IFS, the global enterprise applications company, announces that BRITA, one of the world’s leading companies in drinking water optimization, has selected IFS’s comprehensive service management solution covering field service management, workforce scheduling & planning, and customer engagement.

BRITA is fully committed to customer service as the main point of competitive differentiation. To power its pursuit of becoming global market leader, the company needed a comprehensive service management solution that could ensure a consistent and positive customer experience globally while delivering workforce efficiency and data accuracy.

THE importance OF FIELD SERVICE management for global enterprises

Following a competitive bid process involving several enterprise software vendors, BRITA selected IFS based on the solution’s wide-ranging field service management functionality and native integration with workforce scheduling and planning capabilities. 

The central IFS solution will unify a number of manual processes with a holistic end-to-end platform that spans the entire service value chain, from service request management to automated technician dispatch and maintenance and repair completion. The solution will also help BRITA in the future to return and recycle spent water filter products. 

The IFS solution, which will be used by BRITA’s field and customer service staff in Germany, France, Switzerland, Benelux, and the UK, will be fully integrated with the company’s existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

“Customer service is a vital part of our value proposition and a key differentiator in our highly competitive market segment,” said Tanja Manegold, Senior Group Director Service Prof. Dispenser at BRITA. “Investing in a best-in-class service management suite will help us advance our leading position. IFS was able to present us with a fully integrated platform that can deliver one version of the truth, which will help us deliver on our service-level agreements and enhance our first-time fix rates.”

Marcus Pannier, IFS Managing Director, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, added, “We are honored to work alongside such a globally renowned brand such as BRITA. All around the world, leading-edge manufacturers like BRITA are looking to service and servitization strategies to boost revenues and earn more customer hearts and minds. At IFS, we have anticipated this shift and are ready to equip these early movers with robust enterprise software that is designed to enhance workforce efficiency while safeguarding a great customer experience.”

Further Reading:

• Learn more about IFS Service Management  @ https://www.ifs.com/service-management/
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about IFS on Field Service News @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/ifs
• Learn more about IFS @ www.ifs.com
• Read more about BRITA Group @ www.brita.com

Of decision-makers that experienced a digital transformation project failure, 25% experienced financial loss alongside a number of other damaging implications. 

While today’s macro-economic disruption has failed to dampen digital transformation plans, when diving deeper into the ramifications surrounding project success and failure, the need to get transformation ‘right’ becomes imperative, according to a global research study from IFS .

THE long-term impact Of it project failure

While 58 percent of respondents plan to increase digital transformation spending, it’s the numbers surrounding the success of previous projects that demonstrate the severity of getting it ‘wrong’. The research highlights the long-term implications of IT project failure, with 34 percent of all respondents expressing it took two to three years to recover from project failure and 92 percent stating it took more than a year. Under the weight of today’s macro-economic pressures, businesses simply don’t have that amount of time to waste.

The reality is that, when IT programs fail, executive heads roll. The impact can be hard and long-lasting with damage felt across UK respondents in areas such as reduced headcount (20 percent), loss of customers (24 percent), financial loss (25 percent) and a loss of market share (23 percent). The latter results were consistent across the six global regions with a quarter experiencing both loss of customers and financial loss.

Those in the UK that experienced failures also experienced negative impacts including complete shutdowns of critical business departments (18 percent). The fear of failure impacted subsequent projects too, 26 percent were deterred from investing in similar projects, and half (46 percent) had budgets cut in other areas. In the face of COVID-19 recovery, and with the Centre for Policy Studies ‘After the Virus’ report championing innovation as a recovery response, the repercussions of such failures could be more damaging now than ever.

"While many people might assume that respondents concerned with the current economy would pull back on technology spending, the reality is that investment is increasing..."

While reported plans to invest in digital transformation indicate businesses are being proactive in the face of disruption, data suggests that making those investments will pay off. The majority of respondents said past digital transformation projects were successful, using a number of different assessment measures. Demonstrating that the benefits outweigh the negatives, success was achieved in on-time completion (71 percent globally) and delivering expected results (53 percent across all six regions).

While many people might assume that respondents concerned with the current economy would pull back on technology spending, the reality is that investment is increasing. The survey data indicates that, during these dynamic times, plans to increase spending on digital transformation tracks closely with concerns about economic conditions disrupting the business. In fact, the survey indicates that people concerned with economic disruption were 20 percent more likely to plan increased spending on digital transformation.  

 “The study confirms that many companies are wisely using the global downturn to divert resources to technological renewal and innovation,” IFS Industries Senior Vice President Antony Bourne said. “As the majority of businesses are adapting to the anticipated economic recovery, and not permanently scrapping digital transformation initiatives, there is reason to believe that companies with a progressive mindset toward technology investment will be well equipped to rebound. While enterprise software will doubtlessly play a role in accelerating recovery, it is important to remember its vital role in helping companies here and now. Providing the necessary process transparency and analytics to ensure effective and informed decision-making is critical in these trying times. Nothing less than a considered and resolute attitude toward adopting digital transformation will help companies thrive, now and in the future.”

Further Reading:

• Download a complimentary copy of Digital Transformation Investment in 2020 and Beyond here
• Read more about IFS on Field Service News @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/ifs
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Find out more about IFS @ www.ifs.com/
• Follow IFS on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/ifs

These are undoubtedly unprecedented times, which have caused important changes for field service companies and the way they manage work with their custom field service software, like Synchroteam

Now that we’re already in mid-2020, it’s time to take a look back at the past six months and analyze the top trends in field service. A necessary time to take a break, reflect on what has happened so far and foresee possible effects on the remainder of 2020.

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 IN FIELD SERVICE

Like it or not, COVID-19 is the main character in this year. The pandemic seems to be under control in some countries while some others are still facing a terrible battle against it. No matter what the current situation is in your area, the truth is that coronavirus is here to stay, at least for the time being - or until we have a reliable, safe medical treatment or vaccine.

The sanitary emergency has caused a huge impact across all industry sectors, of course and including field service. What’s more, the effects of these disruptions are expected to be deep-reach and long-term. It’s just something not even the most advanced custom field service software could have predicted.

We’ve already talked about how field service companies like yours can adapt to the new situation we’re living in 2020. In previous posts, we’ve covered important points such as keeping your technicians and customers safe, allowing working from home whenever possible, and making the most of the features included in your custom field service software to digitize all sorts of tasks.

The main takeaway of these articles, also considering the impact COVID-19 is having in the industry worldwide, is that now technology is more important than ever. While we’ve always defended the idea of a technology-based field service company, adopting the appropriate custom field service software right now can help your business communicate, operate and work through the coronavirus crisis without losing too much along the way.

IMPROVING OPERATIONS IN FIELD SERVICE

Another key element for field service companies in 2020 is optimization, especially when applied to daily tasks such as scheduling and team dispatching. Besides, these are precisely two areas in which the usage of a custom field service software can be more helpful.

When you rely on people’s memories (or just the good old pen and paper), you’re prone to mistakes. You don’t even need to be running a large company; a medium-sized team is already complicated enough to try to manage it on your own.

A proper custom field service software application can be the perfect ally in task scheduling and team dispatching. It helps you automate the whole process, thus making a better use of your time. And the more tasks you can fit in in your work hours, the more money you make - it’s as simple as that!

INVESTING IN TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE RESULTS

It’s not just a question of using a custom field service software in your company. In general terms, technology can help you improve many aspects in your daily business. And with the coronavirus pandemic, it has become even more important.

The adoption of tech solutions in field service means also, for instance, using mobile devices to access necessary information about your customers anytime, anywhere. Or making use of GPS devices in your vans to plan the best route to the next job - saving both time and fuel. 

And what about technology in COVID-19 times? Well, think about being able to assess a customer’s HVAC installation in a video call, or sending your invoices via email in order to maintain social distance. Little changes in our daily working routines that may as well save lives!

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Field Service Software @ www.fieldservicenews.com/field-service-software
• Read more about Managing the Mobile Workforce @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/managing-the-mobile-workforce
• Find out more about Synchroteam @ www.synchroteam.com
• Follow Synchroteam on Twitter @ twitter.com/synchroteam

EE, part of BT Group, today announced it has signed an agreement with Nokia to build an industry-first nationwide 4G LTE Air-to-Ground network for the emergency services across Great Britain. The pioneering new 4G network will enable uninterrupted high speed broadband coverage for emergency service personnel working above ground from 500 feet up to 10,000 feet.

As part of the agreement, EE and Nokia will enable mission-critical network coverage for emergency services that will be the world’s first use case utilising commercial 4G LTE broadband services in its field.

THE ROLE OF FIELD SERVICE IN MOBILE BROADBAND FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES

The 4G LTE Air-to-Ground network will provide seamless connectivity between ground operations and air, connecting people, sensors, aircraft and helicopters with the highest security and reliability. Over 300,000 emergency service personnel will benefit from the Emergency Services Network (ESN) designed to facilitate uninterrupted coverage allowing emergency services the capability to communicate with their airborne colleagues.

As part of the agreement, EE will provide the active network equipment for a full reference facility, and an initial seven site trial network. Following the trial, EE will deploy the network equipment in over 80 Home Office acquired cell sites across the UK. Nokia will provide design support, network equipment, installation and commissioning services to ensure timely delivery of the ESN 4G LTE Air-to-Ground network.

The first trial of the 4G LTE Air-to-Ground network will take place over the coming months in North Wales and London, enabling EE, Nokia and the Home Office to test the hardware capability over different terrain along with the hardware deployment process, the software capability, and the operational support of the complete Air-to-Ground service, prior to the roll out of the final Air-to-Ground network.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Nokia to build a first-in-class and ground-breaking 4G Air-to-Ground network for emergency services across the UK. Our deployment of this reinforces our network leadership as the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile network, and harnesses Nokia’s deep expertise in network equipment and installation of an Air-to-Ground solution,” says Richard Harrap, Managing Director ESN at EE.

“With the help of this first ever Air-to-Ground network using commercial LTE, emergency services personnel will be able to rely on uninterrupted communications nationwide. This project and its deployment are a perfect example of the type of innovative solutions Nokia, together with our customers, can provide to the public sector”, says Cormac Whelan, CEO UK & Ireland at Nokia.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Mobile Internet @ www.fieldservicenews.com/mobile-internet
• Read more about Nokia @ www.nokia.com
• Read more about BT Field Service @ www.fieldservicenews.com/bt-field-service
• Read more about BT @ www.bt.com

Microlise are an organisation committed to developing technology solutions that help operators to manage and reduce risk while safeguarding drivers and other road users as they recently announced... 

At Microlise we're committed to developing technology solutions that help operators to manage and reduce risk while safeguarding drivers and other road users.

The Importance of Field Service Engineer Safety

If like many operators, you are beginning to focus on getting your fleet Direct Vision Standard-ready, the Microlise ClearVision multi-camera solution, which integrates with our telematics platform, will provide the visibility and peace of mind you need to safeguard your company reputation, your drivers, and other motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

ClearVision provides a big-picture perspective of what’s happening to, in, and around your vehicles at any point in time and when combined with other ‘Safe System’ components, allows you to manage a DVS-complaint fleet.

A nearside vehicle sensor system alerts drivers to the presence of vulnerable road users, while an audible vehicle-manoeuvring alert on the same side of the vehicle warns road users when the vehicle is turning left. Pictorial stickers provide an important visual alert, highlighting various danger spots and potential hazards around the vehicle.

However the Microlise offering extends far beyond DVS requirements with options for offside, rear and driver- facing cameras recording footage that is downloadable through integration with Microlise safety solutions.

According to Stephen Watson, Product Director, “The Microlise Clear Vision solution protects drivers and improves safety outcomes for everyone on the road including the most vulnerable of users.  An in-cab screen displays footage from nearside, offside and rear blind-spot cameras. Activation of the nearside / offside cameras are triggered through the indicators, while engaging reverse gear activates the rear camera.”

“The system also supports road-based incidents, accident reporting and driver performance management by utilising high-speed mobile networks and state-of-the-art file compression to record and transmit video clips immediately prior to an incident or in the case of a near miss.”

“While DVS compliance will loom larger on everyone’s radar as we count down to March 2021,  an overarching safety solution goes far beyond it  - enabling driver peace of mind, strengthening safety culture, protecting organisations from malicious claims and improving outcomes for everyone on our urban and rural road network “ concluded Watson.

Driven by safety to provide industry-leading, integrated fleet technology, Microlise is the UK market leader across HGV telematics, with a current installed base of over 500,000 global assets. The company works with many of the transport industry’s leading operators, including 14 of the UK’s largest retailers and with industry heavyweights such as MAN Truck & Bus, Knorr-Bremse and JCB

Further Reading:

• Find out more about Microlise Clearview @ www.microlise.com/fleet-management/fleet-camera-systems
• Read more about Fleet Management and telematics @ www.fieldservicenews.com/telematics
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Managing the Mobile Workforce @ www.fieldservicenews.com/managing-the-mobile-workforce
• Follow Microlise on twitter @ twitter.com/Microlise

As part of its go-to-market initiatives, and in response to strong demand for its products, OverIT, a global leader in Field Service Management and Augmented Collaboration solutions, has opened its second location in North America in Miami, Florida. The new office will become the US Headquarters, as the company plans to triple its US-based headcount by the end of 2020.

OverIT Accelerates North America Expansion to Meet Growing Demand for Asset-Intensive Field Service Management and Augmented & Virtual Reality Collaboration Solutions.

During the past twenty years, OverIT has been reshaping the operational processes of over 200 Fortune 500 companies. Their goal has always been simple: leading their clients into a new Field Service Management era, where on-field tasks are carried out efficiently, safely, and increasingly hands-free. Given the extraordinary results achieved in FY 2019, and the gap left in the market after vendor consolidation, increasing their international presence is a priority to sustain the ever-increasing demand for their solutions.

“Given the increased demand for our products in United States and Canada”, said Marco Zanuttini, CEO at OverIT, “we have invested heavily in our US subsidiary, growing it over 300% during the past six months. Our company is aiming at top industry leaders and has already hired a new SVP and General Manager for Americas, to guide the business during this new period for the subsidiary. Also, even though North America is the main focus in our strategic expansion plans, we are also in the process of drastically increasing our presence in the UK and Australia by opening up new offices to support efforts in those regions.”

Further Reading:

• Visit the OverIT website @ www.overit.it/
• Read more news and articles about OverIT @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/overit
• Read more about Augmented Reality @ www.fieldservicenews.com/augmented+reality
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Follow OverIT on twitter @ twitter.com/OverITSpA

Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Field Service News has expressed his thinking behind why it is so vital that the Field Service Expo 2020 goes ahead citing the pivotal rule he believes field service will play in rebuilding the economy and the urgent need for the continuing acceleration of digital transformation within our sector...

Register your place at Field Service Expo 2020 now @ 

https://www.fieldservicenews.com/en/field-service-expo-2020

Hi Folks,

Firstly, I hope you are all still keeping as well as can be in these turbulent times. 

Secondly, I wanted to make an announcement regarding the Field Service Expo 2020 - which is scheduled to be held on the 30th September and the 1st of October, at the Edgbaston International Cricket Ground, Birmingham, UK.

The important message is that we are planning to go ahead with the event.

I've put some thoughts together on a video to outline our reasoning and how we plan to proceed which you can find below. 

In fact, having given this long consideration, I feel it is our fundamental responsibility, as the leading voice within the field service sector, to do everything we can to make this event happen if at all possible. 

I truly believe that as we plot the path towards recovery, the field service sector will play a crucial role in building economic stability as we return to prosperity. The reality is that the likelihood of an extended economic downturn will see companies leaning heavier on the existing service and maintenance agreements they have in place as they seek to get the most from the assets they already have in place. Additionally, the need for new thinking could well drive forward the concepts of servitization and outcome-based service offerings in much the same way the economic downturn of 2008 drove the adoption of SaaS models. 

We have been moving towards a service-centric economy for some time, but now as we move into the 'new normal' of tomorrow, the drivers for that have shifted from nice-to-have to necessity. 

For the field service sector to continue to meet the demands of this 'new normal' it is imperative we embrace digital transformation and identify the solutions that can drive our service delivery to the next level. This is what the Field Service Expo was designed to do. To connect field service organisations, like yours, with the key solutions providers that can propel you forwards on your digitalisation journey. 

Of course, we are still in uncertain times, and I want you to know that our approach to ensuring the safety of all attendees has been both methodical and practical. Every measure will be taken to protect the safety of our attendees while still providing an opportunity for us all to come together as we drive our sector forwards and ensure that the hardships we have all faced during the first half of 2020, were not in vain as together we build a brighter tomorrow. 

Should the worst case scenario emerge where we face a second wave and we are simply unable to go ahead with the Field Service Expo, then we have already planned a second date in Spring 2021 and all registrations for this year's Expo will be valid for the revised date. However, we believe it is vital we move forward and make this event happen this year if it is at all feasible. 

Entry to the event will also be free for this year for all attendees again because we believe it is crucial we bring the industry together. However, due to social distancing measures that may still be in place, passes will be restricted and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. 

Therefore, I urge anyone thinking of joining us for the expo to register now on the link below. 

I look forward to seeing you and meeting with you all there and as always if you have any questions you are welcome to contact me directly on my personal email kris@fieldservicenews.com

Cheers, 

Kris

Editor-in-Chief & Founder,
Field Service News

Register your place at Field Service Expo 2020 now @ 

https://www.fieldservicenews.com/en/field-service-expo-2020

Taipei, Taiwan – June 8, 2020 –RuggON Corporation, a leading provider of rugged mobile computing solutions, has rolled out the compact rugged touch monitor CHASER to serve the needs of increased mobile productivity and efficiency.

Designed to function in a road vehicle, CHASER comes with MIL-STD-810H certification to withstand shock and vibration, while offering a wide 9-36 VDC power input compliant with ISO7637-2.

The Efficient Solution for Utmost Convenience

With user-friendly I/O design, CHASER is no doubt the perfect mobile and multifunctional workstation for industrial vehicles. Keeping workplace ergonomics in mind, the monitor is specifically designed with a USB port at top, making it convenient for plug in/out and system service and maintenance. In line with the proactive mindset, the 1000 nits sunlight readable display with optional anti-reflective coating delivers an optimal viewing experience and reduce eye strain for a more comfortable and productive workflow.

Creating Desktop Experience with Ease

Connecting to smartphones through USB Type C, CHASER gives on-duty mobile workers indescribable desktop experience on DeX with a large screen and extended keyboard. Outfitted with rich USB ports, it allows easy connection to multiple peripheral devices without using a hub, while providing a physical button for switch between two different input sources. CHASER makes everything you need at fingertips as if in an office environment.

Space and Safety

Designed with downward USB ports and smart lock brackets, CHASER minimizes the plug in/out difficulty and possibility of cable entanglement for uncompromising safety and a neat cabin space. The black-out button for turning on/off screen backlights intends to avoid driver distraction and conceal information at critical moments.      

Further Reading

• For More Information: RuggON CHASER @: www.ruggon.com/en/product_list/rugged-monitors )
• Read more about RuggON @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/all-about-ruggon
• Read more about mobile computing solutions for field service engineer @ www.fieldservicenews.com/blog/tag/hardware
• Read detailed reviews of rugged computers, smartphones and tablets @ www.fieldservicenews.com/hs-search-results?term=hardware+review

So far in this series of excerpts from a white paper recently published by Aquant, we've assessed the significant challenge field service companies face in finding balance in their workforce and the role Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play in helping companies do so. Now in the final excerpt in this series we look at how equally the implementation of AI requires a human touch to succeed. 

In Field Service we Must VALIDATE AI WITH HUMAN KNOWLEDGE

Much has been made of the idea that machines can replace humans for essential job functions. The truth is that AI is nothing without the real-life expertise of humans to guide and validate its findings.

Automating insights from historical data is not enough on its own. In order to ensure that findings about the solutions to service challenges are accurate, an organisation must bring in its experts to assess and improve the solutions offered. Before AI, organisations needed to take experts out of the field for months to help with training or knowledge sharing. With the right AI solution, experts can optimise insights in a matter of hours.

When solutions to challenges are automatically generated by a system, it enables members of the service team to spend more time doing what they do best—which is applying their expertise in the field.

Speed up the Training of your Field Service Engineers and Increase Their Expertise

With easy-to-access information that understands what you mean regardless of specific phrasing, and a dynamic pool of information to draw from, smart systems give all employees equal access to previously hidden information.

Skills that previously took years to learn (usually by waiting to personally encounter and solve each unique problem) can now be passed down to newer employees in a matter of days. In addition to solving the practical problem of on-boarding new hires, it also helps to engage millennials in a way they are more comfortable with. And when knowledge is easier to acquire, employees can work on acquiring soft skills like customer service and relationship building, which can’t be taught by even the most powerful machines.

Case Study: How 3D Systems were able to scale their field service wrokforce and decrease repeat field engineer visits with actionable insights

3D Systems empowers modern manufacturing with best-of-breed plastic and metal 3D printers.

They help manufacturing clients dramatically reduce build time and enable healthcare organisations to custom-fit solutions and improve patient outcomes. With a robust global client base, they needed to onboard new service techs quicker to get them out in the field and solving complex service problems.

As the workforce grew, one of the hardest issues was extracting the organizational knowledge out of the heads of the most experienced engineers and into the hands of everyone in the field. They turned to Aquant’s AI-powered service intelligence platform to mine and analyze all their information, including data stored in field service solutions, CRM, and parts systems. In addition, the tool was able to uncover info that lay dormant in free text notes.

"3D Systems has seen a 62% reduction in parts usage and a 39% decrease in repeat visits, driving significant cost savings..."

The Natural Language Processing (NLP) engine embedded in the technology is even able to map different phrases and words all back to the same problem, which structured the data more efficiently and made it easier to search. During the install process, which took less than a week, the tool scoured and categorized data, and then their best engineers sat down to validate the data and improve findings.

3D Systems is now able to leverage Aquant’s Intelligent Triage product to assess and troubleshoot customer tickets quickly, helping service pros resolve issues on the first visit. They’ve also decreased parts costs and usage by correctly identifying the source of the problem and sending the right tech, with the right skills into the field with the right parts.

All employees have more equal access to knowledge, making it easy for junior techs to get up to speed quickly. As a result of implementing Aquant across the organization, 3D Systems has seen a 62% reduction in parts usage and a 39% decrease in repeat visits, driving significant cost savings.

Would You Like to Know More? There is a Field Service News white paper on this topic available exclusively to fieldservicenews.com subscribers. Click the button below to access it now! 

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