Blog: Product Development

How IoT is Improving Field Service

May 11, 2020 - by Synoptek

By 2025, more than 152,200 IoT devices will connecting to the internet per minute, generating anywhere between $4-11trillion in economic value. Given the pace at organizations are incorporating IoT into their products and service offerings, the estimation is not too far-fetched. In fact, the one business area where IoT has already started showing excellent results is –field service.  By deriving actionable insights from the information gathered through the technologies and using it to improve the delivery and execution of services across industry verticals, IoT has shown extreme potential in transforming the service sector.

3 Ways IoT is Improving Field Service

Simply put, IoT is about connecting a device with the Internet. This could include commonly used devices such as mobile phones and headphones to complex machinery such as the jet engine of an airplane. As the field service industry revolves around monitoring complex systems for damage or performance issues, connecting these devices to the Internet has helped simplify and fasten the service delivery processes. The speed and efficiency brought in the service delivery processes due to IoT have massively disrupted the notion of how customer service has been done so far – and for the better.

Let’s look at the three ways in which IoT has transformed the field service sector forever:

1. IoT and Technicians: Provide Faster Service and Take up More Cases

In a world without IoT, technicians had to physically inspect the device in order to first diagnose and then resolve the problem. However, with IoT, as more and more devices get connected to digital networks, the diagnosis process has become majorly autonomous – as faults are reported via digital channels. This saves technicians precious time by eliminating the need to travel to the location as well as the time required for preliminary diagnostics.

The global field service management market is expected to reach $7.10 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 15.4%, during the forecast period. This growth is primarily driven by the pressure to effectively lead teams and ensure safety compliance with the outbreak of COVID-19 – which IoT is helping achieve.

2. IoT and connectivity: Preventive Service Becomes the Norm

IoT technology not only allows connected devices to report to a central hub, but also enables them to communicate with one another. This helps in enhancing the collective performance of devices and also gives field service technicians a complete view of the ecosystem, to be able to detect, analyze, and resolve the issues at very nascent stages.

In a well-integrated ecosystem, it is easier for technicians to uncover related problems or identify trends that can lead to/escalate into a failure. As a result, rather than relying on fixed maintenance schedules and a break-fix approach, organizations can ensure that anomalies are detected in advance and addressed through simpler fixes rather than large-scale repairs.

3. IoT and Automation: Save Time and Improve Inventory Management

Automation and IoT together represent a massive breakthrough in the customer service sector. Unlike the multi-step, manual, convoluted, and telephonic/email complaint registration process in the pre-IoT era, registering complaints/issues in the IoT era requires zero effort from the customer’s end.

With IoT, when a device needs service, the field service team gets a notification with the diagnostic results. If possible, it either fixes the issue(s) remotely or provides technicians with all the detailed needed to fix the reported problem.

At no stage do customers have to haggle with the service team for explaining the issue or fixing up a schedule for technicians to visit. Such seamless experiences help field service teams to develop a long-lasting, productive relationship with their customers. At the same time, IoT-connected devices help field service teams keep their inventory up to date. As devices automatically signal operations teams and warehouses when they need a repair or a new part, the technicians in the warehouse get a clear view of the requirements and are able to manage their inventory efficiently.

Ensure a Better, More Productive Relationship with Clients by Leveraging IoT

IoT-enabled infrastructure reporting to field service personnel not only reduces the time and effort required to address an issue; it also enhances client satisfaction level to a great degree.

IoT technology also enables field services agencies to predict and prevent failure before they impact the business continuity at their clients’ side – which results in less interruption on the clients’ revenue streams.

To learn how to integrate IoT into your field service business, how the future of IoT will impact your business, and the IoT Connector for Dynamics 365 solution, contact us.

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