The dramatic shift in field service in the next five to 10 years won’t come from new advances in technology, Internet of Things (IoT), augmented or virtual reality, or even field service management software, but from the number of technicians who will be leaving the industry. Retirement of baby boomers over the next decade is of major concern to field service organizations who will not only have to replace the manpower they will be losing, but also the experience and knowledge that goes along with it.
And while many field service organizations are turning to field service management software to build legacy systems of past work orders and service history, maintaining the history retired technicians have completed, plans are being formalized to take the older workforce and make way for the younger generation of field service workers who are more versed in mobile technology, and will benefit from a field service software. It will be a dynamic shift in the field service industry, as organizations will look towards technicians who come with customer management and communications skills over the necessary technical skills, as through advanced in field service dispatch software, IoT, and augmented and virtual reality, more options are available to train and assist technicians in the field than there have been before. And with these technicians having the skills already with mobile phones and tablets, the challenge of training them on these devices will be minimal.
Field service management is now shifting into a customer service industry, as demands of customers are constantly increasing, and keeping them satisfied is just as important as fixing the issue they have called about. It’s why organizations are taking on more predictive and preventative maintenance contracts, in order to take the burden off the shoulders of their customers when it comes to the maintenance of their equipment.
Further, with advances in field service scheduling dispatch software, there are more ways a customer can request service than ever before, through QR codes, emails, text messages and IoT. Long wait times on the phone and for a service technician to come to their door is turning into a thing of the past, as the focus has shifted to meeting tight, on-demand deadlines as best as possible, to keep customers satisfied.
With so much shift happening in the field service industry, it’s as perfect of a time as any for service managers to take a look at their entire enterprise and take stock of what is working and what could be better. As the industry shifts, so to must service organizations, because their competition is changing with the times, and they don’t want to be left behind looking for new technicians to fill the void, while also trying to fulfill the needs of their customers.