CASE STUDY
COFFEE MACHINE SPECIALIST OPTIMISES FIELD SERVICE COSTS AND IMPROVES CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH FLS - FAST LEAN SMART
Coffema is a specialist in the distribution and maintenance of professional coffee and espresso machines, with over 150 field operatives.
The results:
The results:
- 15 - 20% saving in miles travelled
- More completed orders per day (now approx. 600) with the same team size
- Increase in customer satisfaction
- Improved competitive position through digital transformation of the service offer
How Coffema has achieved success:
The challenges:
- Introduction of a Central Service Centre
- Digitalisation of all service processes
- Dynamic order scheduling and route planning in real time
- Increase in productivity
- Time savings through reduction of manual processes
THE COMPANY:
DRIVERS OF A FIELD SERVICE TRANSFORMATION
With a focus on the commercial foodservice industry, spanning retail, leisure/travel, and workplace catering, Coffema serves well-known customers such as Aramark, Lidl, Metro, and Coca Cola. An international business, the company services overs 40,000 coffee machines in Germany alone. Coffema has over 200 employees in Germany, Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands. Around 50 are office support staff, and 150 are field service operatives managed through FLS VISITOUR.
THE PROJECT:
A SOLUTION TO COST-OPTIMISE CUSTOMER SERVICE
Rapid business growth lead to the requirement for a centralised service centre operation as early as 2005. The intention was to centralise all service processes, end-to-end, from order entry to invoicing: Workflows must be fully digitalised. "In the past, we recorded every work order and submitted this twice, by hand. First it was filled-in locally by the technician, then sent by post to the head office to be transferred (rekeyed) into the IT system," recalls IT manager Christian Gode. "Even these processes lacked efficiency and we knew we could save time". Coffema had learned of the power of scheduling orders in real time, and what could be achieved when these were planned into a dynamic tours for field employees. Along customer service lines, the competitive business wished to guarantee customers a rapid order confirmation and to inform their operatives about in-shift changes with the fewest steps.
"In certain regions, our preference is to have regular, familiar, field technicians to drive to their customers. Only when this is not efficient, another employee should be deployed. FLS VISITOUR provided this decision transparency".
Christian Gode · IT Manager, CoffemaCombined scheduling and route planning: The FLS package exceeded Coffema's expectations.
"With the understanding of our requirements and the know-how available at FLS, we were able to jointly develop our project idea together," says Gode. "Besides the passion for intelligent software solutions, which is clearly noticeable at FLS, Coffema is also enthusiastic about the technical components. The open interface architecture, which enables simple data transfer to the ERP Microsoft Dynamics NAV, convinced us early in the process".
The high speed of optimisation and the large number of parameters that can be taken into account in route planning also played an important role. "In certain regions, our preference is to have regular, familiar, field technicians to drive to their customers. Only when this is not efficient, another employee should be deployed. FLS VISITOUR provided this decision transparency, with the precise calculation and prioritisation," Gode explains.
This real-time optimisation lead to the introduction of the solution and a logical step in preparing for future plans, such as the introduction of product training appointments. The results from FLS' demonstration quickly dispelled any initial fears.
"With the understanding of our requirements and the know-how available at FLS, we were able to jointly develop our project idea together," says Gode. "Besides the passion for intelligent software solutions, which is clearly noticeable at FLS, Coffema is also enthusiastic about the technical components. The open interface architecture, which enables simple data transfer to the ERP Microsoft Dynamics NAV, convinced us early in the process".
The high speed of optimisation and the large number of parameters that can be taken into account in route planning also played an important role. "In certain regions, our preference is to have regular, familiar, field technicians to drive to their customers. Only when this is not efficient, another employee should be deployed. FLS VISITOUR provided this decision transparency, with the precise calculation and prioritisation," Gode explains.
This real-time optimisation lead to the introduction of the solution and a logical step in preparing for future plans, such as the introduction of product training appointments. The results from FLS' demonstration quickly dispelled any initial fears.
The solution for route planning and dynamic optimisation in field service
Dynamic planning software FLS VISITOUR calculates the optimal planning for the day within seconds. You save an enormous amount of time and create error-free, highly efficient tours.
The difference: You can re-optimise tours at any time during the day at the push of a button if something changes. This means that even the most dynamic field service operation is no longer a problem. - Discover your potential now:
The difference: You can re-optimise tours at any time during the day at the push of a button if something changes. This means that even the most dynamic field service operation is no longer a problem. - Discover your potential now:
Realise your potential with FLS.
Just one year after the introduction of FLS VISITOUR, the project success is evident with a mileage saving of approx. 15-20% across the company. Thanks to the software-supported, centralised and embedded route planning controlled by the new Central Service Centre, efficiency across order processing and completion has increased significantly. "Today our scheduling department easily handles up to 600 orders per day. That would be impossible without FLS VISITOUR," reports Gode.
Dynamic cost optimisation means the KPIs 'time-to-respond' and 'time-to-fix' have been significantly reduced. "Customer testimonials show that satisfaction with the service has increased overall. Also, dynamic planning and proactive appointment management, matched with high levels of professionalism throughout the business do not go unnoticed by the competition!". Coffema has succeeded with the help of FLS solutions for an authentic competitive advantage driven by its field service offer.
The FLS MOBILE app, introduced for the mobile workforce, is a critical integration to retain specialist skills, transfer clean data, and maintain recognition between customers and employees - without relying on inefficient 'service patches'. The IT Manager describes the cultural change following the introduction of FLS MOBILE; "Today, the processes have been internalised to such an extent that working without the tablet device in the field is no longer conceivable".
"Today our scheduling department easily handles up to 600 orders per day. That would be impossible without FLS VISITOUR."
Christian Gode · IT Manager, CoffemaNext steps: Customer service joins the self-service revolution
Following the successful roll-out of FLS VISITOUR and FLS MOBILE to technical teams, FLS PORTAL will be deployed for customers. This solution sits within FLS' PowerOpt algorithm technology to provide a hollistic self-service experience.
Coffema's customers can enjoy the advantages of convenient online appointment booking 24/7 on any online device, automatic email and text messaging reminders for appointments and notification as arrival time nears, and estimated time of arrival (ETA) and current vehicle position can be tracked. This will further reduce contact time with head office teams, and will only suggest cost-optimised appointment windows (before the offer is made).
WHERE IS YOUR OPTIMISATION POTENTIAL? DISCOVER IT WITH FLS – FAST LEAN SMART
You too can make your field service management more efficient with FLS. With our solutions, our customers achieve optimisation results such as an average reduction of 20% in field service costs.
Choose the best way for you to get to know us:
Choose the best way for you to get to know us:
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Arrange an appointment to get to know our software - as a demo version or, if you wish, with your data.
Experience the unsurpassed performance of our PowerOpt algorithm live. We will show you how to optimise your field force and services, and realise cost savings of up to 50% in a short time.
Experience the unsurpassed performance of our PowerOpt algorithm live. We will show you how to optimise your field force and services, and realise cost savings of up to 50% in a short time.