Field service organizations have traditionally operated under the break-fix model—that is, responding to a device failure after the customer reports an issue. This operating model has grown antiquated due to rising costs and inefficiencies in labor and operations. It is also proving less than effective in satisfying the customer’s growing expectations.
For decades, companies have relied on skilled technicians to repair equipment and engage with customers in the field. While these technicians were often the only representation that the customer would see, their skills, processes, and systems were seldom seen as critical aspects of the company’s revenue cycle.
The pandemic has greatly influenced the way we work. For many of us, the option to work from home was a relatively smooth transition. Video calls, instant messaging, and other digital tools filled the colleague collaboration gap—replacing in-person meetings and chats around the water cooler.
A successful digital transformation requires weaving together technology, data, process, and operational change. If one of these domains fails to make the grade, your entire transformation may be in jeopardy. These four domains have one thing in common and that is they rely on people and what they bring to the table.
The global field service market is continuing to grow at a quickening pace. In 2016, the field service market size was estimated to be $1.78 billion USD, and now that number is predicted to hit $4.45 billion by the end of 2022—an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.5 percent.
The past year has cultivated many personal and professional changes. No person or industry has been untouched. Even field service has embraced seismic changes as a result of the ongoing global pandemic. For many field service organizations, being dispatched to the customer’s location to diagnose and resolve an issue became more complex than ever before.