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TREND REPORT: TOP 10 CHALLENGES IN FIELD RESOURCE OPTIMISATION
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03 January 2024 · James Alex Waldron
03 January 2024 · James Alex Waldron
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s we enter 2024, the field service industry faces continuing headwinds that impact efficiency and overall business success. The pressures found in the field service sector (including cost control, effective communication, and heightened customer and regulatory expectations) require deeper research to uncover which elements of field operations create the most barriers.
Many of these issues were met (post-pandemic) with moves towards new working patterns, improved data accuracy, and EV fleets. However, it is often only a few months into these new initiatives and work-arounds that they reveal new discussions to adopt technology to dynamically optimise field resources.
In our continuing trend report series, and in a follow-up to the new e-book, DESIGNING VALUE: THE CASE FOR REAL-TIME FIELD SERVICE OPTIMISATION, FLS again interviewed management teams at 10 leading UK field service operators. Here we're sharing the findings and highlight that challenges across all sectors can be balanced and reduced with a leading real-time field service algorithm.
Many of these issues were met (post-pandemic) with moves towards new working patterns, improved data accuracy, and EV fleets. However, it is often only a few months into these new initiatives and work-arounds that they reveal new discussions to adopt technology to dynamically optimise field resources.
In our continuing trend report series, and in a follow-up to the new e-book, DESIGNING VALUE: THE CASE FOR REAL-TIME FIELD SERVICE OPTIMISATION, FLS again interviewed management teams at 10 leading UK field service operators. Here we're sharing the findings and highlight that challenges across all sectors can be balanced and reduced with a leading real-time field service algorithm.
FIELD RESOURCE OPTIMISATION: RESEARCH INSIGHTS
Our interviews encompassed operations teams managing 100,000s of appointments, countless appointment types and required skills, and 1000s of field resources to complete both planned and reactive orders. The findings can be broadly grouped into increasing productivity, whilst at the same time reducing direct and indirect cost. The key finding is the requirements are mirrored both in the field and within head office departments.- Increased jobs per day: To release more capacity to take on more work
- Increased jobs per day: To do same work with less resource
- Reduce backlog (planned work not being done fast enough)
- Reduction in travel time
- Reduction in mileage and fuel cost
- Reduction in overtime cost
- Improved management of fluctuating workload
- Schedulers having to manually plan less
- Updates linked to others systems (one change made in one, mirrored in others)
- Ability to extend working time on site
SOLVING FIELD RESOURCE SCHEDULING OPTIMISATION IN REAL TIME
The primary barrier lies in strategic and operational planning beyond any teams' capacity: ensuring the efficient coordination of resources for maximum efficiency.What is the difference between 5 and 5,000 field resources? For FLS VISITOUR, there is none. At the centre of FLS VISITOUR is the unique PowerOpt algorithm. This guarantees real-time scheduling and embedded route planning for high data volumes with no batch or overnight runs. FLS VISITOUR therefore optimises appointments with routes, and gives your customers self-service tools within a field service management platform that integrates to gain the most from your existing CRM and ERP. It is used across many different sectors, such as utilities, energy supply, telecommunications, social housing, and the health sector.
FLS VISITOUR is a solution that answers the 10 research findings, and much more. It assists field operatives and management in a variety of ways:
- The PowerOpt algorithm is superior to manual scheduling. It ensures a reduction in costs and higher productivity.
- Optimised routes reduce travel costs and CO2 emissions.
- Via an app, field operatives access to order-relevant data. Live updates, customer insights and remote access become possible.
- Via a customer portal, companies can engage customers much better and offer them desired and much more precise cost-optimised appointment windows.
- Customers can receive automatic notifications about the estimated arrival time of the field employee, which also improves the customer experience.
TAKE A DEEPER DIVE IN THE NEW E-BOOK
Terms such as 'real time' and 'dynamic' leaves the market saturated with lookalike products. Consider an operative becomes delayed or sick; a vehicle breaks down: Real time means 'live', as in 'simultaneous' or 'right now', not waiting 30 minutes for a batch process. Authentic real-time optimisation continuously tracks and manages data including scheduling and appointment generation/booking, route and tour planning, two-way digital connection with field operatives, self-service web portals, and real customer engagement.For the first time, join us as we illustrate the potential for thousands of pounds of savings with automated, real-time control and optimisation of field services' direct and indirect costs.
In the e-book, we introduce the following topics, among others:
- Broad cost-cutting is unsustainable
- The value traps of manual field scheduling
- The cost of missing embedded route planning
- Revenue leaks of an unscheduled (reactive) order
- 'No-access' appointments and unused hours
- CAPEX vs OPEX, plus the cost of replacing a field operative
Gain insight into the ongoing benefits and long-term outcomes of real-time optimisation in the new e-book.
YOUR FIELD SERVICE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SOLVE?
To gain an understanding of tools to optimise field service and solve optmisation pressures book a short discussion or contact us at info@fastleansmart.com.Further reading:
E.ON switches to FLS Field Force Scheduling solution for UK operations
Optimised Field Service Management: Top 10 blog articles 2023
CONNECTED MINDS 2023: FLS and mobileX joint event celebrates successful premiere
Read more trend reports:
Field Service 24/7: the next normal?
Sustainable growth: How will the FSM Market develop over the next 5 years?
Author
JAMES ALEX WALDRON
UK Marketing Manager
+44 1183 800189
Send email
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.
JAMES ALEX WALDRON
UK Marketing Manager
+44 1183 800189
Send email
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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