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Field Service News is delighted to announce the Service Community is hosting a business as usual event this June to celebrate the achievements of the late Steve Downton within the service industry.

This includes presentations from businesses influenced by Steve’s way of thinking; Pitney Bowes, Coca Cola, Elektra, Fujitsu and Siemens.

Steve founded the Service Community in 2011 to provide a networking environment for people in the service industry and the event will be followed by an opportunity to feedback on the future direction of the Service Community beyond 26 June.

This special event will be taking place at Unisys Customer Service Centre in Milton Keynes on 26 June 2014 from 12.30pm, with the future direction break out session starting at 4.30pm. To attend the event, contact theservicecommunity@gmail.com. We hope to see you there.

 

Trimble Field Service Management has announced will be showcasing its 'One Platform. One Solution' offering at this years Service Management Expo, held at London's ExCel on the 17th, 18th and 19th June.

The solution combines work scheduling and optimisation with fleet telematics and driver safety, all in one platform.

Trimble, along with ALK Technologies, a Trimble company, will be hosting live demonstrations of 'Work Management', offering attendees the chance to find out how this new, cloud-based solution can transform the productivity of a mobile workforce.

The solution includes intelligent scheduling tools, state-of-the-art Performance Management Analytics (PMA) and integration with ALK's CoPilot® Professional, which further empowers the worker in the field by combining market leading advanced optimised routing capabilities with on device GPS navigation.

Trimble's unique Performance Management Analytics (PMA) capability has been recognised as a top innovation at the show and will be included as part of the event's innovation trail, a must-see for those businesses managing a mobile workforce.

The first day of the Expo will see Trimble's Caroline Pennington, Market & Analyst Manager and editor of Trimble's recently-launched publication, Transforming Service Delivery: An Insight Report, exclusively presenting  some of the key trends and issues highlighted in the publication.

The report investigates the most pressing issues affecting field service organisations today and provides expert insight into how to transform your operations, from measuring service performance and mobile worker productivity to delivering customer service excellence and utilising data from the field effectively. Join Caroline for this insightful presentation at 12pm on 17th June.

Complimentary copies of the report will also be on offer at Trimble's stand O1470 and to celebrate the launch of the report, Trimble will be giving away a bottle of champagne.  Be sure to stop by and drop in your business card to be in with a chance of winning!

 

 

Cloud-based mobile application platform vendor, FeedHenry, has commented on BlackBerry’s decision to open up its BlackBerry 10 operating system to allow its smartphones to be directly managed by third party companies: AirWatch, Citrix, IBM and SAP.

FeedHenry, an AirWatch partner, believes that the announcement is a further signal that enterprises are looking for the flexibility to support employees using an array of mobile devices and operating systems. Consequently, enterprise providers need to deliver an end-to-end mobile experience that facilitates management of data and applications consumed on those devices.

Commenting on BlackBerry’s decision, Cathal McGloin CEO of FeedHenry, said,

“Rather than managing the device, enterprises are now focused on controlling access to sensitive data as it moves between the organisation and the device. MDM, app development and app distribution are linked by the common thread of data security. It makes sense to secure apps and multiple devices and manage user policies through the same platform. Releasing BlackBerry 10 APIs to the leading MDM providers helps enterprises in this task.”

At the start of 2014, former IDC analyst Stephen Drake, VP Business Development at FeedHenry, predicted that BlackBerry would become a cross-platform Enterprise Software Provider, “Where BlackBerry recognises its strength and value is in cross-platform mobile enterprise software solutions, starting with security, MDM and, in the future, mobile applications.

BlackBerry has approximately 100,000 BlackBerry Enterprise Servers across the globe in major organisations. The company is focused on retaining those customers with cross-platform offerings that have begun with an MDM solution and will include more completed mobile enterprise offerings for iOS and Android, such software offerings are core to its new direction.”

In February FeedHenry announced a partnership and platform integration with AirWatch, the world’s leading enterprise mobility management vendor, to enable enterprises to manage multiple apps and devices from a single platform. AirWatch was acquired by cloud pioneer, VMWare, in January 2014.

 

mplsystems, the multi-channel contact centre technology specialist, has been listed in the market overview section of Gartner’s new CRM Customer Engagement Centre (CEC) report (1) 8 and  in the vendor categories for both the Web Customer Self-Service and Field Service Management sections of Gartner’s 2014 CRM Vendor Guide (2).

The listing in the CRM vendor guide and in the market overview section of Gartner’s Magic Quadrant report follows the recent validation of mplsystems’ intelligentContact offering by contact centre operators voting in Call Centre Helper’s 2014 Contact Centre Technology award. Readers selected intelligentContact as 2014’s top technology, citing the flexibility of the mplsystems’ solution and choosing it ahead of offerings from vendors such as Aspect Software, Genesys, Interactive Intelligence, LiveOps, NewVoiceMedia, Noble Systems and rostrvm.

“Our disruptive technology is revolutionising the traditional marketplace, and we believe this further acknowledgement from Gartner confirms it,” commented Paul White, mplsystems’ CEO. “mplsystems’ intelligentDesktops give agents a single view of all customer data from across organisations while managing interactions from any channel - providing massive efficiency savings and Customer Experience gains. What really sets this technology apart, however, is that organisations can rapidly create their own desktops exactly as they need them – and no longer have to force their business processes around over-complex, off the shelf menu-driven CRM models. With deployment options ranging from single or multi-tenant cloud, as well as on premise, mplsystems is one of only a small number of vendors who can provide clients with the flexibility they need to fit in with their existing infrastructure.”

In 2013 Gartner changed its Magic Quadrant title from Customer Service Contact centre to Customer Engagement Centre, recognising the increasingly multi-channel nature of today’s customer contact. Gartner also acknowledges the growing role played by software as a service (SaaS) as the delivery model for these solutions, projecting through 2017 that 60% of core customer support for CECs will be in an SaaS model.

Trimble Field Service Management has recently announced that they will be attending Field Service Forum in Amsterdam from 3-4th June. A brand new event taking place at the Radisson Blu hotel, Trimble will join field service professionals from across Europe to network, exhibit and debate the challenges facing field service organisations today and explore the current and future opportunities for business growth.

Across the two days, keynote presentations will be offered alongside dedicated workshops, focus sessions and one-to-one meetings. A key sponsor for the event, Trimble will be participating in the show's 'Technology Forum' on Wednesday 4th June with a presentation on how to manage a field operation effectively and using emerging technologies to drive service excellence,  focussed on the manufacturing  and capital asset industries.

Across the two day event Trimble will be offering a live showcase of 'Work Management', offering attendees the chance to find out how the cloud-based solution can transform the productivity of a mobile workforce through intelligent scheduling tools and state-of-the-art Performance Management analytics (PMA).

Complimentary copies of Trimble's latest industry publication, 'Transforming Service Delivery: An Insight Report', will also be on offer at the Trimble stand. The report investigates the most pressing issues affecting field service organisations and provides insight into how to transform operations, from measuring service performance and delivering excellent customer service to handling change management and turning data into information.

The report is also available for complimentary download via the following link www.trimble.com/fsm/insightreport

 

Greggs, the UK’s leading bakery food-on-the-go retailer has reported productivity improvements of 60% in their service supply chain after implementing Aeromark Optimatics. In the first six months following moving to Aeromark’s smart technology, Greggs has seen the productivity of their directly employed service engineers  improve from 3.5 to 5.5 completed jobs per day.

In 2012 Greggs recognised improvements were needed to their Shop asset and service management system to allow them to use their own service engineers and outsourced service supply chain more efficiently.

“We needed a system that provided thorough visibility, quick data transfer and scheduling.” Said Chris Metcalfe, Shop Maintenance Manager at Greggs.

Following an intensive review of the market, along with creditable recommendations, Greggs opted for Aeromark Optimatics.“We needed a system that managed the whole process from our assets on site through to efficient scheduling of maintenance, to mobile apps and sub-contractor performance measurement. Whilst we evaluated alternatives, Aeromark Optimatics technology, along with the company’s approach for working with customers was way ahead of the competition.” Metcalfe added

Optimatics provides Greggs shop maintenance team with a single solution for asset management, dynamic real time scheduling of reactive work, integrated mobile workflows, vehicle tracking and seamless integration with subcontractors systems. “This system allows our planners to have full visibility of our engineers and jobs allowing for reactive jobs to be planned quickly and efficiently. The system shows how many jobs are outstanding and closed allowing for retrospective reports on SLA hits to be generated.” Said Metcalfe

Since the deployment of Aeromark Optimatics system, Greggs real time closure of planned and reactive jobs has improved through engineers data capture via effective integrated workflows.Roger Marks, Managing Director of Aeromark commented:

'In the current economy, businesses are looking for ways to lower wastage without having to commit to high capital expenditure. The right mobile workforce management and vehicle tracking systems can offer great value for relatively low investment, and start saving the customer money as soon as they are installed. The key is to find a solution that delivers accurate, reliable data and detailed, configurable reports in order to gain total visibility of your resources.

Greggs investment in the Aeromark Optimatics system has delivered quantifiable savings and continues to improve their customer service levels.

 

 

ClickSoftware have recently announced that Wärtsilä, a global player in complete lifecycle power solutions operating in both the energy and marine industries have opted to implement ClickSoftware’s flexible scheduling solution ClickWorkforce, which is available through the Salesforce AppExchange.

The implementation which is across a number of international territories promises to give Wärtsilä full transparency across their whole field services business, providing easier management and planning of its resources by consideribly increasing visibility.

Commenting on the implementation Dr. Moshe BenBassat, founder and CEO of ClickSoftware. “As the pace of business accelerates, more businesses are moving to the cloud to gain agility and meet fluctuating demand. ClickSoftware is proud to work with Wärtsilä to help them to manage an increasingly global and disparate business,”

Increasing productivity

“The depth and breadth of ClickWorkforce functionality means ClickSoftware provides a solution that grows with demand and scope of business to address the need of global enterprises.”

Wärtsilä  field service director Guido Barbazza added “For the Planning Board, cloud-based capabilities allow us to know where our staff and assets are at any one time, and then orchestrate them effectively,”

“This will help us guarantee the best assignment of skilled resources to jobs, enabling us to reduce administration work, improve processes and bolster time management benefits. We foresee that this will have a positive impact on our customer’s experience, bottom line, and boost job satisfaction among our employees.”

Wärtsilä, who support their customers throughout the lifecycle of their marine installations, power generation solutions and oil & gas systems, will deploy ClickWorkforce across all 70 countries that they operates in to manage and synchronise field services skills and resources availability.

A key element of Wärtsilä’s global field services integrated solutions, which include systems for professional skills management and workshops activities, is the resource scheduling.

By implementing intelligent field services management software, the company will now have access to real-time global field services skill availability, allowing for more optimised scheduling, improved asset resourcing and better capacity management.

The new system will increase the capability to draw in wider resources onto different projects from around the world. 

The power of connectivity

One of the major benefits Wärtsilä will see from the new implementation is that each of their field services unit will gain a clearer view of all ongoing activities and projects, enabling better sharing of resources including field engineers and specialised equipment.

ClickWorkforce enables companies to chat live and in context with their mobile workforce, and respond immediately to real-time activities in the field, all within the Salesforce1 Platform.

In just one click, companies have the ability to access a single view of the entire field services operation, give customers (internal and external) field services in real-time, chat with engineers and sales reps and managers to find the best solutions
, schedule engineers instantly based on location, skill and cost
and offer narrow, reliable appointment windows

 

 

JLT Mobile Computers, developer of rugged computers for demanding environments, has recently launched the VERSO+ 10 computer with QuickLock, which they have dubbed as a 'new class of rugged vehicle terminals...'

Equipped with an Intel® Core™ i5 processor, the VERSO+ 10 computer offers strong performance in one of the industry’s smallest rugged form factors, making it a good choice for installations in tight cabins or other small areas. The QuickLock feature offers quick and easy mounting with the computer easily detached and attached in the vehicle to simplify service, being moved between vehicles or prevent theft by removing it at the end of the working day.

The new devices have a 10 inch sunlight readable XGA display and scratch resistant multi-point touch screen placing the VERSO+ 10 computer in the same family of heavy-duty JLT VERSO series that also includes 12 inch and 15 inch computers. JLT claim this youngest sibling will also provide the same high reliability as the rest of the series when used within very tough environments such as agriculture, ports, freezer storage, yard-logistics, and forestry

The VERSO series only launched in the first quarter of 2013 but has grown quickly and JLT have attracted customers from around the world with high demand for performance, ruggedness and reliability. With the new VERSO+ 10 computer, with QuickLock feature and a smaller form factor, customers now have a more flexible and compact alternative, but with the same performance and ruggedness.

As with all JLT computers, the VERSO+ 10 computer is built from the ground up to deliver maximum reliability and function in very demanding environments. It comes with an Intel Core processor or an Intel dual-core Atom D2550 processor. Built-in features include a 9-36 VDC power supply, a backup battery to ensure uninterrupted operation during power drops, WLAN communication with built-in highly sensitive PIFA antennas, custom-made for reliable Wi-Fi connectivity in environments with poor coverage.

New with the VERSO+ 10 computer are Bluetooth PIFA antennas with a resulting reliable communication with low-power hand carried peripherals, and the option of external antennas for both WLAN and Bluetooth for very demanding environments such as ports and other wide areas. The VERSO+ 10 can also be equipped with 3G WWAN communication. The VERSO+ 10 computer can be ordered with Windows 7 Pro or Windows Embedded Standard 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Embedded 8 Standard operating systems.

“With the new VERSO+ 10 computer, we build on the success of the VERSO series of heavy-duty vehicle computers that, since its launch in January last year, is being selected by customers within mining, sawing mills, off-shore, ports and other demanding applications,” said Per Holmberg, CEO at JLT. “With the VERSO+ 10 computer, we reinforce our leading position within the high-end of the market by providing the smallest form factor and greater flexibility with the same high performance.”

Another key draw for companies is the JLT:Care Service Level Agreement. With this ”No-Questions-Asked” service added, customers are guaranteed a high support level and short repair times to maximise the up-time of the computer at predictable cost, an important benefit.

The VERSO+ 10 computer is available now with a dual-core Intel Atom processor D2550 and can be ordered from JLT Sales Partners. The Core processor option will start shipping in the second half of 2014.

Visitors at this year’s Commercial Vehicle which was held last week were able to get a first glimpse at TomTom Telematics’ new ruggedised seven-inch driver terminal, the latest edition to the WEBFLEET fleet management platform.

Businesses will be able to host bespoke applications on the terminal to help van and truck drivers capture more information in the field, such as digital signature capture for proof of delivery, vehicle checks and barcode scanning, all on one device.

This latest development extends the WEBFLEET platform, which now has 3 API’s - in the office, in the field and on the driver terminal. With this new API, the extended integration capabilities of WEBFLEET (known as .connect) allow business to streamline their end-to-end processes, where field staff and vehicles become an integrated part of the overall operations. With the wide set of applications already developed by its partners, WEBFLEET sets the standard for developers to seamlessly connect vehicles and mobile workers with the back office*.

The new driver terminal, PRO 8275, combines the earlier announced TomTom Bridge with WEBFLEET and the .connect API capabilities. The device will be on display.

The driver terminal will add flexibility and value to an already strong solution for transport operators. Visitors can see the terminal along with existing applications such as truck navigation, tachograph management, predefined route and itinerary order creation, along with extensive hardware and software integration possibilities in the office and around the vehicle.

TomTom Telematics will also be demonstrating the end to end capability of their WEBFLEET solution at this years Service Management Expo in London's Excel in June 17th, 18th and 19th where they are hosting the Field Service Demo Zone as well as participating in the Field Service Solutions Theatre which is hosted by Field Service News.