ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘the-field-service-podcast’ CATEGORY

In the latest Field Service Podcast, Tilak Kasturi discusses the importance of a proof of concept in AI and machine learning enterprise.

 

Tilak Kasturi is the CEO and Founder of Predii, an AI software company whose platform enables predictive repair and maintenance for complex equipment.

We got Tilak on to the Field Service Podcast to discuss the origins of Predii, the importance of proof of concept and how his time in radiation oncology big-data is shaping his current project.

In the latest Field Service Podcast, Mike Pullon discusses if rugged devices will ever be replaced by their consumer cousins.

 

With the boundaries of consumer and rugged becoming more blurred, we spoke to Mike Pullon, CEO and Founder of Varlink - an outfit that distributes specialist rugged devices - if high-street phones and tablets will ever replace their rugged counterparts.

In the latest Field Service Podcast, Jan Van Veen discusses why manufacturers unable to innovate their business model risk falling behind their competitors.

 

In this special episode, Deputy Editor Mark Glover, speaks to moreMomentum's Jan van Veen who urges firms to take advantage of servitization and digitilastion and avoid stagnant business as usual behaviours.

Click here for material complimenting Jan's podcast including diagrams and charts. You can also contact Jan about any of the content raised in this recording and to find out how to get involved in Jan's new book, mentioned in the podcast, then click here.

In the latest Field Service Podcast, Bill Pollock discusses why management buy-in can ultimately lead to service excellence.

 

In this special episode, Deputy Editor Mark Glover, speaks to long-term Field Service News' contributor Bill Pollock about the importance of top-down buy-in when integrating new technologies.

Citing trends from Strategies for Growth's 2018 Field Service Management Tracking Survey, Bill dissects the current state of the sector, providing some surprising insights.An essential listen from one of the most influential and experienced voices in the industry. 

 

In the latest Field Service Podcast, Sarah Pettigrew, Head of Service Delivery at Thales UK, discusses the affect of an ageing workforce in service and what needs to be done to retain the knowledge lost when this demographic retires.

In this special episode, Field Service News' Deputy Editor Mark Glover, speaks to Sarah Pettigrew from Thales, ahead of her keynote address at Field Service Connect next month titled, Two worlds collide: How to build and retain a star team within an ageing workforce, whilst investing in the future workforce and driving the transfer of knowledge forwards.

Sarah suggests an investment across the entire workforce spectrum, as well as apprenticeship schemes and technology adoption can help to negate one of the biggest challenges facing the sector - an ageing workforce.

An essential listen!

You can find out more information about Field Service Connect which takes place on 15 and 16 May at Celtic Manor, South Wales here. 

 

In the latest Field Service Podcast, Paul Joesbury, Commercial Operations Director at Homeserve, suggests the asset will eventually become more important than the engineer in service.

 

In this special episode, Field Service News' Deputy Editor Mark Glover, speaks to Paul Joesbury ahead of his debate at Field Service Connect next month where he will argue that the use of technology such as machine learning and AI will eventually negate the need for the human intervention.

You can find out more information about Field Service Connect which takes place on 15 and 16 May at Celtic Manor, South Wales here. 

In the latest Field Service Podcast, Cheryl Anne Sanderson, Operations Director at G4S FM UK and Ireland, discusses the struggle in attracting the next generation of technicians and engineers and suggests influence must come from the top of a business to change perceptions of those looking in who are considering a career in service.

 

In this  special episode, Field Service News' Deputy Editor Mark Glover, speaks to the brilliant, forward thinking Cheryl-Anne Sanderson ahead of her keynote address at Field Service Connect next month; enticingly titled, Making Field Service Sexy. How to redefine industry perceptions to attract the next generation of bright minds and propel your field service into the digital era.

Cheryl is passionate about getting young people into the sector and this eye opening podcast goes deep into the issues behind the current workplace disparity and what can be done, if anything, to remedy it.
An essential listen!

You can find out more information about Field Service Connect which takes place on 15 and 16 May at Celtic Manor, South Wales here. 

Chris Ruff is the President and CEO of location-based technology outfit Glympse and was a recent a guest on The Field Service podcast. Here Deputy Editor Mark Glover cherry-picks some highlights from the interview including automotive technology, machine learning and a misty-eyed look at the hardware that inspired him.


Let’s travel back to 1999, the year of the Palm VII, seen as the first truly wireless handheld device. Chris was (and still is) a fan. “It was why I got into wireless,” he says with nostalgia. “The idea that we run little applications on mobile devices was hugely inspiring to me. It was amazing because, until that moment, most of our experiences were from a dial-up modem in hour homes and we’d sit in front of our PCs, and that was how we got content and communicated with people.

“Now all of a sudden with this mobile device we were able to view content and share things with people. It really became the beginning of mobility and mobile applications. Starbucks had an app where you could find stores. It was really amazing, you could find coffee on your Palm VII.”

Is it collecting dust in Chris’ loft? “I might have it in a box somewhere,” he says laughing. “I tend to keep all my devices. I know I have seven generations of BlackBerries up there. They soon became my addiction."

“Mobile device improvements have been modest ones,” he says when I ask him about the evolution of mobility hardware. “They are mostly around cameras and screens but the underlying tech has been pretty stagnant for several years and generations now. It means it’s becoming a pretty mature market, just like the PC,” he suggested.

Chris has been with Glympse just over a year now, prior, he spent a significant chunk of time – 18 years – at connected car technology and automotive telematics provider Xevo where he joined in its infancy, overseeing various executive positions and becoming its President, CEO and Chairman. He remains on the board.

"Starbucks had an app where you could find stores. It was amazing, you could find coffee on your Palm VII...” 

The potential of automotive technology, therefore, forms a good part of our conversation, most notably when I ask where he sees the next big disruption in field service. “I believe that in the big Iot space that autonomous driving will create a huge change in field service,” he says. “It’s going to make everything more productive, it will improve communications with consumers and it’s going to make it safer. I think this will re-shape the industry more than any tech enhancement than we have today.

He also cites machine learning as a significant enabler in the sector, providing service in real-time and pre-empting faults but he thinks another pinch point could be the way a product is delivered, syncing with the arrival of the technician.

“We’re currently looking at way of tracking two or more things simultaneously, in a healthcare scenario, for example,” he explains. “Here a skilled nurse and the drugs they need to administer need to be at the patient’s house at the same time.

“You could see that in some of the advanced field services and even big machinery cases; where the part and tech show up at the same time, assisted by machine learning that alerts the service company when the asset is about to break.”

I ended the podcast by asking what motivates Chris in his work. His answer is wide-ranging that touches on potential of technology as well as making a difference in society. “I’m motivated by two things,” he says. One is being able to continually push the envelope of what’s available using technology. Two is making a difference in the world.

Can he cite an example? “During the hurricane season, while the search and rescue operations were taking place, teams were using Glympse to keep track of each other, ensuring they wouldn’t lose touch while they carried out the task.

“That to me is super inspiring. That I can work on technology that actually makes a difference in people’s lives.”

In the latest Field Service Podcast, Nick Frank, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Si2 Partners of Field Nation, discusses the ethos behind The Service Community, a knowledge-sharing, independent service members' group and looks forward to the organisation's next gathering taking place at Renishaw's HQ in Gloucestershire, UK. 

 

In this episode, Field Service News Deputy Editor Mark Glover, speaks to one of the spearheads behind The Service Community, Nick Frank, who explains the origins of the group's and explains its future goals. Nick also shares some of the challenges that members are highlighting in the service sector and tells us what delegates can expect at the association's next gathering taking place at the beginning of April.

You can find out more information about The Service Community here and sign-up for the group's forthcoming event at Renishaw's HQ in Gloucestershire on 2 April here.