The world is finding more and more ways to connect, so much so, that by 2020, Cisco believes there will be over 50 billion internet-connected devices on the planet.
It’s revolutionizing the world we live in, as information is more readily available, faster to access and ability to be accessed in real-time. So it’s no surprise that businesses are taking full advantage of the many connections they can make through internet connections. And the field service industry is no different, as advancements in internet-based technology have made field service organizations faster and more efficient.
From mobile apps to Internet of Things (IoT) technology, field service organizations can offer many new services that will streamline their business operations and increase satisfaction with their customers. And with customers now demanding a higher quality experience, IoT is taking customer service to a fully internet-connected reality.
With so many connections available, field service technicians can now gain greater access to information about technology or equipment before even stepping foot onto the job site. Sensor technology, that can monitor efficiency levels can now send out alerts would a piece of equipment isn’t running at peak levels. So rather than waiting for a full breakdown to occur, field service organizations can now offer a level customer service that informs the customer when there is an upcoming issue that needs to be addressed.
These smart sensors can track many different things and be equipped to help solve product issues faster. It turns the industry from a preventative one to a predictable one, where technicians are taking the lead for the customer to alert them to problems that could bring their operations to halt with an offline machine.
Considering we live in such a fast pace society, these IoT advances also convey that notion that you respect your customers time and are concerned about their business, just as much as you are with yours. It’s one thing to say to a customer you’ll be at their job site between the hours of 12 and 4 p.m., and another when you can inform them that you need to be on their site between that time because a piece of equipment is ready to break down.
Customers are more likely to be satisfied with any hour block they can get, as long as their operation doesn’t need to shut down. And with IoT technology, you can offer them peace of mind that their downtime will be very insignificant compared to waiting for the equipment to break first before calling for a repair.
Billions of dollars a year is lost through poor customer service. With plenty of field service options, companies aren’t giving the same number of chances as they used to, so by utilizing IoT technology, you’re not only ensuring that equipment stays operation with less offline time, but also saying you care about their company and their needs.