirror) that is more in line with types that are still being developed like Artificial General intelligence, or types that are fiction like Artificial Superintelligence.

In reality, the strides made in AI are in the direction of chatbots, language processing, image recognition, and machine learning. Rather than new technologies replacing jobs, artificial intelligence supports employees by helping them become more efficient, in areas such as predictive maintenance and customer experience. The forecasts for this inventive and advanced technology are promising, and we look forward to working with our customers to make the implementations successful.

What are some other uses that you see through your work in the field service industry? We invite you to share your thoughts in the comments section.

Be social and share

Manuel Grenacher, CEO, Coresystems discusses the big three technologies that are driving field service productivity to ever greater heights...

More than 85 percent of field service professionals say that the strategic use of technology is a key driver of overall productivity.

Moreover, within the next two years, 70 percent of organizations will reference customer satisfaction as a primary benefit obtained from implementing modern field service management technology, according to Gartner.

Unfortunately, many organizations are resisting from updating systems due to a need to accommodate legacy systems, and are therefore missing out on the increased workforce efficiency and productivity that updated systems deliver.

[quote float="left"]Unfortunately, many organizations are resisting from updating systems due to a need to accommodate legacy systems[/quote]Recent technological progressions have made a significant impact on many industries - and field service is no exception. Keep in mind, it’s often quite difficult for businesses to ‘bolt on’ additional technology to legacy systems, and many these should be considering new projects aimed at reducing cost and improving agility. So, what is there to gain?

Big Data and Data Analytics

Big data and analytics functionalities present a digestible, clear view of relevant data, which allow staff to make real-time decisions.

Each step is visible and transparent, and companies can start offering customers more proactive service, such as more finely tuned maintenance schedule alerts or alerts on peripherals that need replacement, consistently.

Cloud and Connectivity

Many field service applications are anchored in the cloud, and this pay-on-demand nature allows businesses to reduce spend on software and hardware costs. The cloud provides an accessible, shared environment where, for example, call centre staff can access records pulled from phone, email, IM and social media – leading to quicker and improved customer service.

Technicians can also stream video, capture photos, surf the internet and communicate with connected networks and wearable technologies.

Mobility

Mobility has an impressive impact on field service workers’ productivity and efficiency. Field service workers can access real-time data and information about customer issues, machine conditions and operating environments.

What’s more, field service organizations that implement mobility solutions improve their first-time fix rates, SLA compliance levels, cash flow and field engineer utilization levels.

[quote float="right"]Companies that still use paper-based systems often have difficulty efficiently scheduling resources and tracking employee performance. [/quote]Companies that still use paper-based systems often have difficulty efficiently scheduling resources and tracking employee performance.

It also slows down invoicing, and even affects the company culture. While upgrading can be costly, legacy systems tend to be more expensive to maintain on almost every level. Software licensing models have changed, as have the nature of service agreements, and the cloud offers a cost-effective means to have an entire IT setup without the need for huge premises.

Employees who can perform their jobs without the administrative or operational baggage are happier and more efficient.

This is a positive result for companies as it translates into a proactive state-of-mind (employees critically thinking about what more can they do), rather than a reactive one (how can it be done).

The above summaries illustrate why enterprises should switch to current FSM solutions, rather than remaining with their legacy systems. We look forward to seeing (and experiencing) the results of these and future technological innovations in the service industry.

[hr]

Be social and share

Manuel Grenacher, CEO, Coresystems discusses the big three technologies that are driving field service productivity to ever greater heights...

More than 85 percent of field service professionals say that the strategic use of technology is a key driver of overall productivity.

Moreover, within the next two years, 70 percent of organizations will reference customer satisfaction as a primary benefit obtained from implementing modern field service management technology, according to Gartner.

Unfortunately, many organizations are resisting from updating systems due to a need to accommodate legacy systems, and are therefore missing out on the increased workforce efficiency and productivity that updated systems deliver.

Unfortunately, many organizations are resisting from updating systems due to a need to accommodate legacy systemsRecent technological progressions have made a significant impact on many industries - and field service is no exception. Keep in mind, it’s often quite difficult for businesses to ‘bolt on’ additional technology to legacy systems, and many these should be considering new projects aimed at reducing cost and improving agility. So, what is there to gain?

Big Data and Data Analytics

Big data and analytics functionalities present a digestible, clear view of relevant data, which allow staff to make real-time decisions.

Each step is visible and transparent, and companies can start offering customers more proactive service, such as more finely tuned maintenance schedule alerts or alerts on peripherals that need replacement, consistently.

Cloud and Connectivity

Many field service applications are anchored in the cloud, and this pay-on-demand nature allows businesses to reduce spend on software and hardware costs. The cloud provides an accessible, shared environment where, for example, call centre staff can access records pulled from phone, email, IM and social media – leading to quicker and improved customer service.

Technicians can also stream video, capture photos, surf the internet and communicate with connected networks and wearable technologies.

Mobility

Mobility has an impressive impact on field service workers’ productivity and efficiency. Field service workers can access real-time data and information about customer issues, machine conditions and operating environments.

What’s more, field service organizations that implement mobility solutions improve their first-time fix rates, SLA compliance levels, cash flow and field engineer utilization levels.

Companies that still use paper-based systems often have difficulty efficiently scheduling resources and tracking employee performance. Companies that still use paper-based systems often have difficulty efficiently scheduling resources and tracking employee performance.

It also slows down invoicing, and even affects the company culture. While upgrading can be costly, legacy systems tend to be more expensive to maintain on almost every level. Software licensing models have changed, as have the nature of service agreements, and the cloud offers a cost-effective means to have an entire IT setup without the need for huge premises.

Employees who can perform their jobs without the administrative or operational baggage are happier and more efficient.

This is a positive result for companies as it translates into a proactive state-of-mind (employees critically thinking about what more can they do), rather than a reactive one (how can it be done).

The above summaries illustrate why enterprises should switch to current FSM solutions, rather than remaining with their legacy systems. We look forward to seeing (and experiencing) the results of these and future technological innovations in the service industry.

Be social and share

Manuel Grenacher, CEO Coresystems, explores the major trends that he expects to impact field service companies across 2018...

While 2017 introduced innovative new technology-based trends with the likes of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR), 2018 will bring real-world applications that put those buzzwords into practice. Here are the top trends we see this coming year.

The IoT will drive more proactive device maintenance, service and repair

In 2016, Gartner, Inc. forecasted that 8.4 billion connected things will be in use worldwide in 2017, with 5.5 million new devices being connected every day. The vast majority of today’s devices and machines come equipped with sensors, which transmit signals, status updates and warnings.

Field service innovators are finding ways to use the IoT and increased connectivity to their advantageThese alerts not only allow people to address problems proactively but also accelerate expectations around service time. The alerts notify users the moment their device needs maintenance or repair, which immediately puts the technician on the clock to resolve the issue. Challenges such as long response wait time and excessive appointment windows already plague the field service industry, so the IoT threatens to exacerbate these existing issues.

However, field service innovators are finding ways to use the IoT and increased connectivity to their advantage. In 2018, further innovation in the field technology space will enable technicians to take advantage of the IoT’s increased connectivity and automation in today’s devices, enabling them to provide service in real time to meet and exceed customer expectations.

Artificial intelligence will simplify and automate service appointments

2018 will focus on not the adoption of AI, but the implementation of it in real use cases. One industry that stands to greatly benefit from AI is customer service, particularly field service. Gartner forecasts that 85 percent of customer relationships will be through AI-powered services by the year 2020.

AI technology will make strides in streamlining the customer experienceIn 2018, AI technology will make strides in streamlining the customer experience. Chatbots will troubleshoot issues with customers, determining all necessary information before dispatching a technician. Powered by machine learning, chatbots will understand if a customer needs assistance in resolving an issue or wants more information about a certain piece of equipment. Logistic regression capabilities will enable chatbots to walk customers through equipment problems step by step.

AI will also automate the technician’s workflow. One of the biggest pain points in customer service – particularly field service – is dispatch time. To combat this, heuristic search functions in AI technology will determine which technicians are not only available but also knowledgeable enough to properly service the request. AI will also consolidate relevant customer details – from device history and prior appointments to technicians who are qualified and available to resolve an issue – to ensure customers receive the most efficient and painless experience possible.

Augmented reality will provide unprecedented visibility into worksites

Augmented reality enhances the way we see, hear and feel by bringing elements of the virtual world into the real world. Many people associate augmented and virtual reality with the gaming industry, but the technology offers far more than entertainment for a niche group. Industry forecasters predict that by 2020 the market for AR will reach $100 billion in value.

The increased connectivity that the IoT brings will continue to propel the application of AR in the field service sector. The increased connectivity that the IoT brings will continue to propel the application of AR in the field service sector. Using standard mobile devices and AR glasses, service technicians are finding unique ways to approach service. AR applications that allow technicians to look into machines without disassembling them have proven enormously helpful for pinpointing malfunctioning parts. Also, the ability to share data from onsite with offsite experts allows for a more collaborative approach to finding solutions. And this capacity to share knowledge and access an endless stream of information is increasing the first-time-fix rate and thereby improving the customer experience.

Be social and share

It’s been a whirlwind year in terms of technology development impacting the field service sector and the breakneck pace of development shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Manuel Grenacher, CEO, Coresystems takes stock of the rapid technological advances we’ve seen across the last twelve months and outlines what we can expect in 2018...

Just as automation gave rise to more advanced machines over the past decade, so too has field services evolved.

The analog process of collecting and sharing information about customers and devices has now become automated, and in some cases completely digitalised. Service executives are continuously pushing the envelope of what’s possible with field service management software, and 2017 was a great example of that drive towards innovation.

As discussed previously, the growth of the Internet of Things and its real-time connectivity has led to a massive spike in consumer expectations for instantaneous customer service. As a result, organisations have been forced to rethink their customer service delivery strategies, including their workforce resources and supporting technologies.

In field service, we see a future in which for-hire field service technicians can connect This year, pioneering companies (for example, Airbnb) have continued to lay a blueprint for other industries to follow using a gig economy model. In field service, we see a future in which for-hire field service technicians can connect – through technology tuned for the gig economy – to organisations that need extra manpower for their field service teams.

At Coresystems, we understand the challenges organizations face when field service requests greatly outnumber that company’s field service technicians. By leveraging independent workers in the gig economy, organisations can deliver the real-time service that customers now demand. By introducing technology that enables the crowdsourcing of field service to independent, for-hire field service technicians, FSM software providers can help their customers find those field service technicians anywhere and anytime. This would check organisations’ critical box of providing real-time customer service.

In 2017, virtual and augmented reality (AR) technologies became more prevalent in many industry sectors, including field service.

There’s a huge market opportunity for organisations looking to enhance their field service businesses with these technologies – and you can find more on that here. Essentially, a specialised AR headset would boost the first-time fix rates and average repair time by allowing technicians to view, search and digest any information they need for an installation and/or repair on a heads-up display (think manuals, checklists and more).

AR would also connect on-site technicians with more experienced engineers back at HQ, who can visually supervise and troubleshoot more difficult technical issues, thus benefiting staff training and mitigating skills shortages.

Looking ahead to 2018, we believe the customer touchpoint will become a point of focus. Put simply, customer touchpoints are the various ways in which a customer encounters your company and products. This can be before, during or after purchase, and can be through social media, your online help center or word-of-mouth conversations.

Rather than selling a new machine through traditional methods, we’ll see companies handle the customer touchpoint better and more effectively Amazon Alexa and Google Home, for example, are perfect illustrations of successful customer touchpoints: they can meet their customers’ demands quicker than others because they understand their customers better, thanks to the use of smart home devices.

Alexa already knows which brand of water you prefer, and how many bottles you usually order, and with a short command you can place your order and have it on your doorstep within hours.

In contrast, in a traditional retail setting you need to go through several clicks to begin the delivery process.

To translate that to field service, rather than selling a new machine through traditional methods, we’ll see companies handle the customer touchpoint better and more effectively. For many companies, service is considered last. In my mind, that’s backwards – it should come first. Before you start digitising machines, you should think about how to digitise the service.

The evolution of technology has propelled us into the age of digital transformation, and it’s fundamentally changed the way we interact with technology and even the way technology interacts with itself. That shift will continue in 2018, at least in field service, with innovations such as crowd service platforms and AR headsets gaining further traction.

be social and share 

Having explored some of the ground breaking new tools being used in field service including crowd service and Augmented Reality in his recent articles, Manuel Grenacher, CEO Coresystems now explores how video assistance can be used to great effect in improving field service delivery...

The outlook for the growth of the field service market is hugely positive, with predictions noting the field service industry will nearly triple in size to $5.11 billion by 2020.

Following on from my previous articles in Field Service News, several modern technologies are playing a major role in driving that exponential growth, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and augmented reality (AR) solutions. Another trend – or rather an overarching one that IoT and AR innovations both tie into – is the rising importance of video.

In addition to AR, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR), new tools are emerging that make it possible to more directly involve service technicians, specialists and experts in field service operations, even if they are not on site.

Any provider of field services understands the frustration of having to comprehend a complex problem without a proper visual perspective of the issue at hand. Any provider of field services understands the frustration of having to comprehend a complex problem without a proper visual perspective of the issue at hand. With a verbal description (and perhaps an attempt to recreate strange sounds emanating from a malfunctioning device), a service technician is expected to diagnose the problem and magically offer tips on how to repair it.

When information cannot be transferred and made accessible to field service technicians on-the-go, this limits their ability to offer first-time fixes. With the rapidly increasing pace our lifestyles, consumption habits and mindsets, this is an issue because we are expected to be quicker, connected and digitalized.

The consequence is dissatisfied customers who face lost revenue due to extended system downtime.

Video assistance uses the tools available – like mobile devices – to provide images of devices in need of repair or even virtual spaces where service technicians can congregate to solve an issue. Companies can minimize errors, increase efficiency and speed up field services by, for example, uploading instructional videos and manuals and checklists for facilitating repairs.

Field service technicians can refer to these guides if they are unable to solve a problem on their own. This is a real help for service technicians who might be less familiar at repairing unique problems.

In addition to the growing complexity of service offerings, the aging workforce is one of the top challenges within the field service industry, according to the Aberdeen Group.

As this highly skilled workforce approaches retirement age, service managers are now faced with the risk of losing a vast source of knowledge that will be difficult, if not impossible, to replace.

Modern video tools would make it possible for seasoned service technicians to play an active role in the company while also determining their own schedules.That is because these service technicians have not only gone through years of training but have also acquired immeasurable experience on the job – and this is experience that can often only be amassed firsthand and on site with clients.

Modern video tools would make it possible for seasoned service technicians to play an active role in the company while also determining their own schedules. This would ensure that their valuable expertise and know-how is available to a new and novice pool of service technicians.

Moving towards video is relatively simple and cost-effective to apply, and promises increased customer satisfaction, higher revenues, lower costs and overall maximized efficiency. Given video’s integral role in our day-to day activities (YouTube, Skype, Snapchat, Facebook Live and other media), it is surprising that more companies offering field services have not yet integrated video technology into their business models. Surely a tool as ubiquitous as video – connecting people, providing access to endless information and entertainment – is a vital tool for providing more effective service.

Video-connected field service technicians have access to a vast wealth of information, which could help them find answers to complex questions or seek out expert advice from colleagues.

These tools also facilitate communication and collaboration across the entire company, which means field service technicians have access to real-time updates.

be social and share

Manuel Grenacher, CEO Coresystems,  takes a look at two separate ways in which Augmented Reality is set to radically change the way we approach field service delivery...

In my last article I examined the technologies that will likely play a major role in driving exponential growth of the field service market over the next few years, with one of those technologies being augmented reality (AR).

In this piece, I’ll go more in-depth into the most impactful ways in which AR can revolutionise the field service industry over the next few years and beyond.

I mentioned this in my last article, but it bears repeating: enterprise use cases for augmented reality are on such a fast track to implementation that ABI Research predicts that 21 million AR units will be shipped by 2020, with sales reaching $100 billion.

Clearly there is a huge market opportunity for organisations looking to enhance their field service businesses with AR technologies.

 

There is a wide range of ways in which AR can support field service organisations, but I’d like to focus on the two that I predict will have the most immediate impact. The first one is probably in your pocket, or somewhere within arm’s reach, as we speak: the camera in your smartphone.

Here’s how it would work: when an issue occurs with a customer’s machine or device, a field service technician would connect remotely to that end user’s/customer’s smartphone via an app.

Once the technician and the end user are connected, that user can point the phone directly to the problem at hand, so the technician can gain a clear view of the issue and walk the user through fixing the problem, step-by-step.

This remote troubleshooting capability has the potential to greatly reduce the number of onsite visits between field service technicians and their customers, which would save a huge amount of time and resources on both parties’ ends.

But what if a technician is indeed needed onsite?

The AR app would be able to notify the end user of the status of their request in real-time.

This status update would include the exact location of the technician (via GPS), as well as notifications that can be pushed to the end-user’s device, so the customer can know that technician’s estimated time of arrival, down to the minute.

Again, time and resources saved.

The second way in which AR can transform the field service industry is through the use of AR glasses. The devices and machines being used at the customer’s facility could have a pair of glasses assigned to each device or machine, or a service technician could have the glasses on their person in their toolkit.

 

Through the glasses, the technician – who undoubtedly is more skilled than the user at fixing technical issues – can walk a user (or a less skilled technician) through the fix.

While the AR glasses and the AR app for the smartphone both deliver significant benefits to the customer and technician, the AR glasses have the potential to be a tremendous asset for the field service organisation in another way: by streamlining training.

In a scenario in which a customer needs onsite support, it behooves the field service organisation to send its less skilled – and therefore less costly – technicians to actually carry out the fix.

And this could be possible through the use of the AR glasses, as the more skilled technician could remain at HQ and remotely direct the less skilled technician through the fix by using the glasses.

This way, the customer still receives the top-notch service thanks to the senior technician (literally) overseeing the process, while the field service organisation is able to execute the service call while training its less skilled technician in a real-world scenario.

This is, as the saying goes, killing two birds with one stone.

So there’s an overview of the two ways that AR can most immediately have a positive impact on the field service industry.

However, the potential is perhaps even greater than we can imagine.

 

---

 

Be social and share this feature

Having introduced the concept of crowd-sourcing in previous articles for Field Service News, Manuel Grenacher, Coresystems, now takes a look at how and why the two new technologies dominating conversation in field service circles are perfect bed fellows for the gig economy...

As I discussed in my last article on why crowdsourcing could be transformational for the field service industry, the outlook for the growth of the field service market is hugely positive – MarketsandMarkets predicts that it will nearly triple in size to $5.11 billion between now and 2020. In this article, I’ll examine the technologies that will likely play a major role in driving that exponential growth of the field service market over the next few years.

The IoT Effect

The technology that has played a huge role so far in precipitating the growth of the field service industry is the Internet of Things (IoT).

This isn’t surprising, as the IoT is having a profound impact on not just every technology driven industry, but also the daily lives of people across the globe. And the IoT and the real-time connectivity it enables has led to a massive spike in consumer expectations for instantaneous customer service.

These new elevated customer demands created by the IoT are impacting the field service industry greatly, as organisations running any kind of a field service operation have been forced to rethink their strategies and tactics for customer service delivery, including their workforce resources and supporting field service technologies.

 

The bottom line is the IoT is very much here and is impacting your industry whether you realise it or not; so to put it simply, either you respond to the new realities of an IoT-driven world or you risk obsolescence.

The Era of Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) isn’t just a social media fad anymore, as enterprise use cases for augmented reality are on the rise and on a fast track to implementation. Indeed, ABI Research predicts that 21 million AR units will be shipped by 2020 with sales reaching $100 billion.

The field service industry, in particular, stands to benefit greatly from AR.

Imagine service technicians with specialised AR headsets, who will then have all the information they need for an installation and/or repair on a heads-up display. No more fumbling around for a laptop or tablet in the middle of a project.

 

AR would also connect on-site technicians with more experienced engineers back at an organisation’s headquarters who can visually supervise and troubleshoot more difficult technical issues.

With that, the use of AR boosts the key field service metrics of first-time fix rates and average repair time. It also benefits staff training and skills shortages, especially as devices trend toward IoT and more advanced technology.

Clearly, AR will benefit service engineers and technicians worldwide, many of whom are in the field service industry.

Enter the Gig Economy

Obviously, the gig economy isn’t a technology, but it’s a movement that could reshape field service management as we know it.

The digital technology underpinning the gig economy (such as the IoT) can help workers become entrepreneurs who have the freedom to dictate their work on their own terms, which has long been the allure of the independent contractor.

Skilled workers who have expertise in certain industry sectors – such as field service management – can either make extra money in their free time while pursuing their passions, or they can use the gig economy as their sole source of income.

Pioneering companies in the gig economy, such as Uber for the transportation sector and Airbnb for hospitality, have laid a blueprint for other industries to follow. In field service, we see a future in which for-hire field service technicians can connect – through technology tuned for the gig economy – to organisations who need extra manpower for their field service teams.

 

At Coresystems, we know first-hand the challenges that organisations face when the field service requests greatly outnumber that company’s field service technicians. By leveraging independent workers in the gig economy, organisations can help deliver the real-time service that customers now demand.

So there you go – the three factors that we envision having the biggest impact on the evolution of the field service industry over the next few years.

What are some other factors that you’re seeing through your own work in the field service industry?

We invite you to share your thoughts in the comments section.

 

---

 

Be social and share this feature

Manuel Grenacher, CEO at coresystems looks at why the predicted boom of the field service management market is set to bring workforce challenges of its own and proposes that the crowd-sourcing of field service could be the solution to these issues...

According to a recent report from Markets and Markets, by 2020 the field service management (FSM) market will be worth $5.11 billion – nearly triple its size in 2015. Major drivers behind that projection include skyrocketing customer expectations, the ever-increasing demand for enhanced productivity, and the steady escalation of field service operation costs.

Furthermore, Gartner forecasted that by 2020, two out of three large field service organisations will equip field technicians with a mobile application that drives profitability by creating revenue streams, efficiency and customer satisfaction. This is a positive outlook for the FSM market, but there’s a problem with the traditional field service delivery model that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

The exponential growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the real-time connectivity it enables has led to a massive spike in consumer expectations for instantaneous customer service. As a result, organisation of all sizes and across all industries have been forced to rethink their strategies for customer service delivery, including their workforce resources and supporting technologies. In doing so, many organisations are finding that they lack the technician specialists required to deliver real-time field service to their customers, and until now there has been no technology-based solution to help organisations find and deploy those specialists.

 

Compounding this resource availability problem is the fact that every day the number of IoT connected devices in circulation is increasing, which further adds to organisations’ backlogs of field service requests. But what if the field service industry were to adopt a new delivery model – one that could shift the balance of technology versus technicians back to a sustainable equilibrium for organisations?

This would be the tipping point that could help organisations leverage FSM to realise the true promise of the IoT. And the field service industry need look no further than some of the forward thinking companies that lead the way in the sharing economy, such as Uber and Airbnb.

By introducing technology that enables the crowdsourcing of field service to independent, for hire field service technicians (just like Uber does for drivers), FSM software providers would be able to help their customers find those field service technicians anywhere and anytime. This would check organisations’ critical box of providing real-time customer service.

[quote float="right"]The bottom line is that businesses today need to focus as much – if not more – on stellar customer service as they do on building innovative products

Furthermore, by utilising crowdsourced field service (or “crowd service”) for IoT-connected technologies, organisations will not only be able to deliver real-time customer support, but could also provide service and maintenance before those technologies suffer an outage. For larger organisations, we see two scenarios: a “public crowd” of crowdsourced freelance-technicians and a “private crowd” of technicians within your business ecosystem such as contractors, partners, subsidiaries and corporate professionals. Imagine that: through crowd service, organisations can proactively ensure that they never face the dreaded downtime that can end up costing millions of dollars per hour.

 

The bottom line is that businesses today need to focus as much – if not more – on stellar customer service as they do on building innovative products, but finding the time and resources required to meet rising consumer demands for real-time service has become increasingly difficult.

With crowd service, organisations can streamline their field service operations to deliver service as quickly as the same day the customer requests it, which delivers benefits from both a cost savings and customer satisfaction standpoint. Clearly, this crowd service model has the potential to be highly disruptive in the field service industry, but unlike many other technology based developments that are often lazily called disruptive, crowdsourced field service isn’t simply a nebulous concept.

 

FSM software providers are not only laying the groundwork for crowd service as we speak, but have customers deploying the technology in the real world – and many in the FSM industry, including Coresystems, expect crowd service to revolutionise the way that organisations service their customers in 2017 and beyond. So, as organisations look for a solution to the field service resourcing problem created by the IoT, they should turn to the crowd.

 

---

 

Be social and share this feature