How Strategic Technology Partnerships Are Driving Better Field Service

Although businesses strive to achieve independent success within their industry, strategic partnerships are an essential element to help any organization grow. By joining forces with companies and individuals you trust, technology partnerships can provide critical access to new markets, niche skill sets and operational scalability that is difficult to achieve alone. In the field service industry, customer is king. It is therefore important to provide fast and efficient service from well-equipped technicians.   

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Enabling End-to-End Customer Service 

The priority of many field service and other service organizations is to provide exceptional experience to the customer, whether it be related to product repair, inspection or maintenance. Identifying opportunities to leverage a partner’s cloud-based customer-facing tools allows businesses across industries to simplify customer communications and integrate CRM records into a central platform.

By making relevant service information and channels of communication easily accessible to customers, organizations can satisfy customer needs starting with the first company interaction.  

 For example, many insurance providers have partnered with field technology companies to cover the entirety of the claims lifecycle from first notice of loss to reimbursement. 

Organizations like Guidewire are working with field service providers to develop insurtech solutions that enable transparent customer communication and user-friendly platforms, including comprehensive consumer portals and touchless claims capabilities. By digitizing and automating the customer journey, clients will be able to access relevant updates and notifications related to adjudication and claims management from the moment they file, simplifying the process and increasing customer engagement. 

Enhancing Technician Capabilities 

By partnering with the right technology company, service organizations can not only improve client relations, but also increase the skill set of their workforce. For field technicians, mobility is key to quick and efficient service and is part of the daily work of field services teams. By equipping technicians with technological support through comprehensive mobile solutions, they will be able to spend less time on-site and be confident in their diagnosis and solution of the problem.   

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Technological partnerships can provide access to emerging technology that field service organizations wouldn’t have access to otherwise. Companies like Streem and Help Lightning provide augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) tools that  technicians and insurance adjusters can use to assess job requests remotely and interact with end-consumers virtually, enabling them to diagnose many common problems and identify the solution before they even have to step foot on site. One of the biggest growth areas for AR will be in field services, including equipment repair and insurance inspections. With the support of enhanced technological tools,  technician and adjuster bandwidth and capabilities will greatly increase, resulting in better quality service and workforce expertise.    

Expanding Market Reach 

Partnerships can also bring the opportunity for untapped market crossover. Field services are required for all kinds of business across industries, occasionally making it difficult for service providers to highlight their value proposition amidst the crowd of competitors. Strategically partnering with other companies to address a more diverse set of needs often provides service organizations with an easier path for developing a meaningful presence in a new geographical area or market vertical. 

 For instance, consulting network PwC Enterprise Advisory recently announced a field service management partnership that will allow it to deliver joint field service management offerings to manufacturing organizations across Europe. As a company with extensive experience in Services Supply Chain and strategic consulting in the post-sale lifecycle of major appliances and consumer electronics manufacturers, PwC offers service providers the ability to not only expand their reach to additional continents but make new connections with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that could retain business value down the line. 

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In today’s market, technology is moving at a rapid pace and continuous innovation is driving endless opportunity for valuable cross-industry partnerships. Collaboration is vital for field service providers who want a competitive edge. Technological product portfolios are growing to help customers expand their involvement in service experiences and tailor interactions to their expectations. Meanwhile, technicians have increased access to modern devices that provide comprehensive customer data and tech-enabled tools, allowing them to make data-driven decisions and provide exceptional service faster.