Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined by Mark Belenky, CEO Software Outsourcing Solutions and a specialist in workforce management solutions to work through some of the key findings of an exclusive Field Service News Research...
ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘workforce-managemnet’ CATEGORY
Jul 16, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • Workforce Managemnet • Field Workforce • Managing the Mobile Workforce • EMEA
Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined by Mark Belenky, CEO Software Outsourcing Solutions and a specialist in workforce management solutions to work through some of the key findings of an exclusive Field Service News Research project that spoke to over 100 service leaders from the field service sector and beyond to understand the key trends in workforce management.
During the discussion, the two discuss a number of key insights revealed from the data including the key metrics that define workforce management success, how companies are optimising the costs of managing the workforce and what tools and processes are being used for best-in-class workforce management.
In this excerpt from that full interview, the conversation focuses on the industry data revealing that, for service-centric companies, the biggest issue regarding workforce management is overwhemingly staff utilization.
Want to know more?
FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length interview plus many, many more in the Field Service New Digital Symposium. If you have an FSN Premium account you can access the video on the button below. If you are currently on our FSN Standard subscription tier you can upgrade your subscription by clicking the link below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Manage the Mobile Workforce @www.fieldservicenews.com/managing-the-mobile-workforce
- Read more about Workforce Management @ www.fieldservicenews.com/workforce-management
- Learn more about Software Outsourcing Solutions @ www.s-o-services.com
- Connect with Mark Belenky on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/in/markbelenky
Jul 13, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • Workforce Managemnet • Field Workforce • EMEA
Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined by Mark Belenky, CEO Software Outsourcing Solutions and a specialist in workforce management solutions to work through some of the key findings of an exclusive Field Service News Research...
Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News is joined by Mark Belenky, CEO Software Outsourcing Solutions and a specialist in workforce management solutions to work through some of the key findings of an exclusive Field Service News Research project that spoke to over 100 service leaders from the field service sector and beyond to understand the key trends in workforce management.
During the discussion, the two discuss a number of key insights revealed from the data including the key metrics that define workforce management success, how companies are optimising the costs of managing the workforce and what tools and processes are being used for best-in-class workforce management.
In this excerpt from that full interview, the conversation focuses on the types of solutions used by organisations to manage the workforce in the ever-changing field service sector.
Want to know more?
FSN Premium subscribers and FSN Elite members can access the full-length interview plus many, many more in the Field Service New Digital Symposium. If you have an FSN Premium account you can access the video on the button below. If you are currently on our FSN Standard subscription tier you can upgrade your subscription by clicking the link below.
If you are yet to subscribe you can join 30,0000 of your field service management peers by subscribing to FSN Standard for free to gain access to a monthly selection of premium content or select either FSN Premium or FSN Elite for even more resources. Click the button above to visit our subscription page to find out more.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Workforce Management @ www.fieldservicenews.com/workforce-management
- Learn more about Software Outsourcing Solutions @ www.s-o-services.com
- Connect with Mark Belenky on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/in/markbelenky
May 06, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • Workforce Managemnet • Aquant • Covid-19 • Leadership and Strategy
In the third and final excerpt from a recent white paper published by Aquant, we look at four solutions for effectively building the new service workforce...
In the third and final excerpt from a recent white paper published by Aquant, we look at four solutions for effectively building the new service workforce...
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Aquant.
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.
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 Aquant 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.
A little understanding of generational differences goes a long way in building the tech-savvy, customer-centric, and skilled (multigenerational) workforce you need.
The most talented young service workers won’t magically appear at your door simply because post a job online — you need to attract them with the right mix of tools and approaches, empower them with the technology they expect, and enable their learning and professional developmen
Leverage the Latest Technologies Across the Entire Organization
From the initial hiring processes to the provision of everyday work tools, outdated technology is a big turnoff for digital natives like Gen Z and Millennials. If they sense that your technology is stuck in 1999, they’ll take a different job. A 2019 Yello survey found that Gen Z has a baseline expectation that employers use up-to-date technology for the application process and that their platforms be mobile-friendly. A quarter (26%) of Gen Z candidates say that a lack of technology during the hiring process alone would prevent them from accepting a job with the company, so tech matters from the very start of the relationship. Set the right expectations early (and always).
When it comes to using technology for work, Millennials and Gen Z want to use (and master) the latest and greatest digital tools to help them do their jobs more effectively. In a recent webinar with Rodger Smelcer of United Service Technologies, he explained how he’s got one of the youngest service teams in the industry, and how UST’s up-to-date technology is key to keeping younger employees engaged and productive.
Smelcer details how younger service engineers utilize everything from mobile apps and social media to AI tools to capture findings and share new fixes or hacks with the entire UST team. He also notes that junior staff are energized to use the latest technology that empowers them to crush daily service metrics and foster long-term career advancement.
Enable Collaboration
Tech-savvy Gen Z workers and Millennials have grown up accustomed to collaborating in real-time in every aspect of their daily life and they bring those same preferences to the workplace. While it’s generally assumed that the youngest members of the workforce rely exclusively on digital tools, Gen Z, and to a lesser extent, Millennials, actually prefer to have a full menu of collaboration options, showing a desire for face-to-face interactions as one option (among many) to stay connected at work. And younger workers also want continuous, face-to-face feedback about their contributions at work.
It isn’t either technology or face-to-face, but preferably all-of-the-above.
What does that mean at a time of social distancing for an industry where field engineers have traditionally worked solo on job sites? Remote collaboration tools have never been more relevant than today to ensure the safety of service employees and their customers. These remote tools enable the workforce to feel (and literally be) connected and access the most accurate information and advice from across the entire organization. The benefit? The ability to resolve service issues with little or no in-person contact with customers.
Especially at a time of remote work and remote service, building collaboration into daily workflows and adopting technology to foster a collective knowledge base is essential for ensuring (contactless) service quality and extending a sense of camaraderie in service teams.
Professional development is among the top priorities for Millennials and Gen Z. When asked why they were dissatisfied with a job or planned to quit a position after less than two years, lack of training and professional development ranked third for both younger generations, just behind pay and a lack of advancement, according to research by Deloitte.
Both groups express eagerness for on-the-job mentoring along with digital tools that let them learn-as-they-go and share their findings with colleagues. Meeting the expectations of this young, motivated workforce is key to adapting to ongoing demographic shifts and a business climate of rapid digital transformation. When your younger workers learn via digital tools, not only do they stay engaged with your organization, but they also drive better service outcomes for your customers (who also expect tech-savvy solutions, by the way.
Set Your Business Up for Post-Covid Success
COVID-19 has served to accelerate digital transformation, for both business organizations and the customers they serve. Customers, in general, turned to more digital solutions, from online grocery shopping to Zoom meetings to streaming entertainment. Businesses were forced to keep pace and “up” their digital game
Those service organizations that had invested in digital transformation prior to the pandemic or have accelerated digital investments during the pandemic have generally outperformed organizations that have been slower to deploy digital-first approaches. In the service industry, for example, remote service provision has become a key success factor at a time of public health concerns and social distancing. Moreover, maintenance of equipment is increasingly becoming predictive and proactive, as sensors transmit continuous streams of real-time performance data that enables service and maintenance teams to intervene even before equipment breaks down
Digital tools that support faster, predictive, or remote service are now even more critical drivers of customer experience. The technology also helps reduce time on site, which is helpful in terms of public health. Whatever the future brings, digital tools can help ensure the continuity of your service operation and enable you to scale service provision.
WHAT'S NEXT
Now’s the time to act before small problems become insurmountable.
Digital tools, like intuitive AI solutions, can help your service team leverage and share service knowledge, which is the key to improving service outcomes — including improving KPIs and enhancing the customer experience. Those same tools will help attract and engage younger service talent by helping them feel both comfortable and more empowered.
Equally important, leveraging digital technology can help you future-proof your service organization in times of crisis, such as during COVID-19.
The service organizations that coped best with social distancing had already invested in digital transformation, which helped them adapt faster to “the new normal.”
Whether it’s a public health crisis or a demographic/workforce shift, you’ll need to remain agile: digital tools offer the best way forward regardless of the challenge.
Your new recruits (and customers) will thank you!
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Aquant.
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.
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 Aquant 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.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Aquant on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/aquant
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com//leadership-and-strategy
- Learn more about Aquant @ www.aquant.io
- Follow Aquant on Twitter @ twitter.com/Aquant_io
Apr 29, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • Workforce Managemnet • Aquant • Leadership and Strategy
In this second article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Aquant, we look at two major service challenges to overcome when it comes to the service workforce...
In this second article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Aquant, we look at two major service challenges to overcome when it comes to the service workforce...
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Aquant.
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.
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 Aquant 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.
All service organizations face external challenges around evolving customer demands and internal challenges around developing their capacities to address those evolving customer demands. When it comes to the service workforce, two challenges stand out above the rest.
CHALLENGE #1: The Need to Build a New Workforce for Today and Tomorrow
The shifts described above and the disruptive impacts on service delivery, have been hitting the service industry for a decade now, and are projected to continue for at least the next few years. While many organizations have transition plans in place, you should ask yourself:
“Does my transformation consider ALL aspects of the service cycle?”
That includes:
- People
- Processes
- Technology
- Customer demand and shifting preferences
- Long-term scalability
Here’s why the time to act is now.
- There is a massive demand for highly skilled talent in the service industry, but it’s in short supply.
- A workforce with a wide range of soft and technical skills is required to service today’s mix of equipment and machines. They also need to play the role of front-line brand ambassadors.
- More businesses are competing on service as the differentiator vs price. And the quality of service increasingly represents a major competitive advantage.
- Top younger and tech-savvy talent have more choices, and they’re more likely to leave a workplace that doesn’t meet their expectations for onboarding, training, professional development, and more.
CHALLENGE #2: Today's Growing & Costly Skill Gap
Historically (and today too), the service smarts exemplified by industry veterans came primarily from on-the-job experience and were developed over time. A major challenge for service leaders right now is figuring out how to quickly transfer that knowledge from veterans to the new workforce.
Another factor: these experts are being asked to play two major roles at once — leaders want them to be trainers and mentors, but their deep skillset is needed in the field. Your top service experts simply can’t be in two places at once.
We know you’d love to clone your SMEs and have them on your team forever, but that’s not reality. Here’s what’s happening now as a result of the brain drain.
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Increased service costs
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Decrease in service KPIs, including first time fix rates
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More customer churn
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Lower employee morale
Let’s dive deeper into costs, and for this part, we hope you’re sitting down.
The skills gap is expensive. The bottom performing quarter of the service workforce (challengers) costs organizations 80% more than the top quarter of the workforce (service heroes), according to our Service Intelligence Benchmark report.
When you have a failed first service visit, the costs continue to grow. A failed first service visit leads to, on average:
-
2.6 total visits to resolve the service issue
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15 additional days in Mean Time to Resolution
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Customer dissatisfaction and loss of service brand reputation. A failed first visit is especially problematic in light of the pandemic-driven urgency to limit time spent on job sites.
What should service organizations be doing to overcome these issues and build up a dream service team with the know-how to resolve issues efficiently? The first step is attracting, retaining, and empowering members of the two most recent workforce generations, Gen Z and Millennials.
Look out for the next and final excerpt from the white paper "The Service Leader's Guide to Recruiting and Retaining Gen Z & Millennials Employees" next week where we look at 4 solutions for effectively building the new service workforce.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Aquant.
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.
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 Aquant 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.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Aquant on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/aquant
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com//leadership-and-strategy
- Learn more about Aquant @ www.aquant.io
- Follow Aquant on Twitter @ twitter.com/Aquant_io
Apr 22, 2021 • Features • Digital Transformation • Workforce Managemnet • Aquant • Leadership and Strategy
In the first article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Aquant, we look at the disruption and the challenges presented by he ongoing generational shift for service organizations of all sizes...
In the first article of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Aquant, we look at the disruption and the challenges presented by he ongoing generational shift for service organizations of all sizes...
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Aquant
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.
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 Aquant 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.
How to Close The Skills Gap, Improve Service Outcomes, and Bolster Workforce Morale
Your most seasoned service techs are retiring. Do you have a plan to replace them? And how do you know how to transfer years of experience to junior staff quickly?
Today’s service workforce is undergoing a dramatic generational shift. As Baby Boomers move into retirement and take their hard-earned expertise with them, a wave of younger workers are entering the service industry with a sizable learning curve. The disruption presents ongoing challenges for service organizations of all sizes.
In the midst of this shift, service leaders are also juggling:
-
A growing skills gap that impacts service cost and quality
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An imbalance in workloads between service veterans and less-tenured staff
-
Employee dissatisfaction and/or high turnover
How can organizations like yours attract, retain, and quickly bring up-to-speed younger workers before your seasoned pros retire? The solutions to these challenges, according to industry experts and leading service leaders, include:
- Leveraging the latest digital technologies that empower less experienced employees to succeed by democratizing knowledge
- Promoting continuous learning and development on your service teams
- Setting your people up for success in a post-pandemic world filled with uncertainty and accelerating change
An Ongoing Generational Shift
The service workforce, for organizations of all sizes and industries, is undergoing a rapid transformation. A large percentage of Baby Boomers (born from 1946 to 1964) have either retired or are transitioning into retirement.
Meanwhile, younger Millennials (aged between 24 and 40) and Gen Z (the newest cohort in today’s workforce, aged 24 and younger) will soon account for the majority of the workforce, according to research from global consultancy PWC.
The impact: the industry is managing a workforce in flux, balancing the demands of attracting the tech-savvy and collaborative younger demographic, while grappling with a service skills gap for the incoming recruits.
What’s at the heart of the skills gap? As Baby Boomers take their institutional knowledge into retirement, the new recruits (Millennials and Gen Z) don’t have the years of experience and practical, on-the-job know-how needed for success in the field. In addition, as the world moves to more complex machinery and advanced technologies, a highly skilled workforce is more important than ever for success.
Look out for the next feature from the white paper "The Service Leader's Guide to Recruiting and Retaining Gen Z & Millennials Employees" next week where we look at two major service challenges to overcome when it comes to the service workforce.
This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by Aquant.
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.
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 Aquant 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.
Further Reading:
- Read more about Aquant on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/aquant
- Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
- Read more about Leadership & Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com//leadership-and-strategy
- Learn more about Aquant @ www.aquant.io
- Follow Aquant on Twitter @ twitter.com/Aquant_io
Mar 06, 2019 • Features • health and safety • Field Service Engineer Training • scheduling software • New Zealand • Service Recruitment • SimPRO • Workforce Managemnet
Richard Pratley left behind the beaches, scenery and weather of New Zealand to head-up SimPRO’s UK arm. Seven months into his new role, he spoke to Field Service News Deputy Editor Mark Glover about apprenticeships, health and safety and the state...
Richard Pratley left behind the beaches, scenery and weather of New Zealand to head-up SimPRO’s UK arm. Seven months into his new role, he spoke to Field Service News Deputy Editor Mark Glover about apprenticeships, health and safety and the state of the service sector in his homeland...
So isolated is New Zealand it was one of the last lands to have human settlement. As well as avoiding human interaction for so long more, it has also avoided the shockwaves spread from the global financial market. Seemingly exempt from the volatile effects of the recession, it is now seen as a ‘rock-star’ economy, immune to the peak and troughs of the downturn.
Investment in apprenticeships, particularly field service apprenticeships however has taken a hit here in the UK, globally and even New Zealand and the sector currently faces a discrepancy in new entrants joining the sector. Richard Pratley, Managing Director at SimPRO UK and a New Zealander is well placed to comment on the issue, which he did as a recent guest on the Field Service News podcast.
I asked him what challenges both countries – New Zealand and the UK – are facing in field service. He was forthcoming on the current employment imbalance. “I think the biggest one [challenge] is the skills labour shortage and how it’s impacting our industry,” he says. “Finding good people and keeping good people is getting increasingly harder.”
He suggested that New Zealand is reacting to the disparity, but it may be too late to plug the current gap. “A lack of investment in apprenticeships is a common trend across both geographies and I think we’ve underestimated how strong apprenticeships were,” he offered.
“Certainly, from a New Zealand perspective, it’s now well-recognized, and there is some heavy investment going in, but of course, it’s all a little bit too late. It’s not going to help us right now but it will help us in a few years’ time.”
“I think the biggest challenge is the skills labour shortage and how it’s impacting our industry...”
Richard headed up SimPRO’s New Zealand office for three years before relocating to these shores to take up his current position at the firm’s UK arm and he tells me there’s never been a better time to adopt an operational software platform or operational job management system.
But with a wide range of outfits to choose what should a service firm be looking for? “The thing we’re trying to do is to get more billable hours and more out of the existing workforce,” Richard says. However, I wonder if owner-based companies, used to ‘pen and paper’ procedures can find the change to a cloud-based OS rather overwhelming?
“Certainly, in New Zealand - and I’m guessing it’s the same in the UK too - there are a lot of large established service businesses that are owner operated,” he says.
“They have been run for a number of years and at some point, that individual may be looking to retire, and have some sort of exit strategy. The challenge is, that without some sort of systemisation, it’s all in somebody’s head and that’s a very difficult thing to get out.”
One area of work traditionally associated with pen and paper (and clipboard) is health and safety. Legislation and regulation require a strong paper trail, something that can be a laborious – yet important process.
Surely then, the cloud-based software in job management systems can assist in this? “We have a number of workflows and tools within apps that allow technicians to do those risk assessments on their devices, to record those results and to actually make some health and safety decisions before they go ahead and do any part of a job,” Richard says.
He pauses slightly before saying: “And I think that’s fundamentally important.”
You can listen to the Field Service Podcast with guest Richard Pratley here.
Aug 23, 2018 • Features • Management • Nick Frank • Recruitment • research • Research • Workammo • field service • field service management • Service Leadership • Service Management • Service Manager • Service People Matters • Si2 partners • Training • Talent Development • Workforce Managemnet
Across recent weeks here on fieldservicenews.com we've published a series of features analysing an exclusive research project run in partnership with Si2 Partners, WorkAmmo and Service People Matters.
Across recent weeks here on fieldservicenews.com we've published a series of features analysing an exclusive research project run in partnership with Si2 Partners, WorkAmmo and Service People Matters.
Previously we reflected on Si2 Partners founding partner Nick Frank's initial commentary on some of the headline findings of the research which were first aired in a recent episode of the Field Service Podcast.
Now in the final part of this exclusive research analysis, we dig deeper into the findings and see how the trends the research has revealed support Frank's Si2 Partners initial hypotheses...
The Key Characteristics of a Service Manager
So, to begin let’s explore what the key characteristics field service organisations are looking for when recruiting new service managers.
We asked our survey respondents “What are the key attributes you look for in a service manager” with a list of 14 options to select as well as the option to submit additional information - and we asked respondents to list any options that were applicable to them.
Interestingly, and very much in line with Frank’s comments, the most common response was leadership capability in which 86% of respondents stated was a key attribute they sought within their service managers.
This in itself is a particularly intriguing insight given that as Frank alluded to, leadership capabilities may not be particularly evident based on past performance if organisations are promoting from within and selecting their new service managers from a pool of their highest performing field engineers.
This is not to say that they won’t necessarily exist within that pool, however, the skill set of strong leadership is as we have mentioned in the introduction a different skill set to what makes an excellent field service engineer.
"The most common response was leadership capability in which 86% of respondents stated was a key attribute they sought within their service managers..."
Yet it seems indeed that leadership is absolutely viewed as pivotal within the role of service management today - something that is surely a reflection on the strategic importance of service delivery as a growth driver that Frank refers to.
However, whilst the research findings reveal that whilst leadership skills are the most commonly sought after trait when recruiting service managers, it seems that many service organisations continue to seek out similar attributes within their service managers as those that are often highly valued within field service engineers and technicians.
Specifically, field service organisations were commonly looking for potential service managers to show technical knowledge and application (77%) and be good problem solvers (50%) both key traits often sought after in field service engineers and technicians.
Additionally, both an ability to fight fires and demonstrated performance delivery were both identified as key traits by just under a third (30%) of field service companies look for when recruiting new service managers - again highlighting how the roles of service managers are seen as being a linear progression from field-based roles.
However, given that this number is relatively low, it could also be argued that this could indeed be indicative of a changing tide and that this is part of the evolution which Frank described as service becomes a strategic growth drier rather than merely a cost centre.
Yet, when we look for the skills and attributes that are more firmly in line with what Frank describes as business management skills, again the data sits very much in line with his hypothesis, that perhaps not enough service organisations are showing the levels of ambition that one might expect given the large shift towards service as a profit centre we have seen in recent years.
"A third of companies (33%) who stated that a good head for business is something they look for in a service manager, whilst slightly more (40%) stated that an important trait they look for in service managers is for them to be analytical and metric driven..."
In fact, again it is a third of companies (33%) who stated that a good head for business is something they look for in a service manager, whilst slightly more (40%) stated that an important trait they look for in service managers is for them to be analytical and metric driven - another attribute that is perhaps more aligned to business management than the traditional requirements of service management.
What these findings to appear to reveal is that we do seem to be in the midst of an evolution within the role of the service manager, with some companies still leaning towards selecting the best performers within their field service teams, whilst others are adopting a slightly more ambitious approach to selecting their service management personnel in looking for traits that are more aligned with the strategic business aspects of the role.
There are of course merits in both approaches, as Frank points out, however, there are also a number of traits that are fundamental to being able to ensure that field service operations are delivered optimally and this was also evident in the research findings.
One big attribute that was commonly cited as important for field service companies to seek within their service managers was a customer-centric outlook - which was, in fact, the second most frequently cited of all the options within the survey with 80% of companies stating this is something they look for within a potential service manager.
Alongside this, a large percentage of companies felt that potential candidates for their vacant service manager roles should ideally have a good operational understanding, which two thirds (66%) cited as well as a good rapport with their service engineers which over half (55%) cited.
Whilst both of these latter two attributes could, of course, be developed by an external candidate these are both areas where an internal recruit would certainly have an advantage.
Service Manager Development
So, based on the research findings around the desired attributes of service managers, there remains a strong case for hiring from within, yet at the same time we are certainly starting to see a developing appetite for and a gradual shift towards the more business focussed service management role that Frank describes.
So does this mean that field service organisations are looking to recruit within and then develop the layers of business acumen required for managing a service business as a profit-generating entity?
The research would appear to suggest that this may not yet be the case and the role remains to be seen as being both technical and supervisory rather than being focused on business performance and strategic thinking.
Having asked our respondents ‘What training do you give to your service managers?’ we found out that indeed, leadership training was the most popular response being cited by just over half (53%) of respondents, whilst technical training was also cited by half (50%) of respondents.
"Less than a quarter of our respondents (23%) stated that they gave their service managers any financial or business acumen training..."
In addition to these attributes ‘coach-the-coach’ style training and also ‘soft-skils’ were both cited by 30% of companies, is another attribute that fits more within a supervisory focused service manager role.
In contrast to this, less than a quarter of our respondents (23%) stated that they gave their service managers any financial or business acumen training.
This would certainly suggest that whilst aspirationally many companies may be beginning to see service as a driver for revenue growth, in reality, the majority of field service organisations still see the role of the service manager as being one firmly rooted in the operational side of the business.
Of course, one answer for this could simply be that many organisations see the more business-focused aspects of service management as belonging within the realm of the service director, rather than the service manager - but that begs the question as to whether we are developing the necessary characteristics within our service managers to make the necessary step up to become highly effective service directors who can drive both a service operation and business growth forward simultaneously?
Could it be that as field service delivery continues to becoming increasingly interwoven within business strategy - particularly as the trend towards servitization and outcome-based contracts become more prevalent that we are seeing demand outstrip supply in terms of service managers who are equally comfortable being operationally efficient, business savvy and who also have a natural proclivity to customer-centricity?
"Over two thirds (70%) of respondents stating that they didn’t feel there were enough candidates to meet demand for service managers roles..."
The research would again certainly add weight to this argument with over two thirds (70%) of respondents stating that they didn’t feel there were enough candidates to meet demand for service managers roles given the fact that field service has become increasingly important operation within many companies wider business strategies.
This lack of suitable candidates again asserts the validity and importance of being able to recruit from within - in essence, to be able to grow your own service management leaders. However, if companies are to do so and to do so effectively, then it would appear that many need to rethink how they approach their management level training programs to incorporate more focus on the business aspects if they are to truly align the role of service manager, with the premise of service as a profit centre.
Yet it is by no means an impossible task and the fact that just under half (44%) of the field service organisations who participated in the research involve their service directors within the recruitment process would suggest that these concepts may well filter down over time.
It seems that there is a small portion of field service organisations who are one step ahead of the pack in terms of developing their service managers to not only be able to deliver operationally but also strategically. The question now must be how long before the rest catch up? how long before the rest catch up?
Executive Findings:
- 86% of field service companies state that Leadership Capabilities are a key attribute they look for in potential service managers
- 77% of field service companies state that Technical Skills are a key attribute they look for in potential service managers
- 80% of field service companies believe their Service Managers must have a customer-centric outlook.
- 55% of field service companies expect their Service Managers to have an excellent rapport with their service technicians
- 23% of field service companies provide their Service Managers with business or financial acumen training.
- 70% of field service companies believe that there are not enough suitable candidates to fill the demand for Service Managers
About The Research:
The research was conducted over a six week period reaching out to fieldservicenews.com subscribers as well as the respective audiences of our partners inviting recipients to complete a detailed online survey. In total there were 131 respondents.
In addition to this Field Service News Editor-in-Chief conducted a live polling session at the recent Field Service Connect event, held at the Belfry, UK which was hosted by WBR at which an additional 33 senior field service executives were present bringing the total respondent level to 164 field service professionals - a sufficiently large enough response base to provide a fairly robust snapshot of the current trends around recruitment and development amongst field service organisations today.
The respondents represented a diverse range of industries including; Heavy Manufacturing, Healthcare, Consumer Electronics, Power Generation and Facilities Management. There were respondents from all across the globe including the UK, Belgium, Germany, UAE, Canada, Spain and the USA and there were responses from companies of varying sizes ranging from those with less than 10 engineers through to those with over 800 engineers.
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