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Field service companies reveal their challenges and bright spots in IFS research
IFS , a global cloud enterprise software company , has announced its global research study results , which uncovers field service companies ’ biggest challenges and key priority areas over the next 12 months . The findings highlight immense tension between opportunity , skills and technology to outpace market disruption .
Technology superiority has become the most significant competitive differentiator in field service , overtaking customer experience . Yet with nearly half ( 46 %) of respondents reporting that their companies still struggle to meet service level agreements ( SLAs ) and 37 % citing outdated or insufficient technology as an on-going pressure , there is a clear technology gap which needs to be closed .
Combined with the other top concerns of lack of a skilled workforce ( 40 %) and change management and user adoption of new technology ( 37 %), field service organizations are under considerable pressure to not only fulfill customer obligations , but also to remain competitive and achieve future sustainability goals . The latter is now ranked the number one future-focused initiative , followed closely by updating legacy service management systems and leveraging emerging technology .
Field service companies recognize the benefits of digitalization has overtaken customer experience ( 26 %). This trend underscores how companies understand that not investing in the right digital technology means they are at risk of becoming obsolete in a highly competitive market characterized by disruption .
Emerging investments for service and planned adoptions
Additional findings in the State of Service research revealed that while technology is leading investment trends , some of the consideration is pointing to a continued focus on the customer experience , with FSM technology solutions ranking highest in terms of planned adoption being : remote assistance ( 44 % of respondents planning to implement ), wearables ( 44 %), knowledge management ( 42 %), simulations ( 41 %), scheduling optimization and automation ( 40 %) and customer self-service ( 36 %).
Marne Martin , President of Service Management , IFS , said : “ Our latest State of Service study paints a vivid picture – while customer centricity remains high on the agenda , the realization of the importance of technology as an enabler has become much clearer . Success is , however , dependent on the ability to orchestrate people and skills alongside market dynamics and customer demands for consistency in service .
Marne Martin , President of Service Management , IFS
“ In an economy of scarce resources and rapidly rising costs , remaining competitive is based on modern service management tools that can help companies serve customers more efficiently .”
In addition to the research results , the State of Service 2023 Global Report also delivers insights and advice from some of the world ’ s most innovative business and service leaders across manufacturing , telecommunications , utility and service provider organizations . p
Since 2018 , there has been clear uptick in technology adoption and critical investments . The 2022 research shows the implementation of Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) has more than doubled , from 22 % to 46 %, Reverse Logistics grew from 25 % to 54 % and the implementation of chatbots has almost quadrupled , from 11 % to 44 %. The respondents citing technology superiority ( 29 %) as their most significant differentiator has tripled since 2018 and
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