INTELLIGENT SOFTWARE BUSINESS that are integrated with field service management . Now more than ever , your service management software must not only be created using agile development processes , but it must also enable business process agility .
We are not just talking about integration with systems for invoicing and accounting , or even asset lifecycle management but a way to use data to change the way you deliver service across the entire supply or value chain .
An integrated plan means everyone has to trust and work to one plan . The benefit is the organisation is working to one common goal and the delivery performance at all levels will improve . In order to gauge the agility of a software vendor , put them and their software through its paces . Evaluating vendor agility upfront will help uncover which software best supports your continuously evolving service business .
Vendor test # 1 It is difficult to differentiate between scheduling optimisation engines . One approach that works , and one you should try when evaluating scheduling optimisation engines is to give them a week of historical data and have them schedule . Evaluate the speed of the engine ’ s capability to optimise the schedule ’ s travel time , jobs per tech per day , others . Create various changes to reflect real time incidents and re-run simulations to see how it the software copes .
Vendor test # 2 In this digital age , a great mobile application is critical to success and user experience is one of the most important selection criteria and also the least analysed . Being a cloud-leader is not enough . You should expect vendors to demonstrate on mobile devices using all platforms - iPhone , Android , and Windows . Then ask the vendors to change the mobile user interface for you , something basic like adding a new field ,
One interesting repercussion is increased importance of software agility and service efficiency with solutions that are integrated with field service management
changing the workflow or color scheme , on the fly .
Vendor test # 3 Business intelligence dashboards and analytics are important , but all vendors have something to show and will happily demonstrate the bells-and-whistles to you . Stir things up by asking them to show you how to create a new chart , with key performance indicators , or summary table , right then and there . Next , have them prove it is rolespecific by asking them to log into the application as a different user .
Vendor test # 4 In the very near future , a host of new technologies like enterprise operational intelligence , 3D Printing , wearable devices and the Internet of Things will also boost efficiency even further . New assets will be smarter and more reliable than those seen before . With IoT , many will communicate directly back to their original manufacturers or designers and a collaborative approach to service will be required .
While it may be premature to expect vendors to demo an IoT scenario or any of the future technologies end-to-end during the selection process , it does not hurt to ask . IoT is definitely on the horizon for the Smart City initiatives . As a minimum , vendors should be able to clearly articulate their IoT strategy , explain the processes and basic components , and highlight successful customer projects .
Now that Microsoft Azure and Amazon AWS have built massive infrastructures to support the next wave of IoT standardisation , beware of proprietary IoT frameworks being offered and mentioned .
The fewer systems and databases you have , the more effectively you can analyse service operations and act on business intelligence . Ideally , you want all information about people , finances and assets , both yours and the ones you service , to be in the one place . A single source of truth to change the way you deliver service .
Luis Ortega is Managing Director for Middle East , Africa and South Asia at IFS
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