In the third and final article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Praxedo, we look at the role of technology in empowering technicians to enhance customer relationships.

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This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

 

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Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content Praxedo who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

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Equipping field technicians with a mobile app gives you additional opportunities to increase efficiency. But it does much more than that. A mobile app is key to delivering the extremely high service levels needed to enhance customer relationships and differentiate from the competition.

The app runs on any mobile device, and is connected to the software used in the office. It gives technicians anytime, anywhere access to all of the information they need throughout their day, even when they’re working in locations without cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Technicians have the resources and flexibility they need to work smarter, take on more responsibilities, and increase customer satisfaction at every step throughout their day.

All Schedule and Travel Information is at Technicians' Fingertips

There’s no need for technicians to start their day from the office, or return to the office to check the latest schedules. Technicians can see their appointments, map-based views of the optimal travel routes to job sites, and detailed work order descriptions at a glance on their mobile device. And they can automatically communicate job progress to office staff by changing their status in the app.

Technicians also have more flexibility to manage their own schedules. If they finish a job early, they can schedule themselves for nearby jobs. They can also create work orders on the spot if new opportunities or require- ments emerge during the day. They can reschedule jobs if needed, and are instantly notified if office staff reschedule a job while they’re on-the-move.

Technicians Arrive On Site Fully Informed and Prepared to Act as a Trusted Advisor

All customer information, including the site address, contact details, and customer history are also available through the app. Before they arrive, technicians can re- view reminders and tips for working at the site, as well as any previous recommendations made to the customer by company sales staff and other technicians. They can also check spare parts availability and locations.

Technicians’ ability to review all of this information while they’re in the field means they always arrive on site fully prepared and equipped to efficiently execute on the job, and to have informed conversations with customers — whether they’re answering questions, reviewing mainte- nance packages, or explaining service options. And there are no delays or mix-ups if customers have multiple sites and different types of equipment.

Service is Faster, First-Time Fix Rates are Higher

During the service call, technicians can use the mo- bile app to access real-time solutions to real-time pro- blems. They can check data sheets, technical guides, and checklists of procedures to follow when troubleshooting or repairing specific types of equipment. They can also exchange instant messages and photos with other tech- nicians and company experts to get immediate assistance to challenging problems.

Service Reports are Always Accurate, Complete and Instantly Available

When service is complete, technicians can impress customers by immediately providing the completed electronic service report for validation. The report form includes mandatory fields, and is designed with checkboxes and drop-down lists so it’s fast and easy to complete, and en- sures technicians provide all required information.

Technicians can even collect customers’ electronic signa- tures and attach photos that illustrate the extent of the problem and verify the repair was properly completed.

The Benefits of a Mobile App Really Add Up

At the end of the day, giving technicians a mobile app helps you build every aspect of your business. You can:

• Increase profitability by providing faster, more res- ponsive customer service, improving first-time fix rates, and accelerating billing.
• Differentiate from the competition by empowering technicians to become trusted advisors that add value for customers at each stage of service delivery.
• Grow your business by expanding your relationship with existing customers and attracting new ones through referrals from happy customers.
• Improve technician satisfaction and retention by gi- ving them the flexibility and freedom to take more initia- tive and achieve greater success.

"There's a significant opportunity for field service providers who recognize the difference between serving customers and selling to them. When technicians make informed and helpful recommendations in the field, it must be in the context of providing better service. The worst thing a service organization can do is try to turn their technicians into sellers."

Jim Baston, Field Service Industry Expert

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This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

 

 

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Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content Praxedo who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

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Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Software and Apps @ www.fieldservicenews.com/software-and-apps
• Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com//leadership-and-strategy
• Learn more about Praxedo @ en.praxedo.com/
• Follow Praxedo on Twitter @ twitter.com/Praxedo

 

Tim Mackey, principal security strategist at the Synopsys Cybersecurity Research Centre, and Sam Curry, chief security officer at Cybereason, comment on the news that Apple has updated its software for iPhones to address a critical vulnerability.

It has been reported that Apple has updated its software for iPhones to address a critical vulnerability that independent researchers say has been exploited by notorious surveillance software to spy on a Saudi activist. Researchers from the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab said the software exploit has been in use since February and has been used to deploy Pegasus, the spyware made by Israeli firm NSO Group that has allegedly been used to surveil journalists and human rights advocates in multiple countries.

STAYING ON TOP OF ALL OPERATING SYSTEM UPDATES IS THE ONLY REAL PATH FOR END USERS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST ZERO-CLICK SOFTWARE AND APPS

The urgent update that Apple released yesterday plugs a hole in the iMessage software that allowed hackers to infiltrate a user's phone without the user clicking on any links, according to Citizen Lab. The Saudi activist chose to remain anonymous, Citizen Lab said.

Commenting on this, Tim Mackey, principal security strategist at the Synopsys Cybersecurity Research Centre, said "Zero-click software or apps should be a high concern for any mobile device user. This class of software doesn’t require any interaction by the user, so no explicit download and no explicit consent is granted. While there are legitimate uses for this class of software, the secretive nature of the installation makes it particularly appealing to malicious or criminal groups. The only real path for end users to defend against such software is to keep on top of all operating system updates, vendor updates, and maintain an up to date anti-malware solution."

Sam Curry, chief security officer at Cybereason, added "Monday’s emergency software updates for a critical vulnerability discovered in iPhones, Apple Watches and Macs, shouldn't be cause for panic. Yes, this newest Pegasus spyware delivery mechanism is novel, invasive and can easily infect billions of Apple devices, but stay calm and simply get control of your device and download the software updates available from Apple. Do that and move on. Follow Apple's instructions if you think you are infected and consult your IT department at work, school, etc. Failing that, Apple’s Genius Bar will be able to help. With nearly 2 billion iPhone active around the world, 100 million Apple Watches being used and more than 100 million Macs, security can’t be a luxury for Apple and it’s not, it’s a responsibility they take seriously.

This type of software is generally a scourge. This specific package has been known a while. What's novel is the subtle installation. These have happened in the past and should be a top priority to identify and fix for any vendor. Relating to Apple security, failing is OK. Failing consistently is not. Let's see how Apple addresses this. They are a generally more secure platform, but they must continue to invest and demonstrate commitment going forward. The most secure platform in the world can be cracked given time unless the security is maintained. An incident or two are not a cause for pitchforks and torches to come out. That comes later if things recur or are dealt with in a cavalier manner."

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Cyber Security on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/cyber-security
• Read more about Software & Apps on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/software-and-apps
• Find out more more about Synopsys @ www.synopsys.com
• Learn more about Cybereason @ www.cybereason.com

In this second feature from a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Praxedo, we look at how the right field service management software for your organisation can massively increase efficiency.

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This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

 

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With cutting-edge field service management software that’s delivered from the cloud, you can access the technologies you need most in a fast, easy, and cost-effective way. You can smoothly evolve from yesterday’s way of working to today’s and tomorrow’s way with minimal dis- ruption and predictable costs.

Work Order Management and Scheduling are Intelligent, Automated, and Consistent

Centralized management of digital work orders streamlines and accelerates work order creation and processing. Work orders are customized for your business and your operations to ensure they match the way you work. And there’s a logical and consistent approach to work order management across your entire organization.

Work order scheduling is also faster, easier, and more intelligent. The software automatically creates the optimal schedule for every technician and every job based on constraints and requirements such as:

• Technician availability

• Technician location

• Skillsets required for the job

• Customer location

• Customer time constraints

• Level of urgency

Schedules are at your fingertips in seconds. You can auto- mate scheduling of recurring work orders based on customer, site location, or equipment type. And you can immediately find the right technician, with the right skillsets, to handle emergency situations, even if that means rescheduling other appointments.

Travel Routes are Optimised

The software recommends the best travel route to job sites and between job sites, considering factors such as time of day, traffic congestion, and construction. As conditions change throughout the day, you can easily reoptimize and update routes to maintain maximum travel efficiency.

Technicians spend less time on the road, and have fewer travel-related frustrations to deal with. And you can reduce fuel consumption and wear and tear on vehicles.

You're More Connected with Customers

The software also allows you to set up automated emails and notifications so customers are informed in real time as their work order progresses. They know when their job has been scheduled, when technicians are on their way, and when the job is complete, whether they’re present at the job site or not.

"It's much better for customers to know exactly when technicians will arrive rather than having to wait around for hours for someone who finally shows up at the end of the day."

Jim Baston, Field Service Industry Expert

Invoicing is Faster

There’s no need to worry about losing business-critical data. Electronic service reports that are fully customized for your industry, customers, job types, spare parts, and other factors make it fast and easy for technicians to cap- ture all required data while they’re still in the field. Tech- nicians can complete the service report on their mobile device and immediately send it back to the office for processing and invoicing.

Because the field service management software seamlessly integrates with your enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), or accounting software, all report data are automatically populated in the system so there’s no need for manual data entry.

Performance is Highly Visible

Real-time reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs) gives you immediate visibility into how work orders are progressing in the field. You can see KPIs, such as the:

• Number of completed work orders

• Number of work orders tracking on schedule

• Actual time to complete work orders

• Number of work orders that started at the scheduled time

• Number of work orders meeting service level agreement (SLA) commitments

With historical analysis of these same KPIs, you can identify trends — good and bad — and take the appropriate actions.

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This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

 

 

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Further Reading:

•  Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Software and Apps @ www.fieldservicenews.com/software-and-apps
• Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com//leadership-and-strategy
• Learn more about Praxedo @ en.praxedo.com/
• Follow Praxedo on Twitter @ twitter.com/Praxedo

 

In the first article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Praxedo, we discuss how outdated operations can lead to losses to field services organisations and why it's important to switch to digital.

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This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

 

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We live in a modern, digital world where we’re surrounded by technology all of the time. And we rely on that techno- logy more than ever — to work, to manage our lives, and to have fun. The global pandemic has shown us how we can use technology in new ways, and in more aspects of our lives. There will be no going back.

As a field service provider working in the “new normal”, you’ll need to meet increasingly high expectations for digital operations from your customers and your em- ployees. If you continue working on paper, emails or dis- connected web-based tools like Google or DropBox, you won’t be able to meet those expectations. And you’ll face significant business risks:

• Lower profits. Dealing with paper and emails at each stage of service delivery is time-consuming and cumbersome. The need to manually exchange pieces of paper slows service delivery, forces technicians to frequently return to the office, and extends billing times. These inef- ficiencies quickly eat into profit margins.
• Lost data. Those many pieces of paper contain bu- siness-critical data you need for comprehensive and ac- curate billing. But paper is easily lost, misplaced, or da- maged in the field. Handwritten service reports that are incomplete, illegible, or inadequate for billing purposes further increase risks.
• Poor customer perception. Delayed service and old- fashioned ways of working give customers the impression your business is behind-the-times. And it’s all-too-easy for customers to assume this lack of sophistication also reflects your technicians’ capabilities and expertise levels.

The Losses Associated with Outdated Operations Quickly Add Up

These risks affect every area of your business. It’s a vicious circle, with every loss compounding on another.

At a minimum, you’ll fall behind the competition. In the cost-conscious, and often crowded, world of field service, you need every possible advantage to edge out competi- tors. With fewer ways to differentiate and make a strong, positive impression on customers, it will be far more diffi- cult to stand out in the crowd.

You’ll also lose valuable technicians, especially those who grew up with digital devices in their hands. They’ll quickly become frustrated with old-fashioned, inconvenient, and unwieldy ways of working and jump to your more technologically advanced competitors.

"When field service providers can retain customers and renew contracts, they can spend less time worrying about how to win new business simply to make up for customers they’ve lost. It becomes much easier to grow the business"

Jim Baston, Field Service Industry Expert

Sales opportunities will decline. Customers who have a poor perception of your business are unlikely to expand their relationship with you, or recommend your services to other businesses. And, if they share negative reviews of your services, it will influence the decisions of other potential customers.

Finally, you will lose customers. Customers can choose who they work with. And their expectations are high. If customers don’t feel your business is responsive enough, or your technicians are adequately informed and equipped to look out for their best interests, they won’t hesitate to switch providers.

Field service providers who are working on paper simply cannot afford to continue working as they are.

It's Time to Go Digital

The good news is field service providers no longer need to struggle with slow, outdated, and disjointed ways of working. There are affordable technology solutions that address the challenges and risks they currently face, and bring additional business benefits.

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This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Praxedo.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

 

 

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Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content Praxedo who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

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Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Software and Apps @ www.fieldservicenews.com/software-and-apps
• Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com//leadership-and-strategy
• Learn more about Praxedo @ en.praxedo.com/
• Follow Praxedo on Twitter @ twitter.com/Praxedo

 

In many ways the world in which we operate has changed so radically that the work-flows of just two years ago may today seem antiquated and outdated for many of us in the field service sector. Yet at the same time when it comes to the fundamentals of service excellence, the essence remains firm - consistently anticipating, meeting and exceeding our customer's needs. It is a balance that all field service companies are attempting to strike at the moment as Michael Maoz, Senior Vice President, Innovation Strategy, Salesforce, outlines in this in-depth article...

The last year has forced all of us to rethink how we live our lives and run our businesses. In field service, employees and customers are focused on:

• Health and wellness
• Contactless interaction
• Safety
• Self service and remote support to reduce onsite visits
• Job effectiveness to ensure completion the first time

The organizations that excel at field service delivery share two characteristics:

1. C-Level executive commitment to field service as an area important to the business
2. Collaboration of field operations in an atmosphere of trust and transparency

This demonstrates empathy and an emphasis on alignment with the customer. These organizations recognize the central role that field service has in shaping perceptions about the brand overall. They listen to their customers, field technicians, dispatchers, customer service teams, and ecosystem partners. Amidst ongoing change, they use what they learn to stay aligned with different, and evolving, needs.

The enterprise goal is to profitably deliver a coordinated customer experience that spans the entire customer journey. In this way, the brand promise is consistent and reinforced at each step that builds lasting bonds with the customer

The realities of customer expectations in modern field service:

Customers expect field service to be as rewarding and easy as the best service experiences they have anywhere. The businesses that demonstrated innovation courage during the global pandemic were rewarded with strong growth. This innovation courage came through particularly strongly in field service, where every technician visit held the potential of a risk to health. The best companies reacted immediately and reexamined their technology priorities. They relegated long running strategic projects in favor of short sprints like remote visual support

With remote support, customers can use their video camera to show a field engineer the issue. The customer doesn’t need anyone to come onsite, and gets faster resolution; the company saves the truck roll. Making this more powerful, an AI component can be used to suggest possible root causes. A second AI component inside of the content management solution can extract the repair documents and instructions most relevant to the particular issue

When needing to go onsite, to provide the best experience, companies have shortened booking windows and provide proactive notifications on arrival time to keep customers updated and give them time to get ready. This reduces missed appointments, increases effectiveness, and provides a better experience for both the customer and the employee.

"One of our customers completely re-platformed their aging and disconnected software for phone support, website, mobile app and technician mobile applications onto a single platform from Salesforce. The resulting speed, consistency, and contactless service allowed them to accelerate business during the pandemic."

There are great cost savings through the combination of technologies such as remote visual support to significantly reduce the number of field visits, together with content discovery and appointment management, which speeds up the time to repair and shortens the onsite visit.

Beyond the cost savings to the enterprise, the use of new technologies and processes in a reimagined world of field service demonstrates empathy and alignment with the customer and with the employee, particularly during the pandemic, but equally so beyond the pandemic.

Customers expect to engage with their service provider via digital channels with the same easy and intuitive experience that they already have in every aspect of their life. A savvy field service organization needs to connect with their customers on the customer’s preferred channel, which is increasingly SMS and social channels. Customers expect their service providers to know them, know why they're there, and have the tools necessary to complete the task on the first visit.

Customer-Centricity is Critical:

The best organizations think of what matters most to the customer. The best service visit is the one that never happens to begin with; proactive support and remote resolution are of top importance. When a visit needs to occur, seamlessly managing the appointment is top of mind. The ability to provide the entire care environment is often overlooked.

It is not enough to book the visit at the customer’s desired time. True field service excellence also requires the organization to select the right technician, with the right skills. Excellence requires the organization to communicate the time of arrival, a summary of the work done at the time of the visit, and a follow up message, through messaging or email, that invites the customer to agree that the work is complete. This final piece: Agreeing that the job is not done until the customer says that it is done, is vital.

There is tremendous upside potential to boost revenue through field service for some industries such as home and business services, HVAC, medical equipment, complex device or infrastructure maintenance.

Many of our customers in these industries are already advanced in providing revenue-generating value-added field services. Some of these are remote diagnostics, remote software updates, remote monitoring, training the customer on best practices, owning centres of excellence that guarantee uptime, and selling uptime rather than selling the product in the first place! Look to these advanced industries. Learn from the best! There is no reason to invent best practices when they already exist in adjacent industries. In all of the cases we have covered, technology has been baked into reimagined processes.

What are the performance indicators that are the most meaningful to improve the brand? To lower costs? To boost sales? To improve the effectiveness and well-being of employees? To improve the customer experience?

One of our customers completely re-platformed their ageing and disconnected software for phone support, website, mobile app and technician mobile applications onto a single platform from Salesforce. The resulting speed, consistency, and contactless service allowed them to accelerate business during the pandemic. Their knowledge-empowered technicians to easily build trust with the customer.

These technicians are more highly motivated because they feel the empathy that the business has for them. They also have all of the information in their hands, and they know that the customer is situationally aware. These technicians are in the best position to build brand loyalty and deliver on upsell/cross-sell targets that many service businesses have.

The companies that are the trailblazers in improving field service to be more customer and employee-centric are measuring the value of improvements in five areas:

• Brand loyalty
• Costs
• Sales
• Employee experience
• Customer experience

Selecting the first targets for improvement requires measurement. Here are practical and measurable questions to ask: What are the performance indicators that are the most meaningful to improve the brand? To lower costs? To boost sales? To improve the effectiveness and well-being of employees? To improve the customer experience?

Each of these questions has to be converted into real numbers. To lower costs, you might decide that job duration overruns need to be reduced 25%. For customer experience you may decide that the customer needs to select their own time window and within a two hour window, and they must receive a text message upon confirmation and before arrival. These all can be converted into quantifiable numbers.

The savvy field service leader will seize the momentum and move forward boldly with a customer and employee centric approach to innovating field service processes. Define success criteria by selecting the targets you want to measure, determine several relatively small changes to impact those targets, iterate quickly, and measure each process through the eyes of the customer and the technician. There has never been a better time to make the move from follower to leader, and your customers are expecting nothing less.

Further Reading:

• Read Tiffani Bova's recent blog about how with the right technology and training, your field service team is well-positioned to promote upgrades and new offerings, especially at the time of a successful service experience:
  Meet the Sales Team You Didn’t Know You Had: Upsell and Cross-Sell with Field Service for Growth
• Read Salesforce playbook sharing insights from over 4,000 global field service decision-makers:
  Strengthen Your Field Service Management Strategy
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Salesforce on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/salesforce
• Follow Salesforce on Twitter @ twitter.com/salesforce

In this final excerpt from a recent white paper published by Esri UK, now available at Field Service News, we look further at the importance of location intelligence and discuss how organisations can achieve optimised field operations.

Want to know more? Field Service News Subscribers can access a White Paper on this topic on the link below.

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Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content Esri UK who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

Last week, we looked at how Esri's ArcGIS platform can help companies in challenging situations, such as containing the spread of a plant disease and saving lives in humanitarian disasters. Today we look at two further case studies highlighting the importance of location intelligence and discuss how organisations can achieve optimised field operations

SUPPORTING DIVERSE AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

With its diverse and varied population, Oxfordshire County Council aims to provide excellent services to all its residents while promoting equality and ensuring fairness.

The Challenge

Oxfordshire County Council’s GIS (Geographic Information Systems) team has an extremely broad brief to provide ICT support across the organisation, including Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire Rescue Service. This small team assesses requirements and requests, gathers business analysis and provides user support while building interactive dashboards and web and mobile apps for internal and external use.

The Solution

Under its Enterprise Licence Agreement, Oxfordshire County Council has been using Esri’s ArcGIS platform exclusively since 2017 as its corporate GIS infrastructure. This has enabled the GIS team to build out a greater number of requirements, more quickly and efficiently, and help transform service delivery.

In March 2019 the Safe and Well service went digital. Workforce for ArcGIS was used to coordinate and allocate daily visits before crews left their stations and questionnaires incorporating broader health messages from the public health team were built using Survey123 for ArcGIS. The electronic forms were filled in onsite at residents’ homes and when there was no signal or internet available, users could carry on working and save a copy of the form on their mobile device. When the devices were next connected, completed surveys were synced directly back to the database in the office so colleagues could see which assessments had been undertaken, and the data visible on a central management dashboard.

The Benefits

Supporting diversity

The redesigned service demonstrates Oxfordshire County Council’s responsibility as a Stonewall Diversity Champion, committed to sexual orientation and gender identify equality. In its second year of inclusion the Council now ranks at 127 (out of 503 organisations) in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, compared to its previous ranking at 220 out of 445.

Secure data collection

Users can confidently collect anonymous data, securely, enabling the Council to collect vital information which ensures that the service it provides residents is inclusive to those of all identities and orientations, as well as help the organisation climb the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.

Saving time

The use of ArcGIS apps has significantly enhanced the efficiency of reporting in the field as well as back in the office. Firefighters making home visits report that the quality of their visits and range of services offered has improved, and they feel more confident and competent in carrying out their work. The administration process has also been streamlined as admin staff no longer have to input data collected from paper-based surveys, reducing the potential for human error.

OPTIMISING THE ROLE OF 60,000 VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers play an invaluable role in helping the National Trust to protect and care for the nation’s cultural heritage and natural landscapes. The not-for-profit organisation is now embracing crowdsourcing and is using ArcGIS in a series of ground-breaking pilot projects that will enable more people to get involved and make a valuable contribution to its conservation work.

The Challenge

The National Trust has over 60,000 volunteers who play a vital role in helping the charity to manage 250,000 hectares of land, 778 miles of coastline, 80,000 archaeological features and 28,000 buildings. The organisation wanted to optimise the role played by this enthusiastic group and find a way to engage even more people in its activities. At the same time, it wanted to show its volunteers the value of their contribution and help them to feel more involved in conservation projects

The Solution

The National Trust is now pioneering new ways to engage with volunteers using Esri’s ArcGIS platform. In a series of pilot projects, the organisation is beginning to use ArcGIS mobile solutions, including Collector for ArcGIS and Survey123 for ArcGIS, to allow volunteers to upload information from their smartphones and tablets to a central portal. Called ArcGIS Hub Premium, this portal provides secure, authenticated identity for huge numbers of volunteers, which allows them to see the data they have collected, in the context of the wider project. Volunteers can therefore appreciate what they have done and the value of their contribution to the National Trust’s conservation schemes.

In the first of the National Trust’s pilot solutions, volunteers in the Peak District are gathering data on the condition of archaeological features on National Trust land, including barrows, ruins and ancient quarries. They are then uploading and sharing this data via ArcGIS Hub Premium, helping the National Trust to build up a clearer picture of the condition of ancient sites that are rarely visited but are nonetheless important to the history of the nation.

The Benefits

Well-informed decision about conservation and maintenance

Over time, the use of the new ArcGIS volunteering apps will enable the National Trust to collect a larger quantity of high quality data, which it can use to support its decision making. In particular, the organisation anticipates that volunteers will be able to help it build up a far more comprehensive picture of the condition of assets and habitats, such as signs and ponds. It can then use this information to see where it should prioritise its conservation activities and how best to plan effective, proactive maintenance programmes.

More successful conservation projects

Although it is still early days, the National Trust already recognises that ArcGIS Hub Premium is a highly effective tool for improving collaboration with large numbers of volunteers and partners. In initiatives such as the Riverlands project near Manchester, the organisation expects ArcGIS Hub Premium to play a pivotal role in enabling large numbers of people to share data and work together. “It feels exciting,” Davies says. “Our pilots are putting crowdsourcing into practice and demonstrating how volunteering programmes can be managed more successfully in the future.”  

REALISING OPTIMISED FIELD OPERATIONS

A GIS enables the virtuous cycle of efficiency in field activities. Organisations use field operations apps to plan fieldwork based on geography and better coordinate job assignments. Field operations apps connect workers and activities in the field with the office. Real-time navigation tools reduce fuel consumption, save time, and improve customer satisfaction. Data collection apps capture accurate data in the field and feed it into the GIS to become part of the system of record. GIS monitors field activities and generates intuitive maps and dashboards. The GIS suite of focused field operations apps drives location intelligence that helps organisations make faster and better decisions.

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The full white paper "Digitally Transform Field Operations" is available on Field Service News.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and you can access the white paper instantly upon completing the registration form!

 

 

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Further Reading:

Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
Find out more about Esri UK @ www.esriuk.com

Read more about Esri UK on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/esri
Follow Esri UK on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/company/esri-uk
Follow Esri UK on Twitter @ twitter.com/esriuk

In this second excerpt from a recent white paper published by Esri UK, now available at Field Service News, we look at two case studies of how location intelligence helps organisation improving efficiency and refine field operations.

Want to know more? Field Service News Subscribers can access a White Paper on this topic on the link below.

If you have yet to subscribe click the button below to join 30K of your field service management professional peers and subscribe now to access this content and our entire premium content library now!

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content Esri UK who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

Last week, we looked at how using the power of location can improve field service operations. Today we look at two case studies describing how the use of Esri's ArcGIS platform can help companies in challenging situations.

CONTAINING THE SPREAD OF A DEADLY PLANT DISEASE

Amid concerns about the possible emergence of a deadly new plant disease, Fera Science has created an ArcGIS app and dashboard to enable hoticulturalists to coordinate thousands of plant and tree inspections nationwide.

The Challenge

One of the most damaging plant bacteria ever identified is spreading in countries around the world. Called xylella fastidiosa (Xf), it has been detected in France, Spain, Italy and Portugal and, if it were to gain a foothold in the UK, it could affect dozens of plant species, including elm, plane and oak trees.

The Solution

Working with APHA, Fera Science has used Esri’s ArcGIS platform to develop a complete end-to-end solution to support plant inspections, including testing plant samples and tracing of the spread of the disease.

When a first case of Xf is detected in the UK, a geoprocessing model, developed using Esri’s ModelBuilder, will create the initial inspection zone around the plant, divided into 100 metre and 1 km grid squares. Inspectors will then use an intuitive app, created with Esri’s Collector for ArcGIS, to view interactive maps of their assigned inspection grids, on their mobile devices, and inspect up to 50 host plants in each square. They will collect a sample from each plant, put the sample into a bag with a barcode and use the Collector app to record the barcode, together with the location of the plant, plant health observations and pictures.

When laboratories test the samples, the results will be recorded against the barcodes and uploaded via a web portal to ArcGIS. Python scripts, developed by Esri UK’s Professional Services team, will combine the test results with the data collected in the field and categorise each plant as either diseased, free of disease or inconclusive test. All the data will then be visibleon an Esri Operations Dashboard, enabling APHA, DEFRA and other key stakeholders to view the locations and health of each inspected plant in near real time. Whenever a new positive result is recorded, the surrounding inspection zones will be automatically created, allowing inspectors to start collecting new samples straight away.

The Benefits

Real-time data to trace the spread of disease

If Xf is detected in the UK, APHA will be able to see near real-time data on diseased plants and their locations, all around the UK. The ArcGIS dashboard presents the data in a spatial, map-based format that is simple to understand at a glance, enabling people to trace the spread of the disease very easily. Users can see which grid squares have been inspected, monitor the progress of inspections and identify where best to allocate resources based on the latest test results.

Effective collaboration of many stakeholders

The ArcGIS solution can be used by multiple stakeholders, not just APHA. Therefore, in the case of a major outbreak of Xf, inspectors from other organisations and landowners, such as the Forestry Commission, could use the Collector app on their own mobile devices to collect standardised data and samples in a coordinated approach. Other organisations can also be given access to the same Esri dashboard enabling them to collaborate more effectively with APHA and implement joined-up strategies to detect and eventually eradicate the disease from the UK completely.

SAVING LIVES IN HUMANITARIAN DISASTERS WORLDWIDE

Working at the scene of some of the world’s most devastating humanitarian disasters, this volunteer-driven charity uses Esri’s ArcGIS to produce up-to-date maps for humanitarian aid organisations. Its new Kiosk product makes vitally important location-based intelligence available to aid workers in digital formats, helping them to respond more quickly and, ultimately, help save more lives.

The Challenge

Since its inception in 2002, MapAction has become an indispensable part of the global response to humanitarian crises. As soon as its volunteer teams, who are specially trained in disaster response, arrive in affected areas, their services are in high demand from multiple organisations. Consequently, on-the-ground teams face growing pressure to produce and distribute more maps, more quickly.

The Solution

Esri UK has supported the work of MapAction for over twelve years, and ArcGIS, Esri’s geographic information system (GIS) platform, plays a pivotal role in the delivery of MapAction’s emergency mapping service. MapAction secured funding for a new ‘selfservice’ mapping facility, and sought out the expertise of Esri UK’s professional services team to help it design and deliver this inventive project using ArcGIS.

Named the MapAction Kiosk, the new GIS solution developed operates using the principles of web mapping and runs on a lightweight laptop connected to a powerful WiFi router. Aid workers in the vicinity of MapAction’s field base can connect to the Kiosk via WiFi and print additional copies of any maps produced by MapAction’s volunteer team. In addition, they can view interactive maps, zoom into specific regions and turn on required data layers to create any customised maps that they might need to inform aid missions. Finally, responders can use the Kiosk to download MapAction’s up-to-date spatial data and incorporate it into their own GIS systems.

The Benefits

MapAction will continue to produce the paper maps that aid organisations around the world have come to rely on. However, now, this unique charity will also be able to make its invaluable location- based intelligence accessible in digital formats to many more people, more quickly, to improve the effectiveness of life-saving humanitarian missions.

Notably, the MapAction Kiosk will help the charity to distribute its maps to aid workers who might otherwise not have had access to a paper copy. It will therefore make situational data accessible to a wider audience and facilitate greater collaboration between multiple aid agencies and local groups. Pennells says: “The Kiosk helps us to give a common operational picture to all responders and agencies working on-the- ground in a disaster situation. The sooner they have this shared knowledge, the closer they can work together to reach people at risk.”

In addition, the Kiosk gives aid workers the ability to create their own customised maps for the first time. They can gain instant access to the mapping intelligence they need – in the precise format they need it – to enable them to respond quickly to emerging new scenarios.

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Look out for the next feature in this series coming next week where we look at two additional case studies and discuss how companies can achieve optimised field operations.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and you can access the white paper instantly upon completing the registration form!

 

 

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Further Reading:

Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
Find out more about Esri UK @ www.esriuk.com

Read more about Esri UK on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/esri
Follow Esri UK on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/company/esri-uk
Follow Esri UK on Twitter @ twitter.com/esriuk

In this new series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Esri UK, now available at Field Service News, we discuss how to digitally transform field operations using the power of location.

Want to know more? Field Service News Subscribers can access a White Paper on this topic on the link below.

If you have yet to subscribe click the button below to join 30K of your field service management professional peers and subscribe now to access this content and our entire premium content library now!

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content Esri UK who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

HARNESSING THE POWER OF LOCATION

Location is at the heart of field activities. It sounds like an obvious statement, but field management often either completely overlooks location or marginally takes advantage of it.

Field managers and workers are likely to make decisions faster and deliver better customer service if they can access location intelligence in the field. This e-book explains how geographic information system (GIS) technology and a suite of field mobility apps work together to improve performance in the field. Five case studies show how organisations incorporated apps into workflows and describe the returns they gained.

Organisations use GIS to capture, manage, analyse, and display all forms of geographically referenced information and use focused field apps to improve field operations. Its ability to transform data into useful information has proved to be highly valuable to field operations managers in four operational areas: coordination, navigation, data collection, and monitoring.

 

 

FIELD OPERATIONAL AREAS

Coordination for exceptional customer care

Daily operations need to quickly adjust to changing conditions including last-minute requests and unexpected resource unavailability and delays. A geographic perspective allows you to easily see the location of the worker nearest the call and quickly assign that worker to respond. This level of flexibility results in exceptional customer service and compliance with service-level agreements.

Workforce for ArcGIS helps you quickly put resources where they are most needed.

Navigation for timely service

GIS does much more than map point A to point B. For instance, users can add other layers of information, such as private road networks and asset locations, to street maps. GIS apps combine this data and calculate optimised routes that fieldworkers see on their mobile devices, even when disconnected. GIS recalculates delivery windows in real time based on traffic conditions, so drivers can give an estimated time of arrival (ETA), which keeps customers happy. GIS is the route optimisation tool of choice for organisations whose reputation and success are defined by on-time delivery.

Navigator for ArcGIS, StreetMap Premium for ArcGIS, and ArcGIS Network Analyst support routing with high-quality street data and give you tools for complex problem solving.

Data collection for accurate information

Built-in GIS capabilities in mobile apps ensure that location information is included in the data. This capability extends to other business data submitted via inspections, incident reports,

or any type of form entered into your system of record. Understanding the location where field activities happen is critical for historical analysis, QA/QC, regulatory compliance, and coordination with other users.

Focused apps allow crews to capture, update, and analye data accurately. Fieldworkers use these apps to create surveys, capture the answers, and analyse the results. Mobile apps provide fieldworkers with their organisation’s maps, allowing them to locate assets and mark up the map with additional details. Drones offer an inexpensive way to capture field imagery, and by using a desktop app, drone-captured imagery can be easily turned into professional quality imagery products that you can use for mapping and analysis. Data generated by these apps can all be synced at the office and shared within the organisation and the public.

Collector for ArcGIS, Explorer for ArcGIS, Survey123 for ArcGIS, and Drone2Map for ArcGIS boost data accuracy and optimise geospatial analysis.

Monitoring for fast analysis and response

It is difficult to manage what you cannot see. GIS provides dashboards that enable real-time monitoring of events and key performance indicators (KPIs) so that you can make decisions at a glance. GIS-based dashboards show information as maps, charts, gauges, and other understandable visualisations. Combined with real-time GIS analysis, GIS dashboards help organisations focus on specific information by revealing exceptions, trends, and patterns that are relevant for decision-making.

GIS also supports tracking of field personnel. Managers and supervisors are able to view where workers are and where they have been through a mobile app that captures their location tracks. This helps them identify workers’ last known locations, confirm the territory covered, and more effectively balance the allocation of workers to needs.

Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS helps users visualise and monitor data that is relevant to them. Tracker for ArcGIS enables monitoring of personnel to better manage what happens in the field activities.

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Look out for the next feature in this series coming next week where we discuss how location intellingence can help organisations in improve efficiency and refine their field operations.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and you can access the white paper instantly upon completing the registration form!

 

 

---

Further Reading:

Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
Find out more about Esri UK @ www.esriuk.com
Follow Esri UK on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/company/esri-uk
Follow Esri UK on Twitter @ twitter.com/esriuk

Survey from Workiz on online trends show customer preference for digital booking and payments when booking home service visits.

To attract and retain customers field service firms should have an intuitive online scheduling system complimented by digital payment options, a study into people's technology preferences has revealed.

Perfect Service Management

The effect of instant, on-demand products such as Uber, Deliveroo and Amazon has meant customers now expect the same standards in other services which, according to the study, includes the process of hiring a technician to carry out maintenance or appliance repair.

The survey, carried out jointly by Google Consumer Surveys and Workiz, sought to analyse the e-commerce preferences of more than 1,050 people in the US, aged between 18 and 65.

The results reflected the growing digital influence of Millennial and Generation Z who are more comfortable carrying out customer interactions online rather than face-to-face or over the phone, and prefer to use digital wallets rather than physical cash.

The findings showed 44 per cent of respondents would prefer to book a field service appointment online and 35 per cent would pay for that home service online. Furthermore, if the scheduling and check-out process was an intuitive one, then 38 per cent would leave a positive online review.

In order to leave a positive review, respondents cited the importance of real-time communication from field service businesses with 63 per cent saying they would leave positive feedback if firms were transparent in their communication, specifically if real-time communication was utilised.

Commenting on the report, Workiz CEO Adi Azaria said customers now expect a perfect service experience. "Whether it's ease of scheduling or digital payment options, we're seeing that consumers today prefer a seamless interaction with field service businesses," he explained. "The appliance being repaired correctly isn't enough anymore. Customers want the experience to be frictionless every step of the way."