There is a giant field service industry out there – it’s huge in size with 20 million technicians and is growing at an unprecedented pace. It enables the deliverance of fast, smart, and personalized service to clients across the globe. Like all other areas, field service innovators are also constantly on the lookout to utilize emerging technologies to their advantage. Field service automation has led to a disruption in the industry, and technology has changed how support representatives interact with customers on a daily, hourly, and minute-to-minute basis.
Considering that over 52% of field service companies still do major tasks manually, there is certainly a huge scope for tools such as field service management software. Companies need comprehensive automated systems to get a 360-degree view of what customers expect to provide them with exceptional service experience. Field service automation opens up doors for data collection, agile task management and enhances resilience in the workforce. With the likes of artificial intelligence and crowd servicing, there is no doubt that these emerging trends are set to revolutionize the field service market space:
Field Service Automation Alter The Industry Landscape By-
- Rise Of Artificial Intelligence Solutions: With the advent of field service management software, there will be a heavier reliance on automation of routine processes. Dispatchers will rely on real-time information for accurate scheduling and data acquired from field service automation will lead to informed decision making. Since 10% of emergency field services will be triaged and scheduled by artificial intelligence by 2020, we can definitely expect a mammoth increase in the overall adoption of automated technologies.
- Mobile Apps Are Highly Commonplace: Most modern field service management software systems have moved towards mobile apps – they are indeed a great help to technicians on the move! Work orders, task checklists, and compliance reports can be easily checked while technicians are in the field. Mobile field service automation enhances responsive, speed and agility, thus leading to a high first-time fix rate and faster service ratios. Since many time field staffers do not have access to information they require to help clients, mobile apps are potent tools that empower them to satisfy customers to the best of their ability.
- Augmented Reality Is Here To Stay: Virtual augmented reality is a raging buzzword that is taking field service automation the greater heights! Head-mounted glasses, smart wristbands, and watches are making sure that field technicians can access information at the click of a button. The augmented reality market is predicted to reach $ 100 billion by 2020, hence it is no wonder that virtual reality features are a major component of field service management software. They provide unprecedented visibility into the worksites and helps field technicians collaborate with offsite service experts.
- The IoT Drives Proactive Service: Machines are taking over, and the Internet of Things is a connection technology that has added a new dimension to field service automation. Mobile devices and advanced sensors powered by real-time data will transform customer experiences – lesser time, more efficiency and fewer technician visits. Field service management software facilitates more predictive maintenance, and this will lead to a large number of service calls getting diagnosed and corrected remotely.
- Rapid Growth In Crowd Servicing: The field service industry has witnessed a huge jump in crowd servicing in recent times. Field service management software has specialized technology which enables skilled technicians to come in contact with customers directly. Different sized organizations are also clubbing together to create a vast pool of talented workers with varying skill sets, in order to increase the agility of the workforce. Crowd servicing is a great medium to ensure that customers receive skilled field service technicians at their doorstep, at any place anytime.
- Drone Technology On The Increase: Unmanned aerial vehicles or drones have entered the field service playing field in a big way. They enable field service workers to get a bird’s eye view for larger distances where terrain and elevation is a factor. Combining technologies such as drones and computer imagery processing provides powerful visuals and eliminates the need for technicians to physically visit work sites. Deploying drones can drive commercial value in technical projects, and reduce accidents by preventing exposure to hazardous work areas.
Field service automation is helping companies enhance their operational efficiency and task flow management. Radical tools such as specialized field service management software have catalyzed innovations and evolved the landscape of the industry. Since the majority of support technicians believe that their current tools are not fast enough, cutting edge field service software can be harnessed to provide access to live training videos, manuals, and a unified knowledge base.
The first step in preparing your field service organization for challenges and competition in the times to come is to be aware of these upcoming trends. Leverage field service automation technology to enhance bottom-line results, and forge a distinct identity in the market!
Author Bio: Sawmill Jangid is a Software Analyst at SoftwareSuggest. He is very enthusiastic and optimistic about his work. He loves to dig deep into various software categories.
