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New products include Service Performance Metrics, the mobile Field Service app, and Catalyst, a new implementation package based on industry best practices

ServiceMax, a leading provider of cloud-based field service management solutions, yesterday announced its Spring ‘16 product release.

Built on the Salesforce platform, the ServiceMax Spring ‘16 release is headlined by ServiceMax Service Performance Metrics™, a new product that creates a clear link between field service best practices and field service management technology.

Business leaders have taken notice of the high margins, growth, and differentiation that service can deliver, and with ServiceMax Spring ‘16 field service leaders will have the business insights, mobile apps, and workflows to deliver on these expected outcomes and achieve operational excellence.

“With our Spring ‘16 release, we’re creating a way for field service organization to measure their businesses in ways they previously never could,” said ServiceMax co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Athani Krishnaprasad.

“After working with hundreds of field service businesses across a wide range of industries, we’re uniquely suited to provide a best-practice software platform that helps our customers deliver a best-in-class service experience in the field.”

 

ServiceMax Service Performance Metrics™

For the first time, field service leaders will have the insights to increase service revenue and efficiency using predefined, best practice KPIs that are easy to configure, track and compare across the business.

ServiceMax distilled industry best practices for business metrics such as attach rate, contract uptime, utilisation, first-time fix rate and repeat visit into a first-of-its-kind metrics engine. These true business KPIs provide the insight to track and act on performance over time across product lines, technicians, service teams, accounts, and locations.

ServiceMax uniquely guides customers using Business Value Realization™ and Maturity Matrix methodology tools that uncover the opportunities for improvement and define desired business outcomes. Now with ServiceMax Service Performance Metrics™, customers can easily monitor and improve service performance to achieve the results needed to realise desired business results.

The KPIs are configurable to customers’ business processes and flexible calculations enable consistent benchmarks across the company. Data snapshots of the KPIs are presented in an executive dashboard so that service leaders can conduct time series analysis and easily share insights across the organisation.

ServiceMax Field Service App

In Spring ‘16, ServiceMax delivers the ServiceMax Field Service app with a field-service optimised user experience with unmatched offline capabilities. Available as an early access release, the new mobile app supports Windows hybrid devices, such as Microsoft Surface, and provides an optimized design for Android tablets.

The new ServiceMax mobile experience extends to iPad, Android tablets, and Windows laptops and hybrids and offers improved navigation and search for field service engineers. ServiceMax incorporated feedback from technicians, customers and Apple UX experts to create an interface that improves productivity and promotes customer satisfaction.

ServiceMax Catalyst

The ServiceMax Catalyst implementation package provides a wealth of pre-configured service processes, business objects and functionality that can be quickly deployed across enterprise organisations.

With Catalyst, customers have an accelerated path to get started with ServiceMax and gain immediate benefits from their field service business. The Catalyst implementation package delivers a best-in-class ServiceMax experience that is based on over four hundred ServiceMax customer engagements.

"In times like these, organisations can no longer rely on experience and gut feel to make the right decisions. The field team, dispatchers, and service leadership all need data in order to adapt to changing trends and service needs," said Aly Pinder, Jr., Senior Research Analyst, Aberdeen Group.

"The future of field excellence will be enabled through solutions that can take the guesswork out of what to track by leveraging best practices, and the burden off over strapped IT teams to make insights accessible."

 

In addition, Spring ‘16 expands the list of available localisations by including Finnish and enhanced Japanese language support.

 

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ClickSoftware, a leading provider of field service management solutions for the enterprise, today introduced Click Field Service Edge, a new cloud-based, mobile workforce management platform designed to meet the needs of the largest and most demanding field service providers.

Adoption of the cloud has more than doubled over the past two years and, with that, cloud-based software solutions have become entrenched in the business world.

Recognising the technological benefits for field service companies, ClickSoftware's first, cloud only, SaaS-based solution delivers field service management in an entirely new way.

With patented artificial intelligence, Click Field Service Edge connects enterprise customers with automated real-time insight and intelligent decision-making tools that provide a new level of productivity and efficiency to field workforce performance.

 

"As a company that has successfully managed billions of service engagements, and is exclusively focused on providing field service technology - since creating the market - we know what it takes to help our customers always be a step ahead of the demand, not just move in lockstep with it," explained Tom Heiser, ClickSoftware's Chief Executive Officer.

"We designed Click Field Service Edge to help prepare for the future, and transform the business of customer field service operations from reactive to predictive."

Benefits of the new Click Field Service Edge include:

Increased Service Intelligence and Collaboration:

Real-time status updates - including location and estimated time of arrival - provide organisations with competitive service advantages, enabling them to quickly plan, respond and deliver the best customer service experience possible.

Leveraging established service policies and intelligent decision recommendations helps increase business users' efficiency and productivity. Additionally, integrated tools and bi-directional communication, such as interactive appointment confirmation details, not only improve customer engagements, but also increase customer satisfaction, retention and organic revenue growth.

Ease-of-Use:

Intuitive tools and a flexible user interface allows mangers to create, test and deploy new functionality to drive user efficiency, productivity and satisfaction. Continual, seamless upgrades provide greater agility and enable business users to stay ahead of the competition while also eliminating the expense and time of IT integration.

Improved Scale and Scope:

Developed for the cloud, the solution's performance-optimised architecture offers efficiency, scalable and flexibility to continually support business growth and the changing technology needs of the market for decades to come. In addition, Click Field Service

Edge's intelligent mobile efficiency eliminates unnecessary data transfer on field devices to ensure that critical data is sent and received - even when connections are not optimal.

"It's clear that field service is in the midst of a shift from the basic 'install and fix' procedures to a much more strategic focus on customer engagement," said Jim Lundy, founder and CEO, Aragon Research.

"The influx of new cloud and mobile technology, the availability of big data and the arrival of IoT has led us to a place where field service is empowering businesses to differentiate their offerings, and positively impact every customer interaction throughout the service experience."

 

Click Field Service Edge is currently deployed with key customers including; Pacific Biodiesel, a leader in community-based biodiesel production and Southern Dock, one of the nation's largest providers of commercial doors, loading dock equipment and dock maintenance services.

"As a growing company, we needed a future-proof mobile workforce management solution that would fulfill our changing business needs while providing consistently great service to our customers," explained Katy Chandler, Director at Southern Dock.

"The advanced capabilities, together with a great user experience and the flexibility of the configuration options, made it an easy choice for us."

Click Field Service Edge allows any enterprise worker-from field service professionals to supervisors, dispatchers and managers-to build personalised, strategic engagements that resonate with their customers. These improved engagements, in turn, increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention, and customer lifetime value.

 

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Trimble has launched an end-to-end field service management suite called PULSE, designed to improve productivity across mobile workforces

The PULSET suite  is a comprehensive portfolio of end-to-end field service management solutions that enable businesses to deliver field service excellence across a range of industries, including construction, agriculture, telecommunications and utilities.

It is cloud-based and modular, enabling businesses to performing critical field service operations to transform the effectiveness of their work, workers and assets to improve productivity, customer satisfaction and their bottom line. Whether businesses need to streamline efficiencies in the back office, with technicians out in the field or both,PULSE provides an extensible portfolio of capabilities to meet a wide variety of operational requirements.

"The Trimble PULSE suite enables businesses to manage all of their field service operations in one place, with one provider," said John Cameron, general manager of Trimble's Field Service Management division.

"Our combination of telematics, back-office, scheduling and mobile workforce solutions allow us to offer the most complete set of end-to-end capabilities on the market today."

Built upon Trimble's robust infrastructure framework, the PULSE suite offers a comprehensive portfolio of capabilities to manage, schedule, mobilise and monitor the complete operation in real-time.

Managing back office operations - Provides back office support that allows for streamlined business processes that are repeatable and predictable.

 

Organisations can easily manage customers, calls, service contracts, estimates and work orders along with asset history, inventory and billing.

Scheduling and dispatching - Offers an extensive range of scheduling,  dispatch and optimisation tools to manage tasks, appointments, parts, shifts, routing and crew support.

Mobilising the workforce - Provides end-to-end data access and information collaboration through configurable and customisable mobile applications.

Monitoring the work, workers and assets - Offers organisations the ability to monitor work status, view the location of their workers, as well as all their mobile assets and vehicles. Businesses can quickly analyse work in process, utilisation, monitor performance, improve driver safety as well as ensure compliance is met.

"We recognise that there is no one-size-fits-all field service management solution and more businesses are continually seeking tailored solutions to address their individual pain points and priorities," said Cameron.

"The modular set of capabilities that characterise the Trimble PULSE suite allows businesses to tailor a solution based on their needs to >streamline operations and achieve field service excellence."

 

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For manufacturers, parts supply and management has a major role in their aftermarket service operations. This event, led by aftermarket software experts Syncron, will show delegates how smarter inventory management can deliver greater customer experience.

Do you have all your inventory challenges under control? Great availability, no redundant or unnecessary stock? Shipping costs minimised, profits on part sales maximised? Happy clients, dealers and colleagues?

If you feel there is scope to improve your organisation's performance in any of the areas above, this Syncron Connect UK event is for you.  It takes place on 8th June, at the famous Belfry Hotel and Golf Resort, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.

Delegates will be able to hear about strategies to unlock profits through smarter inventory management, by more accurately estimating your spare parts requirements, better distributing them across your network and maximising profits on their sale

Mike Toms, Business Development Manager, JCB Service, will tell delegates about his company's journey, while Aston Business School will provide insight into how manufacturers can compete through Servitization and Advanced Services. Giacomo Squintani, Syncron, will explain the Best-of-Business v. ERP challenge for manufacturing service operations.

 

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Click here to see the full agenda and to register for Syncron Connect UK

 

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Pegasystems Inc.  a software company delivering strategic business applications to a number of  leading enterprises have recently announced the acquisition of Atlanta, GA-based OpenSpan, Inc., a privately held software provider of robotic process automation (RPA)  and workforce analytics software.

OpenSpan uses robotic automation to ease the burden on customer service representatives  by automating routine desktop tasks, thus increasing employee productivity and job satisfaction. By providing insight into desktop activity and automating or eliminating repetitive, time-consuming tasks, OpenSpan frees agents to focus their energy on delivering exceptional customer experience while also helping to lower operational costs.  

Running on more than 200,000 desktops at leading global enterprises, OpenSpan provides advanced robotic automation and workforce analytics capabilities that complement and enhance Pegasystems’ Customer Relationship Management application suite and Business Process Management platform.

This acquisition unifies robotics and workforce analytics with case management and real-time analytics for the first time. Organisations can quickly experience the benefits of an integrated desktop and leverage their insights and cost savings to transition effectively into a fully-unified CRM solution.

“Organisations are under tremendous pressure to transform their businesses into customer service machines to meet the new demands of digital customers,” said Alan Trefler, founder and CEO, Pegasystems. “We’ve already seen the power of Pega and OpenSpan working together to help our clients with their digital transformation initiatives. We believe OpenSpan’s cutting-edge robotics, workforce analytics, and process automation capabilities, combined with Pega’s leading process and real-time analytics, supports an emerging era of intelligent automation working in concert with people to deliver a better customer experience.”

Meanwhile Eric Musser, CEO, OpenSpan commented:

“Over the past 11 years, we’ve built a highly successful organisation that has helped introduce the power of robotics and desktop intelligence to mainstream business,”

“But this is just the tip of the iceberg of what analytics and robotics can really do. By integrating with Pegasystems’ proven applications and platform, we believe we can advance robotic automation and desktop analytics in exciting new directions that will change the way businesses interact with their customers.”

 

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There's still time to register for next week's "Creating Value from Field Service" event, being held at the prestigious Williams F1 Conference Centre, in Wantage, Oxfordshire, on  Thursday 28th April.

There's no charge to attend the action-packed event, which is hosted by  mobile workforce optimisation solutions specialist Leadent and attracts senior figures from the UK field service sector.

 

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To register and see the full agenda click here

 

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The interactive agenda will allow delegates to explore the theme of "Creating Value from Field Service".  How do you maximise the value delivered by and through a dispersed  field force? The conference will bring together industry experts and practitioners who have been there and done it.  Field service organisations such as Anglian Water, NATs, Serco and Arqiva will share their real-life experiences.

The event attracts senior delegates from some of the country’s largest organisations. The day is structured with presentations, case studies, and panel events,  and there is plenty of opportunity for discussion with fellow peers and for delegates to network, converse and share ideas.  Represented organisations will include utilities, telcos, facilities management, government agencies and more.

The range of topics includes Tactical Resource Planning, Analytics, Change and Transformation Management, the End-to-End Customer Journey, as well as IoT and the latest technologies.

A  complimentary tour of the Williams F1 Collection is included.

 

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To view full agenda and register,  click here

 

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Attendees to this year’s Protection and Management Series (P&M), which includes five separate exhibitions including the Service Management Expo will be able to see keynote speeches from three highly inspirational speakers this June.

Across June 21st, 22nd and 23rd P&M takes over the entirety of London’s flagship exhibition and conference centre venue the Exel in the South of London close to the iconic O2 arena and Canary Wharf.

The event which as well as Service Management Expo also includes The Facilities Show, The Health and Safety Expo, Firex and IFSEC will attract over 45,000 visitors who will be able to see key note speeches from Tim Collins OBE, Kate Adie OBE and James Cracknell OBE.

As well as the keynote sessions in the main theatre there will also be dedicated solution theatres across the whole of P&M including a field service focused theatre.

The keynote presentations will be as follows:

Colonel Tim Collins OBE

21 June, 11.30 – 12.30

Colonel Tim Collins attracted attention on both sides of the Atlantic for his rousing speech to the troops before going into battle in Iraq. His autobiography, Rules of Engagement, subsequently went straight into the best-seller lists and he is now CEO of a security company.

Tim is a naturally inspiring speaker, combining extensive experience of active service with broad knowledge of military and political history. An authority on teamwork, leadership and motivation, his speeches show a clear parallel between military problem solving and the challenges faced by leaders in any walk of life.

Kate Adie OBE

22 June, 11.30 – 12.30

It used to be said that if you found yourself in the same place as Kate, you should leave straight away.  She became a household name as BBC Chief News Reporter, covering the Gulf War, the demise of the Soviet Union, the protests in Beijing’s Tienanmen Square and NATO’s campaign in Kosovo.

Aside from her autobiography, The Kindness of Strangers, Kate has published Corsets to Camouflage and Nobody’s Child. She has won the Royal Television Society Journalism Award and the Monte Carlo International Golden Nymph.

James Cracknell OBE

23 June, 11.30 – 12.30

James Cracknell is one of Britain’s greatest ever oarsmen. After victory alongside Redgrave and Pinsent in the coxless four in Sydney, he went on to achieve another Olympic gold in Athens.

James will talk about his adventures, the build-up to both Olympics and how they were nowhere near as straightforward as the public seemed to think. He reveals the highs and lows of his training regime, the different characters that make a successful team and what drives him to seek out new challenges.

 

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Getac's new-generation S400 series notebook has the footprint of a business notebook, the features of a full-rugged device and incorporates Intel's latest Skylake micro-architecture to boost performance.

Rugged computer manufacturer Getac has unveiled the first model in its next-generation S400 series semi- rugged laptop, the Getac S410. At  2.2kg and 35mm wide, it has the footprint of a business notebook but incorporates many features of a full-rugged device.

"The S410 builds on our success in the semi rugged notebook space, providing a combination of design, performance and versatility,” says Chris Bye, President of Getac in the UK.

The S410 can be specified with Intel 6th generation Core i3, i5 or i7 processors incorporating the latest Skylake U-series micro-architecture which boosts both CPU and GPU performance and reduces power consumption compared with the Broadwell series it replaces. Windows 10 operating system is standard.

The  S410 incorporates Getac’s newest proprietary composite materials to enhance ruggedness. It has a splash-proof keyboard; rugged I/O door; flexible and durable handle and rubber bumper and footpad, with ventilation provided by the footpad from the bottom of the unit. Environmental credentials include an IP51 rating for dust, MIL-STD 810G certification and the ability to cope with 3ft drops.

A 14in TFT LCD HD 1366 x 768  display is standard, with a 14in TFT LCD FHD 1920 x 1080 high resolution screen optional. Getac’s Lumibond sunlight readable technology can be specified on either screen.  Capacitive touchscreen technology means the S140 can be used in touch, gloved and pen modes even when wet.

Up to 1TB storage is available plus an optional SSD drive.

The 11.1-volt 4200 mAh battery should last a full day, but the S410 also comes with Getac's optional a hot-swappable battery feature with a light indicator to flag to users if there’s enough power left for the main battery to be switched. There's also a range of in-vehicle docking accessories.

Wireless communications include Intel’s dual band AC 8260, Bluetooth 4.2 and optional GPS,  GOBI mobile broadband and RF Triple Pass-Through.

The S410 also offers multi-factor authentication including fingerprint touch technology.

I/O options including a docking connector slot, USB 3.0 connectivity and expansion bay for, for example, PCMCIA.   In-vehicle and office docking units; a battery charger, and vehicle and AC Adapters are among the accessories available.

The S410 comes with Getac's standard three-year warranty.

 

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Swedish firm XMReality work with Bosch Rexroth to pioneer new remote service program that utilises smart glasses and augmented reality...

Augmented reality software and smart glasses from Swedish company XMReality have enabled automation and drive system manufacturer Bosch Rexroth to roll out a new service and support programme with remote assistance.

The first Rexroth solution launched for industrial hydraulics is called Hägglunds InSight Live, the support programme involves the client company’s own maintenance team in carrying out adjustments, troubleshooting and emergency work, with guidance from Bosch Rexroth’s systems specialists back at base.

Using the software from XMReality with an ordinary smartphone, tablet or laptop, along with the optional smart glasses, the local service engineer works directly with one of the in-house experts at Bosch Rexroth.

The system was initially used by Bosch Rexroth in Sweden but is now being rolled out in other selected countries. Potentially, any of Bosch Rexroth’s 375,000 (30k+ employees in Rexroth) personnel worldwide can access the system.

“Bosch Rexroth provides world-class services and we constantly strive to implement new and innovative ways to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.”

“Using XM Reality’s platform, we are now able to offer a remote service portfolio that ensures that help, assistance and our specialist expertise are available for both planned and unplanned situations” commented Rory Moore, Service Business Development Manager - Hägglunds Products

 

“We are proud of now being classified as an Essential Supplier in Bosch global purchasing system” added XMReality´s CEO Johan Castevall. "This is a confirmation of the importance of our Remote Guidance solution in modern industrial way of work.”

The augmented reality smart glasses from XMReality enable hands-free operation during the interaction with the service experts, but the software can also be used with just an ordinary smartphone.

The service expert sees on his screen what the operator sees through the lens. The software transfers video and audio streams between the service expert and the operator with perfect synchronisation, even when the bandwidth is low.

Gestures, drawings or instructions can be overlaid by the instructor on the live image.

The XMReality software is compatible with Windows and Android operating systems. The optional smart glasses, which enable hands-free operation, can be used with prescription glasses or protective smart glasses.

Their 40° field of vision enables the instructor to see the periphery of the image – augmented reality smart glasses can often only offer 15-30° field of vision.

The smart glasses are powered by the tablet or laptop computer and battery life is usually around two hours, depending on battery size.

 

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