The Agile Service Operation Embraces Technology

The Agile Service Operation Embraces Technology

Technology can prove to be a vital component in the quest for service profitability. However, there is a lot of technology out there targeted at field service organizations which has evolved to the point where its introduction in customer-facing functions can significantly enhance organizational productivity.

Vendors in this space tell customers to automate sales, automate marketing, set up a call center, and automate field service. They all have a slightly different spin on the message, which can sometimes appear contradictory. How is a business supposed to make intelligent decisions? Which part of the field service challenge do they prioritize? How do they select a vendor? How do they distinguish between hype and reality?

These are not easy questions to answer, but some good advice to those embarking on field service related projects is to navigate the hype by finding the golden nugget. Experience tells us that in any business there is often a single area where the pain is so acute, the problems so apparent, that the potential benefits of finding a fix are compelling. Alternatively, there may be a single area where improvement can lead to an overwhelming competitive opportunity. Return on investment is king. If you cannot quantify the benefit in dollars and cents, do not start the project.

For a large proportion of service-focused organizations, the golden nugget can be found in service chain optimization.



Service chain optimization is the task of optimizing the chain of activities arising from the capture of a service request through to the successful on-site delivery of the required service event. The goal of service chain optimization is do for the service business what supply chain technology has achieved in the world of product manufacturing. By applying technology and processes that harmonize the efficient management of mobile field resources with the delivery of world class customer service, service organizations are in a much better position to succeed?and greatly increase profits.

Golden nuggets always have well defined edges. The same with service chain optimization?it is easy to see where the problem begins and ends. Intelligent automation of the scheduling, routing, dispatch, tracking and navigation functions does not necessitate wholesale change of existing systems, and because of this it is possible to clearly identify the financial returns. If these returns are dramatic in size and have immediate effect, you have found the gold!

Best Practice in Field Service

So, what are the technology options when it comes to improving the efficiency and profitability of your service organization and what are the benefits of implementing one or all of them?

Optimized scheduling and routing

Consider the metrics below achieved by a sizeable field service organization through the deployment of just scheduling and routing

Field Force productivity

- Time on customer site - increased 33%

- Total travel time - reduced 12%

Revised 07/03/07 Technology Solutions for Field Service - 3

- Average jobs per technician - increased by 15%

- Overtime work - reduced by 65%

Scheduling productivity

- Staff time spent producing/maintaining schedules - reduced by 30%

Customer satisfaction

- Jobs late - reduced by 80%

Improvements in management control and visibility

- Enhanced visibility of the service organization at all levels

- Improved and consistent processes throughout the company

Mobile Dispatch

Combining scheduling and routing with automated mobile dispatch functionality can bring further improvements. A service organization that equips their mobile field personnel with mobile devices that can effectively ?talk? to the scheduling component, introduce a whole range of additional benefits and cost savings.

A best-in-class company would use this kind of mobile technology to dispatch jobs as they occur out to mobile field personnel - this ensures that the schedule can be constantly updated throughout the day to take account of any changes such as an employee becoming ill, or a job running late. Real-time field status updates from mobile field personnel, e.g. on-site, traveling, job closed, etc. allows the scheduling engine to automatically react to changes without any manual intervention by dispatchers?further enhancing productivity.

All of this communication should happen regardless of whether you have cell coverage. The best systems will hold the status updates until your mobile field personnel are back in range and then push through the latest, most accurate messages.