With companies requiring greater visibility and increased efficiency within their field service operations, many see the updating of existing or introduction of new systems as the most effective means to achieve the desired end result.

But with a wealth of options available, how can they narrow these down? When, for example, should automatic scheduling be considered?

Before starting to consider the various systems on the market - which range from quick to install, off-the-shelf products to those that are specially created to match a company’s exact requirements - service companies need to first adopt an introspective approach. In order to clarify this in more detail, we asked a number of the suppliers of service management systems to highlight the parameters field service companies should use when looking at the many options on the market.

Astea International vice president of marketing, Debbie Geiger, says that companies first need to understand which components make the foundation of their overall customer service vision, and how to leverage across the enterprise. In regard to automation, it depends on how strategic service is to their overall business. If it is a major contributor to overall revenues, then automation is a must, she says.

This view is further supported by that of Mike Spragg, Infor head of service management, UK, who says that when examining automation, a business should think on a company wide basis, not the traditional departmental silo. Field service is part of the brand of any organisation, he states, ensuring the customer has a positive experience throughout their use of the products.

This means that the final choice is made on consideration of the ‘bigger picture’. Brown asks: ‘Will the system integrate with existing infrastructure, and does it exhibit the correct level of flexibility now and for the future?’

Cost-competitiveness is a key consideration, he says: ‘but customers are now fixated on integrating their service solutions with their enterprise IT infrastructures and, wherever possible, using a single database to manage everything.

‘It is for these reasons that suppliers of service systems need to enter into ‘partnerships’ with their prospective customers; they need to understand their clients’ business needs of today and their likely demands of tomorrow.’

Unique ID sales and marketing director Mike Knowles-Leak says that every client’s requirements will be unique, but in many cases they are carrying out the same processes as other service companies. He lists call resolution, job scheduling and parts ordering as examples of these.

Using web-based technologies allows most operations to be up and running quickly, says Knowles-Leak, but by also using a leasing or rental-based solution the initial investment required can be minimal.

Brian Hynes, sales and marketing manager for SIG Consulting, says his company believes that the level of automation is often determined by expected growth and complexity of business issues.

It is difficult to identify how companies operating in a stagnant marketplace with a defined set of products and customers will significantly benefit from increased levels of automation, he says. However, for those looking to expand their service portfolios or size of operation, automation can help reduce the number of new appointments required to service the new operation.

Where growth is accompanied by increased complexity, automation can help streamline the information flow and increase turnover without the need for additional employees.

Richard Wainwright, Civica UK Limited product director, says that automation of service management processes is essential to enable businesses to grow without increasing administration.

Selection of the right solution is critical to ensure flexibility to adapt as businesses grow. He states that Tranman Service Management provides levels of flexibility and customer configurability previously out of reach to the majority of service management organisations. Encompassing asset management, service desk, inventory management, mobile and dynamic scheduling, it is fully modular in structure, says Wainwright.

Terran Churcher, Codegate md, further emphasises the need for care when considering service management systems and warns that early entry could be a costly mistake.

Established suppliers will be able to identify when this is a potential issue, says Churcher, and advise on how to ensure that an effective system results.

For companies to get the best from their systems, Churcher says they should ensure:
• Existing business processes are sufficiently defined and operate robustly;
• Staff are consulted as early as possible to ensure their buy-in;
• Compliance issues are integrated, e.g., health and safety, employer’s liability;
• The supplier can write software to accommodate your unique needs;
• You have a single source, ‘end-to-end’ supplier for the whole system.

Israel Beniaminy, senior vice president of product marketing for Clicksoftware sees the subject of automation as a spectrum. At the lowest end, there is no organisational visibility into what tasks need to be performed or what engineers are doing.

One level up is software that accepts anything written on it. Higher up are business rules that alert the user when an assignment violates them, such as selecting an unsuitable time or an engineer without the right skills.

He asks: ‘Where on this spectrum should an organisation position itself? First, it should determine where it is, then how far up it can go. As it rises, it delivers better service more consistently and with lower costs.’

However, initial costs grow with size of leap, and it is difficult to leap across many levels at once, says Beniaminy. Smaller rises are much easier to make, and still provide substantial benefits and fast ROI. Care should be taken to ensure that the next stage of development is considered.

For those that devote time and effort to ensure they make the right choice, the benefits can be considerable. Mike Rand, sales manager of Hamilton Hall, explains these should include sharing of information throughout the business, better customer response, clear idea of which projects/contracts are profitable, increased efficiency and same day invoicing. Larger customers will only give business to companies who can demonstrate they have the right tools to run their business, he explains.

When the organisation’s requirements are defined - size and type of service operation along with its importance within an organisation - Rand was another that advised the use of leasing companies to help spread payments over several years to allow the best option to be purchased. With service operations frequently having growth potential, systems should be purchased with future expansion in mind.

Advising caution, he says that companies should not try to install too much at once. Each project should have a champion within the company, and installations should be conducted within realistic time scales.

Knowles-Leak believes all professional service companies should utilise some level of automation and states that his company provides consultation to find optimum solutions.

The final installation should entail mobile hardware feeding into an infrastructure that arrives at a call centre, Spragg explains. Within this environment, agents must have access to the right information and full interaction with back office functions that need to follow up.

This can include enterprise asset management software and works scheduling functionality or knowledge management to plan for customer self service online. The next step must be to integrate the processes correctly, putting service management at the heart of the systems within the company.

Geiger says that the end result must mean that the right technician, with the right parts, tools and information attends the call. This requires a coordinated effort and tight communication throughout.

Updated status from the call centre, service level and warranty information from the front office, past service history and diagnostic aids from the service organisation, with required parts and logistics support all play a critical role, she says.

Further benefits are highlighted by Churcher, who says that lower overtime and reduced mileage, higher call rates and lower administration costs can be achieved and help to indicate the ROI.

Hynes states that SIG Consulting is seeing an increase in demand for fully integrated business solutions for field force automation, such as Microsoft Dynamics AX (ERP system) and FieldAssist (Mobile Field Service Solution). He warns, however, that automation frequently fails to produce the expected benefits because the entire business process has not been evaluated. If data capture is automated but still requires manual processes to validate, then the overall benefit is reduced.

Ending with further advice, Civica UK’s Wainwright says: ‘The calibre of your supplier is just as important as the software they provide. Be sure to select a supplier that will work closely with you to provide the support and guidance you need to quickly establish the return on your investment.’

By following the various guidelines above, field service companies can both significantly improve their service operation and prepare for future growth.