Survey Shows Workflow Process Solutions Focus Of Field Service Businesses
By Cheryl Knight, contributing writer
A survey by Honeywell and The Service Council (TSC) shows while 75 percent of 260 decision makers in field services companies surveyed have conducted a review of their processes in the past 12 months, 25 percent have not. And only about 37 percent of that group reviewed their processes in the past five years. Of the 65 percent of organizations that indicated they remain diligent about conducting a review of their processes when it comes to field service, only 27 percent do so while keeping a watch on their revenue goals.
“We see a maturity path for field service organizations where their goals evolve from replacement of paper-based processes to productivity enhancements to resolution and revenue growth,” said Sumair Dutta, chief customer officer of TSC. “There are many areas of low-hanging fruit available to service leaders to improve their workflow processes and results. As such, investments made in process change, the supporting technologies, and also in people need to be targeted and evaluated with these strategy goals in mind.”
The survey pointed out that improved customer satisfaction is a primary driver. According to the survey, on-time arrival, first-time fix, and completing the repair within the SLA, or service level agreement, were ranked as the top three factors in leading to customer satisfaction.
Also, in the TSC’s recent field service research, organizations reported several key focus areas for the upcoming 12 to 18 months, including:
- Workforce Management: 42 percent
- Performance Management: 38 percent
- Technology Infrastructure: 37 percent
- Knowledge Management: 26 percent
“The identity of the field service group is changing to match the changing focus of service organizations globally. Field service teams are no longer being viewed as ‘issue fixers,’ hopefully being able to do so at the lowest cost. These teams are now viewed as ‘customer ambassadors’ or ‘solution providers’ wherein the relationships that these teams establish with customers offer a means of differentiation and value,” the survey concluded.
To view the complete survey, click here.