Service Management Buyers Guide 2010 - daruMath

SERVICE MANAGEMENT
Digital EDition 10
MObIlE
cOMMunIcATIOnS
The role of mobile communications within the field service industry
remains an essential one that continues to be the cornerstone without
which many systems and processes could not function effectively. There
is now a fascinating comparison to be made between the companies that
have embraced the technology and those that have not.
W
hen examining the field service industry
it is important to remember that the
majority of companies fall into the 50
employees and less category, which means that
many of these are unlikely to have either the funds
or the need to invest in complex enterprise-wide
solutions. While the majority of large and medium
sized operations are now using their second, third or
fourth generation of mobile communications solutions,
smaller companies provide the most examples of those
considering these for the first time.
While this is a sweeping statement and does
not include the many smaller enterprises that have
invested in mobility solutions for a number of years,
it should be recognised that the options previously
available did not necessarily suit the requirements
of those with less than 50 in the workforce. Many
end users were of the opinion that the technology
available at the time was not sufficiently robust in a
number of areas to engender the confidence to invest.
lack of coverage in too many areas combined with
other difficulties, including the sending of pictures
and other large files, were seen as stumbling blocks
that convinced them that remaining with paper-based
reporting was the best option for their company.
Over the course of the last two years, however, this
opinion has been heard far less often and increasingly
more service managers have changed their point
of view. networks are now recognised to be more
robust than was previously the case, supported by
the growing number of companies choosing mobile
devices that include image capture and other features
that considerably increase the functionality options
available to mobile workers.
“Networks are now more
robust and a growing
number of companies are
choosing mobile devices
that include image capture
and other features.”
Opinion has also changed toward the devices
themselves, some of which were considered to
be too cumbersome and limited – in terms of
both their ability to run more than one application
and the inability to remain functional throughout
the working day without having to be recharged.
The considerable number of options currently
available range from the smartphone through
to fully ruggedised laptops, meaning that field
service providers are far more likely to find a
device suited to their needs. Mobile workers are
now able to carry out a wide choice of operations
that allow companies to receive real-time updates
to both measure performance and identify where
improvements need to be made.
As a result, employers can now take advantage
of this improved clarity of their service operation,
ensuring that they meet their duty of care
requirements through such options as the ability
to pinpoint the location of workers in the field and
providing ‘panic buttons’ to alert the office when
assistance is required. On the other hand, some
companies have reported that productivity has
improved purely through field workers knowing
that their movements are tracked. The ‘no
place to hide’ aspect convinces them that every
movement is analysed and it is now no longer
possible to call into the café between calls.
The mobile worker is now increasingly able to
deliver a number of service options with far more
accuracy and confidence to the benefit of the
company, the employee and, most importantly
of all, the customer. Mobility solutions are
accordingly seen as essential for the continued
smooth running of many businesses that would
find it very difficult to function effectively
without them. n