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Resource Type: White Paper
Published by:  Astea International Ltd
Title: Standing alone or part of a bigger picture?

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By downloading you agree to the T&Cs listed available here

Synopsis:

First-call resolution or first-time fix rates have become a critical key performance indicator (KPI) for field service organisations interested in gaining a competitive advantage.

While historically automation efforts in field service have focused on improving efficiency and productivity in an effort to reduce costs or complete more work orders each day, they have not necessarily had a direct impact on customer satisfaction.

This white paper looks at the importance of first-time fix rates when it comes to customer satisfaction and explores means in which you can improve your own first time fix rates.

Overview:

Customers don’t necessarily measure field service effectiveness in terms of efficiency. Yes, they want a technician to arrive as quickly as possible, but they also want their problem solved quickly and, preferably, in a single visit.

If a repair can’t be made because of a missing part or lack of expertise on the part of the technician, customers experience costly downtime as well as frustration.

That’s why first-time fix rates should be a top priority for companies interested in improved customer retention.

There is significant room for improvement in many organizations. According to data from The Service Council, the average first-time fix rate for service companies is just 74%, while failure to resolve an issue on the first visit was a top customer complaint according to 34% of respondents.

In an Aberdeen Group survey, first-time fix rate was cited as a critical service metric by 38% of respondents, just below service profitability (41%) and customer satisfaction (68%). (Source: “Evolution of the Field Service Business: Optimizing the Field Service Chain,” Aberdeen Group).

First-call resolution plays a critical role in improving customer service and profitability. However, improving first-call resolution rates is not a simple proposition. There are a number of different factors that play a role, including parts availability and logistics issues, technician training, vehicle management, optimised scheduling, diagnostic tools, and dynamic dispatching capabilities. Without the right systems in place and without proper process design, it can be difficult or even impossible to improve performance.

Tackling any one of these elements individually won’t solve the problem. Service organisations have to take a systemic and holistic approach that will enable them to get the right technician to the customer site, equipped with all of the necessary parts and technical know-how in a timely fashion. This is crucial to ensure successful customer interactions.

This white paper looks at:

• The high cost of return visits
• A fix for first time fix rates
• Integrated Service Management
• Preventative measures
• Continuous improvement

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In his leader for this issue, Kris Oldland looks at whether we are entering a storm of new technologies that could have a truly disruptive influence on Field Service as well as welcoming a number of new columnists to our fold...

 

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Click here to download a digital version of Field Service News issue 13 now

 

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It’s a phrase I’ve used a few times in this editorial leader, but I think in this issue of Field Service News we are seeing ever greater evidence of a perfect storm of technologies coming together to push forward field service evolution faster and further than ever before...

The obvious starting point of this storm is the Cloud and it is the Cloud where we turn our attention for this quarter’s research. This is the third year running that we have explored the question of whether field service companies are adopting the Cloud as a platform for FSM solutions so we have the opportunity to really define some emerging trends.

Indeed there were some interesting statistics turned up in the research this time around with the key headline findings being that adoption of the Cloud is definitely picking up speed, whilst one of the big barriers to Cloud adoption, namely concerns around security, seems to be gradually abating.

You can read the full report based on the findings starting from page 29.

Another technology that I believe will certainly push the frontiers of how we approach field service operations is Augmented Reality, an assertion that leading industry analyst and regular Field Service News contributor Bill Pollock agrees with in his latest expert view column on page 22.

Of course it is almost impossible to talk about Augmented Reality without at least touching briefly on the topic of Pokemon Go! The mobile phone craze that has turned people of all ages, in all corners of the world, into hunters of small digital creatures that seem to live in Augmented Reality.

However, I am pleased to report that this was just a minor side note in our exclusive interview with Scott Montgomerie, CEO of Scope AR, a specialist Augmented Reality provider that have their eyes firmly set on field service as an industry ready to embrace AR. You can find this interview on page 36.

Then we have the Internet of Things - perhaps the poster boy of technology that is driving change in modern field service.

One company working heavily in this area, with a plethora of high street brands, is Verisae and in our exclusive interview with Jerry Dolinsky their CEO, he explains not only how IoT can improve field service operations, or why it is apparently on the wish list of OEMs and third party service providers alike, but also why it is important to have certain baseline technologies in place before you can approach an IoT implementation. This interview is on page 18.

Of course all of this technology gives us the opportunity to push the way we approach service thinking, and such shifts in thinking and innovation are at the heart of Jan Van Veen’s feature on page 22. Jan is one of a number of new columnists to have joined our ranks this issue, with Michael Blumberg, Jim Baston, and Coen Jeukins all contributing to the issue as well. Each of them brings with them a wealth of experience from the service management market.

 

It is testament to the ever-growing stature of Field Service News within the global field service community, that we are able to welcome four new contributors, form four different countries, bringing four different perspectives to join our collection of highly talented and highly informative guest columnists.

And the growth of our stature is truly as much to do with the fantastic support we have received from our readers and sponsors from day one as it is to do with the great team I’m fortunate enough to head up here, so thanks to you all!

It is our role to be a central touch point for the field service community and right now that is an incredibly exciting place to be!

 

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Click here to download a digital version of Field Service News issue 13 now

 

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Improving first-call/visit resolution rates can be challenging and frustrating for field service organisations, because there are so many factors and variables that prevent technicians from completing a repair on the first visit.

This great infographic from Astea highlights the importance of getting them right... 

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Want to know more? Download the white paper that accompanies this infographic here

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Want to know more? Download the white paper that accompanies this infographic here

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In this the latest edition of the Field Service podcast Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief of Field Service News talks to Nick Frank and Dag Gronevik of specialist service management consultancy Si2 Partners about the importance of understanding the KPIs you set and how they can be used as a tool to not only monitor performance within your field service team but also to improve it.

You can listen to a brief sample of the podcast above and if you would like to listen to the full podcast then you can download the full 45 minute conversation by clicking the link below:

Download the full podcast here

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Related articles discussed in the podcast: 

Driving success in service operations through leading indicators

Monetizing digitisation: start with the customer experience and work back

What impact will the IoT have on field service operations?

 

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Resource Type: White Paper
Published by:  Field Service News (sponsored by IFS)
Title Standing alone or part of a bigger picture?

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Click here to download the white paper

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By downloading you agree to the T&Cs listed available here

Synopsis:

The benefits of adopting a scheduling solution for field service companies are well documented. Increases in efficiency and productivity are matched by clear and tangible return on investment, whilst enhanced service delivery standards lead to greater customer satisfaction.

However, scheduling solutions come in a number of different flavours including manual, semi-automated and fully dynamic plus there is the consideration of whether to opt for an integrated scheduling engine or a stand alone 'best-of-breed' solution. So which is best for your organisation?

Overview:

For those that have already implemented a scheduling tool as part of their field service delivery, whether it be a fully dynamic system or something simpler that is designed to assist a human dispatcher rather than fully automate the dispatch process, it is almost certain that there will have been some important savings made in key performance areas.

However, there is another perhaps equally important argument for implementing some form of scheduling tool – the impact it will have on a company’s ability to deliver the highest levels of service excellence.

We live in an age where service is absolutely a key differentiator between similar competing brands.

It is certainly fair to say that the consumer of these early few decades of the twenty first century is more empowered, more knowledgeable and far more demanding than ever before.

 

But does this translate across from our consumer lives into our working environments?

We have already seen the consumerisation of technology within the working space and very simply the mind-set of many is “If Amazon can guarantee to deliver products to me within 60 minutes for no extra charge why can’t my service provider improve his Service Level Agreements (SLA) so I can expect an engineer on site within hours rather than days?”

So in a world of high customer expectations can field service companies afford not to assess their own scheduling set up and see what solutions are available?

Almost certainly not because they can be assured that their competitors most likely will be doing so at some point in the near future, such are the clear benefits identified in any given case study on the implementation of a scheduling solution.

However, scheduling solutions come in many different flavours and across the following pages we shall look at some of the considerations field service companies must take into account when selecting a solution that is right for their organisation.

This white paper looks at:

• The different types of scheduling engine available
• Selecting which is right for your organisation
• Stand alone solutions versus integrated
• What differentiates scheduling engines?
• What advancements should we be looking for in a scheduling engine?

 

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Resource Type: eBook
Published by:  Telogis
Title: Shorten Service Windows and Provide Better Customer Service
Download: Click here to Download the full ebook

By downloading you agree to the T&Cs listed available here

Synopsis

Almost all field service engineers have mobile phones, and 80 to 90 percent of them use smartphones. This puts convenient Internet access and a powerful computing device in the field. Smartphones equipped with advanced mobile/location intelligence apps help workers in the field be more efficient and shorten that window from event/customer request to resolution. This eBook covers some of the ways mobile technology is helping improve customer service satisfaction and  reduce costs.

Overview

All mobile service professionals work toward two main goals: making service more predictive and more proactive. The current business model relies heavily on break-fix occurrences, where a failure has occurred and the customer engagement is entirely reactive. By that time, the customer experience has started out negatively.

The not-too-distant future will bring us HVAC and other building components/appliances that talk directly to service providers who can address mechanical issues before they grow into bigger failures (much like heavy equipment and vehicle fleet managers do today). That level of proactivity is near as everything becomes more connected.

Sharing Information/Filing Resources:

Smartphones are for more than Facebook and Instagram – they enable real-time research and information sharing with colleagues and back-office personnel.

This could be as simple as a web search or communicating through the text messaging capabilities of the phone, or as advanced as the incorporation of a work order management app that provides access to important documents. This can include paperless forms, service agreements, customer profiles, instructional material, how-to videos or graphics, parts catalogues – anything that will make life a little easier for the field engineer.

Connecting to Other Mobile Workers

Knowing the location and status of other mobile workers (and their vehicles) in the field can significantly improve customer service. Mobile fleet management apps can relay information on what parts and tools are on a vehicle, and the skill-set of the driver. In the past, if a field engineer was missing a part or a tool, they would travel back to their shop or to the nearest supply store.

Now – with a connected workforce – that field engineer can pull up the real-time location and activity of colleagues in the area, locate the needed part or tool on one of their vehicles, and get back to work sooner.

[quote float="left"]In the past, if a field engineer was missing a part or a tool, they would travel back to their shop or to the nearest supply store. Now – with a connected workforce – that field engineer can pull up the real-time location and activity of colleagues in the area, locate the needed part or tool on one of their vehicles, and get back to work sooner.

 

Navigate and Route Better

Today’s professional navigation and routing applications take into account real-time feeds of traffic and weather information.

This can provide benefits as simple as avoiding major congestion or accidents and routing to the next job in the fastest way possible, or it can help the engineer reorder their day based on the weather.

Dynamic Job Planning/Delivery

We live in an ever-changing, decentralised work environment.

Work order management applications can deliver new plans and jobs directly to the field service engineer without requiring them to return to the office.

Progress

Much of customer service satisfaction is based on expediency. No one likes hearing that help will arrive in a window between noon and 5:00 PM.

Location-based fleet management technology can notify the back office when an engineer has left one job and is on their way to the next, which then allows them to notify the customer that an engineer is on their way and their ETA.

The Future

These are just a few ways that current mobile and location-based technologies help shorten the service window and help businesses provide better service to their customers.

 

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The above infographic is based on the findings of the Strategies for GrowthSM 2015 benchmarking report. Click the image to see full screen version

 

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Want to know more? Download our webinar featuring an exclusive presentation of the findings of this benchmarking project from Bill Pollock plus how scheduling technology can help you achieve best-in-class service standards by Nick Shipton

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Resource Type: White Paper
Published by:  Field Service News (sponsored by Exel Computer Systems)
Title: The helping hands of field service management
Download: Click here to download white paper

By downloading you agree to the T&Cs listed available here

Synopsis

How to stay ahead of the ever-changing suite of Field Service Management (FSM) tools, including a focus on exactly what is the latest development of Assisted Scheduling?

Overview

The need for companies to employ some form of scheduling engine is clear, the benefits of adopting such an approach are thoroughly documented and clearly tangible. Introducing some level of automation will certainly deliver improvement in field service efficiency and productivity.

Indeed, the introduction of any level of optimisation within the dispatch role will inevitably lead to the reduction of fuel consumption costs that can make a compelling argument for implementation, for even the most cautious of financial directors.

The pile of case studies available to read extolling the benefits of scheduling are stacked high and readily available – each of them stuffed with positive examples and statistics to back up the claims FSM providers make, including how quickly companies have seen a return on their investment.

And of course the benefits of improved scheduling go far beyond the elements that are so clearly identified on a P&L. Customer satisfaction levels are often dramatically increased with the introduction of such tools.

The field service manager’s mantra is to get the right engineer to the right place at the right time, when this is achieved the customer of course feels the benefit of minimal interruption to their own workflow.

 

With customer satisfaction becoming one of the key differentiators between you and your competition in this current age of information, the investment in a good scheduling engine that can empower your team to deliver top tier service could appear to be ever more vital.

Imagine if every person within your team could effectively schedule a service call...

This white paper takes a look at the on-going evolution of field service scheduling systems from manual solutions through to fully dynamic and automated optimised solutions, exploring some of the benefits and challenges of each.

It also then takes a closer look at the latest type of solution appearing 'assisted scheduling' and assesses whether this approach found in a number of next-gen solutions bridges the gap between those scheduling engines which are sometimes seen as prohibitively complex and expensive and those that offer little in the way of true optimisation.

Do assisted scheduling solutions offer a perfect balance for smaller and mid-sized organisation between the efficiency improvements of a high end solution and the human intuition of an expert dispatch agent? Finally the white paper touches on some of the other factors within a wider field service management system that can enable companies to truly take advantage of their scheduling system- be it manual, assisted or fully dynamic.

 

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Click here to download the white paper now!

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Welcome to the latest edition of the Field Service Podcast.

This month we change the format slightly as we bring you a selection of the conversation highlights from a discussion group held with CLickSoftware that featured a number of senior field service executive leaders discussing the importance of Cloud computing as a platform for field service management solutions.

 

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Click here to download the full version of this podcast

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Click here to download a PDF briefing report from the roundtable discussion

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