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As a cash cow of the service division, how prepared is your spare parts business to embrace increasing pressure from customer expectations, changing trade agreements, and intra-connected new technologies?  How will these and more affect your parts pricing strategies, logistics network, and warehousing management?

If you can take this 3-minute survey to help us build an accurate picture of current industry sentiment and the key trends in this area it would be hugely appreciated. Please take a few minutes to take @  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/parts2019

Upon closure of the survey, we will be working alongside Coppeberg who produce the excellent Spare Parts Business Forums both within the UK and Europe to create an ebook of the survey results, with expert commentary from industry insiders, as a benchmarking tool for you to evaluate the direction of your spare parts business - so take part now and keep your eyes out for this exciting forthcoming report!

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Places for the upcoming Service Community event which is being hosted by GE Power, are now becoming very limited...

The event will be hosted at Ge's state-of-the-art facility at Stafford on the 16th October from 11.00 to 16.00.

As one of the most sophisticated Buyers of Advanced services, Keith Rushton from the MOD will give unprecedented insight in how performance related services are purchased, and why the MOD has been so influential in developing the new BSI standard for Services. We have one of the best presentations on Selling Service Value  I have seen from Leon Sijbers of GE Power and Ross Townsend from Ishida will be sharing their Service Transformation story. Phil Newton from BT will share his experience of rolling out an Augmented Reality Solution to one of the largest Field Service Organisations in the UK. And finally, Mark Homer from GE Digital will share some research on the importance of Service Data in industrial businesses.

The Service Community creates discussions and insights that are far deeper than most conferences, due to the informal and intimate nature of our events.  This is because we are a community in the true sense of the word, run by volunteers, with no sponsors, no exchange of money, no legal entity no hidden agenda's, just real people talking about real things motivated by a desire to learn.

Please feel free to forward this information to colleagues who you think would be interested.  We look forward to seeing you in October and remember to register by sending an email to info@service-community.uk . We will then contact you to confirm registration and will send out the joining instructions nearer to the event.

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Web programmers and business managers across the United Kingdom will be able to integrate online applications faster and easier than previously possible thanks to a new API product released by global job management company simPRO.

simPRO’s ‘RESTful API’ product was developed as a software interfacing tool which allows various systems to connect and communicate with a new sense of efficiency, strengthening the bridge between simPRO and other platforms which may be used in the workforce.

An Application Programming Interface, or API, is broadly defined as software that allows two applications to talk to each other, acting as a messenger to allow third-party developers to retrieve and insert specified data into that application.

The simPRO API allows for seamless integration of data between it and other business software platforms.

simPRO Chief Technology Officer Jonathan Eastgate said the simPRO RESTful API would ultimately lead to better software integrations and an overall increase inconvenience for businesses.

“simPRO’s new API is a technical step forward, but its functions are good for users because external applications can be created to move data between simPRO and different applications,” he said.

“With the API you can now create integrations that connect simPRO to mailing and accounting systems, ecommerce, business websites, smartphone and tablet apps and document management systems.

“Thanks to simPRO RESTful API, businesses are able to integrate simPRO and third party applications easier than ever before.

“That’s what we strive to do at simPRO – removing time and complexity from modern necessities like program integration and online product use. We want to empower our partners in the United Kingdom to build valuable businesses around the information flowing through simPRO.

“simPRO’s new API systems will assist in managing workflows and improving efficiencies for thousands of trade service businesses,” Mr Eastgate said.

simPRO’s RESTful API was designed to be up to date with industry standards and features a Developer Centre where users can receive support through a dedicated forum and access assistance resource like code examples and program walkthroughs.

The new API will be made available world-wide upon release and be functional through simPRO’s Service and Enterprise range, making it accessible for a diverse range of users throughout the trade service industry.

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Juniper Networks an industry leader in automated, scalable and secure networks, today announced it has expanded its 18-year partnership with Ericcson a global leader in mobile networks, to deliver a comprehensive end-to-end 5G solution leveraging each company’s complementary portfolios. Together, the companies are now offering service providers a complete 5G transport network solution with a single pane of glass visibility to manage the new requirements of next-generation mobile service delivery.

This deepened partnership aims to offer service providers a complete solution from radio to core for new-service delivery while managing mounting complexity. 5G is expected to be a game changer for the next generation of business and consumer services, but the increase in connectivity, network traffic and customer expectations will likely create new challenges for managing the mobile transport network in a cost-effective way.

"5G is expected to be a game changer for the next generation of business and consumer services..."

Evolving 5G use cases, including connected cars, AR/VR and 8K video streaming, and the associated 5G radio requirements needed to support these diverse applications can place additional demands across the network. Capacity, connectivity, latency, synchronisation, reliability and security needs will all require tighter integration between the 5G radio, core and transport layers of an end-to-end mobile network.

To alleviate these challenges, Juniper’s expanded partnership with Ericsson greatly simplifies service providers’ 5G transformation by creating a tightly integrated solution that combines Juniper’s routing for next-generation WAN services and IP transport, and Ericsson’s Router 6000 and MINI-LINK microwave portfolio for distributed, centralised and virtualised radio access. In addition, the solution leverages Juniper’s Unified Cybersecurity Platform to secure the entire 5G mobile infrastructure against ever-expanding and sophisticated threats. This comprehensive solution provides seamless connectivity from the radio cell site to the mobile core all unified under Ericsson’s management and orchestration solution, improving the performance, quality and ease-of-use of the entire 5G solution. The joint end-to-end 5G transport solution will be designed and built from day one with the intent of supporting exceptional 5G radio performance in a cost-effective way.

As part of this deepened partnership, Juniper will utilise Ericsson’s go-to-market for mobile opportunities and Ericsson will include Juniper’s solutions for edge, core and security as part of its end-to-end 5G transport portfolio.

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New research released recently shows that mobile device reliability is having an enormous impact on the health and well-being of mobile workers, with over 40% experiencing stress or anxiety due to device issues that prevent them from completing their job effectively.

The strain of dealing with device issues in the field, such as battery failure or crashing apps, led to 16% of mobile workers taking at least one day off work in the last year due to the resulting stress or anxiety, including 7% who took six or more days sick leave as a result. As well as being unable to complete tasks, respondents also said mobile device failure sparked customer anger and rudeness, further increasing stress and anxiety levels.

When the findings are applied to the entire UK mobile workforce, estimated at 12,596,000 people, the cost of sick leave taken as a result of stress or anxiety caused by device reliability issues to the UK economy would be at least £1.18bn per year. Added to the US research results, the economic impact on both economies would be at least £7.9bn.

[quote float="left"]29% said they suffered stress or anxiety as a result of mobile issues but hadn’t taken time off as they could not afford to[/quote]A further 29% said they suffered stress or anxiety as a result of mobile issues but hadn’t taken time off as they could not afford to. Additionally, 24% said they haven’t raised their device issues to management as they felt their employer will not do anything about it.

The figures are the result of a survey of mobile workers in the UK and US by B2M Solutions, a global software company that dramatically improves how enterprise mobility is operated and managed.

The ‘Mobile Impact Survey’ took the opinions of 200 mobile workers across the UK and US who stated that the mobile device they used at work was a critical tool for them to complete their tasks, and that device reliability was paramount.

The impact to businesses for the time that staff take away from work increases the Total Cost of Ownership of mobile devices, the typical metric for measuring return on investment, by up to 14% per year. B2M states this is a key component in deriving the True Cost of Ownership™.

Gary Lee, B2M Chief Revenue Officer, commented: “Businesses are placing more responsibility onto their mobile workers but aren’t investing in tools to ensure the critical mobile devices they need to perform these new tasks are operating correctly and can be depended on.

“And it’s in their own interest. Our estimates on the cost of device failure are conservative, as even our True Cost of Ownership figures do not include further potential impacts such as having to pay overtime to remaining workers to pick up their sick colleagues’ excess work, financial penalties for missing customer SLAs, brand reputation damage, insurance claims or in extreme cases the cost of out of court settlements for workers who are unable to return to work.”

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Citizens Reserve, the high tech startup led by several entrepreneurs and former Deloitte blockchain executives, has unveiled SUKU, an industry agnostic supply chain solution aimed at tackling the issues of transparency, efficiency, and product visibility in legacy systems.

A blockchain-based platform, SUKU expects to open new markets, improve operations and reduce the cost of running supply chains. The SUKU ecosystem intends to provide key advantages to trading partners such as access to real-time, transparent data around the precise location of goods, the privacy of partners, a bid and order marketplace, auditability of activities and the automation of contractual agreements.

Eric Piscini, Citizens Reserve CEO, said, “The current supply chain environment is complex and difficult to navigate. Almost all enterprises require a supply chain to some extent, but the technology supporting them remains expensive, inefficient and fragmented. With SUKU, we’re planning to build the decentralized supply chain as-a-service platform that can span across industries, enabling our trading partners to interact in a way that’s been all but impossible up until now.”

"With today’s businesses often working with myriad partners on a global scale, the challenges presented by supply chain management are increasingly vast..."

With today’s businesses often working with myriad partners on a global scale, the challenges presented by supply chain management are increasingly vast. Whether locating a Chinese supplier or finding a carrier to haul products from LA to Toronto, these challenges are amplified by the lack of one global governing body or a set of standards to ensure end-to-end visibility.

Eric Piscini said, “Recent contentious incidents such as the Chinese pharmaceutical scandals have showcased the need for one layer of connection for trading partners to communicate and transact. From hardware to energy, all industries utilizing a supply chain take risks working with untrusted partners. The true value of a decentralized ecosystem comes in its nature of being trustless and having no single point of failure.”

SUKU’s unique ‘supply chain-as-a-service’ concept expects to eradicate the three primary obstacles in supply-chain by providing visibility of products, access to capital and innovation, and engagement between stakeholders. In order to bring greater visibility to the supply chain, SUKU aims to display the precise location and status of goods in real-time, which is essential in ensuring that all parties can act proactively, instead of reactively when an issue arises.

The platform anticipates to provide companies with access to new marketplaces and technologies, and better connect suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.

Designed to be industry-agnostic, from farming to pharmaceuticals, to electrical goods, the SUKU platform anticipates the use of two blockchains, Ethereum and Quorum, to maximize the benefits of both networks. The public Ethereum blockchain used extensively for smart contract deployments, is expected to handle supply chain payments.

The permissioned Quorum blockchain aims to facilitate transactions such as bids and offers, where confidentiality is critical. SUKU’s native token is necessary to incentivize and reward partners of the platform.

The platform’s built-in transparency and auditability also project to empower more socially responsible practices amongst trading partners by providing greater awareness about the provenance and origin of goods, as well as the values of the organizations they work with.

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Research released last week by Verizon Connect has revealed that the average small to medium-sized fleet operated business in the UK faces a £6,000 repair bill each year due to traffic accidents. Compounding this expense, they also lose an average of five working days each year as a result of vehicle downtime caused by traffic accidents.

Recent figures from the Department of Transport found that lorry traffic increased by 1.1% annually, with drivers travelling over 17.1 billion vehicle miles. The impact of this has hit small fleets as more than half (54 per cent), experienced an accident in the last year.

The strain on UK fleet managers is telling, with a third (31 per cent) of those surveyed by Verizon Connect reporting that maintenance and other associated costs are the top issues keeping them awake at night. The research also shows that fleet managers’ top concern regarding driver safety is using their phones while out on the roads (22 per cent), with speeding coming in at a close second (19 per cent).

Mobile Resource Management (MRM) software, like Verizon Connect, can help fleet managers improve driver safety standards across the fleet by sending real-time alerts to monitor speeding, breaking and other key driver behaviours. When it comes to the main cause of accidents, 29 per cent of fleet managers report that other road users are to blame, rather than their own drivers.

Previous research by Verizon Connect found that a quarter of UK drivers were found to be breaching driver guidelines around rest and fatigue. To combat this, and to uphold driver safety and compliance, just under half of fleet managers (46 per cent) use a tachograph to automatically record vehicle speed and distance and to keep track of their drivers’ rest periods.

“For small businesses, the cost of accidents, and driver downtime is a major concern – particularly as margins are tighter and competition is increasing.  But it’s not just the repair bill that matters, a vehicle out of service for five days could mean losing a valued customer to a rival,” comments Derek Bryan, Vice President, EMEA, Verizon Connect.

“With increasing numbers of vehicles out on the road, upholding driver safety is of utmost concern to fleet managers and drivers. While drivers can’t always avoid an accident, particularly if another driver is at fault, there are clear processes and technology that fleet managers can put in place to better protect their drivers. Making sure drivers take adequate rest breaks while tracking driver behaviour and encouraging safe driving practices can save lives, reduce accidents and uphold the lifetime and efficiency of the vehicles within the fleet.”

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ByBox, specialists in smart locker technology and field service solutions, today announced a strategic investment from Francisco Partners, the firm who acquired ClickSoftware in 2015 and who currently values ByBox at £221 million.

The private equity firm backs ambitious technology-enabled businesses and will support ByBox’s expansion of its UK infrastructure and global deployment of its ‘Konnect’ app-locker solution.

“ByBox is a great company with a clear and increasingly critical proposition. Its success comes down to great leadership, outstanding customer service and relentless development of its solutions. Listening closely to customers and really understanding market trends have made ByBox an extremely investible business,” remarked Deep Shah, co-president, Francisco Partners.

Working with Francisco Partners will enable ByBox to accelerate the deployment of its ground-breaking app-locker technology both in the UK and across key global markets. ByBox’s app-lockers systematically address the core challenges of the field service supply chain. This should be welcome news to ByBox’s customers, who grapple constantly with how to permanently extinguish unnecessary costs.

[quote float="left"]We’re excited to help ByBox support its existing UK customer base with new offerings, accelerate its international expansion and penetrate new industries.[/quote]Petri Oksanen, partner, Francisco Partners commented, “We’re excited to help ByBox support its existing UK customer base with new offerings, accelerate its international expansion and penetrate new industries. Our growth experience will complement ByBox’s inventive nature and intelligent solution set in continuing to drive real customer value into the global field service market.”

The transaction marks an exit for LDC, a mid-market private equity investor. LDC originally provided £37.5 million of development capital in 2016. In the last two years, the business has grown significantly and doubled in value.

“LDC are insightful and supportive investors who have worked closely with the ByBox team to formulate and execute a successful strategy. The next phase of this strategy is characterised by ongoing investment in our UK business as well as driving our international expansion. FP has a tremendous track record and will be ideal partners to help us deliver this growth,” commented Stuart Miller, co-founder and CEO of ByBox.

“ByBox is a great example of a company with a winning combination of innovative problem-solving technology and fantastic customer service. Under the impeccable leadership of Stuart and his team, ByBox has grown to become a real market leader in its field, two years ahead of plan,” said Alastair Weinel, investment director at LDC in the South. “Together, we’ve generated significant value and have opened the door for even further expansion. We know this ambitious management team isn’t finished yet and wish the team every success in the next phase of their journey.”

“The world is increasingly dependent on technology. When the tech fails, the world stops working. So field service has never been more critical – which is why everybody at ByBox is so excited to be an increasingly critical part of the future solution set. The backing from FP allows us to go faster and to deliver the next phase of our ambition for our customers,” concluded Miller.

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