It is a must for field service organizations to optimize their reactive service models today and plan for better predictive service models for the future.
It doesn’t need one to be remarkably prescient to see that technology-driven upgrades and customizations are the future for field service organizations. They need to be particularly well equipped and optimized in their service models to utilize the ever-advancing and ever-growing technologies to their full advantage.
The emerging technologies are bringing in a revolution of sorts in the different field service organizations around us. As such, digital transformation must be an integral part of every organization’s service strategy, and further plans would need to be laid out on these very pillars of deployment and scalability.
We take a look at a few of the common questions which may arise from this topic, and we try to answer them accordingly.
QUESTION: What do the organizations need to keep in mind about the correct and appropriate usage of IoT (Internet of Things) and other technologies (drones, 3D printings, IoT sensors)?
ANSWER: The emerging technologies have led to an all-time increase in the speed and efficiency of service delivery. The IoT is changing how the Field Service Organisations (FSOs) respond to fix or break work, thus enabling a better model based on the outcome. Also, technologies such as 3D printings and drones would lead to faster up-times, meaning an increase in on-demand service.
However, key factors need to be considered in order to properly leverage these technologies and boost the Return On Investment (ROI). It Is known that the improved service offered is because of the ability of the systems to collect and analyze the data constantly. It is of supreme importance that the methods being utilized are efficient enough to collect the information continuously.
When adopting advanced technologies, one organization’s biggest mistake is not ensuring that their foundation is set up and running and coordinating peacefully with the system first. Thus, it is pretty clear that one would maximize their profit and durability by filtering out the flaws in their system first.
QUESTION: What are the main goals of today’s service organizations?
ANSWER: Today’s Field Service Organisations (FSOs) understand that customers have to be at the focal point of their business plans and ventures. It is the customers who drive success and failure, and as such, they demand to be at the very forefront of business strategy and innovation.
Customers have the final say on which brand will cope with the age of digital transformation the best and occupy the markets. This makes it of supreme importance to the companies to have brand loyalty and differentiation that will overcome the demands of a modern-day customer who has ever-evolving thoughts, ideas, and requests from the FSOs.
Of course, several factors need to work in harmony here, such as reducing costs, streamlining the processes, utilizing truck routing software for fleet management and increasing the revenue simultaneously, because, let’s admit it – ‘A good and well-managed company is one which is recording a good profit’. Thus, in addition to using the new technologies, there should be an additional focus on utilizing them to offer them better insights as to how the organizations should be run.
QUESTION: What are some of the critical points companies need to keep in mind to future-proof their businesses?
ANSWER: The most critical question which any successful companies should ask themselves is, “Do we truly know about our customers and their journey?” A business venture is bound for success if it keeps customers as the fulcrum around which the business is run. Field Service Organisations that can attain to each of their customers regularly and treat their customers as individuals rather than numbers are destined to be successful. After all, who doesn’t like a tailor-made service?
The other thing which the companies need to be sure of is that the customers’ perception of value and corporate delivered value should be on the same page. Even if they are, efforts need to be made to ensure that the values are offered in the right and most appropriate ways possible.
QUESTION: How can the enterprise software help, and what should the companies look for when selecting a solution?
ANSWER: As has been already emphasized, it is essential to have suitable business systems and software that can adequately cater to the customer’s demands and help the company attain its goals. Just as is the case with service delivery and other associated services, field service management (FSM) software is not such that one service always fits the best and satisfies all the constraints.
The most effective enterprise software will automate and optimize service delivery chains to provide the organization with seamless, efficient execution and insight. Data integrity and the comprehensiveness of the software solutions need to be kept in mind when companies look for efficient enterprise software solutions.
QUESTION: Is there any successful case where the resources have been appropriately utilized and helped the company achieve bigger success?
ANSWER: An excellent example to answer this question can be Sysmex America. The company is at the forefront of field service innovation and has achieved tremendous growth through a digital transformation while always keeping its customers at the forefront. The global manufacturer of blood and urinalysis medical equipment sells to 48 companies in 29 countries. Laboratories and healthcare facilities worldwide rely on the organization to provide quality service to their end customers.
Sysmex uses IoT to help improve consumer offerings and new applications, all while reducing costs to the company. Sysmex also uses IFS Field Service Management solutions to track and manage service calls and dispatch service representatives and parts to the required sites. The data is also used to analyze product and performance and logistic performance and help devise cost containment strategies and revenue management.
