The Future of Personalization and Contextualization in Field Service
The field service industry is currently experiencing a profound transformation driven by customers’ increasing need for personalization and contextualization. This is prompting service providers to adapt their service models, offer new and innovative types of service, and leverage data to provide custom-tailored services to unique customers.
Much of this change is occurring thanks to organizations’ adoption of new technologies, and there is no technology more transformative than artificial intelligence (AI).
According to "The State of AI in Field Service”, a recent report by Field Service Insights and industry partners, 68% of field service leaders have observed improvements in customer satisfaction due to the integration of AI in field service operations. Furthermore, 77% believe AI will be beneficial to customer service representatives in the future, enabling them to personalize service interactions in real and provide assistance based on each customer’s unique context.
In this article, we’ll explore what makes personalization and contextualization different, as well as how they will change the nature of field service for good.
Why Today’s Customer Needs Personalized and Contextualized Field Service
Demand for personalized and contextualized field service has grown as customer expectations have expanded beyond the traditional break-fix model of service. Although personalization and contextualization are similar, they are worth differentiating:
- Personalization refers to tailoring customer interactions based on individual preferences, past behaviors, and demographic information. It involves using customer data to create a unique experience for each individual, such as addressing them by name or recommending products based on their purchase history.
- Contextualization involves adapting customer interactions based on the current situation, environment, or circumstances of the customer. It takes into account real-time factors such as the customer's location, device type, time of day, or recent actions to provide relevant and timely support or information.
Most field service customers expect organizations to have a significant amount of information about their needs, operations, and equipment. This is due, in part, to the standardization of personalization in consumer buying cycles.
Studies conducted by Field Service Insights reveal that service organizations recognize the demand for this type of service. However, many are struggling to meet expectations. This is despite significant investments in technology and changes to how the field service function operates.
Field Service Teams Face Gaps in Mobile Capabilities
For example, another recent study by Field Service Insights and its partners focused specifically on how field service teams are leveraging mobile solutions to enhance service outcomes and deliver personalized services at scale. The report, entitled "Mobile Technology and the Field Service Workforce,” found that although a majority of the field service leaders were satisfied with their ability to leverage some remote and mobile capabilities, many face gaps in key areas.
For instance, 56% of field service leaders said they were satisfied with their ability to leverage work order management, while 51% said they were very satisfied with their ability to leverage mobile invoice management. However, satisfaction levels dropped when it came to mobile estimate management, mobile troubleshooting, and problem resolution.
These gaps highlight a need for more robust solutions, so field service teams can deliver real-time, personalized service when face-to-face with customers.
Customers today expect field service technicians to have immediate access to their service history, equipment details, and potential solutions. This level of personalization not only improves customer satisfaction but also increases first-time fix rates and reduces overall service costs.
Organizations Need Technology Enablers like AI and IoT
The implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, AI-powered solutions, and specialized software is playing a crucial role in meeting these personalized service needs. Working together, these technologies can significantly enhance customer visibility into their assets and even provide customers with unprecedented self-service capabilities.
IoT Devices Help Service Organizations Automate Service Requests
IoT devices have proven particularly successful for field service organizations as they provide real-time data on asset performance. This data can be analyzed to generate insights, which can then be relayed to customers for their use or be used internally to personalize service.
These devices open opportunities for remote service and troubleshooting, helping customers engage in self-service activities that save them time.
Finally, IoT devices are a critical component of engaging in proactive maintenance. By monitoring assets in real-time, field service teams can better anticipate when machines will need service, so customers don’t have to face downtime.
Artificial Intelligence Creates Customer-Centric Opportunities
Artificial intelligence is perhaps the most notable technology to transform how field service teams interact with customers and deliver personalized services.
Organizations are using or planning to use AI for several customer-centric applications:
- Engaging in proactive maintenance and issue prevention
- Delivering personalized service and messages
- Generating feedback from customers automatically
- Sharing knowledge and insights to optimize customer outcomes
These AI-driven capabilities allow field service organizations to proactively address customer needs, often before the customer is even aware of a potential issue.
For example, predictive maintenance algorithms can analyze equipment data to forecast potential failures, enabling technicians to schedule preventive maintenance at the most convenient time for the customer. Furthermore, AI is enhancing the capabilities of field service technicians, allowing them to more effectively understand customer contexts and provide more personalized service.
This adaptive approach ensures that each customer interaction is tailored to their specific situation and preferences.
"Our AI tools allow representatives to get activity updates from work sites instantly. In the past, we relied heavily on primary reps who handled 90% of the work on machines, with secondaries only providing support. Today, we take a team approach. Whoever is available can step in, regardless of their skill set. Even if one representative doesn't know what the other did last week, the tool gives them all the information they need immediately."
Many Field Service Operations Lack Critical AI-Powered Tools
However, there's still room for improvement in leveraging AI for personalized service. Only 46% of respondents currently have AI-powered troubleshooting and knowledge access capabilities in their field service management platforms.
This suggests a significant opportunity for organizations to enhance their personalization efforts by implementing more advanced AI solutions.
As customer expectations continue to evolve, field service organizations must prioritize the development and implementation of technologies that enable personalized and contextualized service. By doing so, they can not only meet current customer needs but also anticipate and address future demands, ultimately driving customer satisfaction and loyalty in an increasingly competitive market.
Specialized Service Teams Can Meet Dynamic Demands
Beyond technological capabilities, field service organizations can build specialized service teams to meet complex and constantly evolving market demands. By developing niche expertise, these organizations can address specific industry challenges and cater to unique customer needs more effectively.
This approach involves creating teams that are tailored to particular types of services, such as equipment maintenance, technical support, or customer training. These specialized teams are equipped with targeted knowledge, skills, and tools, allowing them to deliver high-quality service experiences.
Enhancing the Workforce’s Capabilities
To achieve specialization, organizations may need to invest in continuous training and development programs that enhance the capabilities of their workforce, ensuring that team members remain up-to-date with the latest industry advancements and best practices. Additionally, fostering a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing among team members can further enhance their ability to solve complex issues swiftly and efficiently.
This culture can be supported by knowledge management technologies, such as dynamic knowledge bases and generative AI tools that quickly generate insights based on inputted data.
Nonetheless, while AI can play a role in supporting these teams by providing tools for predictive maintenance and data analytics, the emphasis remains on human expertise and personalized service. This strategic focus on specialization empowers field service organizations to offer tailored solutions that align with the evolving expectations of their customers.
"We've used several AI tools that can identify patterns and extract useful insights from data. As the authorities on these systems, you can provide those valuable insights to your customers, so they can improve their equipment’s reliability, uptime, and availability. Your engineers will quickly become go-to experts when they are empowered by AI-driven insights."
Moving Toward More Customized Service Offerings
Despite the clear benefits of personalization and contextualization in field service, organizations face several challenges in implementation. Legacy system integration remains a significant hurdle, with 59% of respondents reporting difficulties in this area while implementing AI, according to "The State of AI in Field Service.”
Additionally, training field service technicians to effectively use new personalization tools and adapting to changing workflows requires substantial investment in change management strategies. Overcoming these obstacles is crucial for field service organizations to fully leverage the potential of personalized and contextualized service delivery.
To learn more about how your field service operations can deliver personalized, contextualized services at scale, don't miss Field Service Palm Springs 2025. It’s happening from April 22nd to 24th at the JW Marriot Desert Springs in Palm Springs, CA.
Download the agenda and register for the event today.