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CONNECTED MINDS 2023: FLS AND MOBILEX JOINT EVENT CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL PREMIERE

4 min. reading time
23 November 2023 · James Alex Waldron

T wo days full of trends, product developments and best practices: For the first time, our customer event Connected Minds brought FLS and mobileX together under the Solvares Group. Customers, partners, and stakeholders from the two field service management developers met to exchange experiences and update each other on products and trends in the FSM sector.

FLS - FAST LEAN SMART and mobileX, the two software specialists for field service management form the FSM division of the Solvares Group. Over the course of two days, the event provided a platform for the exchange of ideas, experiences and innovations that will shape the future of field service management.

PRODUCT INNOVATIONS AND A ROADMAP FOR 2024

Product experts from FLS and mobileX provided information about new releases and the roadmap for 2024. Among other things, they presented further developments of the mobileX ServicePlatform, a public cloud solution that can be used to quickly digitalise planning and mobile implementation in technical service.

FLS MANAGEMENT INSIGHTS was also presented to the public for the first time. This is an additional product for FLS VISITOUR customers to analyse and evaluate service KPIs, including comprehensive reporting and BI functions.

Special highlights for the 130 delegates were best practices from customers, who illustrated new approaches in field service management with their practical experiences and examples.

DIGITALISATION OF SERVICE MANAGEMENT AT TRIATHLON

Renz Burkert, Project Manager at Triathlon Holding GmbH, reported on the digitalisation of service management at the industrial battery expert. With mobileX, it was possible to switch from scheduling via the ERP system and cumbersome, paper-based order processing to end-to-end digital processes for around 100 field service technicians. A special highlight: If it is not clear which devices are to be tested when the order is created, the technician can scan QR codes on the products on site and the test report is automatically populated with the battery master data.

MORE EFFICIENCY IN SCHEDULING AT WAREMA

Fabian Geiger, Business Analyst at WAREMA Group, also spoke about his experiences with mobileX. At the provider of sun shading solutions, many variables flow into the technician planning, including a complex technical preliminary clarification. In addition, arranging appointments with customers by telephone was simply not efficient. Thanks to the switch to proactive appointment suggestions by email, WAREMA was able to ensure greater efficiency, better service fulfilment and higher customer satisfaction. By using the tools from mobileX, WAREMA was also able to shift 25 per cent of its office staff to areas where they are needed more.

FLS VISITOUR PROMOTES A 'RADICAL CHANGE'

Day 2 was opened by Christian Mehringer from Muggergittermacher. He spoke in clear terms about a 'radical change' at the premium supplier of customised insect screens. Whereas the entire process was once centred on production with the customer at the end of the chain, the company has now completely reversed the workflow. Instead of the previous average of 31 days, the customer now receives the exact delivery or installation date just a few hours after order confirmation. The basis for this is the planning logic of FLS VISITOUR and a completely redesigned systems landscape by FLS partner EWU IT.

A LOOK AT FIELD SERVICE MANAGEMENT 2050

Hannes Heckner (Solvares/mobileX) and Maximilian Klein (mobileX) sketched out a picture of field service management in the year 2050, presenting five major trends to watch out for:

Additive manufacturing/3D printing Better spare parts are produced/printed 'just in time' on site
Platform economy: Service platform(s) digitally connect all participants
Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality: AR/VR has arrived in everyday life and its use will be as commonplace as the smartphone is today
Robotics: Robots undertake further physical or dangerous work
Artificial intelligence: AI now optimises all processes across the board and works partially autonomously

Where will humans be in the future? Maintaining relationships, creative activities, controlling processes and systems.

HÜBNER'S PATH TO DIGITAL FIELD SERVICE MANAGEMENT

The event concluded with a presentation by customer HÜBNER. The Group is a global systems provider for the mobility sector, industry, life sciences and science, with solutions in the areas of Mobility Rail, Mobility Road, Material Solutions and Photonics. They reported on the digitalisation of technical service in the mobility sectors with the help of the mobileX ServicePlatform. As one of the ServicePlatform's first customers, they had the opportunity to help shape the development of the new cloud solution.

VALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO THE PRACTICE OF TRANSFORMATION

Connected Minds was not only a forum for product innovations and specialist knowledge, but also provided delegates with valuable insights into the practice of other service organisations.

What the presentations have made clear above all else: It's about shaping change, about the will to change, to embrace new processes, not simply about introducing new tools. By investing in FSM solutions, companies are not just buying software. They are acquiring the basis for transformation. Connected Minds impressively demonstrated how this can be achieved and what outcomes are possible as a result.

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Author
JAMES ALEX WALDRON
UK Marketing Manager

+44 1183 800189
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James Alex Waldron has worked in written communications for over 15 years. Since 2021, he has written for FLS and the Solvares Group on the topics of digital field service transformation and mobile workforce management, and regularly provides insight to the industry press.

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