Articles
More than a mode of transport
Gone are the days when a truck or van was just a way of getting from one job to the next. Field service vehicles are an increasingly valuable asset with many faces: mobile office, technology hub and roving inventory location. [ + ]
The Service Council partnership
The Service Council has partnered with Westwick-Farrow Media's Field Service Business (FSB) to bring our thought leadership content and expertise to FSB's community, to help service-centric businesses continue to sharpen their service strategies through global insights and trends analysis. [ + ]
Lifting their game
In Australia's highly competitive access equipment market, a product range renowned for its quality, performance and innovation is merely a good start. That's why the management of JLG Industries Australia set out to back it with the best possible support systems. [ + ]
Work order management matters
In any enterprise, the workflow process from the point of job instigation right through to payment must be as efficient as possible. Workflow problems are common to all businesses, but it is even more critical when operating field staff. A smart system reflects the way you want to run your business, rather than dictating changes in processes to meet its parameters. [ + ]
Integrated business systems vs siloed applications - what's better for your service business?
When starting out, it's easy for a company to settle on stand-alone software solutions that fill a particular business requirement. Referred to as 'best of breed' in their category, these applications can certainly be an astute option when addressing a specific commercial function, such as accounting, HR management or CRM. While they may present a suitable short-term solution, what happens to these unrelated systems as the company grows? [ + ]
Wireless technology - not just about the data
Wireless technology has changed the way we interact with one another. Free to roam and still remain connected, it has provided flexibility at previously unseen levels and created a more mobile world and workforce. But wireless isn't limited to emails and social media, the same technology is now being used in a multitude of ways to ensure safety of the workforce. [ + ]
Driving service efficiencies
Since 2001, ECONZ has been the driving power behind New Zealand's favourite roadside breakdown service, The Automobile Association, helping rescue an average 1200 stranded drivers per day. [ + ]
Measuring success: how to choose the right metrics to track the progress of your field service operation
Reduced driving distance? Increased customer satisfaction scores? First-time resolution? When it comes to field operations, there are plenty of metrics that you could track. And if you aren't already measuring the success of your field operations, you need to start - now! [ + ]
A game of engagement
Keeping employees engaged is key to keeping loyal customers, yet most companies have not been able to master the matrix of costs vs ROI in the complex push and pull environment of financial obligations and customer satisfaction. But the answer may be right underneath our agile thumbs that happily build farms and defeat angry birds on our smartphones. [ + ]
Keeping things on track
BHP Billiton's dedicated, heavy-duty rail network is a vital component in its vertically integrated, Australian iron ore supply chain. Some of the world's longest and heaviest trains are under its direct control, operating continuously in the harsh outback environment. [ + ]
How to improve your first-time fix rate
With strong links to customer satisfaction and retention, achieving first-time fix is now the top business priority for field service organisations, according to a 2014 Insight Report (Transforming Service Delivery). [ + ]
Perched atop the corporate agenda: Smarter Services
For many years, the importance of 'services' has been increasing in the global economy. This rise in importance is primarily the result of the impact of commoditisation, particularly in manufacturing-related industries. Manufacturers have relied on post-sale service given the impact commoditisation has had on product margins. [ + ]
Driving improvement to profit
MorCo Fresh is a wholesale food distributor specialising in daily deliveries of fresh produce. The company required a technology solution that would help optimise its day-to-day operations and maximise productivity and efficiency, both on and off the road. [ + ]
Field service management - it's not the technology, it's the people
When it comes to implementing new business systems or processes, it is recognised that the human response to change has the greatest capacity to determine a project's outcome. This continues to be a factor in a range of studies into the causes of failure in large-scale ICT project implementation. A lack of senior level support, changing mindsets and poorly defined objectives are just some of the factors that influence the results. [ + ]
Locating and tracking underground
Traditional technologies may work well above ground, but what happens when you need to locate and trace a person or object underground, or in a difficult environment without clear signals? [ + ]