CSG^® (NASDAQ: CSGS) empowers today’s leading businesses with game-changing communications capabilities that drive extraordinary customer experiences. With enhanced automation and an integrated, future-ready technology stack in mind, Shentel (NASDAQ: SHEN), a leading provider of telecommunications services across the mid-Atlantic United States, today uses CSG’s cloud-based Field Service Management solution to accelerate the company’s business transformation and deliver critical, high-speed broadband services to rural and underserved markets in the greater mid-Atlantic region.

With CSG as the backbone of Shentel’s operating support systems, the company has unified its operations to become a nimbler organization that can delight its customers by meeting them at the right time, on the right channels, via the right device.

CSG FIELD SERVICE MANAGEMENT ENHANCES SERVICE DELIVERY FOR SHENTEL, DELIVERING AUTOMATION AND FUTURE-READY GROWTH TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE RURAL MID-ATLANTIC REGION

“Investing in innovative technologies that power exceptional customer experiences is critical to Shentel’s mission to deliver compelling internet, voice and television services,” said Jeff Manning, vice president, operations, Shentel. “We specialize in providing advanced services to rural and underserved markets, because we believe that all consumers should have equal access to the essential products and services they need to live their lives. In the end, we chose CSG because their commitment to customer success matched our own, and their 25+ year expertise and leadership in field service management represented the best of breed solution we needed to deliver impactful results for our customers. With CSG’s cloud-based solution, we have the future-ready technology and automation we need to not only optimize the productivity of our technicians, but also exceed our customers’ expectations every step of the way.”

CSG Field Service Management  is a global, award-winning, multi-industry, AWS cloud-based platform that provides a holistic view of field operations. With this solution, field technicians and dispatchers can make informed decisions based on real-time, predictive data and staffing models that offer greater transparency to customers and lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction. These capabilities combined with automated reporting and relevant customer communications help companies create an unparalleled customer experience, while fostering seamless operations for both dispatch and field service employees.

“The future of field service management will require both digital transformation and business model changes that forward looking companies, like Shentel, will use as an opportunity to evolve their business,” said Alfred Binford, global head of customer engagement for CSG. “By moving their field service management operations to the cloud, Shentel is harnessing the agility and innovation of CSG to gain greater efficiencies that translate into higher revenue growth, but more importantly lead to higher quality customer interactions. With continuous enhancements deployed through CSG’s cloud architecture, Shentel can be confident in their ability to continue to help underserved markets into the future and bring more equity to the digital world.”

With CSG Field Service Management, Shentel can now:

• Achieve operational excellence: Leverage automation and real-time data to optimize everything from one hour appointment windows for customers to job scheduling. Easily manage complex resource profiles, such as skill and license dependencies, to match the right technician with the right job and efficiently manage field workload in real-time. Real-time reporting puts data in the hands of field supervisors to better equip them for boots-on-the-ground decision-making and enhances employee engagement while completing extra jobs per day.
• Deliver relevant, proactive customer communications: Keep customers engaged and informed with streamlined appointment selection, dynamic technician ETA notifications and automated communications via the customer’s preferred channel of choice. Easily communicate between customers and technicians to create satisfying, collaborative experiences for both parties that reduce missed appointments, lower operating costs and meet the customer at the right time on the right channel via the right device.

CSG Field Service Management is part of the company’s end-to-end customer engagement portfolio that provides flexible, personalized customer engagement solutions and a fully integrated approach that differentiates customer experiences in today’s digital world. The platform supports hundreds of thousands of field service users every day and is the engine that processes more than 100 million work orders every year for some of the world’s largest communications service providers.

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Further Reading:

• Read more about Managing The Mobile Workforce @ www.fieldservicenews.com/managing-the-mobile-workforce
• Read more about Automation on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/sustainability
• Learn more about CSG Field Service Management, @ www.csgi.com/field-service-management/.
• Find out more more about CSG @ www.csgi.com
• Follow CSG on Twitter @ twitter.com/csg_i

Zryon's Console X uses AI to analyse and streamline processes.

Kryon has launched ConsoleX, a robot-centric management platform that the firm says can configure, schedule and manage virtual workforces from any location in real time.

The software runs alongside the company's current Full Cycle Automation v20.3 offering and is based on its NGINX server platform, and according to Kryon, is the only solution of its kind on the market today.

A Virtual Service Management Workforce

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) uses Artificial Intelligence to configure computer software or robots which work across the user interface to collect data and move applications, mirroring human movement. These 'robots' engage with other systems, working effectively on repetitive tasks with no error rate.

Kryon's application allowing users to manage a virtual workforce assigning workloads and task monitoring as they would with human workers while applying analytics to optimise output.

"An automation project isn't over just because it's up and running. As more and more businesses implement business processes, they need stronger tools to continually monitor, analyze, troubleshoot and scale up their RPA solutions," said Harel Tyab, Kryon's CEO.

"Kryon's Full-Cycle Automation suite, the only solution of its kind on the market today, lives up to its name by ensuring optimal performance from start to finish, it already has a proven track record in the field and a rapidly growing base of happy customers, Tyab added.

RPA is becoming increasingly popular among global enterprises as they scale-up on their automation strategy. However, this year a report from Gartner suggested a disruption could be imminent.

Hyperautomation is an all encompassing approach that seeks to identify and automate as many business processes as possible and as quickly as possible. "It involves the use of a combination of technology tools, including but not limited to machine learning, packaged software and automation tools to deliver work," an introduction to the study said. In it, Gartner argue that RPA, far from being the solution, is now just one part of this new process.

In an age of artificial intelligence and automation, new research finds that the ability of workers to improvise and innovate is already underused.

Marketing automation solutions market to reach $6.36 billion by 2025, finds Frost & Sullivan

MegaFon, one of the leading telecommunication suppliers in Russia, has deployed the Comarch Field Service Management system to minimize the cost of service downtime and significantly improve and automate service delivery processes involving the work of 1500 employees. 

Managing tens of thousands of field service tasks per day in numerous locations requires enormous human resource capacity and generates significant costs. Additionally, with more than half a million network elements and thousands of employees engaged in the service delivery process, management of incoming issues is complex and time-consuming. MegaFon was looking to streamline these operations, minimize income losses resulting from network and service downtime, and improve field service quality. To reach those business objectives, Comarch implemented its Field Service Management system.

With the on-premises application of Comarch Field Service Management and the Comarch FSM Mobile app, the daily, paper-based responsibilities of engineers, managers and administrators have been digitized. In addition, subcontractors’ employees can now access the system and use its capabilities. As a result, field work management has been unified and centralized, which was crucial for the company.

Deployment of the software enabled MegaFon to automate field workforce management, optimize planning and scheduling, and introduce real-time reporting. With these features, the company is now able to manage tasks efficiently in connection with emergency incidents, planned works, customer complaints, energy systems and infrastructure problems from mobile and fixed networks.

“The implementation of the Comarch FSM solution in MegaFon is another opportunity to share our experience in the telecommunication sector and advise our client on how to optimize their processes. This project allowed us to build a strong presence on the Russian market,” says Szymon Uczciwek, Head of Field Service Management Consulting in Comarch.

About Megafon
MegaFon is one the leading telecommunication service providers in Russia, claiming 29.5% of the market share in 2017. The company and its subsidiaries operate in all Russian regions, along with Abkhazia, South Ossetia and the Republic of Tajikistan. Their subscriber base exceeded 77 million at the end of 2017.

Megafon’s company offer covers all telecoms market segments. Services include voice, mobile data, fixed-line telecommunication services, digital TV, IP telephony and innovative solutions such as mobile TV, OTT video content, M2M, mobile and financial advertising and cloud services.

MegaFon’s shares have been traded on the Moscow Stock Exchange since 2012, and on the London Stock Exchange since 2014.

About Comarch
Comarch is a global supplier of software and services for enterprises. It has over 20 years’ experience designing, implementing and integrating IT solutions for some of the world’s largest brands, including BP, Deutsche Telekom, Diageo, KPN, Orange, Telefónica, Unilever and Vodafone. Comarch has a specialist telecoms unit providing IT solutions to telecoms operators around the world. It builds technology solutions to meet the key requirements of telecoms companies, namely to increase revenue, grow business efficiency, simplify systems, cut costs, enhance the customer experience, build new services and shorten their time to market.

Comarch IT solutions for telecoms have been consistently listed in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant report, while its IoT offer has been evaluated positively by Berg Insight, IHS Markit and Gartner, who also named Comarch a “Vendor to watch” in the 2017 Market Trends: A Comprehensive Approach to CSP IoT Platform Selection Will Enhance Market Positioning.

The company has also been recognized for its work in the telecoms industry by other analysts, including Forrester, Informa and Frost & Sullivan.

According to a new research report from IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the installed base of sensors, actuators, modules, gateways and other connected devices deployed as part of IoT-based building automation in smart and connected commercial buildings was an estimated 151 million units worldwide at the end of 2018.

Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33 percent, the installed base will reach 483 million units in 2022. About 4.5 million of these devices were connected via cellular networks in 2018. The number of cellular connections in the building automation market will grow at a CAGR of 44 percent to reach 19.4 million in 2022. In terms of revenues, Berg Insight estimates that connected devices into the global BIoT market generated revenues of more than US$ 1.2 billion in 2018. This figure will grow at a CAGR of 21 percent to almost US$ 2.7 billion in 2022.
 
This study from Berg Insight analyses the market for building automation in smart buildings along multiple verticals ranging from well-known ones such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), indoor lighting, fire & safety, access & security, to lesser known ones such as electric vehicle charging, irrigation systems and pool monitoring. The most successful building automation solutions to date, in terms of sold units, include access and security, fire and safety, HVAC systems and elevators and escalators management. These solutions are marketed by product OEMs such as Assa Abloy, Avigilon, AMAG Technology, HID Global, Comark, Tyco, Albireo Energy, Cimetrics, Delta Controls, ENGIE Insight, Silvair, KONE, Otis, Schindler and ThyssenKrupp. The automatic control may be done through a centralized system such as a Building Management System (BMS). Examples of BMS solution providers include ABB, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Schneider Electric, Siemens and United Technologies.
 
Building automation has been around for many decades but there is a new urgency due to factors such as energy conservation as well as mandates for green construction. The latest smart building solutions leverage new technologies such as IoT, big data, cloud computing, data analytics, deep learning and artificial intelligence for the benefits of saving energy, reducing operational expenditures, increasing occupancy comfort, and meeting increasingly stringent global regulations and sustainability standards. “A major change is starting to happen now especially in new construction, where the primary driver is changing from cost reduction to features that enhance the user experience and change how users and buildings interact. Instead of there being a single killer-app, we are starting to see a combination of use-cases”, said Alan Varghese, Senior IoT Analyst, Berg Insight.

These use-cases leverage the Internet of Things, sensors and connectivity to enable customization of spaces in offices and conference rooms based on occupancy levels and occupant preferences, efficient mobility throughout the building, and they help occupants with location and wayfinding – all controllable by mobile platforms. Most important, they are capable of predictive awareness of individual needs.

You can download the report here.

This article first published on the HSO blog offers five crucial steps that field service companies can take to get a better handle on the core processes of field service delivery...

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It’s a no-brainer that a flawless service process contributes to higher customer satisfaction and increased service revenues.
But how do you ensure fast and accurate invoicing, service technicians who are always well equipped to solve the problem at hand, and that the right resources are in the right place at the right time? This blog outlines 5 steps to an optimised service process with Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Field Service. 

 

Optimised field service scheduling:

When a visit by a technical field service engineer doesn’t go as planned for one reason or another, money is lost. The five most common reasons why a service is not completed on the first visit are: 

• The right part is not available
• The customer or the equipment is not ready for the service
• The diagnosis already made appears incorrect on site
• The field service engineer does not have the right skills
• The solution was temporary
• The above problems cost the service company money, the field service engineer time and the customer’s patience and satisfaction. Microsoft Dynamics for Field Service offers you Resource Scheduling Optimisation functionality that allows Field Service engineers to be scheduled according to the location, time, customer SLA, personal preferences of the customer and the right skills for the job.

The schedule can be viewed via a mobile device and includes optimised routes that the engineers should take. When a change is made to the schedule, because, for example, there is an unexpected job that requires someone with specific skills, the Field Service engineer receives a notification with a new route. This means that the right person is always at the right place. When the job is completed, a new job is automatically set up. As a result, the time of the Field Service engineer is optimally utilised and no time is lost. Projects can also be planned via the schedule board. When, for example, 50 boilers need to be replaced, it is useful to have a good overview of all available Field Service engineers, based on which the schedule is created as efficiently as possible, taking into account the individual’s workload. In this way, an optimised schedule is automatically drawn up, which dynamically responds to the customer, the Field Service engineer and the company. 

 

Authorise & mobilise Field Service engineer:

Field Service employees often feel alone on the job or do not have access to the right information to solve a customer problem. They want to take control and have insight into the job. When you let your Field Service engineers go ‘mobile’, the company benefits from: 

• On-time appointments through the optimised schedules and routes.
• Case history & instructions: all information about the customer is at hand and when necessary insight into all the steps to complete the task.
• Work order completion: the Field Service engineer can take photos of the finished job, collect a customer signature and even handle the payment.

The process surrounding the purchase of new parts with Field Service has also been optimised. If for example, a certain part is required for the job, the Field Service engineer can order the correct part directly. The purchase page can be chosen to ‘send to ERP’, as a result of which the order will immediately appear in the ERP system of the company. When a certain purchase amount has been preapproved, approval for the purchase can be given immediately, so that the part is immediately ordered. This makes the process more efficient and eliminates unnecessary waiting times. Mobility is a game changer within Field Service and allows for greater flexibility in the field. The possibility of a complete overview of the customer and real-time guidance is necessary for the independent appointment of the Field Service engineer and the optimisation of the customer relationship.

 

Using Machine Learning and the IoT in Field Service:

If your car breaks down, it would be handy if your car could indicate what exactly is wrong. This would save a lot of valuable time. This is possible with machine learning – keep track of which customers or machines often have problems, what the problems are, what solutions have been put forward and which ones were effective. If, for example, it becomes clear that the same solution is always effective for a specific customer, then in the future, the problem can be solved in advance by the Field Service engineer with the right skills or even by providing the right directions remotely. With Field Service you can make optimum use of the opportunities offered by Internet of Things devices. Through optimal application, problems are predicted before downtime occurs and before the customer is affected by the problem. With Field Service you can: 

• Detect and resolve problems before the customer knows about it and only deploy a Field Service engineer when needed.
• Use predictive maintenance effortlessly: repair, clean or replace parts when necessary instead of using a fixed maintenance schedule.
• Automatically adjust work orders and assign these to the correct Field Service engineer, when self-healing steps do not solve the problem.

 

Optimal use of the cloud with the Azure IoT Suite:

What exactly is the Azure IoT Suite? Let’s take a step back and start with the problem for which it was designed. We are currently experiencing tremendous growth in IoT solutions, but why now? The answer to this question is simple: the advantages of IoT solutions start to outweigh the costs that are incurred to implement it. The complex layout of IoT is pricey since you have to have sensors that safely send all data, the data has to be stored, processed and analysed and finally presented to the end user in a clear way.Today, the hardware is already much more affordable and the connectivity is cheaper. The Azure IoT Suite is a set of different technologies brought together in one tool in the cloud. What’s in this tool? 

• Data storage
• Data analytics
• Stream processing
• Predictive analytics
• Workflow automation
• Dashboarding

 Everything you need for optimal use of the cloud. 

 

Customer relationship optimisation:

In 2016, 62% of consumers worldwide indicated they would no longer do business with a brand due to a single bad experience that has taken place with customer service. This highlights the importance of excellent customer service.  With Customer Communications, Field Service helps you to retain your customers by providing optimal service, insight and by involving them in the processes: 

• Companies must gain insight and control the entire customer journey across all touchpoints.
• Maintaining the customer relationship should no longer be a statistical, ‘one-size fits all model’, but should be personalised for each customer.
• Companies have to meet the customer on their preferred channel (e-mail, chat, social media, web, telephone, shop, etc.).

 

And perhaps most importantly: the customer service doesn’t end with a single transaction, it is important to build a long-term relationship. In addition, real-time up-to-date stock management is a must. Poor stock management is, in addition to being a drain on the profitability of a company, an irritation point for the customer. With Customer Communications you always ensure an optimally personalised, proactive and predictive approach to the customer. That is what the customer wants from you nowadays and what companies have to offer.

This article first published on the HSO blog offers some key insight for field service organisations that are keen to empower their field service operation with automated field service scheduling...

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Few companies can remain competitive in today’s field service environment without effective management of time, costs and resources. Despite this, a staggering 52% of field service companies still coordinate work and perform functions manually[i]. The adoption of dynamic, automated scheduling software can free up time to concentrate on team development and maximising revenue. In this blog we share the benefits of, and the pain points eradicated by using automated field service scheduling tools.

 

Management of unexpected changes

No matter how carefully a schedule is planned, unexpected and last-minute changes can occur. Automated software solutions can minimise these risks, while maximising efficiencies. Re-optimisation happens in real time when changes occur, giving both the employee and customer an immediate update, even down to a specific time slot for an engineer’s arrival. With 89% of customers preferring an ‘Uber like” service for tracking technician arrivals[ii], it’s something that will delight customers and increase brand perception.

 

Utilising Graphical User Interfaces (GUI’s)

GUI’s are a popular way to manage resources for the field service industry, not least because it’s a quick and easy way to deal with large amounts of data. Using Microsoft Dynamics 365, team managers can use a calendar style view, showing each technician’s day, jobs and skill set, along with a map view for both staff and call out locations. It’s predicted that by 2020, more than 75% of field service organisations with over 50 users will deploy mobile apps that go beyond simplified data collection and add capabilities that help technicians succeed[iii]. These field operatives can benefit from a mobile app showing location and fastest route, customer assets and service history of the equipment needing attention.

 

Automating decisions using parameters

As well as helping to efficiently book service calls to your customers, automated scheduling software also knows when not to book an appointment. Customer satisfaction can quickly evaporate if technicians don’t have either the skill set or parts required to complete the job. Harnessing data on part availability and employee skills can ensure the right person with the right skill set and equipment is in place at your customer’s site, first time. This also translates into a reduction in repeat call outs and a much improved customer experience.

 

Effective reduction of waste

Time spent by employees travelling to customer sites comes at a cost to your business. They are on the clock during this time and yet it’s not a billable event for your customers. That’s where automated route and traffic mapping can help, like Microsoft’s Resource Scheduling Optimisation. Instant calculations occur, allowing the best available engineer to be selected and routed directly to the customer site – assisted by a simple drag and drop interface for work orders. This not only saves employees’ time, but also wear and tear on a fleet of vehicles and gives a measurable reduction in fuel costs.   .

 

Improving staff morale

Many Engineers like driving, but they all know it is inherently un-productive. What they really want to do is spend their time working on customer-sites. The reduction in the travel-to-work time ratio achieved by a well optimised schedule increases job-satisfaction levels for field personnelAs the global field service market is expected to reach $4.45 billion by 2020[iv], companies that adopt automation will reap the rewards.

From filling shifts in the event of unplanned absences to managing budgets, anticipating scheduling needs to maximising productivity; embracing the right solutions can reduce costs and mitigate lost revenues; while enhancing worker mobility and improving organisational performance.View our infographic about “A Day in the Life of a Field Service Engineer”  with HSO Advanced Field Service.

For more information about the benefits of automated field service scheduling please contact HSO. 

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[i] https://www.servicepower.com/blog/top-5-field-service-industry-trends-for-2018

[ii] https://www.reachoutsuite.com/field-service-management-stats-and-trends-2018/

[iii] https://blog.capterra.com/10-field-service-statistics-to-keep-you-in-the-know/

[iv] https://www.reachoutsuite.com/field-service-management-stats-and-trends-2018/