BLOG / RESEARCH · FIELD SERVICE MANAGEMENT 2023

F ield Service has changed, and without real-time field service management, operators are running to keep up. Facts and figures provide orientation and a direction of travel for operators with digital transformation projects. In our continuing trend report series, we review 8 field service management statistics for 2023 that highlight relevant developments⁠—as field service requirements continue to evolve.


STATISTIC 1

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DEMOGRAPHICS ARE ADDING TO FIELD SERVICE PRESSURES: 12,5 MILLION UK PENSIONERS

The shortage of skilled field engineers, inspectors, and surveyors will continue. The 'baby boomer' generation (born between 1957 and 1969) is set to retire from the workforce (there were 130,000 new pensioners in 2022). What will the next 10 years look like when advancements like the Internet of Things will not solve a skills shortage. You must take advantage of tools to mitigate risk. Authentic real-time optimisation continuously tracks and manages sources including scheduling and appointment generation/booking, route and tour planning, two-way digital connection with field operatives, self-service web portals, and customer engagement. It should produce outcomes recognising intervention factors such as location, traffic, weather, skills (and many more).


STATISTIC 2

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MODERN FIELD SERVICE RECRUITMENT: PART TIME AND FLEXIBLE WORKING

In view of the shortage of skilled field operatives, a radical post-covid rethink is called for. The balance of power is firmly tipped in favour of skilled field service operatives. Is it possible to offer a 4-day working week - to one or all of your team? The University of Birmingham and the University of York joint survey quizzed 597 UK hiring managers with open full-time employee requirements. All sectors registered highly in flexible working: including job shares, part-time work and compressed hours as the top benefit that makes companies attractive to applicants looking to move to competitors.


STATISTIC 3

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COSTLY MACHINERY DOWNTIME: 1.5 TRILLION DOLLARS

Machine downtime is costing the world's producers and manufacturers money; lots of money. These costly failures extend to the highly visible utilties sector. Further cost inflation eliminates savings made through recent site consolidation and high-capacity (24/7) uptimes with more shifts. The world's largest manufacturers (Fortune Global 500) encountered a new high of an estimated $1.5 trillion last year. Statistics show that dynamic field service management is increasingly important across technical field service: strong predictive maintenance and servitisation with a KPI-lead reactive response.


STATISTIC 4

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80% AGREE: SUSTAINABILITY IS A FIELD SERVICE DECISION DRIVER

Sustainability is of critical importantance to field service operators - and not least because both domestic and commercial customers are pushing ESG (Environmental, social, and governance) transparency to the top of their requirements. In the KVD Trend Radar 2021, 80% of respondents agreed with the statement that 'the service business of the future is only conceivable with proven sustainability'. Accordingly, it is important for field companies to determine sustainability goals and integrate them into field services and auditing capabilities. These include, but are not limited to driving less, a first-time fix, and reducing 'no-access' visits.