What is 'real-time service excellence' in field service?

Think about the entertainment industry over the past 20 years or so. In the mid-1990s, movies and TV shows were released according to a set, predictable schedule -- and if you wanted to see a particular movie or TV show, you had to follow a schedule (or wait for video releases or reruns). Even a half-decade ago, this model was very different. There was a proliferation of ‘on-demand’ viewing options. Some movies came out online (through iTunes and other platforms) at the same time as they were released in theaters. Netflix changed the entire concept of how to watch a TV show, introducing ‘binge watching’ into people’s vocabularies.

All of these changes came about because technology and innovation reached a place where customers can receive what they want when they want it. We call the modern business environment many things, from ‘The App Economy’ to ‘The Sharing Economy’ to ‘The Knowledge Economy.’ Another good option is ‘The On-Demand Economy.’ Customers are used to getting what they want when they want it.

How does this apply to field service?

It’s a little bit different on the face of things. Let’s say you run a company and one of your machines goes down. It’s not like booting up Netflix and pressing “play” on a movie. You need to contact a field service organization, they need to schedule a technician, the technician needs to arrive, the problem needs to be fixed, etc. It takes time. It’s not necessarily on-demand in the same way we consider it in other walks of life. (It might be, but more on that at the end of the post.)

When we talk about this idea of real-time service excellence in field service organizations, what we mean is an intersection point of four newer technology tools:

1. Collaboration tools

2. Data analytics

3. Mobile technologies

4. Cloud computing

The end goal of those four aspects intersecting is a great customer experience for your end client -- or, as close to ‘on-demand’ field service as we are getting right now.

To quickly define each of the above contextually:

1. Collaboration tools typically refer to systems, processes, and platforms that allow back-office workers to speak with both customers and technicians, and everyone to have access to the same shared pool of information (with permission levels, yes). This can range from a basic instant messaging system to a complex field management software solution.

2. Data analytics refers to all the information coming into your FSO from different sources -- customers, technicians, sales leads, and machines themselves (more on that in one second).

3. Mobile technologies is about how mobile-optimized your workforce and processes are. Can customers track your technicians on their phones? Can technicians order new inventory from their phones? Can billing take place on a phone or within an app? Most people these days opt for moving processes along via mobile, so this is a crucial value-add.

4. Cloud computing refers to ways of storing and accessing information in order to find the most relevant content within seconds -- and reduce onboarding and infrastructure costs in the process.

When collaboration, data, mobile, and cloud are intersecting properly, the customer experience delivered is optimal -- and close to ‘on demand’ for the client.

The next level of this discussion is how the Internet of Things, or IoT, will combine with predictive analytics to redefine what service is -- and make it almost completely on-demand for the end clients and customers.

Here’s what that means: IoT refers to connected devices sending information about their performance back to your HQ. As that happens, you can monitor how a machine is performing -- and as a result, you know when it needs service. So you can schedule said service appointment before the client calls you and before the machine breaks down or goes offline. By using predictive analytics, you just pre-empted service, or scheduled it before the client even knew it was necessary. That’s a huge value-add that is akin to Netflix or Hulu knowing exactly what you want to watch next before you even do.

Predictive analytics, then, is a major future driver of field service. What other innovations will shape the future of our industry? Download our eBook to learn more. After you read it, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about specific pain points you’re experiencing. 

Written by Jim Hare