Quality product support is becoming one of the most important after-market success drivers for contractors and industrial businesses. With stronger support programs and more vendors than ever to choose from, customers no longer want just a piece of equipment. They expect a service experience.
To unlock growth after the initial sale, field service departments need to provide quality service encounters that show customers they’re valued and their equipment is cared for.
With today’s advancing technologies, such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Machine to Machine (M2M) connected equipment, service executives can take advantage of the valuable data their machines and equipment are producing to guide business decisions and inform industrial service initiatives.
How the IoT Makes Field Service Proactive
Research has shown that companies that maintain preventive maintenance (PM) programs out-earn companies that don’t. Regularly renewable service contracts give service departments steady revenue they can count on, not to mention the customer loyalty these regular interactions with customers builds. Perhaps the biggest benefit manufacturers can gain from IIoT is the ability to make service programs proactive rather than reactive.
As we enter an age where customers demand more from their equipment and the service they receive, manufacturers need to gain loyal customers and achieve ongoing service revenue by leveraging the power of smart, connected equipment.
6 Strategies to Automate Service with IIoT
There are many ways IIoT has and will impact the way service companies work. Here are a few strategies to get started:
Repair Equipment Before Problems Occur
IIoT sensors in equipment signal when repairs are needed before problems escalate into more expensive issues. For example, instead of scheduling PM assignments at regularly scheduled intervals, you can use sensors in the equipment to activate a work order automatically when a part isn’t working right. As the work order is generated, the system orders parts and schedules a preliminary service call. When the parts arrive, a service truck is dispatched to the site to perform the PM.
Automate Inventory Management
Over or understocking parts and inventory is a big expense for service departments. Through the IIoT, sensors connected to parts in the warehouse can trigger alarms indicating when to stock parts so you always have exactly what you need.
Analyze Big Data
With all the information IIoT sensors provide, manufacturers can analyze big data to improve business processes and, ultimately, the bottom line. Access to troves of performance information can inform equipment production best practices and guide manufacturers to establish more effective preventive maintenance programs and service contracts.
Auto-Inspect Equipment
Self-diagnostics and reporting sensors make late or forgotten inspections a thing of the past. Instead of sending technicians into the field to conduct manual inspections, techs can simply log into the equipment’s portal to inspect its performance levels remotely.
Improve Scheduling Accuracy
With IIoT sensors built into each tool, schedulers can see who has which parts in their van and use that information to make scheduling decisions so techs don’t waste time returning to the warehouse to get the parts they need. And, because schedulers now have real-time access to technician location and availability, they can also see who’s closest to the jobsite and has the right skills and availability to perform a job.
Track Vehicle Fleets
By connecting your fleet of vehicles with IIoT sensors, you can collect information about how well a vehicle is functioning, which parts need replacing, and measure fuel efficiency and how aggressively techs are driving. Having access to this information allows you to instate company-wide driving codes, which not only improve technician safety and decrease the risk of accidents, but also cuts down on the wear and tear of driving too aggressively.
Preparing for the Future of Product Support Informed by IIoT
While there are certainly challenges ahead and reasons to be cautious, we’ll soon begin to see, if you haven’t already, the benefits IoT brings to the industrial realm. Rather than being required to meet high sales quotas just to stay afloat, businesses are discovering that loyal customers, gained through effective service and preventive maintenance programs, are easier to maintain and generate higher revenue in the long term.
As equipment sensors and data intelligence become more sophisticated, insights and alerts from connected equipment and devices through the IIoT will become the next standard in service.
Author Bio: Joanna Rotter is the content marketing manager at MSI Data, a field service management software provider and creator of enterprise field service app, Service Pro.
Edited by
Ken Briodagh
