White Paper

Valuing
Field Service
Stakeholders

Coresystems AG
www.coresystems.net
 White Paper: Valuing Field Service Stakeholders

Content
Introduction 3

The Stakeholders 4
Customer 4
Manufacturer 4
Field Service Team 6

Aligning Goals Between the Manufacturer, Customers,

and the Field Service Team 7
Customer & Manufacturer 7
Manufacturer & Field Service Team 7
Customer & Field Service Team 8
Customer, Manufacturer & Field Service Team 8

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 White Paper: Valuing Field Service Stakeholders

Valuing Field Service Stakeholders

For Field Service Executives, COOs, and CMOs of larger organizations providing
field service.

Introduction
Field service software solutions have developed significantly in recent years and
demonstrated a high growth in popularity. Many companies have now accepted that
in order to cut costs and grow revenues from services, they need to move on from
simple paper- or spreadsheet-based processes and invest in sophisticated solutions.
These solutions will help businesses make better use of their resources and help their
balance sheet. However, to date, businesses have also been very inwardly focused and
have not considered the varied aspects of field service, the stakeholders involved, and
the opportunities available.
First attempts to implement field service software on the market have usually fo-
cused on a very narrow part of the service job. The primary goal was to tackle areas
such as engineer dispatching or route optimization. The actual service conducted by
the engineers on-site was ignored. This focus on dispatching and routing was great
for reducing costs, but has done nothing for customers or engineers.
A business can only fully benefit from implementing field service software when all
stakeholders – the company (manufacturer), customers, and the field service team –
are included in the process. Apart from keeping in mind financial targets, a business
should also understand customers’ needs and how its services can help customers
reach their goals. Field service engineers actually have more contact with customers,
so they should be given the tools and information to do their job efficiently and feel
like a valued part of the process. When these tools are in place, the relationship be-
tween all three stakeholders becomes tighter, leading to new revenues from higher
value services and upselling.
Manufacturers should be looking for field service software solutions that extend to
cover all steps of the job. The biggest benefits are achieved when engineers:
− have all the service information they need immediately available with them on
site;
− can follow a set of detailed instructions specifically tailored to the individual
customer;
− can instantly produce a customer report for immediate sign-off;
− can offer valued advice on new services and products;
− can do their job efficiently so the customer experiences less production down-
time and starts seeing the manufacturer as a partner.
Coresystems has many years of experience providing field service software to a wide
variety of companies across many industries and countries. Through our work with
these valued partners, we have identified a set of stakeholders and common goals,
with which a field service division should align.

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 White Paper: Valuing Field Service Stakeholders

The Stakeholders
We believe there are three important stakeholders: the manufacturer, its customers,
and the field service team. When drafting a service strategy, each stakeholder has its
own goals, which need to be considered and aligned. Below we look at these goals and
explain how an integral field service strategy can help each stakeholder achieve them.

Customer
Above all, customers are looking to get the best value for their money and to see a
Customer return on their capital investment for the equipment they have purchased. This
means making the equipment as productive as possible with minimal downtime and a
long working lifespan. A secondary goal would be for each customer to have their own
specific requirements met, such as exact use of equipment, production hours per
week, and special on-site procedures. The customer is looking for a supplier that un-
derstands these requirements, who can ideally become a partner that delivers not just
great services, but also listens, accepts criticism, and offers tailored advice and guid-
ance.
A great service experience starts when a service call comes in. The process of taking
the service call, offering a possible date, and sending a confirmation needs to be fast
and convenient, no matter whether this is happening, online, or via mobile phone.
Furthermore, innovative techniques that allow the customer to book the service call
such as scanning QR codes or online monitoring of real-time sensors can streamline
the process and even support new business models.
Once a service call is made, the customer will want the engineer on-site usually as
fast as possible or at a time that suits them. They want the problem or planned main-
tenance concluded quickly so they can restart production. Engineers should work
efficiently according to a pre-defined plan, and produce reports detailing all the work
done and costs incurred.
Even if the customer only calls for a copy of a manual or for to get training, the expe-
rience should demonstrate an understanding of the need behind the call. In fact, ev-
ery interaction with the customer should express professional efficiency and quality.
Having a problem with production is bad enough, but bad service is even worse.

Manufacturer
Senior company executives are expecting more and more from their field service
teams. They expect the teams to help improve the company’s overall financial situa-
tion through increased efficiency, upselling, and new revenue streams. A Head of Ser-
vice is often given a new KPI category and told to increase business volumes and prof-
Manufacturer its. It is reasonable to expect that he or she should be given the right tools to do the
job, but investment in field service has traditionally not been a focus. Therefore, a
field service software solution must first be justified to the CFO, the company board,
and the shareholders.
The manufacturer will expect to at least see cost savings through increased efficien-
cies. This can start with optimized scheduling and route planning to reduce travel
time and gaps during the day, but the largest efficiencies come when applied across
the whole process. This includes fast job planning and pre-defined checklists. As well
as ensuring engineers have the right information and checklists on-site (even when
working offline) that automate many of the procedures they need to follow. Powerful,
effective tools installed on engineers’ mobile devices will cut down on administrative
tasks, guide the service process, prompt engineers to record additional measure-
ments, and produce instant reports.

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 White Paper: Valuing Field Service Stakeholders

However, software can do much more than increase efficiency. It can dramatically
revolutionize the field service business model. For instance, company cash flow is
improved when engineers can produce service reports on the spot that can be imme-
diately approved by the customer with a digitized signature. This also means invoices
can be sent out within days of the work being completed, instead of weeks.
Customer self-service apps allow the customer to bypass the whole process of calling
in to request and schedule a service call. Taken one step further, sensors installed
within the equipment can send an alert directly to the back office when attention is
needed. The same sensors can measure trends in usage or technical data that will
predict when a service is due based on real figures for that specific customer.
Field service staff also have a key part to play in transforming the business model.
Once a sale is completed, engineers remain the key touchpoint for the customer. They
should be trained to build and nurture relationships, offer advice and guidance, and
upsell new products and services.
The manufacturer’s product development team can also benefit from structured ser-
vice visits. The engineer’s checklist can prompt him or her to enter measurements
that will automatically be reported back to the product team. These measurements
could include entries such as operating temperatures, parts’ wear and tear, and toler-
ances. When aggregated by the software over time or across many customers, trends
and reasons for failure of equipment can be identified to improve product reliability
and longevity.
When considering a new implementation, a ‘one size fits all’ approach rarely works
well. Adapting or replacing established company processes so they can adapt to the
software could take a long time and cause major disruption. This is why it is better to
use software that is flexible enough to adapt to the procedures used by all stakehold-
ers: the customer, the manufacturer, and the field service team.
When implementing new field service software, many substantial benefits will only
become visible after the initial cost savings and increased efficiencies have been
achieved. Still, these benefits can be far-reaching. Unleashing the full power of field
service software can have a big impact on the whole company.

Examples of Increased Efficiencies through Field Service Software

1. Digital Service Confirmation 2. Automated Photographic Records

Call centre agents spend much of their
time processing administrative informa-
tion and completing repetitive tasks like
sending out order confirmations. If the
data required was entered during the
service call through pre-defined check-
lists, it could be ready to be sent out at
the end of a service call. Even if this only
saves five minutes per service call, com-
pleting 10,000 service calls amounts to
significant savings:
5 minutes
x 10,000 calls per month
= 833.3 working hours per month
Engineers are often required to take
before and after photographs of their
work on site to be included in the service
report. Using a digital camera, transfer-
ring the photos to a laptop, and inserting
them in a document take time. Instead,
a digital checklist in the engineer’s mo-
bile field service app can prompt him or
her to take a picture with the built-in
camera. The picture is then automatical-
ly included in a formatted report. This
digital process might save ten minutes at
each service call.
10 minutes
x 1,000 service visits per month
= 166.66 working hours saved

833.3 hours 166.66 hours

x 15 USD per hour x 30 USD per hour
= 12,500 USD per month saved = 5,000 USD per month saved

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 White Paper: Valuing Field Service Stakeholders

Field Service Team

The field service team (administrators, dispatchers, engineers, etc.) will have a big
impact on the success of a new software system. At first, introducing field service
software may be viewed suspiciously, and may even be seen as a danger to jobs. How-
ever, our experience has shown that the software is quickly adopted, staff are happy
Field Service to use it, and they are proud to show it off to customers.
Team
It is a common argument that field service lacks funds. Sometimes it is not seen as a
valuable part of the business. However, with a focus on achieving new revenues from
services and investment in field service software, staff tend to be delighted to have
new tools that will empower them to do their jobs faster and at a higher standard.
One of the major benefits of field service software is the time saved by avoiding repet-
itive tasks. For instance, when planning a new site visit, old plans and records must be
found and retrieved from an archive. Planning work is easier when there are pre-de-
fined project plans and checklists that are automatically added according to the spe-
cific equipment and location. Reports, often a torment for engineers, can be automati-
cally prepared from information and data entered in the checklist during the service.
When engineers have all the information they need at their fingertips, they can be
more confident about the work they are doing. Even when working offline, they are
still able to access and update checklists, equipment history, manual pages, reports,
and other data.
At the end of a job, the engineer will have all the information needed to prepare the
service reports. This can include measurements, hours worked, work completed, be-
fore and after photographs and other information. With the click of a button, the
software will collate all the information, format it, and email it to the customer. By
having the report available after the service call is completed, any queries can be ad-
dressed immediately, rather than weeks later. Using the technology on a mobile de-
vice, the customer can sign-off straight away using a digital signature.
One of the most daunting challenges for the whole field service team is meeting new
revenue targets. Does this mean engineers have to be salespeople? Will they have
sales targets? It is unlikely that someone with technical skills will be interested in
becoming a salesperson. However, when technicians are able to establish a natural
relationship with their customer, they do become trusted advisors or even ambassa-
dors. This is extremely valuable and gives engineers the opportunity to offer help and
guidance, which might include extra services such as training courses, planned main-
tenance, and equipment upgrades.
One of the biggest benefits to staff is an improved work-life balance. Intelligent
scheduling means less time driving between remote sites or completing administra-
tive tasks.
Above all, investment in new tools, which enable engineers to work faster and offer
higher quality work, give them a new kind of confidence. When combined with the
ability to offer advice and guidance to customers, this can become part of a powerful
relationship building strategy.

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 White Paper: Valuing Field Service Stakeholders

Aligning Goals Between the Manufacturer, Customers, and the

Field Service Team

Customer & Manufacturer

Customer Many of the goals of the manufacturer and its customers overlap, which strengthens
the relationship between them. One of the first benefits of a new software solution is
the increased efficiency in the ordering and planning process as well the major time
savings in delivering services. Increased productivity for the manufacturer also
Manu- means shorter lead times and less downtime for the customer.
facturer
New business models such as pro-active service planning and annual maintenance
contracts result in big changes for both parties. The manufacturer benefits from new
regular revenue streams, but customers can potentially achieve even greater benefits.
By planning services ahead of time using sophisticated, individually tailored forecast-
ing techniques, unplanned downtime is minimized and replaced by planned mainte-
nance at a convenient time. Productivity over the year increases significantly.
Self-service and automated service save costs and add flexibility to the business mod-
el. Engineer-ambassadors create an on-site relationship that leads to the purchase of
additional services and products, which in turn lead to higher productivity and com-
petitiveness.
By aligning with the customer’s goals, the manufacturer shows its expertise when
planning and delivering service efficiently. This again results in customer loyalty and
increased brand value.

Manufacturer & Field Service Team

Efficient and happy employees benefit customers and the manufacturer. Streamlined
processes that increase cost savings also make it easier for the back office team to do
their job. Dispatchers can be one step ahead in the planning process by forecasting
and reserving resources in advance instead of trying to catch up with incoming ser-
Manu- Field vice calls. Efficient, informed engineers are more productive, but also feel more em-
facturer Service
Team powered to give advice and help their customers. When the company invests in a soft-
ware solution that is easy to use and makes employees’ lives easier, there are very high
acceptance rates. Staff will quickly become used to the software and even want to
show it off to customers. New technology will also make the manufacturer more at-
tractive to younger engineers, who are familiar with using laptops, tablets and smart
phones and would be put off by manual, paper-based systems.
Engineers will become knowledgeable advisors or ambassadors when trained accord-
ingly. This doesn’t mean they will be official salespeople, but they will be able to iden-
tify opportunities and show customers where they can make improvements in skills,
uptime, or productivity. When manufacturers employ staff that are proud of their
organization and the job they do, they will earn their customer’s trust.

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 White Paper: Valuing Field Service Stakeholders

Customer & Field Service Team

Customer Customers need to meet KPIs of their own, which include increasing the productivity
and return on the large capital investment they have made. They will achieve their
KPIs faster if unplanned equipment downtime is minimized or eliminated altogether
by efficient processes and engineer expertise.
Field
Service It is very impressive to see professional engineers at work, especially when they have
Team all the information they need to complete a job and can instantly refer back to past
problems. At this stage they become advisors alerting clients of potential problems in
the future or recommending ways to improve productivity. Engineers are proud of
the job they do and the fact that customers recognize their expertise and advice.

Customer, Manufacturer & Field Service Team

Customer When the goals of all three stakeholders are aligned, the relationship will prove itself
to be strong and long-lasting. All three stakeholders benefit from improved efficien-
cies, faster planning, higher quality field service, streamlined processes, and experi-
enced engineers.
Manu- Field
facturer Service The manufacturer and field service team can show their understanding of the individ-
Team ual customer. All three stakeholders benefit from increased regular revenues, loyalty,
productivity, brand value, and an improved reputation.

About Coresystems
Coresystems is a leading provider of mobile and cloud-based field service and
workforce management software for mid-sized and large enterprises’ field service
organizations. Since Coresystems’ founding in 2006, more than 190,000 users
across the world have utilized Coresystems’ innovative, real-time field service
management software to improve their business and field service processes. Core-
Coresystems systems has also pioneered “crowd service” – which allows customers to leverage
CH: +41 56 500 22 44 an Uber-like platform to find available field service technicians in real-time. Core-
DE: +49 761 887 95 777 systems is headquartered in Switzerland with international offices in San Francis-
USA: +1 (415) 887-1944 co, Miami, Berlin, Freiburg, Shanghai, São Paulo and London.
www.coresystems.net

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