In field service, things are moving fast — and companies are feeling the pressure. More layers of operational complexity. Higher expectations from all directions through various stakeholders. Organizations are somehow expected to be fully tuned into the technological pulse while still managing to reduce costs and accelerate implementation timelines. I've watched countless companies struggle with the prevailing business philosophy of building custom solutions from scratch to try and do it all, but it's becoming increasingly clear that this just doesn't work. Today's fast-paced business environment keeps resources limited and demands high.
Field service customers expect organizations to know their unique needs before they set out to fix their assets. However, recent studies by Field Service Insights indicate that many companies are struggling to create a service model based on the personal context of their customers. Our latest article explores how field service organizations can achieve personalization and contextualization in their service delivery, so they can significantly improve the customer experience.
Field service teams are struggling to hire enough technicians to fill their rosters. While there is some evidence that Gen Z will be more likely to take up the trades than their millennial counterparts, field service organizations must take steps now to improve their staffing strategies. This article explores what strategies field service organizations can use to retain, upskill, and recruit employees during the current field service labor crunch.
As field service organizations get ready to implement their strategies for 2025, it will be critical for them to stay on top of trends that will impact the industry. For example, a new generation of field service leaders is about to take the reins, bringing with them substantial changes to how teams operate. Organizations’ artificial intelligence programs are reaching maturity. They could lead to a significant transformation in how companies deliver service and interact with customers. To learn more about what will matter most to field service in 2025, check out our latest article.
Field service organizations can use advanced technologies to commercialize their operations and deliver new revenue to the business. This article explores the potential of field service operations to become significant profit generators.
Our latest article explores how field service departments can significantly enhance their first-time fix rates by leveraging remote and self-service technologies. This article is particularly relevant as businesses like yours seek innovative ways to improve service efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Are you looking to attract, retain, and develop a strong field service team? Our latest article highlights key tips for each stage of the process. Check out our post to learn more.
Our latest article explores how field service departments can harness data analytics and business intelligence to enhance operations and customer experience. Don't miss the chance to discover key strategies for boosting your service efficiency through intentional data usage.
Field service technicians face a significant number of health and safety risks while out in the field and keeping them safe should be an organization's top priority. Our latest article provides insightful tips and strategies on prioritizing the health and safety of field service technicians, as well as some suggestions for how technology can help.
The Elite Service Culture™ does not exhibit itself as a positive experience one day and ordinary the next, there is consistency among events. While every customer interaction is a combination of people, processes and tools, the people aspect is the most impactful variable of the customer experience and at times can compensate for other deficiencies. When a customer experience reaches the "feel good” status, it is more likely associated with a repurchase or recommendation to a friend.” Let’s explore corporate culture, the building blocks of the Elite Service Culture™, as well as the measuring of a culture.
For the mature service organization, leaders strive to build their operations to succeed not only when they are present, but to function at consistently high levels when they are away. Within these high-functioning robust service operations, decisions are routinely, almost automatically being made much like a vehicle in autopilot-mode with capabilities that exceed human abilities. Autopilot vehicles include a complex system of technology and networks, built from the most complicated and diverse scenarios in the world (Tesla, 2022). These autonomous vehicles are making unseen decisions moment to moment, ready to process the next challenge with ease, grace and agility, much like a high-functioning and healthy business unit. Striving for such a healthy business culture is of the highest priority and involves investments that will pay for themselves tenfold.
Ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of assets throughout their product lifecycle is a top priority for field service providers. Customers need to be confident their assets will not let them down at any point during their installation. In today’s blog we discover how Daikin’s use of plug and play technology and reclaimed refrigerants are helping them better manage the entire lifecycle of its air conditioning products.
With last year’s COP26 conference seeing China commit to a 65% reduction in its carbon emissions, corporations operating in the region need to step up and do their bit to help it meet this lofty goal. In today’s blog, we discover how Johnson Controls and Microsoft are working together to create smarter and more sustainable buildings in China.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted all our lives an increasing number of businesses are accelerating digital transformation and adopting a mindset which prioritizes the process. This digital first mindset will be a key brand differentiator in the future. In this week’s article, we discover how Krones is exemplifying this process with a unique collaboration platform and incredible AI powered inspection technology.
Unplanned downtime can result in significant losses to both productivity and revenue. Predictive maintenance and condition monitoring can help avoid unplanned downtime but can be difficult to implement. In this article we discover how National Instruments has developed a new plug and play maintenance as a service solution which makes predictive maintenance and condition monitoring easier than ever.
Predictive maintenance has been stealing the headlines in field service circles for some time now, but 2023 is the year for an evolution of the concept to finally take hold and provide us with a method of reducing the likelihood of faults ever occurring. In this article we discuss the concept of prescriptive maintenance, its benefits, and suggest a framework for implementation.
The ability to conduct remote field service is set to become a key brand differentiator in the future. Increased customer satisfaction, improved health and safety, and better training and development are just a handful of the benefits. In this week’s blog post we discuss how the COVID-19 crisis changed attitudes to remote work and how augmented reality technology is now helping field service providers perform their role better than ever before.
As the effects of manmade climate change are felt ever more keenly around the world, there is an urgent need for large corporations to step up and do their part in reducing emissions and prioritize sustainability. In this article, we focus on Schneider Electric and catch up with how it’s making good on the ambitious sustainability goals it laid out back in 2021.
Workforce planning is one of the biggest challenges facing the industry today. From tackling the talent crisis, to ensuring staff are deployed effectively and efficiently, an increasing number of brands are waking up to the ways digital technology can supercharge workforce planning. In today’s article, we look at three of the way Siemens is leveraging digital technology for better workforce planning.
Any field service task begins with root cause analysis – after all, how can a technician repair a fault without first deducing what the problem is? However, many field service providers are still relying on inefficient manual processes in their root cause analysis routines. In this article, we discuss how providers can accelerate their roof cause analysis processes and make the case for root cause as a service platforms.
As the post-pandemic talent crisis continues to pose significant challenges for the field service industry, brands in the space are having to rethink their HR operation to attract techs and engineers into the business. In this week’s article we discuss the scale of the crisis, the concept of quiet quitting, and how field service providers need to rethink the employer/employee relationship if they want to remain competitive
Everyone knows that Digitalization is reshaping the industry and human culture, but what exactly does this mean for you and your team?
After two years of disruption, field service teams are preparing for another year of technology-enabled services. And while many look forward to a return to relative normalcy, most would agree that the procurement function may never be the same again. To be published at the end of April 2022, this report will explore how field service organizations’ technology strategies have changed over the past year. It will include key insights from decision makers and benchmarking information about companies’ service strategies. Here are a few of the report’s highlights.
The field service industry is rapidly changing. No longer can businesses rely on a customer service representative to take a ticket and then dispatch a technician. With automation, businesses can now offer their customers self-service options that allow them to resolve common issues on their own. These types of capabilities are becoming increasingly important as field service organizations begin to serve a much more tech-centric generation. In the coming years, more and more field service customers will expect automation, digital interaction, and fast service to be the norm. The challenge is determining how they can adapt their processes to accommodate automation without severing the bonds between their people and their customers. In this article, we will explore how field service organizations are entering the age of automation and how they are meeting the needs of a more tech-centric customer base.
Field service and fleet management professionals are always looking for ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs. In recent years, electric vehicles have become a more popular option for businesses, as they are seen as a more environmentally friendly option. However, with the rise of multi-fuel engine platforms, many field service and fleet managers are considering multi-fuel options as a likely bridge toward sustainability. In this article, we’ll explore what multi-fuel engine platforms and the future of electric vehicles mean for fleet management.
Field service operations typically delegate customer service leadership to a specific executive, such as the chief service officer (CSO). While this model has worked in the past, it is becoming clear that CSOs must partner with other executives to achieve customer success. This is especially true at companies that are undergoing digital transformation, as new technology initiatives must be applied within the service department and to customer service processes as well. Here's why field service operations should partner with the chief information officer (CIO) to deliver better outcomes for customers.
WBR’s Field Service Palm Springs is the leading event for forward-thinking field service and support businesses. Here’s how event sponsorship can open doors for your organization.
Best Buy receives high marks for its customer service and customer support departments, especially for its Geek Squad. In addition to a generous returns policy, the brand has a dedicated tech support function that provides top-notch service and a subscription-based service model that drives revenue. According to the Best Buy website, its 1-year Geek Squad 24/7 support offering has 4.5 out of 5 stars. Best Buy may be a retailer, but the company's focus on customer success can serve as a powerful template for the service industry. Here's what service executives can learn from Best Buy.
Customer service is an essential element of the culture at every company, but many companies still struggle to align their departments and focus on delighting the customer. Unfortunately for them, the days when a single department the customer experience have come to an end. A customer issue negatively impacts both customers as well as the organization's bottom line. More importantly, customers are now more demanding than ever, and it takes more than a customer service department to empower them and handle their requests. Here's how more organizations can become customer-centric by aligning their departments and ensuring everyone takes responsibility for customer delight.
It may seem difficult to draw a line between the Disney experience and the world of field service. But if there’s one thing Disney and its theme parks are known for, it’s top-notch customer service. In a way, field service organizations are in the same business. The tools and contexts may be different, but at the end of the day, world-class field service is all about creating positive experiences for customers and making their lives better.
Field service organizations depend on their fleets to transport products, people, and services to customer locations. However, commercial fleet operations are often complicated. Not only do field service organizations need to maintain and account for their vehicles, but they also need to ensure that their fleet operations align with their strategic business goals. Recently, a Toyota subsidiary made a significant investment into IoT technology, and it could lead to significant changes to how commercial fleets operate.
Field service organizations have evolved over the past several years, and that’s in no small part due to their technology implementations. New software integrations have improved efficiency by adding automation and by digitizing many internal processes. Here’s how field service organizations are using technology to become industry leaders.
There’s no denying 2020 and 2021 have both been challenging years. The COVID-19 crisis caught us all off-guard and has continued to disrupt our lives significantly, even as many countries attempt to return to some semblance of normality. As we move out of 2021 and begin to prepare for another new year, it seems a suitable time to take stock of what has gone on before and brace ourselves for some of the challenges we’re likely to come up against in 2022.
Responsible for much of the food we eat, the roads we travel on, and the buildings we live, work, and play in, agriculture and plant machinery are so deeply ingrained in the infrastructure of our lives, it’s often easy to forget about them. But, for companies operating in that space, negligence isn’t an option. As one of the most well-known and recognized brands in the agriculture and plant machinery space, John Deere understands this all too well and has maintained its market position and reputation through a spirit of constant innovation and forward momentum.
Uptime is the metric by which nearly all field service success is measured and all brands in the business should have this goal at the fore of their mind when innovating and developing new methods of operation. Downtime costs customers money and damages their reputation as they fail to meet targets and therefore disappoint their own clients further down the value chain. As such, avoiding unplanned downtime should be a top priority for field service providers.
One area of life which has been relatively slow to become fully connected has been the world of automobiles. Naturally, it has been slightly more challenging to facilitate connected cars, due to them having to rely on mobile technology rather than hardline, but we are now seeing more and more vehicles with the ability to get online and offer drivers a new era of digital experiences. And, if there’s one automobile brand you’d expect to be leading the way in connected vehicle technology, it would be the one that started the whole industry in the first place.
Thanks to lockdown restrictions transforming the way we work, the need for digital services has never been greater. While many countries are now coming out of the worst of the pandemic, thanks to vaccinations, the daily infection rates are still high and mask wearing, and social distancing continue to be recommended. This environment is leading to some companies changing their focus entirely and prioritizing digital services to make their offering more relevant than ever.
Field service has a role to play in the quest for sustainability. Not only in the way we operate as independent organizations, but also in the way we service and maintain the buildings we are responsible for. We are in a unique position where we can influence the operation of other companies outside of our own brands and find way to make them more sustainable.
As one of the biggest names in technology, and particularly healthcare, Siemens fully understands the value of partnerships, as evidenced by the recent expansion of its relationship with CRM solutions provider, SAP.
The popularity and proliferation of 3D printing – or additive manufacturing as it’s also known – can be attributed to a relatively small group of early adopters which have been experimenting with the technology from its fledgling days and pushing the limits of what is possible.
Despite the fact the SARS-COV-2 coronavirus continues to rage around the planet, many countries are now trying to return to some semblance of normality. With many workplaces being located in tall buildings, this unfortunately means elevators have become a necessary part of life once again. Two years ago, we would not have thought twice about stepping into a small box with a handful of other humans, but that has all changed and the need for more sensitive elevator use and service models is being keenly felt within the industry.
In the world of field service, one of the best methods we have available to contribute towards a more sustainable planet is to assist clients with better management of their assets. By focusing on factors such as energy consumption – a major contributor of carbon emissions – brands can lessen their environmental impact and benefit their bottom line through cost savings to boot.
Every business is ultimately intertwined with the rest of the world. There is no action a company can take that does not have a direct or indirect impact on communities and the environment. Furthermore, recent events have only reiterated the importance of corporate responsibility. The public now expects companies to formulate a direct stance on social issues and to be transparent about their financial dealings, environmental impact, and employee culture.
Self-service is a trending topic in various areas of business. Over the past several years, consumer-facing organizations have spearheaded the concept of self-service and embraced a range of digital capabilities to make customer interactions easier and more streamlined.
In the field service industry, customer self-service is decidedly digital-first as well. After taking a note from consumer-facing markets, many field service organizations now use customer-facing digital portals to help their customers manage interactions with the company.
Field service organizations have taken significant steps to transform themselves into agile and digital-first operations over the past several years, and those transformations are ongoing. As part of their efforts, many organizations have chosen to outsource some aspects of their business. Sometimes, field service teams will outsource core operations to trusted contractors and technology firms.
However, field service teams can free up considerable resources by outsourcing non-core functions as well.
Remote assistance was just one of the many technologies field service technicians encountered during organizations' digital transformations over the past several years. Some field service organizations felt that adopting remote assistance tools was a no-brainer—it was affordable, could make technicians' lives easier, and could improve the customer experience in the process.
One organization that has seen significant success through its route and fleet planning solutions is Safelite AutoGlass. Here's how this vehicle glass repair, replacement, and recalibration company won accolades by embracing data and technology.
In the field service sector, remote assistance tools are often discussed from a technician's perspective. After all, most remote assistance tools are utilized by technicians themselves, whether they are viewing a schematic overlay of a machine via augmented reality or connecting with a service veteran hundreds of miles away to diagnose a challenging problem.
The field service landscape is changing rapidly. Much of this change is being driven by technology, including the technology adoptions of field service customers themes. Many field service customers are now demanding increased options for self-service. They also have higher expectations for service visits and first-time fix rates...
Field service organizations have evolved from break-fix customer service operations into proactive and value-driven partnerships that work alongside customers to drive value. These changes are in no small part due to the onboarding of new technologies, such as Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensors and artificial intelligence (AI)...
Field service departments at the largest organizations now have a global reach. Some companies service customers and assets across every continent, spanning multiple cultures and languages. Although this development is representative of the far-reaching abilities of the field service sector, it also creates challenges...
As the effects of man-made climate change continue to be felt ever more keenly around the world, the need for energy companies to seriously invest in energy transition has never been more important. As one of the industry’s largest field service providers, Baker Hughes is investing heavily in energy transition technology and the digital transformation needed to make the world a more carbon-neutral place.
The coronavirus crisis has reshaped the landscape of global industry. There’s simply no way of getting around the fact that we will be living with its effects for some time to come. In this post, we look at how Honeywell levelled up its offering with several laudable and COVID-specific innovations.
The COVID-19 pandemic caught the world off guard, and it feels like we’ve all spent the last 18 months playing catch up. In this post, we discover how Johnson and Johnson has been deploying the kind of predictive analytics normally used in field service to fight this devastating plague.
Despite our moving towards a more cashless society, the need for ATM services is still very high. However, the servicing of these machines can be an inconvenience too far for many busy retailers. In this post, we look at how NCR is providing an innovative ATM-as-a-Service offering which makes sure retailers can offer ATM services while outsourcing their day-to-day maintenance and upkeep.
Field service has come on a long way in recent years. More and more brands are moving away from the old method of simply reacting to issues as they occur, and instead using the very latest in modern technology to provide a more proactive service. In this post, we look at how Schneider Electric is advancing this proactive approach and deploying exciting technology – such as augmented reality – to achieve it.
The world of energy provision is changing. Deregulation and a new focus on renewables are transforming the role of fossil fuel plants in the energy ecosystem. In this article, we look at how Siemens is helping meet this need with a new kind of asset management – APM – and how it is strengthening its partnership with SAP to offer an improved suite of cloud-based asset management tools.
Karin Hamel, Vice President U.S. Digital Buildings, North America Operations at Schneider Electric, shares what steps Schneider Electric took to keep Service performing throughout the pandemic and where they’re headed in today’s new reality for service organizations.
Field service executives and frontline managers can waste a lot of time chasing too many – or not the correct – KPIs. If you are striving to encourage the proper system and employee behaviors, what are the critical KPIs to track?
An organization's ability to process and analyze data quickly is now paramount to its success. Today's field service organizations use networks of IoT-connected technologies to generate and aggregate data. That data is what they use to monitor deployed machines and tools in the field, generate reports on the status of their service agreements, and automate solutions for field service challenges in real-time.
As field service organizations continue their efforts toward digital transformation, new capabilities and service offerings are emerging as a result. Central to these organizations' transformations is a relatively simple concept: asset visibility. By gaining real-time visibility into how their deployed assets are performing, manufacturers, distributors, and field service teams can determine how well their products are serving their customers.
The past year has provided field service organizations with some hard-earned lessons, but also new opportunities. The COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions to almost every industry. Supply chains struggled to keep up with demand, and many field service teams were forced to significantly alter their operations to protect the health of employees.
As heads of their organizations' field service operations, chief service officers already have a lot on their plate. The past year hasn't made their jobs any easier, either.
Employee burnout is a significant problem across business sectors. According to Deloitte, 77% of professionals say they have experienced burnout at their current job. The same study also found that 91% of professionals believe having an unmanageable amount of stress or frustration impacts the quality of their work...
The European Union's (EU) Medical Device Regulation (2017/745) and In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (2017/746) set standards and oversight requirements for manufacturers of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic solutions that intend to distribute their products in the EU. They are a much-needed replacement for decades-old regulations. However, they affect healthcare technology organizations within and outside of the EU. They have also brought some significant challenges and opportunities to these companies' operations.
The size of the global medical technology industry reached over 450 billion U.S. dollars in 2019. Established centers of this industry include the United States and Western Europe, but industry trends show that countries in Asia—especially China—are about to play a more prominent role in the years to come.
By connecting devices into a single service environment using IoT, field service organizations can more effectively leverage their asset data, engage in predictive and proactive maintenance, and gain better visibility into the end-user experience. If your organization is considering a widespread rollout of IoT technology, here are some insights into what it could mean for both your company and your customers.
Field service organizations that maintain medical devices in clinical settings faced a tumultuous year in 2020. Restrictions due to social distancing guidelines added new challenges to the process of maintaining the uptime of medical devices, deploying technicians, and pursuing future technology initiatives.
Field service organizations use a range of technologies to serve their clients. These technologies include software solutions like field service management (FSM) tools, hand-held devices, and IoT-connected products that gather data when operating in the field. But the adoption of new technologies also comes with inherent risks.
AR was initially applied in field service as a tool to remove barriers during diagnostic procedures. Now, it is enabling field service teams to provide remote assistance to their customers. Here, we'll explore what the increased adoption and performance of AR means for field service.
When experienced technicians leave, they take their knowledge with them. The challenge for field service organizations is capturing that knowledge before it departs, so it can be transferred to new technicians.
In the past, this was often accomplished through apprenticeship and training programs. But increasingly, knowledge capture tools are enabling organizations to maintain institutional knowledge automatically.
Moving forward, field service organizations could continue to use contactless field service options to serve customers. Not only do these capabilities keep their technicians safe, but they can also provide clients and end-users with more flexible service options.