Are We Ready for 3D Printing in Field Service?

Aug 27, 2020 • Features • 3D printing • Artificial intelligence • Video • Aquant • Parts Pricing and Logistics • north america • Field Service News Digital Symposium • 3D Systems Corporation

Having given an excellent presentation in the Field Service News Digital Symposium on the application of Artificial Intelligence in service triage, Mark Hessinger, Vice President, Global Customer Service, 3D Systems Corporation spoke with Kris...

The session was designed to shine a light on the many benefits that 3D Systems Corporation realised from implementing the Aquant AI tool. However, it was also a golden opportunity to explore the potential of 3D printing in the service supply chain - which the two discussed briefly towards the latter part of the conversation.

During his presentation, Hessinger outlined that companies are beginning to move away from seeing 3D printing as a tool for prototyping and moving towards using the technology more in production as well.

Given the recent pandemic where supply chains were put under massive pressure as borders came crashing down, could it be that we'll see a further shift towards 3D printing and use of spare parts within the manufacturing sector and beyond?

"The thing about 3D printing is that it is not just making the same things differently. It enables you to do things a lot differently..."

"Yes, with what has happened throughout 2020, and supply chains being interrupted, we do see businesses especially manufacturing sites rethinking their supply chain, how they can do things and using 3D printing is going to really be something that these companies are looking at.

"We are starting to see that feedback already. There was one of the large UK companies just came out with 30% of their new products have to be produced through additive manufacturing.

"Also, the thing about 3D printing is that it is not just making the same things differently. It enables you to do things a lot differently. That bracket I showed [during the presentation] combined 13 parts. Fuel nozzles can be created much more efficiently because you can create geometries that you could never do in traditional manufacturing. I think we're going to have the impact from both sides. Supply chains need to rethink how they build things, and engineering needs to continue to get creative on how they make things to have better quality."

A Tool for Zero-Touch?

Aug 20, 2020 • Features • Artificial intelligence • Remote Assistance • Video • Zero-touch • Digital Transformation • Aquant • north america • Field Service News Digital Symposium

In a recent presentation for the Field Service News Digital Symposium, Mark Hessinger, Vice President, Global Customer Services, 3D Systems, Corporation, outlined the benefits his organisation had witnessed having implemented an Artificial...

One of the areas that Hessinger referenced during the presentation was the reduction in repeat visits and the increase in first-time fix rates. This, of course, will have a significant impact on the bottom line of the service P&L with the truck roll almost always being the most expensive line on the spreadsheet. As the adage goes, if you have to send an engineer on-site once then you are breaking even, even if you have to send an engineer twice, you're losing money. So this improvement, in and of itself, was a massive plus in the presentation.

However, given the backdrop of 2020 where the world has radically changed as a result of the reaction to Covid-19, the question was raised during the Q&A that followed Hessinger's presentation whether Aquant's AI-powered triage tool could be suitable to help facilitate zero-touch or remote assistance services as well?

Could the Aquant solution help provide a mechanism for service delivery for those customers who require a guided self-help approach to issue resolution?

"I'd say the tool is a building block to enable us to get there," Hessinger answered when the idea was put to him.

"We need it integrated with the other systems and information because it connects them to the knowledge management, to the information. We're currently doing a proof of concept to pull in some AR (augmented reality) technology as well. We believe integrating the AR technology can help guide someone first using the AI tool to go in the right direction and then guide them remotely on how to execute a repair. If you put both of these pieces together, I think the quantity of remote resolutions will go up dramatically," Hessinger added.

"Typically, your field service engineer builds a good relationship with the customer and becomes part of the face of the company right. We still want to have those touch-points, but we need to make sure we're doing them differently..."

This leads us to an interesting question - in a post-pandemic world just how much has the perception of value shifted in terms of remote service vs on-site service delivery?

Often it has felt that there's been a more perceived value to a site visit than remote services. As we mentioned earlier, it is an expensive line on the P&L compared to a remote service. This was one of the reasons that many felt that remote assistance technologies such as Augmented Reality have never quite taken off in the way that we might have imagined. However, that has changed massively in the last five months in the eyes of many customers.

Yet, for the savvy service organisation, the on-site service call is far more than a mere maintenance operation. It is an opportunity to engage with the customer, to showcase the expertise within the organisation, and ultimately to secure ongoing business and even open up new revenue streams.

So the question is, how do field service organisations use remote service within their service portfolio as an active engagement channel as many have mastered with the service call?

As Hessinger explains "Typically, your field service engineer builds a good relationship with the customer and becomes part of the face of the company right. We still want to have those touch-points, but we need to make sure we're doing them differently. If I can see you on video, I've made a better connection than if I sent you a text message.

"We need to leverage how do we continue to build those relationships. If we were with a customer three times a year, and now we can do things better, only one time a year, we need to make sure we still have a high touch with the customer to build that kind of rapport and relationship."

A New Approach to an Age Old Problem?

Aug 13, 2020 • Features • Ageing Workforce Crisis • Artificial intelligence • Video • Digital Transformation • Aquant • north america • Field Service News Digital Symposium

During a recent Field Service News Digital Symposium presentation on the use of Aquant's Artificial Intelligence tool within their service triage process, Mark Hessinger, Vice President of Global Customer Service, 3D Systems Corporation, touched on...

That issue is how do we stop the tribal knowledge contained in our ageing field service workforce walking out the door. It is a challenge we are seeing emerge across all regions and all industries.

It is a well-documented issue. Many field service companies are currently staring down the barrel of an ageing workforce crisis while struggling to engage with a future generation of workers. Some industries may have a slight advantage, companies at the cutting edge of technology such as 3D Systems for example, who will likely attract bright young minds eager to embrace a technology set to be a fundamental part of the future. Yet, even these companies generally still face higher rates of attrition than acquisition when it comes to talent.

This is perhaps why this presentation by Hessinger resonated so strongly with its audience. As Hessinger went through the multiple benefits of implementing Aquant's AI-powered triage tool, this was one aspect that really struck a chord.

3D Systems had, via Aquant's AI, found the keys to unlock much of the core knowledge locked away in the vast pools of data that all service organisations will hold. They found a way to keep the decades of tribal knowledge within their walls.

"Like other companies, we do have [staff] turnover," Hessinger explains.

"We were able to use all that information we had, to continue to support the product so that that was a nice real-life outcome of using the the Aquant tool..."

"And on certain product lines, we don't have a lot of printers installed, so we don't have a lot of people trained. For example, on one Multijet printer, our subject matter expert chose to retire a couple of years earlier than we expected. So everybody started to get a little nervous as we only had one other person who did not have the same depth of experience on that product."

"Yet, that person told me, 'you'll be fine, it's all captured in the Aquant tool. I validated that it works,'" Hessinger commented as he outlined a perfect example of a challenge many service leaders may recognise. As Hessinger explained, it was a situation that soon became even more challenging.

"Shortly after that, our second person that knew that technology also left," he continued, "so there I am without our two tech support people for this product line. However, we were still able to continue to run and support customers and actually, we haven't had any escalations on that product in the last nine months since those guys left.

"That is because we were able to use all that information we had, to continue to support the product which is a nice real-life outcome of using the the Aquant tool," he adds.

Essentially, what Hessinger and the team at 3D Systems implemented was an additional AI 'trainer'. They found a technological solution to a human problem. Ultimately, the AI allowed 3D Systems to make that transition from losing two central members of staff on a specific product line. They managed to stop that tribal knowledge leaving the organisation.

This also appeared to be something that could be almost universally applied to any field service scenario - indeed for any organisation that held sizeable layers of data that is currently a massively underutilised information resource. What came across in Hessinger's presentation was that the was already buried within their systems - Aquant surfaced it, neatly and effectively.

As Hessinger explained "Typically we require our field service or tech support personnel to document in the case what happened and that's written down. When you go back and look at it at those notes, [it is usually] because there was a similar case at some point and you start searching for cases to find the information, those are the times you go digging for it.

"Yet, now you're not digging for it. It's accessible and there, everything you've captured," Hessinger explains.

The Key Driver for 3D Systems Adoption of AI

Aug 06, 2020 • Features • Artificial intelligence • Video • Digital Transformation • Aquant • north america • Field Service News Digital Symposium • 3D Systems Corporation

In a recent presentation in the Field Service News Digital Symposium, Mark Hessinger, Vice President, Global Customer Services, 3D Systems Corporation outlined how his organisation had harnessed Artificial Intelligence within their service triage...

It was an impressive presentation that outlined several different benefits that 3D Systems Corporation realised in just a matter of months since the implementation.

Perhaps the one critical takeaway from Hessinger’s presentation was just how many aspects of their service delivery had been touched and optimised by the Aquant AI solution.

During the presentation, Hessinger referred to benefits that included vital areas that are high on the agenda for improvement, by many if not all field service organisations. Hessinger explained how they had seen direct performance improvements in the optimisation of the service logistics chain, a significant reduction in truck rolls and an increase in perhaps the most crucial metric within service delivery – first time-fix rates.

"All those things come together, the better information you have, the better accuracy you have on resolving things..."

However, during the Q&A segment of the presentation, Hessinger was quizzed by Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News about what was the critical factor that drove 3D Systems Corporation to seek out an AI solution and engage with Aquant?

“We met with Aquant at a field service conference, and found somebody who was trying to solve the problem that we were trying to address” Hessinger had commented during the presentation – so what exactly was that problem?

Mostly, it was the result of the evolution of the 3D printing sector itself as the industry evolves from supporting prototype development to full production.

As Hessinger explains, “The key driver was after I joined 3D Systems, we had to make that shift from supporting a prototype house to a production environment. If the printers are not working in a prototyping environment, they [the client] may call today, with an expectation of us being with them in a few days. In production environment you have to be so much faster because a 3D printer not producing final parts directly impacts revenue."

“I was looking for a tool that could help us with just improving the speed and the rate of resolution. All those things come together, the better information you have, the better accuracy you have on resolving things. It just allows you to get to solve the problem faster,” Hessinger adds.

“Resolving problems quicker and more accurately was one of them was the key driver initially.”

Covid-19: An Overwhelming Opportunity to Improve Service Delivery

Jul 03, 2020 • News • research • APAC • Covid-19 • EMEA • north america

Field Service News is in the middle of an in-depth global research project. As we reach the half way stage we share some of the initial findings including that cover three quarters of service companies see an opportunity to improve service delivery...

The study is being conducted across three key global regions, EMEA, APAC and North America and is run in partnership with WBR Asia, More Momentum and Field Service News. The aim of the research is to assess the global impact on the field service sector of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We all know that our industry has been hit harder by this crisis than anything we have faced before. However, if we are to plan both a speedy recovery, and mitigation of future challenges should we be hit by a second wave or another similar pandemic, we simply must understand in quantitate terms what that impact has been.

As Peter Drucker famously stated, we cannot measure that which we do not manage. Now, more than ever before, is the time for strong management, strong leadership. So clear wide reaching data on that outlines the damage we have faced is crucial.

While the survey is still running, already there are a number of emerging trends from companies as they react to the crisis

56% of companies see acquiring digital competencies and a establishing a service culture as the a critical success factor to thrive in the upcoming disruption
71% are enhancing their service sales model and capabilities
- However, only 25% are developing their earnings or pricing model
83% of companies see opportunities today to increase efficiency of service delivery, hence improving the margins
50% see growth opportunities for services focusing on operational solutions for their clients, beyond product related services

We are seeking to build as accurate a picture as possible which will be distilled into a detailed report for the industry. The report will be available for purchase at a price of $195. However, all participants within the research will be given a complimentary of this report.

If you would wish to be part of this project and claim a free copy of the report as a participant then you do so by clicking this link

Italian Field Service Management Solution Provider Expand US Footprint

Jun 15, 2020 • News • Augmented Reality • Digital Transformation • Field Service Management Software • OverIT • EMEA • north america

As part of its go-to-market initiatives, and in response to strong demand for its products, OverIT, a global leader in Field Service Management and Augmented Collaboration solutions, has opened its second location in North America in Miami, Florida. The new office will become the US Headquarters, as the company plans to triple its US-based headcount by the end of 2020.

OverIT Accelerates North America Expansion to Meet Growing Demand for Asset-Intensive Field Service Management and Augmented & Virtual Reality Collaboration Solutions.

During the past twenty years, OverIT has been reshaping the operational processes of over 200 Fortune 500 companies. Their goal has always been simple: leading their clients into a new Field Service Management era, where on-field tasks are carried out efficiently, safely, and increasingly hands-free. Given the extraordinary results achieved in FY 2019, and the gap left in the market after vendor consolidation, increasing their international presence is a priority to sustain the ever-increasing demand for their solutions.

“Given the increased demand for our products in United States and Canada”, said Marco Zanuttini, CEO at OverIT, “we have invested heavily in our US subsidiary, growing it over 300% during the past six months. Our company is aiming at top industry leaders and has already hired a new SVP and General Manager for Americas, to guide the business during this new period for the subsidiary. Also, even though North America is the main focus in our strategic expansion plans, we are also in the process of drastically increasing our presence in the UK and Australia by opening up new offices to support efforts in those regions.”

Recruitment Portal Negates Covid and Service's Historical Talent Gap

Jun 02, 2020 • Features • Recruitment • servicemax • Managing the Mobile Workforce • north america

A specialist recruitment platform initially conceived to help fill the service talent gap took on a new significance as an urgent post calling for medical technicians meant the project was fast-tracked to market. Mark Glover uncovers the story...

We are living and working in unprecedented times. All aspects of life are being affected by the pandemic: work, travel, holidays, live sport on TV.

Covid's Impact on the field service workforce

Of course the return of football is rather trivial compared to the health and financial impact this virus is having. As I type, news feeds are reporting Germany’s dip into recession. Indications this normally robust economy is wobbling will send tremors across the rest of Europe and beyond. In the UK, a financial crash is said to be inevitable and in the US the economy is showing significant signs of a downturn, fuelled in part by 26 million Americans losing their jobs as companies take actions to reduce bottom lines.

In service, technicians hardest hit are those in industries locked-down such as hospitality and retail. It means many have been furloughed or made redundant.

It’s another blow to a recruitment pool that has historically always struggled to attract and identify new talent. Field service positions are specialist, they require knowledge across a range of skills and are difficult to fill even without a global pandemic. Service - and I appreciate I’m sweeping broadly here - essentially exists to fix things, but it requires a highly-skilled and technical workforce to do so.

It wasn't always like this however. Post-war optimism and the 'baby-boomers' generation flooded the blue-collar market learning trades that secured a job for life. Now, the US, like the UK, are today seeing a large chunk of their workforce drop off as this generation retire. This decline has left an alarming employment gap that might not be an abyss, but with the advent of Covid-19, it’s looking a lot deeper than before and some sectors are feeling the pinch more than they ever have.

However, for the medical and biotech industries, there are challenges not in reducing staff numbers but significantly increasing them to cope with accelerating service requests.

Medtronic are a medical device manufacturer who have seen a substantial increase in demand for equipment such as ventilators which has in turn increased the need for service technicians to install and fix them. Theirs is a specialist field and even before the pandemic, finding those with appropriate experience and knowledge to service the assets was difficult.

"The site went live on May 4, the result of an extraordinary five weeks of development, testing and refining and more testing..."

As part of a recent recruitment drive the firm reached out on LinkedIn, publishing a post that directed people to their specialist vacancies, hoping it would touch a niche slice of a workforce they desperately needed to engage. The post was noticed by ServiceMax’s Stacey Epstein. “It was something of an urgent plea for volunteers and skilled workers to visit their own internal career page because they were desperately needing help,” she tells me over a Zoom conversation one afternoon, a week after the firm's most recent product launch.

ServiceMax's Field Service Job Finder is a platform connecting talent with demand across critical industries but even before this pandemic, the project had been in the pipeline for a while, an idea sparked by the aforementioned issues in service recruitment and confirmed following a piece of research from Forrester Consulting, commissioned by ServiceMax looking into the drivers of digital transformation in service.

Consulting 675 decision makers globally the research revealed, rather shockingly, that 97% reported challenges in sourcing talent with 49 % citing challenges identifying candidates who have the required knowledge and expertise. The issue was obvious but how to negate it?

ServiceMax and their customers straddle an array of industry verticals so they already had the audience (or “eyeballs”, Stacey says) for such a platform, however they needed to find the right partner who could provide the infrastructure.

Krios already ran their own recruitment portal. The site is tailored for the gig economy linking freelancers to a range of requests covering graphic design, translation services and web design; a blueprint similar to ServiceMax’s idea but on a different level of vocation. The two firms met, Krios were able to commit and the project quickly spun into action. The site went live on May 4, the result of an extraordinary five weeks of development, testing and refining and more testing. It was much earlier than was planned - but sparked by Medtronic’s post, the relationship the two had anyway (Medtronic are a ServiceMax customer) and the impending pandemic - the site was fast tracked to market. “It was literally seeing that request on LinkedIn,” Stacey explains, “and knowing it was a customer and that we’d already been talking about what we could be doing to help our customers with the skilled worker gap issue, we said, ‘we’ve got to do it now.’”

There are plenty of Medtronics out there, struggling with a challenge the likes of which they have never experienced and conversely, never planned for..."

So they did. To date, traffic has been steady with over 4,000 new users and exceeding 7,000 page impressions and while the majority of users are US-based the site is seeing traction globally being viewed in over 40 countries.

I suggested to Stacey we keep in touch, that I would like to monitor the site’s progress. Beyond the user metrics, I said, it would be interesting to see what comes to the surface after a month or so; to see what service companies are now looking for. It could offer a clear barometer of where service recruitment is, what jobs are available and what skills are being asked for – a glimpse of the new service workplace as the pandemic leaves its legacy.

But for now, this was a project that came from a glance at LinkedIn and a realisation what affect this pandemic was having. Stacey tells me when she saw the post she was pretty sure Medtronic would probably not be the only firm blinking in this new Covid dawn. Sadly, she’s right. There are plenty of Medtronics out there, struggling with a challenge the likes of which they have never experienced and conversely, never planned for.

COVID-19 is unprecedented and changing the very fabric of what we once knew as ‘normal’. For service to survive – and eventually thrive – it needs to pivot and flex; to absorb and react. This starts at the ground - in recruitment and the next generation.

ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘north-america’ CATEGORY

Are We Ready for 3D Printing in Field Service?

Further Reading:

A Tool for Zero-Touch?

Further Reading:

A New Approach to an Age Old Problem?

Further Reading:

The Key Driver for 3D Systems Adoption of AI

Further Reading:

Covid-19: An Overwhelming Opportunity to Improve Service Delivery

If you would wish to be part of this project and claim a free copy of the report as a participant then you do so by clicking this link

Italian Field Service Management Solution Provider Expand US Footprint

OverIT Accelerates North America Expansion to Meet Growing Demand for Asset-Intensive Field Service Management and Augmented & Virtual Reality Collaboration Solutions.

Further Reading:

Recruitment Portal Negates Covid and Service's Historical Talent Gap

Covid's Impact on the field service workforce

Further Reading:

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