ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘software-and-apps’ CATEGORY

TVCable Group, one of the leading service providers in Ecuador, has successfully finalised the implementation of the Comarch Field Service Management system, which now enables the operator to improve SLA compliance, decrease time to work order assignment, and improve service delivery time. 

Efficient management of services in the field requires effective coordination and motivated, customer-focused employees. However, even the most committed workers cannot ensure optimal service processes if they have to handle manual work on each step of service delivery. TVCable Group sought to ensure high quality of service for its customers, which was the main concern for the top management of the organization. For this reason, TVCable Group decided to implement the Comarch Field Service Management web and mobile applications, to bring benefits to managers, dispatchers and technicians in the field, and completely digitize service processes. 

The applied solutions have helped the company to improve customer satisfaction and service efficiency on several levels. The most appreciated result is the reduction of manual work, which translates into faster service delivery. With the implemented solution, the services are also delivered within the set SLA. TVCable Group can ensure 90% of installations within 24 hours, while the SLA for this type of service is 48 hours. Also, 80% of repairs are completed within nine hours, whereas the SLA here is 12 hours.

"The implemented Comarch Field Service Management software fully automates and truly streamlines our service delivery process. Since we deployed this solution, we have been able to eliminate a lot of manual work and, as a result, to coordinate field task assignment and execution more efficiently," says Marcel Ceruso, Director of Customer Service at TVCable Group. "This tool enabled our organization to achieve better KPIs, both operational and strategic. Decreasing our mean service time and providing it within the framework of a set SLA definitely improved our relationship with our customers.

"These changes could take place thanks to Comarch’s support throughout the analysis and implementation process, underpinned by their experience in the telecommunication industry. With their guidance, we have applied appropriate modules, configured the service workflows, and modernized the quality and productivity of the service," Ceruso added.

Beside the quantitative results, the company and their clients also benefit from the quality of the provided service. Customers receive updates via email, calls and text messages about service visits and their allocated technician’s location. The mobile app enables managers and dispatchers to control the quality of the technicians’ work. As a result, workers are motivated to follow the procedures and ensure the expected quality of service.

This article first published on the HSO blog offers some key insight for field service organisations that are keen to empower their field service operation with automated field service scheduling...

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Few companies can remain competitive in today’s field service environment without effective management of time, costs and resources. Despite this, a staggering 52% of field service companies still coordinate work and perform functions manually[i]. The adoption of dynamic, automated scheduling software can free up time to concentrate on team development and maximising revenue. In this blog we share the benefits of, and the pain points eradicated by using automated field service scheduling tools.

 

Management of unexpected changes

No matter how carefully a schedule is planned, unexpected and last-minute changes can occur. Automated software solutions can minimise these risks, while maximising efficiencies. Re-optimisation happens in real time when changes occur, giving both the employee and customer an immediate update, even down to a specific time slot for an engineer’s arrival. With 89% of customers preferring an ‘Uber like” service for tracking technician arrivals[ii], it’s something that will delight customers and increase brand perception.

 

Utilising Graphical User Interfaces (GUI’s)

GUI’s are a popular way to manage resources for the field service industry, not least because it’s a quick and easy way to deal with large amounts of data. Using Microsoft Dynamics 365, team managers can use a calendar style view, showing each technician’s day, jobs and skill set, along with a map view for both staff and call out locations. It’s predicted that by 2020, more than 75% of field service organisations with over 50 users will deploy mobile apps that go beyond simplified data collection and add capabilities that help technicians succeed[iii]. These field operatives can benefit from a mobile app showing location and fastest route, customer assets and service history of the equipment needing attention.

 

Automating decisions using parameters

As well as helping to efficiently book service calls to your customers, automated scheduling software also knows when not to book an appointment. Customer satisfaction can quickly evaporate if technicians don’t have either the skill set or parts required to complete the job. Harnessing data on part availability and employee skills can ensure the right person with the right skill set and equipment is in place at your customer’s site, first time. This also translates into a reduction in repeat call outs and a much improved customer experience.

 

Effective reduction of waste

Time spent by employees travelling to customer sites comes at a cost to your business. They are on the clock during this time and yet it’s not a billable event for your customers. That’s where automated route and traffic mapping can help, like Microsoft’s Resource Scheduling Optimisation. Instant calculations occur, allowing the best available engineer to be selected and routed directly to the customer site – assisted by a simple drag and drop interface for work orders. This not only saves employees’ time, but also wear and tear on a fleet of vehicles and gives a measurable reduction in fuel costs.   .

 

Improving staff morale

Many Engineers like driving, but they all know it is inherently un-productive. What they really want to do is spend their time working on customer-sites. The reduction in the travel-to-work time ratio achieved by a well optimised schedule increases job-satisfaction levels for field personnelAs the global field service market is expected to reach $4.45 billion by 2020[iv], companies that adopt automation will reap the rewards.

From filling shifts in the event of unplanned absences to managing budgets, anticipating scheduling needs to maximising productivity; embracing the right solutions can reduce costs and mitigate lost revenues; while enhancing worker mobility and improving organisational performance.View our infographic about “A Day in the Life of a Field Service Engineer”  with HSO Advanced Field Service.

For more information about the benefits of automated field service scheduling please contact HSO. 

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[i] https://www.servicepower.com/blog/top-5-field-service-industry-trends-for-2018

[ii] https://www.reachoutsuite.com/field-service-management-stats-and-trends-2018/

[iii] https://blog.capterra.com/10-field-service-statistics-to-keep-you-in-the-know/

[iv] https://www.reachoutsuite.com/field-service-management-stats-and-trends-2018/

Green Network Energy UK will deploy Salesforce's CRM platform in Summer.

Green Network Energy UK has announced a partnership with Salesforce that it hopes will enhance its digital transformation and customer care programmes.

The independent energy supplier, set-up in 2016, plan to expands it use of the CRM platform in the summer which will see a new customer self-service online portal for customers that communicates service updates, tariff renewal options and allows for meter readings to be submitted.

Green Network Energy UK's Founder and CEO Sabrina Corbo says the technology roll-out will benefit their customer base. "Our aim has always been to make our customers feel special," she said. "We are committing to an enhanced relationship with our customers and showing that we are here to make a big difference as a big organisation in the energy sector.

Commenting on the partnership, Salesforce's SVP EMEA Cloud Sales, Sanj Bhayro said the modern-day utility customer now expects immaculate service. "Much like other industries, customers' expectations in the energy sector are on the rise, with customers demanding a seamless brand experience, getting support when the need it and on the channel of their choice. We're delighted to be working with Green Network Energy to realise their vision of connected, personalised service," he concluded.   

An app created by King's College London monitoring outdoor workers' exposure to air pollution has been launched.

As part of the British Safety Council's Time to Breathe campaign, King's College London has developed an app aimed at outdoor workers in London that can measure their exposure to air pollution.

Called Canairy, the app works by cross-referencing a worker's GPS location with the college's London Air Quality Network pollution map, calculating exposure on an hourly basis. Workers are alerted when exposure exceeds World Health Organisation limits on the concentration of nitrogen dioxide, particulates and ozone.

King's College research suggests 9,400 in London die prematurely due to poor air quality. Andrew Grieve, Senior Air Quality Analyst at the university, said non-desk workers such as field engineers are at risk from developing complications from air pollution. "As a group, outdoor workers are particularly vulnerable to long-term exposure to ambient air pollution. Within a workplace, the risk of people's exposure to polluted air can be controlled using well-established methods, but this is more difficult for outdoor workers, many of whom work near or on busy roads."

The Canairy app is available on Apple and Android platforms.

 

Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) supplier GasTech has incorporated BigChange's cloud-based management system.

GasTech, based in Newcastle, has issued its engineers with rugged cloud-connected technology to assist with its 24 hours a day, seven days a week operation which includes the supply, install and service of HVAC. 

The platform, JobWatch, allows workers to carry out risk assessments and method statements and gives access to procedures, manuals, job cards and quotations, which are synced to GasTech's central office system.

The firm's fleet operation is monitored with vehicle tracking, producing real-time data for customer services. Client history information is accessible to the engineers who can look up previous work on-site. A live spare-parts manifest give workers an accurate overview of what parts are available in the company and also in other vans.

GasTech's Gareth Firth commented on the advantages a paper-free process brings to the business. "With our growing workload we knew we needed to reduce the time engineers spent filling out forms," the firm's Director said. "We undertook extensive research into the available systems on the market and it was clear BigChange was very easy to use and would take away the administrative headaches from engineers so they could be more productive."

Börje Ekholm says telecommunication company will complete roll-out this year and network upgrade will compliment new technology such as Augmented Reality and autonomous vehicles.

 

Speaking at Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona this month, Börje Ekholm Ericsson's CEO and President, said the firm expect to switch on the 5G network over the next 12 months and the robust network will facilitate ventures including Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence and autonomous vehicles.

Ericsson had previously announced 5G deals with 14 service providers across Europe, US, Asia and Australia including US Cellular and Telstrar. Memorandums of understandings have been signed with 42 other service providers and Ekholm told journalists to expect further announcements.

Citing research from the Ericsson Consumer Lab, he said that smartphone users will soon see the impact of the new coverage. "Consumers and enterprises are waiting for 5G," he explained. "One-third of smartphone globally will change either immediately or within six months to a service provider that switches on 5G."

Catering Equipment Suppliers' Association (CESA) has accepted Asolvi as an associate member.

Asolvi, the service management software for Small and Medium Enterprises has announced its membership of the Catering Equipment Suppliers' Association (CESA). As an affiliate of the UK's largest catering equipment trade association, Asolvi will benefit from CESA's information and management resources.

Established 80 years ago, CESA itself is a member of The European Federation of Catering Equipment Manufacturers and has strategic links with UK Government and the British Standards Institution. 

Asolvi will join longstanding CESA members Welbilt and Meiko, both of whom are also clients of the service management software company.

Mike Rand, Asolvi's Client Service's Manager, said joining the association would bring the firm an array of advantages. "We're delighted to be accepted as an associate member of CESA," he explained. "The kitchens and catering sector is an important market for us and we're looking forward to utilising the knowledge that the group offers."

You can read an Asolvi case study on their work with Meiko here.

New software will bring together back-office team, mobile workforce and customers.

UK-based Field Service Management solution provider Kirona have launched Work Hub, their new work management system.

The solution manages the workflow between central functions and field-based operatives by pulling together disparate back-office data and systems to enable reliable, seamless data flow throughout the organisation, the company says.
The software was integrated into Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council's Asset Management and Maintenance Service, and has been scaled across its Housing Management System, DRS and Job Manager applications.

Neil Martin, the Council's Business Manager said: “The system we have now is more reliable, and staff are more productive.” Ryan Davies, Senior Repairs Coordinator and Systems Officer at Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council added: “We are planning on widening the Work Hub to other services in Sandwell Council, so the relationship with Kirona will just grow and grow.” 

Meiko UK Ltd, a leading European manufacturer of warewashing technology for the catering industry, has been an Asolvi customer since 2012. Nigel Walters, technical services controller for Meiko, explains why the relationship has endured and why Asolvi’s field service management software is a good fit for the industry.

Originally established ninety years ago in the Black Forest, Germany, Meiko is now a global brand with production facilities in Germany, China and the US. Meiko manufactures, installs and maintains dish and glass washers, washer-disinfectors and food waste disposal systems for professional kitchens in bars, hotels, pubs, restaurants, cafes and staff canteens. Its client base includes JD Wetherspoon, Marston’s Brewery and DHL.

35,000 calls a year 
In the UK, Meiko’s service & maintenance operation consists of approximately 35,000 preventative and reactive calls a year, which today are all managed using Asolvi’s Tesseract solution. In 2012, Tesseract was selected to replace a piece of service management software that wasn’t fit for purpose anymore. Nigel explains: "There were a lot of things the old system couldn’t do, mainly because it wasn’t a fully functioning system. It didn’t provide engineers with the information they needed in the field, and the information they could get wasn’t live. There was no quotation system, no stock control. Engineers could only use it on PDAs. It got to the point where we needed something a lot more advanced." 

It was word of mouth that brought Meiko to Asolvi and, specifically, to Tesseract. "A number of us had heard of Tesseract," says Nigel. "So we did some research and visited a number of Asolvi customers to see the Tesseract system in action. We were able to visualise how the system would work for us." 

The power of automation 
In addition to giving engineers more flexibility in the field, Tesseract has enabled Meiko to automate a number of routine and/or time-intensive processes in the office. This includes stock replenishment, previously an entirely manual and unintegrated process, and invoicing, which used to be done in a separate system. But what’s really changed is how Meiko undertakes preventative maintenance. Now, all preventative maintenance appointments are generated automatically according to contract and asset requirements.

This saves Meiko’s planners from having to manually check spreadsheets and paper contracts to find out when maintenance is due before going into the system to manually log the call. It also lets them schedule field engineers up to three months in advance so that they can more easily maintain service levels. "With Tesseract, everything is simpler and more streamlined," says Nigel. "Parts are attached to calls—and stay attached to calls—without engineers having to manually input quantities and parts numbers. We have complete visibility of all stock at all times. Costings for invoices are calculated automatically, reducing scope for error. We can complete the invoicing process in the Tesseract system, too. Before Tesseract, we had to export the data to a different system." 

10-15 minutes saved per quote 
Another big change for Meiko has been in the way it creates and logs quotes for new works. The fact that Tesseract’s quoting tool is integrated with the rest of the system makes it easy to convert a quote into a call or a call into a quote. "We never had this level of linking in the system before," says Nigel. "We had to quote using an entirely different system." 

What’s even better is the fact that when a quote is raised, most of the information required is already there. Nigel explains: "We used to have to input all the information about the customer and the asset manually each time a new quote was raised. With Tesseract, 70% of the data is already there, saving our salespeople 10-15 minutes per quote. This is having a huge and welcome impact on our productivity, particularly given how many quotes we have to do." 

Better reporting 
Nigel admits that reporting was poor on the old system. Meiko had to use an external system and it took a lot of time to compile and process the data. "Tesseract comes with a lot of really good reports," says Nigel. "These are standard reports that we’re able to tweak easily to fit our needs. Now everyone has access to the reports they need on a regular basis. The fact that our data is centralised means that reports are compiled with a minimum of effort.” 

Catering equipment and Tesseract: a match made in the kitchen 
"Tesseract is a good fit for the catering industry for the same reasons it is a good fit for any kind of repair industry," Nigel says. "Asolvi has worked hard to make sure the fundamental elements such as service contract management, preventative maintenance management, mobility, invoicing and reporting, are really strong. Our engineers and our office staff have everything they need to make sure our customers’ machines are properly maintained." 

Nigel goes on to explain that it’s Asolvi’s approach to helping customers that makes its software an even better fit for Meiko’s industry. “The way Asolvi listen to their customers is one of the big reasons our relationship with them has endured," he says. "They’re constantly investing in their software, trying to improve what it does for us and for our industry. They listen to recommendations and if we have a problem or a need, they never just say ‘no’. They want to solve our problems, not just for us, but for them. They want to progress with us.”