How to Choose a
Next-Generation
Field Mobility Platform
By Bastiaan Pierhagen
FMP360
Executive Summary
The rapid pace of change expected during the next ten
years will present field service organizations with several
challenges. To stay ahead of their competitors – indeed,
to stay in business – they will need tools and technology
to equip them for success.
Challenges
Herein, we identify some of the challenges facing field service organizations,
including:
• Adaptability
• Internet of Things and Big Data for Decisions
• Vision as the New Interface and Wearable Internet
• Servitization
• Generation Gap
Considerations
A field mobility platform should equip field service organizations with the tools and
technology to overcome these challenges. In this paper, we provide guidance for
selecting a next-generation field mobility platform that will transport field service
operations to success over the next decade.
• Adaptability
− Configuration is Key
− Multi-Device Support
• Internet of Things and Big Data for Decisions
− Connecting Information
• Vision as the New Interface and Wearable Internet
− Augmented Reality
• Generation Gap
− Remote Support
• Servitization
− Role of Field Worker
− Role of Customer
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Introduction
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives,
nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one
that is most adaptable to change.”
When Charles Darwin wrote those words in 1859, he recognized that the world
around us is continuously changing. Today, we all recognize that truth. Most of us
also recognize that organizations must outpace the rate of change –or at least keep
up with it– to survive. In this guide to choosing a next-generation field mobility
platform, we discuss the challenges that organizations will face in the coming
decade and, more specifically, address how these challenges will affect field service
organizations. Additionally, we present a number of considerations for choosing
a field mobility platform and describe the characteristics that a next-generation
platform must include to ensure peak performance in the field.
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Challenges
To survive, organizations should understand the impact that
technological changes might have on their field operations.
During the next ten years, “servitization” is going
to change the world at a rapid pace. Life expectancy
continues to increase, which will cause a widening
generation gap – a challenge unto itself. And
consider a recent report by the World Economic
Forum, which shows that the rapid rise of new
technologies – such as the Internet Of and For
Things, Big Data for Decisions, Vision as the New
Interface, and Wearable Internet – will transform
global society¹. To survive, organizations should
understand the impact those changes might have on
their field operations. Once they are familiar with
predicted changes, they can begin adapting.
Adaptability
The adaptability of an organization is directly
related to its ability to change. When we consider
this from a software point of view, we are reminded
of Gartner Inc.’s definition of three application
strategies: Systems of Record, Systems of
Differentiation and Systems of Innovation.
A mobile platform is at its core a System of
Differentiation, because it relies on flexibility and
adaptability. Unlike Systems of Record (back-office
data required to run the business) and Systems of
Innovation (experimental technology to address
future requirements), Systems of Differentiation
(such as mobile platforms) allow processes and
data to be designed and modified to suit an
organization’s industry -or process-specific needs.
Every software system can be classified in one
of these categories, each of which has its own
strengths and weaknesses. It is nearly impossible
to choose a single software system which supports
all the data and processes of an organization. For
example, choosing a back-office system which
also supports mobile can result in compromised
flexibility.
• A System of Record contains the corporate data
of an organization, such as financial data and
customer records (also known as back-office
systems).
• A System of Differentiation allows work
processes to be easily adjusted and modified to
satisfy an organization’s unique needs.
• A System of Innovation allows
experimentation of new technology. (It should
be noted that when an organization starts
building a System of Innovation, the vision of
what they ultimately want to achieve is not yet
totally clear.)
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Internet of Things and Big Data for Decisions will transform
the way field service organizations operate.
Internet of Things and Big Data for
Decisions
Internet of Things and Big Data for Decisions
will transform the way field service organizations
operate. The Internet of Things gives real-time
insight into the current status of the serviced
product, by making sensor-measured data available
for analysis. By analyzing the available data,
organizations are able to define a healthy operating
range. Monitoring the data will provide service
triggers to act upon, allowing organizations to
shift from an ad hoc failure-planning system to a
prediction-based, maintenance-planning system.
Eventually this results in higher uptime and less
unscheduled maintenance – while extending the
economic lifetime of assets, increasing profit
margins, and boosting customer satisfaction levels.
Vision as the New Interface and
Wearable Internet
Google Glass was one of the first devices which
ignited the Vision as New Interface trend. The
device allows eyes and vision to be the link to
other connected devices. This wearable device can
connect to the internet and can be controlled by
using gestures and eye movements.
And consider the Smart Helmet, developed by
DAQRI, that enables field workers to enter the world
of augmented reality.
Such developments change the way field workers
operate. For example, these devices can warn
the field worker in case the device registers a
sudden increase in temperature in the working
environment. It can also be used to access
drawings, schematics and instructions, while the
field worker can still use tools because his hands
are free. Envision the higher productivity rates
realized when a senior engineer can support several
junior field workers using remote assistance to get
the job done right, and on time.
Consumer devices with this technology also enable
field service organization to offer self-service
options to their customers, without having to
refer to the more traditional printed manuals.
Consider easy tasks, like filling the boiler up to the
minimum water level. These tasks can be recorded
once in an augmented reality platform, where
specific instructions can be added, and customers
can execute them when they need to, with virtual
on-site instructions. Should such initiatives be
considered a threat to the profitability of a field
service organization? Read on for the answer.
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"Servitization” is going to change the world.
Servitization and future trends for the wholesale channel, Prof. Carlo Alberto Carnevale Maffè
Servitization
Over the last few decades, we have seen a shift
in the field service industry. Organizations have
changed from merely selling a product to selling
service contracts, as illustrated in the picture
below. During this transition, several field service
organizations shifted from a paper to a digital
field service process. A dispatcher could assign
work orders to field workers using semi-automated
scheduling. This way, a field worker could access
information which was available in the back-office
via a mobile device. Information registered on the
mobile device was immediately available at the
office.
We are now seeing a shift to an outcomes-based
service model. Let us first discuss the service part of
the model – also known as servitization. Numerous
articles have been written about the success of
Uber and Airbnb. They are excellent examples of
companies that define the meaning of servitization.
These companies actually do not sell their own
physical products. Similarly, your customers
typically do not mind whether your organization
actually produces the equipment you are selling;
they care about the whole package. Everything
should be arranged to perfection. They are buying
the entire package, not merely the product.
To illustrate the outcomes-based part of the model,
we use the example of a large factory buying a
compressor for its production process. What the
factory actually requires is pressurized air to
run equipment, not the compressor itself. If the
pressurized air – the outcome – is not delivered,
the factory does not pay. Instead, the contract will
probably set forth a financial penalty for failure to
deliver. (This could also have been part of a more
traditional SLA.) However, the outcome is not only
based on the actual outcome of a product, but also
measured based on the satisfaction of the customer.
The ultimate goal is to excel at delivering value to
the customer, which will result in retaining more
satisfied customers.
Generation Gap
Life expectancy continues to rise and the retirement
age is increasing. This results in an increased
age variation in an organization’s workforce.
Senior workers are more familiar with traditional
technology, where employees at the beginning of
their careers possess knowledge about state-ofthe-art technology. The challenge is to share the
knowledge between several generations to get the
job done.
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Considerations
When searching for a field mobile platform,
organizations should consider the following...
In the previous section, we identified the
following challenges:
• Adaptability
• Internet of Things and Big Data for Decisions
• Vision as the New Interface and Wearable
Internet
• Servitization
• Generation Gap
INSTALLATION
SERVICE &
MAINTENANCE
they used to; when changing the work processes
involves coding by a development team, this
drastically increases the time to go live. As we have
discussed, adaptability is a key survival instrument.
Therefore, the time to go live should be taken into
account. This is one of the reasons many customers
prefer a mobile platform which supports configuring
work processes instead of coding them.
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SUBSTATION
A new field mobility platform should be able to
cope with these challenges. When searching for a
field mobile platform, organizations should consider
the following:
Adaptability: Configuration is Key
There are many paths to a successful
implementation of a field service platform – ranging
from in-house or custom development to fully
configured to customer satisfaction. Regarding
in-house or custom development, the question is
whether these systems can keep up with the fast
pace of the challenges described earlier. Companies
change their work processes more frequently than
Field service organizations have learned
to adapt to customer demand. Software
companies have done the same with their
software – adapting it to be configured
on the fly and providing flexibility to
the user. Software companies developing
a field mobility platform have a keen
understanding of mobility topics and
constantly invest in enriching the platform
with new technologies. This results in
a single mobility platform combining
the expertise of several field service
organizations. When a field service
organization invests in such a platform, it
not only invests in a solution for current
challenges, but it also invests to ensure future
flexibility and growth.
Information available in a mobile platform
differs from information available in a backoffice environment. Some back-office information
should be exchanged with the mobile platform via
a bi-directional integration. A mobile platform
must offer the possibility to capture additional
information, without the need for additional
coding. The mobile platform should support the
introduction of additional entities via configuration.
This ensures the required flexibility for the changing
needs for information.
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Big Data should be
presented visually and
enable users to make
manual decisions.
Internet of Things and Big Data for
Decisions – Connecting Information
Adaptability: Multi-Device Support
Technology developments follow each other rapidly,
and the development and availability of mobile
devices also follows this trend. A mobile platform
should support devices ranging from phones, tablets
and laptops to wearables such as helmets, glasses
and watches. All these devices run on several
operating systems. A mobile platform targeting only
a single device or operating system limits a field
service organization’s ability to perform.
In addition to multi-device considerations, field
service organizations should also consider multidevice support when working with subcontractors.
For example, to adjust to seasonal fluctuations in
workforce demand and output, the organization
should decide if it wants to equip all those new
users with a device. Subcontractors typically
have their own mobile devices; if they can simply
download an app from the store and log in with the
provided credentials, they can start working. The
mobile platform should support this bring-yourown-device (BYOD) strategy.
The format of data exchanged over the Internet
of Things is not yet standardized. Should a Mobile
Platform provide integration for all Internet of
Things platforms? This would be quite an expensive
and (most likely) impossible task. A mobile platform
should definitely provide the ability to connect
to several information sources. To that end, the
platform should be able to access data from web
services via configurable connectors. Once the
Internet of Things becomes more standardized,
mobile platforms will require functionality to
support such connections and configurations.
The Internet of Things results in huge amounts of
Big Data. In its raw form, it is useless to end users.
To use Big Data, it should be presented visually.
A mobile platform should enable users to populate
real-time, dynamic dashboards with information
derived from the continuous-stream data. These
visualizations will enable users to make manual
decisions.
The mobile platform should also provide support for
automated decisions, since manual decisions are
more time-consuming and more error-prone. Since
the information for these decisions is very versatile,
the business logic behind it should be configuration
based. This way, mobile platform users can define
these automated decisions based on their business
insights, providing the required flexibility.
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Vision as the New Interface and
Wearable Internet - Augmented
Reality A next-generation mobile platform should include
augmented reality features. Traditionally, field
workers have had to refer to large manuals or
sets of instructions if they required additional
information about an asset. A shift to videos
instead of written manuals or instructions is
occurring. With augmented reality, an additional
visual layer is put on top of the physical world.
While a video can be paused, it is not interactive.
The video recording is not aware where you are in
your process as a field worker, nor does it represent
the actual situation, viewing angle, or environment
a worker is in. These drawbacks are overcome with
augmented reality. When applying this technology
on serviced assets, the instructions can be given
step by step, since the augmented reality engine
can detect if a certain step is finished. The asset
is displayed in the actual environment at the
angle you are currently viewing it. This will make
instructions much easier to understand and help
increase first-time fix rates.
Augmented reality can be used on devices such
as laptops, phones and tablets. However, these
devices do not make full use of the capabilities
of augmented reality; field workers still have to
use their hands to control the devices. Enabling a
field worker to use his hands to service an asset
and, at the same time, control the device, requires
a mobile platform to support instructions via
speech, gestures, or eye movements. This requires
a mobile platform to support wearable devices such
as smart helmets, glasses and watches, enabling a
field worker to switch from physically touching a
device to alternative ways of operating the mobile
platform.
Generation Gap – Remote Support
The generation gap requires that knowledge be
spread over a range of product families. To share
knowledge between field workers, a mobile platform
should contain functionality for remote support.
When field workers gain more experience in their
line of work, they are expected to transfer their
knowledge to junior field workers. On the other
hand, junior workers are educated in the latest
technology, which they have to share with their
more senior co-workers. In a traditional scenario,
this would result in one-to-one pairing of mobile
workers. By applying remote support in this
scenario, knowledge can be shared easily, without
the need for colleagues being at the same physical
location. This will increase the learning curve
of field workers and also increase the number of
billable jobs that can be accomplished per day.
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A mobility platform should provide the field worker with
tools to reach a high level of customer satisfaction.
Servitization - Role of Field Worker
Servitization - Role of Customer
From a servitization perspective, the level of
customer satisfaction is extremely important.
Technicians are your primary contact with
the customer, which could be an advantage
or a disadvantage.² Do not consider a service
organization only as a cost center. Service
organizations should exploit their frequent customer
contact to increase sales and brand awareness. A
mobility platform should provide the field worker
with tools to reach a high level of customer
satisfaction. For example, it should offer field
workers the ability to register customer feedback for
future reference and enable them to sell additional
products and services to the customer.
A mobile platform should support a field service
organization in its efforts to partner up with
a customer and deliver valuable insights,
increasing the likelihood of developing a longterm relationship with the customer.³ Therefore,
it is important that a mobile platform enables
the service organization to share insights about
customer processes, such as reporting on how the
customer’s equipment and systems are running,
compared with other customers in the same
industry.
¹ Deep Shift 21 Ways Software Will Transform Global Society, World Economic Forum, November 2015
² Techs Drive Value, Service Excellence Delivers Profits, Aberdeen Group, May 2016
³ Evolution of the Field Service Business: Optimizing the Field Service Chain, Aberdeen Group, July 2015
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Conclusions
An innovative next-generation
field mobility platform will help
you to success.
Providing the best experience to your customers and reacting to changing market
conditions is not easy. Customers become more demanding by the day. Everyone
expects your field service operations to be completely integrated into all your
company processes; similarly, customers expect your technicians to be aware
of all the latest information, at all times. In order to meet these expectations
and maintain your lead, you have to continuously improve the way you work by
integrating new technologies into your overall company process.
Choose a mobile platform supplier with the technology and the vision to meet the
challenges described herein. An innovative next-generation field mobility platform
provider with the proper roadmap will help transport you to success.
About Tensing Mobility Tensing Mobility provides your company with the ability to initiate change and take the
competitive lead, by making the most of your field service operations via mobile technology.
We help you implement these changes with ease and ensure that you can use the latest
technologies without having to turn your digital landscape upside-down. Using FMP360, you
will be able to offer best-in-class service experiences to all of your customers, every day of the
week. www.tensing.com/fmp360
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