ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘resources’ CATEGORY

Resource Type: eBook
Published by:  Solarvista
Title: The top 10 “often forgotten” risks when selecting field service management software

---

Want to know more? Access to this resource is available to Field Service News subscribers only - but if you are a Field Service Professional you may qualify for a complimentary industry practitioner subscription!

Click here to apply for your subscription now and we’ll send you this white paper to your inbox now instantly as a thank you for your time!

---

 

Synopsis:

Selecting the right solution to meet your field service software needs is crucial. This eBook explores 10 often overlooked risks that companies must consider when selecting a FSM solution that could save expense and time during and after implementation.

Overview

The eBook focusses on ten often overlooked considerations field service organisations should address when selecting a new field service management solution. As well as identifying pitfalls to be aware of the eBook also looks at means of overcoming them.

The areas of focus within the eBook include:

1. It won’t actually do what you need it to do:

This seems an obvious one and one that everyone is aware of, right? Well, not quite. Defining how any software works (and especially with field service software) is a difficult and abstract exercise and unless you work in IT as a professional (and even then you are likely to find it hard), it’s an almost impossible to be truly 100% sure that the software will do what you need it to do.

2. It’s hard to access on the devices that people really want to use:

Over the last few years, the march of new smartphone devices has exploded and of course everyone has a position about “which platform is best”.

In reality, they all have their pros and cons. Devices shouldn’t be the deciding factor. You should let people use the device they feel most comfortable with. Some might prefer iPhones, some might prefer Android etc., some Windows tablets etc.

3. It won’t connect well (or easily) to your existing systems:

Let’s face it, integration is the bug-bear of any project. Over the years, different approaches have surfaced, each one meant to “make it easy” and, whilst there has been some success, it’s mostly, by its nature, hard to get right.

It’s not so much the technology, as the process and its impact upon resulting products you may have.

4. You buy it against a fully “thought-through” RFP documents, demos and then you find out it cannot do a particular feature exactly as you need it:

This sounds like it shouldn’t happen; after all, you spent a lot of time asking every stakeholder what they needed. But so often in this scenario, we see a good 10-20% of functionality is forgotten about and it’s need is only encountered “in project”.

This causes significant scheduling, resources and budget issues. Where do you find the extra time or money to pay for such expansion of scope?

5. Once implemented, your processes and needs change, so the system becomes less relevant and/or effective:

In selecting a product and vendor, you need to make sure that the future is catered for. You are buying a future, not just for today. Your business will change and the software needs to change with it.

6. The system slows down once in heavy use and over time:

One of the key reasons for choosing a new system may be that you want a more responsive system than the current older one. The performance of software is hard to predict, especially on systems and networks used for other purposes too, such as in-house servers and networks.

To mitigate this risk, the best solution is the cloud. With cloud computing, you have virtually limitless CPU, database and network power at your disposal.

7. Your staff don’t embrace the tool enough or it doesn’t get used properly:

Let’s start by saying this isn’t a criticism. But it’s human nature (and proven dynamic) that products that are easy to use, get used the most. Field service management software falls into “complex ERP” and certainly some parts of all ERP software is complex. The users at greatest risk of this phenomenon are mobile users, such as field engineers & technicians.

8. Information isn’t connected together so getting business intelligence is difficult:

Any ERP solution will generate vast quantities of data. Getting real insight from all this data is, again, a tricky task. We see so many systems procured where the business intelligence (“BI”) is assumed to be something done AFTER the system is implemented.

9. The time it takes to implement is longer than envisaged:

We’ve already mentioned several reasons why predicting the duration of an implementation can be difficult. But by avoiding many of these mistakes, the risk to timeline can be reduced or even eliminated.

One good way we recommend to make sure you meet timelines desired (and perhaps more importantly, budget!) is to use “Agile Project” styles for both procurement and implementation.

10. You start well, but as staff leave and new people join, the use of the system degrades and it becomes less useful/relevant:

We often see this referred to as “death by a thousand cuts”. It’s more common than many think. And almost impossible to see happening unless you look closely. Slowly, over time, your people lose contact with the software, function by function, process by process.

 

---

 

This eBook offers further details on each of the above challenges and how to overcome them.

Want to know more? Access to this resource is available to Field Service News subscribers only - but if you are a Field Service Professional you may qualify for a complimentary industry practitioner subscription!

Click here to apply for your subscription now and we’ll send you this white paper to your inbox now instantly as a thank you for your time!

---

 

Be social and share this feature

The conversation around how driverless cars can be implemented in field service operations and the benefits they bring is an important one - however, one part of the conversation often overlooked is how autonomous vehicles could help field service organisations ensure their vehicles are being driven within legal limits.

Fortunately the good folks at Denmon Pearlman have put together an excellent infographic on the subject which should make interesting reading for field service and fleet management professionals alike...

 

---

 

Be social and share this infographic

Resource Type: eBook
Published by:  Trimble
Title: A Connected World: Field Service Insight Report

---

Want to know more? Access to this resource is available to Field Service News subscribers only - but if you are a Field Service Professional you may qualify for a complimentary industry practitioner subscription!

Click here to apply for your subscription now and we’ll send you this white paper to your inbox now instantly as a thank you for your time!

---

 

Synopsis:

Having been amongst its earliest adopters, field service organisations are well aware of the role that connectivity has in their everyday operations.

By the nature of field service a wide range of elements come into play and the difference between what makes a great working day or a poor one, are all too often to do with how these components are connected.

Overview

The eBook focusses on four key areas in which the connected world is impacting field service delivery - Connected Operations, Connected Customers, Connected Workforce, and Connected Intelligence.

Connected Operations:

The success of a field service organisation hinges on getting all parts of the organisation – the back office, the mobile workforce, the fleet management and billing and finance – working together.

Field service technologies have a critical role to play in connecting the many elements involved in the operations across the organisation and the eBook explores how the connected operation could look, not in the future but today.

Connected Customers:

Customer service is widely recognised as being the number one business priority with a proven link between customer satisfaction, retention and profitability.

Aberdeen Group report that organisations that reached a 90 percent plus customer satisfaction rate achieved an annual 6.1 percent increase in service, 3.7 percent growth in overall revenue and an 89 percent level of customer retention

Connected Workforce:

Mobile technology isn’t just changing service; it’s changing the technician as well. No longer just someone who can install or make repairs, a field technician is also a knowledgeable and trusted advisor.

With so much information at their fingertips, technicians can do their jobs more efficiently, resulting in an enhanced customer experience Field service leaders report that implementing a mobile strategy provided an 18 percent increase in service visits per technician and a 40 percent increase in service revenue contribution per technician.

Connected Intelligence:

Field service organisations are characterised by complex workflows and interdependencies which call for a sophisticated approach to measuring the KPIs that go across all aspects of their operation.

Our research shows that nearly 30 percent of field service managers believe that their organisation is ineffective at using the data they collect and just 1 in 5 believes they get the information they need from field service data to help do their job.

This conflict is a major issue facing all too many field service organisations – there is a wealth of business intelligence available to them but making use of it is seen to be an overwhelming, almost impossible, task.

Processing the volume and speed at which ‘Big Data’ is gathered and turning it into useable information is a major challenge.

 

---

 

Want to know more? Access to this resource is available to Field Service News subscribers only - but if you are a Field Service Professional you may qualify for a complimentary industry practitioner subscription!

Click here to apply for your subscription now and we’ll send you this white paper to your inbox now instantly as a thank you for your time!

---

 

Be social and share this feature

Resource Type: White Paper
Published by:  IFS
Title: Digital Transformation and enterprise service management - what's next?

---

Want to know more? This white paper is available to Field Service News subscribers but if you are a Field Service Professional you may qualify for a complimentary industry practitioner subscription! Click here to apply for a subscription now and we’ll send you this white paper to your inbox now instantly as a welcome gift!

---

Synopsis:

Digital transformation is the predominant trend impacting today’s global business. Broadly speaking, digital transformation speaks to the changes produced by the application of digital technology to society at large—just walk down a street or go into a coffee shop and look at the eyes focused on the ubiquitous smartphone.

But for business, digital transformation goes beyond the tactical application of technology—something that has been happening in enterprises for years—to the strategic incorporation of digital technology as the very basis for competition. It is transforming business models by speeding innovation and making ongoing practical gains in operational efficiencies, product design, development and delivery, and customer relationships. It’s changing the way companies think about coming to market.

In this age of digital transformation, the old methods of service simply don’t apply anymore. World-class organisations must now anticipate service needs before they manifest as problems by taking a proactive approach to service delivery. To be sure, the technologies driving the digital transformation are both ratcheting up the pressure on service while providing new opportunities. Those companies looking to what’s next as service continues to evolve will benefit greatly as the digital transformation continues.

Overview

The white paper focusses on three core elements of digital transformation in a field service context:

Impact of Digital Transformation on Field Service 

For service providers, the digital transformation will mean increasing competitive pressure in terms of time to response. At IFS, we believe there will be a rapid escalation in response time competition across the service provider industry. Response times are shortening because of customer expectations, technology capabilities, and competitive pressure .

Because of the disruptive nature of technologies such as IoT, the change will not be incremental. I

f your current response time is a week, it’s not enough to reduce it to six days. It will have to be a more dramatic reduction, and those that move first will have an advantage. Expectations are changing from days to hours or minutes, and those that are left behind will lose business.

Supporting the Digital Transformation in Service

A company pursuing digital transformation must have tools that allow executives and managers to review and orchestrate processes that align with their business strategy to ensure process execution delivers that strategy.

This means bringing data to the desktop, visually, to provide decision makers a complete understanding of which functions deliver real customer value, which are less effective, and which waste both time and resources in terms of meeting organisational goals. Ultimately, this enables businesses to accelerate the realisation of their business strategy—in this case, by moving to become a digitally transformed business—by making better decisions, faster.

 

This can happen by assessing real-time business performance in the context of how it affects key business processes and goals, giving managers real-time operational intelligence and actionable controls to solve issues before they become problems. The solution is about strategy acceleration and execution.

What's next?

A recent report on the state of digital transformation had some interesting results: 88 percent of companies surveyed said they were undergoing digital transformation efforts, but only a quarter had an understanding of what it is.

The challenge creating this gap, according to Forbes, was not investment in technology but rather the realignment of business models to reflect the transformation being sought. This underscores the point made by IDC: digital transformation is not just a technology trend, but rather a core business approach at the center of enterprise strategies across all industry segments and markets.

---

Want to know more? This white paper is available to Field Service News subscribers but if you are a Field Service Professional you may qualify for a complimentary industry practitioner subscription! Click here to apply for a subscription now and we’ll send you this white paper to your inbox now instantly as a welcome gift!

---

Be social and share this feature

Resource Type: White Paper
Published by:  Field Service News and eBECS
Title: FSM System Analysis report - Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Field Service

---

Want to know more? This white paper is available to Field Service News subscribers but if you are a Field Service Professional you may qualify for a complimentary industry practitioner subscription! Click here to apply for a subscription now and we’ll send you this white paper to your inbox now instantly as a welcome gift!

---

Synopsis:

Almost all industry experts including practitioners, analysts and vendors are in agreement that the selection of a Field Service Management (FSM) system is far more than just an IT decision.

Field Service has always been a mission critical operation, but as we move into a world of servitization and outcome based solutions, efficient field service delivery is more crucial than ever before.

With this in mind, the correct selection of a FSM system to meet the demands of your individual organisation is crucial and should be based on a thorough understanding not of only the technology but also how a vendor can work with you to ensure best practice implementation - to help you see the efficiency gains, productivity improvements and return on investment promised.

Microsoft is of course a name that has been synonymous with enterprise computing for decades and their FSM offering is, as would be expected, one of the leading solutions within the FSM sector, identified by Gartner as a leader within the space.

However, its deep level of functionality, as part of the wider Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem, can perhaps be daunting for some - resulting in organisations potentially not taking advantage of its full capabilities.

 

This is where specialist providers such as eBECS can add additional layers of value in helping companies through the implementation process in order to make sure they are able to get the most from the tools embedded within Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Field Service (Microsoft Field Service) and do so as swiftly and efficiently as possible.

In this white paper we will be first taking a closer look at the key elements of Microsoft Field Service and then exploring the benefits of working with a systems integrator such as eBECS when implementing the system.

Overview

The white paper is split into two main sections. Each of which include:

Section One: The capabilities of Microsoft Field Service

The first section of the whiter paper explores the core functionality, pros and cons of Microsoft Field Service with a look at the following aspects of the solution:

• Major benefits of the system
• An overview of functionality
• Who is currently using Microsoft Field Service
• Scheduling Functionality
• Reporting Functionality
• The mobile aspect of Microsoft Field Service
• Integration capabilities of Microsoft Field Service [/unordered_list]

Section Two: Microsoft Field Service vanilla flavour vs. the added value of eBECS

In the second part of this comprehensive white paper we explore how an EBECS implementation differs to a standard implementation of Microsoft Field Service - here we look at two key areas the added IP that eBECS bring to the table and also their own approach to implementation.

Additional eBECS’ IP

Currently there are two additional software tools that are available exclusively to eBECS’ field service clients. Firstly, there is there is an additional tool to the Mobile Offering which is their Site Assessment Survey. Secondly, eBECS offer an ‘Accelerator Pack’ which is designed to help organisations take advantage of the powerful but often complex to set up tools such as PowerBI which is powerful part of the Microsoft technology stack discussed within the white paper.

Perhaps crucially, the eBECS approach is designed to not only aid organisations in getting the most out of their investment, but also empowering them to be able to continuously refine parameters themselves - something that in the fluid world of field service can be rewarded in significant savings in both time and money further down the line.

The eBECS’ Approach to Implementation

Whilst the added IP included within the eBECS solution is of undeniable value, it is arguably within their implementation process that the greatest benefits are to be found.

Michael Smythe, eBECS comments “When we talk about customisations and implementations etc, this is where we excel as we have built a team of industry experts - field service experts who haven’t just worked on IT implementation but have actually been in the industry and understand how these things work. People that can help you and work with you, side by side to build a platform that is suitable to meet your business goals.”

It is this intimate understanding of the industry that is perhaps key to their success to date. As it is this understanding that allows them to act within a truly  consultative capacity, rather than being simply a technology implementation team and again we explore this approach within the latter segment of the white paper.

---

Want to know more? This white paper is available to Field Service News subscribers but if you are a Field Service Professional you may qualify for a complimentary industry practitioner subscription! Click here to apply for a subscription now and we’ll send you this white paper to your inbox now instantly as a welcome gift!

---

Be social and share this feature

Resource Type: White Paper
Published by:  Coresystems
Title: 3 Traps to Avoid if You Want to Meet Your Customer Satisfaction KPI

 

---

Field Service Professional? Click here to apply for a complimentary industry subscription to Field Service News and get the white paper "Preparing for the Connected Customer" sent directly to your inbox now

 

 

---

 

Synopsis:

For field service management (FSM), one of the most crucial KPIs is customer satisfaction.

Customers who are pleased with products and services are not tempted to seek out better solutions. In effect, guaranteeing customer satisfaction is a way of building up a loyal clientele and ensuring retention...

This white paper published by Coresystems explores three traps that every field service organisation must avoid if they want to ensure that they are meeting perhaps the most important KPI in todays competitive service landscape - customer satisfaction...

There are three things to pay close attention to when measuring this KPI: speed, quality and customer engagement.

The three traps many field service companies fall into according to this white paper are:

• Trap #1 - Long wait times
• Trap #2 - Diminished quality
• Trap #3 - Feeling left out

Overview:

There are three things to pay close attention to when measuring this KPI: speed, quality and customer engagement. This white paper offers an important list of ways to steer clear of bad service traps.

1st Trap: Long Wait Times:

Time is of the essence. Time wasted – on hold, repeating information to call center representatives who have no background knowledge of the issue, waiting for available service appointments or busy technicians – feels like time stolen to customers. A survey conducted by Aberdeen group showed that 51% of those surveyed were most dissatisfied with the waiting times for appointments.

Field service management software can play an integral role in increasing service response time by:

• By integrating quick response codes (QR code)  into devices, companies give customers the technology to quickly transmit all the necessary product details to service providers with one quick scan.
• By taking advantage of the latest developments in IoT, like sensors, companies can rely on predictive technology  to respond to breakdowns or glitches before they occur.
• By relying on a crowd service , companies can be sure they have a sufficient workforce with the expertise needed to handle customers’ technical service issues.

2nd Trap: Diminished Quality:

According the Aberdeen group survey, when asked to list their top four (out of twelve options) reasons for being dissatisfied with customer service, 58% of those surveyed stated that it was technicians who could not solve their issues due to a lack of expertise or equipment.

Should your customer survey indicate that clients are dissatisfied with the level of quality your service technicians are providing, the most immediate response you can take is to ensure that your technicians are properly trained to perform the tasks at hand. However, it can sometimes be difficult to find experienced and highly-qualified specialists. This is where the targeted use of FSM software can have measurable positive implications.

3rd Trap: Feeling left out:

Some companies make the mistake of assuming that a customer is content to report a problem and sit back and wait for the solution to appear.

This is a dangerous assumption to make. 38% of customers surveyed reported that they were unhappy about technicians not arriving on time. They were not content with knowing that technicians were on their way, they wanted to be able to track the progress of their repairs from start to finish. They wanted access to 24-hour status updates.

They wanted to be able to report problems when they occur, and not have to wait for the limited window of opportunity during which customer representatives were available.

 

---

Want to know more? Field Service Professional? Click here to apply for a complimentary industry subscription to Field Service News and get the white paper "Preparing for the Connected Customer" sent directly to your inbox now

 

 

---

 

Be social and share this feature

In this sample from the Field Service News webinar "5 fundamental FSM technologies" Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News puts questions to Tesseract's Kevin McNally on the topic of what we should expect as standard from a field service management system and how to ensure we get the best out the solutions we have...

---

Click here to apply for a free industry practitioner subscription to Field Service News and get links to either download or watch the full webinar online sent to you now

---

Please note that by completing an application form for a free practitioner subscription you agree to our terms and conditions listed here

 

---

 

Be social and share this feature

Resource Type: White Paper
Published by:  Astea
Title: Preparing for the Connected Customer

 

---

 

Field Service Professional? Click here to apply for a complimentary industry subscription to Field Service News and get the white paper "Preparing for the Connected Customer" sent directly to your inbox now

 

---

 

Synopsis:

This is the era of the connected customer—consumers who are used to having the entire Internet at their fingertips, who can instantly interact with friends and associates via text or social media, and who can quickly summon a ride, make restaurant reservations, or order a gift with a few clicks and swipes on their phones.

Connected customers present both challenges and opportunities for field service organisations. Their expectations have increased based on their experiences interacting with other types of service providers such as Amazon.com, Uber, FedEx, and Zipcar.

These customers want more information, along with faster, better service, and more control over their experience.

This white paper asks if your organisation is ready to meet their increasing demands...

Overview:

Supported by research by Frost & Sullivan,  this white paper covers three key areas:

Rising Expectations of the Connected Customer

Connected customers are intimately familiar with the capabilities of mobile computing technology in a way that they were not 10 years ago. They expect field service technicians to be able to access those same or even more advanced mobile capabilities.

Leveraging Customer Connectivity

Enterprises are rapidly embracing mobility. According to data from Frost & Sullivan, 47% of North American businesses have at least 11 different mobile worker apps deployed, and 88% plan on introducing at least one new employee-facing app within the year.

Meeting the Challenge of the Connected Customer

Engaging effectively with connected customers requires an investment in field service management (FSM) and mobile technology that can keep pace with the technology in which your customers already have access. There are a number of challenges involved in that process, including:

• Navigating a fragmented and confusing market
• Predicting customer needs
• Determining the best technologies to deploy

 

---

 

Want to know more? If you're a Field Service Professional then click here to apply for a complimentary industry subscription to Field Service News and get the white paper "Preparing for the Connected Customer" sent directly to your inbox now

---

 

Be social and share this feature

Resource Type: White Paper
Published by:  IFS
Title: Utilising dynamic scheduling in a predictive maintenance world

 

---

 

Click here to subscribe to Field Service News and get the white paper "Utilising dynamic scheduling in a predictive maintenance world" sent directly to your inbox now

 

---

 

Synopsis:

People assume that machines will talk to each other as part of IoT, but it seems that the integration of data from IoT projects is something that is lacking.

In fact, it’s common to see organisations working with multiple IoT projects because of the disconnected flow of data. Effective use of real-time data from IoT projects enables operative predictive maintenance, which can link to advanced scheduling, more effective delivery of service, and higher customer satisfaction ratings. But how do these three business strategies link together?

In the context of this white paper, IoT means using data coming from sensors, in combination with data interpretation to predict maintenance needs. From those predictions of maintenance needs, the most efficient field schedule can be created through advanced scheduling based on data provided from the machine in the field, technician skills, and parts and tools needed for maintenance.

These predictions in combination with advanced scheduling take the schedule beyond drive time and identify the most effective use of your most important asset—the field service engineer

Overview:

This white paper covers four key areas:

IoT Strategy:

No matter the industry, any company can leverage an IoT strategy. Mobile phones, tables, machines and other devices continuously collect information that can be analysed and acted upon.

Cisco IBSG predicts there will be 50 billion internet-connected devices by 2020. This is an astonishing 100 percent increase from 2015.

This increase in internet-connected devices provides the opportunity to embrace IoT in a big way by leveraging large quantities of data from connected devices.

Predictive maintenance:

As unplanned downtime can disrupt an entire organisation, diminishing down-time is invaluable to organisations.

Equipment downtime often results in significant losses. A survey conducted by Nielsen Research demonstrated that downtime costs an average of $22,000 per minute.

 

Because downtime can be so costly, most organisations invest in predictive maintenance in an effort to replace worn-down parts before they cause downtime. A well-designed IoT solution is a step in the right direction.

Leveraging real-time with advance scheduling:

When real-time data from an IoT solution connects with an advanced scheduling solution, a field technician can be notified of high-priority maintenance, prioritised by the advanced scheduling solution’s ability to adjust a schedule by responding to customer SLAs as appropriate.

The solution generates the most efficient, cost-effective schedule, identifying travel routes for the technician in closest proximity to the site of maintenance, with the right tools and skill-set to meet the maintenance needs.

Benefits of an IoT solution: 

To move from reactive maintenance to predictive and preventive maintenance, an IoT solution providing real-time data should be implemented. By attaching sensors to equipment and facilities, an organisation can gain information about the condition of the equipment and facilities and how they are being used.

Is the robotic arm vibrating too much? Is the refrigerated room too cold for what it stores? The sensors collect data, and by using a communication platform, they transmit data to a cloud-based IoT listener. The IoT listener analyses the data to determine if it is actionable, and if so, the data is sent to the organisation’s field service system.

 

The field service system analyses the data and issues prescribed actions that automatically lead to tasks being performed based on rules defined by the user. For instance, a task could be assigned to a field technician who travels to a customer site to address an issue before a customer is even aware that they have an issue.

Talk about a high customer satisfaction rating!

 

---

 

Click here to subscribe to Field Service News and get the white paper "Utilising dynamic scheduling in a predictive maintenance world" sent directly to your inbox now

 

---

 

Be social and share this feature