sarah.nicastro@ifs.com, Author at Future of Field Service

by Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service

In today's competitive service landscape, employee experience has emerged as a critical differentiator for organizations seeking to maintain high-performing field service teams. There’s ample research that shows companies with highly engaged employees outperform their competitors. Yet, many service organizations struggle to create meaningful connections with their distributed workforce.

In last week’s episode of UNSCRIPTED, I welcomed Jason Anthoine, who has an extensive background in communications, including in his former role as VP of Corporate Communications at Newell Brands. Jason and I discussed how the pandemic accelerated the need for a more intentional approach to employee engagement, how companies must reimagine employee experience for the modern workplace, and why the risk of sub-par communication is higher for field service organizations.

With field service technicians spending most of their time at customer sites, the risk of disconnection from company culture is high. In fact, many field service professionals feel more connected to their customers than their own organizations – a challenge that demands attention from service leaders. Here are three areas of focus from Jason and I’s podcast discussion that could provide immediate benefit to any company needing to put more focus on employee engagement.

Balance High-Tech with High-Touch

Jason and I discussed various method of corporate communications, which he refers to as the “big C” communications. These are the channels for the distribution of company-wide messages, and as you’d expect in today’s digital landscape many are tech-oriented. Whether this is an internal social media platform, company newsletter, companywide video conferences or webinars, or anything of the like, Jason urges leaders to understand the importance of balancing any “big C,” high-tech communications with a far more personal touch.

“As good as these platforms are and as good as some of the content is that's coming out from a ‘big c’ perspective, all of that just feels quite rational. But humans are also emotional, and so there’s a need for a high-touch approach by leaders to supplement that formal communication,” he says.

The importance of high-touch leadership is a sentiment that is shared by many leaders I talk with who emphasize the need to invest time in regular one-on-ones and share the ways they prioritize building a personal feel to communications with their teams. A big part of this is ample recognition, in ways that feel tailored to the individual you’re recognizing. Leaders should remember that often it’s the very small actions that yield the biggest impact – like taking the time to send a hand-written note or to FaceTime an employee to say a personal thank you. While high-touch communications are by nature manual and can be time consuming, service leaders leading highly engaged teams will tell you there’s no substitute that that the investment will pay dividends.

Invest in Your Field Service Culture

As mentioned earlier, often field technicians spend more time with the customers they serve than they do company leadership or their colleagues. While the close relationships they develop with customers are wonderful, the risk is that those relationships become stronger than the relationship they have with the company they are a part of – and leaders need to take steps to ensure this isn’t the case. "The more time that they spend on customer sites, the more they begin to identify with that culture,” says Jason. “That shows you it is possible, and that it is also imperative that you do as much as you can so that they continue to identify with your culture."

Employees want to feel a part of something, and as leaders, you want them to feel a part of a team and invested in the mission of your company. With a distributed workforce, this is unlikely to happen without a concerted effort. Not only are your leader-to-employee communications crucial, but it can be very worthwhile to invest in building camaraderie among your teams.

When Venkata Reddy Mukku, Vice President Worldwide Service & Support Organization at Bruker Nano Surfaces & Metrology, was on the podcast to talk about his success using service as a competitive advantage, we spoke about a number of steps he takes to build a strong culture. One of those is investing in bringing his field service team together, in-person, to help foster relationship building and team feel. While he recognizes that it is an expense, it’s one he feels is very worthwhile in having the level of engagement and team rapport that he’s striving for.

Lean On Internal Influencers

Jason points out the major miss that occurs when an organization isn’t leveraging its internal influence, “In most organizations, about 12% of the workforce is what we would consider to be leaders, and they can only directly influence 50% of the rest of the employees. As opposed to internal influencers who are typically 3% of the workforce and can directly influence 90%."

While examples come up in field service of bringing key employees onside to help aid in change management or with communication around a certain initiative, Jason and I’s conversation left me feeling like the average current use of internal influencers is leaving a lot of potential on the table.

He suggests starting by trying to identify all your internal influencers. "The best way to find this out is to see who your own employees go to for ‘the meeting after the meeting,’ Jason says. Who is the one everyone goes to for their opinion? You can also ask your employees directly.

Once you’ve identified who these influencers are, collaborating with them can be incredibly helpful for implementing changes and maintaining team engagement. Leaders should focus on building authentic relationships with these influencers, not trying to make them formal corporate ambassadors. This approach allows for more organic and effective communication flow throughout the organization. The key is to maintain authenticity and avoid manipulating these relationships while leveraging their natural influence for positive organizational change.

What have you tried that’s worked in any of these three areas? I’d love to share your tips and tricks with our audience!

Episode 307

Sarah sits down with Jason Anthoine, a veteran of internal communications with 35 years of experience, to unpack the critical balance between high-tech and high-touch communication, discuss how to leverage internal influencers effectively, and reveal why many leaders unconsciously 'under-lead.' Together, they:

• Explore why now is a critical time for organizations to reimagine their approach to employee experience, particularly in the wake of pandemic-driven workplace changes

• Discuss the three pillars of effective employee engagement: inform, involve, and inspire - examining how these elements work together to create meaningful workplace connections

• Examine the crucial balance between high-tech and high-touch communication approaches, emphasizing the importance of personal interaction in maintaining employee engagement

• Analyze the unique challenges of keeping field service teams connected to company culture, particularly when they spend significant time at customer sites

• Consider the power of small, consistent actions in building trust and engagement, from handwritten notes to personal check-ins, versus relying solely on large corporate initiatives

• Explore the concept of internal influencers and their impact on organizational culture, including how to identify and effectively collaborate with these key team members

• Address the phenomenon of "under-leading" and discuss how leaders can stay connected to their teams' needs by maintaining empathy and remembering their own early career experiences

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Also, subscribe to our newsletter right here.

Watch the episode here:

Transcript:

[00:00:05] Sarah: Welcome to the UNSCRIPTED podcast. I'm your host, Sarah Nicastro. Today, we are going to be answering the question, is it time to reimagine your approach to employee experience? I would say spoiler alert, for many, it is. But we'll get into all of that. I'm excited to welcome to the podcast today, Jason Anthoine, who has thirty-five years of experience in internal communications, employee engagement, and culture change, and is here today to share some of the insights that he has gleaned with us. So, Jason, welcome to the podcast!

[00:00:47] Jason: Great. Thank you so much, Sarah. I'm so pleased to be here.

[00:00:50] Sarah: Yeah. Pleased to have you. So, before we get into the matter at hand, tell everyone a little bit more about yourself. Anything you want to share about you, the work you do, your background, anything like that.

[00:01:03] Jason: Okay. Great. Well, a lot of people ask, you know, how did you even get into in well, first of all, what is internal comms? Then secondly, how did you even get into that? And it's kind of a, you know, pure story. I grew up in a very small town in Middle Georgia, and my dad worked at the school bus factory, and my mom was a secretary at the bank. And when I was a kid, they'd come home from work and talk about work just like all parents do. And I think most kids are like, I don't even know what they're talking about. Who cares? But I would just listen to them, you know? What works? What's not working? What leader did they like? What leader they didn't like? Changes that they would make if they were in charge and all that kind of stuff. And it, you know, it just kinda stuck with me. And, you know, when I went to college at University of Georgia, majored in public relations and then graduated on a Saturday, moved to Atlanta on a Sunday, and first job on Monday was doing the employee newsletter at a bank. And that is about thirty-five and a half years ago, and I'm still doing employee communications. I like it a lot better than some of the other aspects of communications because, you know, things that I say or do or have other leaders say or do, I can see an immediate impact from those things. Other times, you know, external communications and PR and marketing and stuff, you know, it takes a little, you know, difficult math to come to that same conclusion. But with this other stuff, I mean, you could just see it immediately. So, it's just in me it's just in me, and I don't know how to get it out of me. So as my old boss used to say, if you can't fix it, feature it. So, I've just been featuring it for thirty-five years now.

[00:02:45] Sarah: Excellent. Now what has changed is how you're going about that. So, you mentioned, you know, when you finished your degree and you went to work, you were doing internal comms for different organizations. If LinkedIn is correct, the last role you had doing that was for Newell Brands as the vice president of corporate communications, and that came to a close in early 2018. And since then, you have been working with organizations, so doing consultancy around communications and also around this idea of employee experience and evolving cultures by creating better forms of communication with teams and, of course, everything that comes from that. So, very cool trajectory. So, we're going to get into some of the advice you have based on the work you do. But let's talk first about, you know, why now is such an important time for organizations and leaders to be reimagining what they're offering in terms of employee experience.

[00:04:16] Jason: Yeah. Wow. That's such a huge thing. And, you know, to me, first of all, I mean, isn't every day a good time to be better? So that’s one reason. Yeah. That's one reason why now. The second reason, though, is a little bit bigger than that, and everybody listening will certainly be nodding their heads. Like, it just feels like the dynamic at work has changed. It has been changing, and then, you know, they put a turbo on it when the pandemic came.

[00:04:44] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:04:45] Jason: It just completely sort of turned everything upside down. And, you know, you were talking about some work I had done, you know, at Newell and things like that. I distinctly remember almost all the conversations that I would ever have in my career prior to the pandemic was around why we ought to do more communications and what is that going to get us if we do it. And then the pandemic happened, and all of a sudden, we don't have to have conversations about why anymore. I think, you know, everybody, for the most part, had to go home. Leaders were, you know, leading town halls from their breakfast room tables. Like, everything was completely different, compared to how it was before that. And I think because of that, leaders especially, you know, had their own sort of hands-on experience about what this internal comms and employee experience stuff is all about, which changed their mindset. Which was fantastic timing because all of their employees also changed their mindset about the relationship with work and where I do work and, you know , what I expect from work. And a lot of that is influenced by their lives away from work, particularly around comms channels. So, think about, you know, your own employees when they're not at work. There are billions of people on all these social media platforms. That's who they are. They're your employees. And so, they're used to those types of things. And so, when they come back into work, that's their expectation. So, you know, we used to be able to get away with not meeting that. Now, you know, with turnover being what it is and people have different choices, you got to do everything you can to sort of meet those expectations. And so, if there was ever a time to sort of reimagine what we're doing to, you know, inform, involve, and inspire these folks, then now's the time to do it. Because they're voting with their feet for the most part. And if they're not really getting what they want from this organization, they're going to go find one that they can get that from.

[00:06:53] Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. Now it's interesting, Jason, when, you know, when you talk about comms, it you know, internal comms, employee comms. Mhmm. The first thing that comes to mind for me is the inform piece. When you talk then about employee experience, that's when I start to bring into the fold the involve and inspire piece. And I think they're all very important. So, inform, involve, inspire. Can you talk about why each of those are important, you know, and how they work together? And, also, is there a commonality in where companies tend to fall short?

[00:07:37] Jason: Yeah. Yeah. That's a great question, particularly around inform, because I think a lot of people, you know, when they think of internal communications, they think of, you know, the communications that are coming out of corporate or headquarters that somebody else is sending. And, you know, I call that sort of the big C, the capital C, Communications.

[00:07:58] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:07:58] Jason: and in most organizations, that should be around 10%. No more than 10% really of the communications that are going on inside a workplace. The other part of that is the lowercase c, communications, which is everything else. Leaders to leaders, leaders to their teams, teams to each other. And all of that represents, you know, at least 90% of the communications that's going on in the organization. So, a lot of times, companies will say, well, you know, we're communicating from the corporate level. And so, me as a leader or a manager way down in the middle somewhere, I don't have to do any of that because, you know, the Corp Comms team is doing that for me. And, yeah, the Corp Comms team is probably doing 10% of what needs to be done, but you, leaders, and all everyone else in the organization are responsible for that 90%. And all of that creates sort of this communications cloud around the organization so that communications are happening, not necessarily just by corp comms, but from everybody in the organization. So, it's a culture of communications. And the natural extension of, once you've really strengthened those relationships through communications, then it naturally leads to having people want to be more involved and figuring out how to inspire them to do those things. And all of those combined, I think, are what sort of makes up what we call employee experience. And, you know, if you look at all the survey data around why people like work and what happens if they decide to leave and things like that, most of their answers, you know, pay is maybe eight, nine, 10, if it's in the top 10. For most people, it is something around their experience at work. And a lot of those things fall under that inform, involve, and inspire. So if you want to have that kind of culture that you want with low turnover and high engagement and things like that that are important, then you really need to just continue to focus on inform, involve, and inspire because all the things that they list that they want are made up in those three areas.

[00:10:14] Sarah: Yeah. There's a couple of things that come to mind here. Right? One is, I think sometimes companies make the mistake of thinking that if they do a good job informing, the inspire piece will follow without considering the involve. And I think that can be a huge mistake because people want to feel a part of, you know, what's going on. They want to feel that they're, you know, contributing to the big picture. They want to see how their individual roles play a part. They want to feel that their voice matters. Right? So, if we asse that if we, as a big c or a little c, just do a really good job of informing everyone, then they'll feel inspired.

[00:11:04] Jason: Mhmm.

[00:11:04] Sarah: You know, you can really miss the mark if you don't consider that involve piece. , and, you know, I was also thinking about some of the distinctions between looking at this from sort of a programmatic perspective. Right? And, like, what are the different mechanisms that we use to inform, involve, inspire as a big c and a little c. Right?

[00:11:32] Jason: Mhmm. Sure.

[00:11:34] Sarah: But also from the leadership/EQ perspective. Right? Because, again, I've seen examples where organizations have a great program for communications, and they have, you know, they're diversifying the channels they use. They're welcoming feedback. They're encouraging leaders to do one on ones, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. But then it falls short at the leadership level because maybe those leaders, you know, don't have the right training or skills or that sort of thing to then execute well that, you know, they're a part of that 90%. Right? And so, you know, sometimes the disconnect between really good intent at the at the executive leadership level and creating a program for all of this then fall short in execution if you are relying on leaders who don't get it, don't buy into it, or just don't have the skills to deliver. So, what thoughts do you have there?

[00:12:51] Jason: That that's absolutely right. And I would add another thing to that, which is the time. You know? Mhmm. There's so much piled on leaders' plates. I don't care if you're an executive leader or you're a frontline supervisor. You know? There are tons of expectations, and when people, you know, like the comms team come to you and go, hey we need you to do this kind of stuff. You're like, okay. When? Like, look at all this other stuff, that's part of my quote “day job.” You know, when am I going to have time to do these kinds of things? And I think, you know, to your point, sometimes they don't have the skills, and so the comms team might say, okay, we'll help you. Here's some talking points, which is fine. But most of the time, they don't necessarily need the content. They need the confidence.

[00:13:38] Jason: And when they, in their minds, think about, alright, we're like, what are CEOs that I know who communicate, they immediately think of these rock star CEOs and, you know, in the media and people who are doing TED Talks, and they're like, I don't that's not me. I can't do those kinds of things. Well, the good news is 99% of the entire world is exactly the same way. Mhmm. So, there's none of your employees who are expecting you to be a rock star or some TED Talk level communicator.

[00:14:07] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:14:07] Jason: They're just expecting you to be yourself. And you will get all kinds of bonus points just for trying. Just for trying, you know, trying to do it, trying to meet them where they are, trying, you know, to make it. You will get all kinds of credit just by doing that. And then I think too, you know, to your point around, how does that sometimes sort of, you know, if it's programmatic at the top and then it starts to fall apart the more the execution happens, you know, as it goes down through the organization, some of that, you know, obviously is with managers and leaders and supervisors that are in the middle, but some of that is also on the employees. Mhmm. You know? You know how it is. Everybody on this podcast knows how it is. How many times do you have to tell people to sign up for their benefits, and then on the last hour of the last day, there are people who go, I didn't get any of that information. Well, sure you did. Mhmm. Sure, you did. You got it. And, you know so a lot of times, employees themselves aren't open to being communicated with for a variety of reasons. I'm mad. I'm broke. I don't like my job. I don't like my you know, whatever. There are a thousand things. And so it just takes, you know, everybody sort of shifting that mindset and reimagining things so that, like we said earlier, just creating this culture of communication so that tiny incremental steps can be made that over time, you know, make a huge difference, but not all at once because you don't have the capacity or the resources or the skills or the time to do any of that stuff. But chipping away at it is the best way to execute it no matter how big and programmatic the initiative might feel.

[00:15:49] Sarah: Yeah. So, the next thing I want to talk about, Jason, is you talk about the need to balance high-tech and high touch.

[00:15:59] Jason: Mhmm.

[00:16:00] Sarah: Okay? So, can you talk about that a little bit?

[00:16:04] Jason: Yeah. So, you know, back on the theme of programmatic sort of big c communications, most of that, where possible, is usually delivered with high-tech platforms: emails, intranets, apps, digital signage, you know, you name it. Everybody who kind of has access to those things gets delivered information and communications that way, which is fine. You know, that's a fast way. And for the people who are connected, you know, it's an easy way to reach them. But for those who aren't connected, you know, you don't have an email address. You can't get on the Internet. The only time you really have to look at anything is when you're at home and you certainly, you know, don't have access or a VPN or anything like that that maybe some of the other people have. And so, you know, after a while and for particular audiences, those high-tech platforms start to kind of fuzz out a little bit. And so, the supplement for those things is more of a high touch, kind of old school approach.

[00:17:05] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:17:06] Jason: Particularly if you have frontline employees who aren't digitally connected.

[00:17:12] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:17:12] Jason: They don't have access to any of that stuff. They only have access to you. So now you become the channel. You become the platform. And so, there's all kinds of benefit to, you know, holding those shift change meetings, making sure that, you know, people who aren't digitally connected are included in conversations and, you know, idea sessions and things like that. Mhmm. All of that field start it is what sort of puts some meat on the involve and inspire part.

[00:17:42] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:17:43] Jason: Because as good as these platforms are and as, you know, good as some of the content is that that's coming out from a big c perspective, all of that just feels rational. That's just a rational approach. But hans are also emotional, and so this high touch approach to supplement all that stuff is kind of what gets you over that hurdle because now you're meeting them where they are as hans, Hans to hans communicating and building relationships. And then when you rely on those high-tech platforms too much, it just it starts to feel just kind of cold and check a box kinda thing.

[00:18:20] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:18:21] Jason: And I don't mind getting that stuff from corporate, but I want my peers. I want my boss. I want other people to translate that and tell me what they feel about that. And I want to tell them what I feel about that. So, there's more to it than just delivering it over a platform. Mhmm.

[00:18:37] Sarah: Yeah. You use the word rational. I was thinking the word impersonal. Right? It goes back to the inform piece. It's a great way to stay informed. It's, you know, the news, the headlines. Here's what you need to know. Right? But it's not it's not personal. It's not the context of, okay, and here's what this means to you in your role. And, also, let me listen to what you think. Let me answer the questions that you have. Let me listen to your feedback. Right? And, you know, when we think about a lot of the folks that listen to this podcast, you know, they're leading field service teams. And those people, they I would say almost all of them are digitally connected. But, again, even so, if that's the only communication they're getting, it is very impersonal. Right? And the other thing to consider is that in different situations, those people may never come to an office. They may come to an office infrequently. They may just start and end their days from home. Right? Or they might be on the road a lot. And so, there are people that you know, they might not be disconnected from a digital perspective. But if we're not careful, they can become disconnected from the company culture and from…

[00:20:02] Jason: 100%.

[00:20:04] Sarah: The idea of staying engaged and being involved. Right? I was at an event in in our industry, Field Service Europe last fall, and I attended a great panel discussion with three different leaders. So, three different industries, three different regions, all talking about the absolute criticality of, as a leader, investing time in one on ones. And as much as possible, making an effort to see your people at in person at some not for every one on one, you know, but at some regular interval. I've also had another leader on here who talked about, his name is Venkata, he's with a company called Bruker Nano, and he will say that it is an expense to the business, but he invests every year in bringing their field teams together

[00:21:05] Jason: That's right.

[00:21:05] Sarah: For the sole purpose of just spending time with one another. Because it's so important in building that sense of community and making them feel part of a team that it pays dividends in their engagement and things like that. So, I think that reminder is really important. And, you know, going back to what you said at the beginning about, like, all of the different things that sort of shifted during the pandemic, we know that people want to feel part of something. And them getting an alert on their employee app or getting an email once a month is not enough to make that happen.

[00:21:52] Jason: Absolutely not. You know?

[00:21:53] Sarah: We have to figure out how to do those high touch bits. Yeah.

[00:22:02] Jason: Yeah. And you use the right word too, like, invest. It's an investment. Like, it costs money to build a culture, to build relationships with people. That is an expense. It definitely is, but it's more of an investment than it is an expenditure.

[00:22:16] Sarah: Yeah.

[00:22:17] Jason: And it, you know, it pays dividends that everybody has a very hard time measuring. But where it shows up in is in all the other KPIs that the organization is measuring. It shows up in quality. It shows up in safety. It shows up in on time delivery. It shows up in customer experience. It shows up in all the things that matter for the organization. And so, any time spent, you know, investing in better relationships to make those things better are quantifiable, and they do show up, and they show up where they matter the most, which is on those dashboards, which are attached to the bottom line. Yeah. And I think the other point you brought up, especially for field service, I'm sure there's a lot of you who are listening who truly have field service people who are on-site at customers and client organizations and things. And there's a lot of surveys that show that the more time that they spend on customer sites, the more they begin to identify with that culture.

[00:23:13] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:23:14] Jason: That culture, you know? And so, a, that shows you it is possible, and b, it is also imperative that you do as much as you can so that they continue to identify with your culture. Because if you've got that if it's defined and it's great and it's strong, that's an opportunity for them to be a brand ambassador for your company at the client's culture. And then it also sort of lowers the chance that you might accidentally lose them to the client because now I feel like I have a stronger bond with these people than I do for the ones who are paying me. You know?

[00:23:50] Sarah: It's interesting you say that, Jason. So, I want to also bring up another example. I did a podcast last year sometime with a gentleman, Marco Hugo Gutierrez, who works for Tetra Pak and he leads services in in Europe. And Tetra Pak underwent this big initiative to really kind of understand the sentiment of their field teams. They really wanted to understand, you know, how engaged are these people, what makes them feel engaged, what doesn't, etcetera. And one of the biggest findings for them to action from that research was that they found their technicians felt closer to their customers than they did Tetra Pak. They felt more a part of that culture than they did Tetra Pak. And Marco said, of course, that's great. We want them to love our customers. We want them to, you know, build those relationships. But Sure. We also have to have that with them. You know? It's so important for us to invest in making them feel that they are part of our culture that you know. And they can share that, but not that they're not getting that from us. And so it's interesting that you bring that up, and that is a huge risk for field teams. And that can manifest in a lot of different ways. Obviously, one is, you know, losing those employees to a customer potentially. But even just, you know, how much opportunity cost there is in not empowering those employees to, like you said, kind of be that brand ambassador in a stronger way. Right?

[00:25:43] Jason: Because that that strengthens the customer relationship. They're hiring you for a whole lot of reasons, and it's that delivery that really is the cherry on top. And then over time, that becomes why they're hiring you. You're yes. You're doing all the things that are on the SOW, but it's that chemistry.

[00:26:02] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:26:02] Jason: And how that gets delivered, that becomes the very definition of the company's brand. Yeah. And so, you want that to be as strong as it can possibly be and you want those people to, you know, love their customers, but not so much that they become one. You know?

[00:26:17] Sarah: I want to go back - you know, we were talking about sort of the investment of this high touch approach, whatever that looks like. I know leaders that they define certain time. They go on the road, they visit all of their teams. They make sure they see them in person. I talked about Venkata who brings everyone to a central location to spend time together, whatever that looks like. So those are examples that they are relatively time consuming, they are relatively expensive, and I'm not saying that those investments of time and money do not pay off; I believe they do. However, I also wanted to make the point that sometimes very simple things can also have a tremendous impact. Right? You know, just thinking about, okay. Well, maybe doing an off-site every year is not feasible for me as a leader in the organization I'm in. But I could set aside a half an hour every week to call, you know, ten of eight of my technicians and thank them for something very specific they've done that week. I could commit to writing five handwritten thank you notes every week. I could you know, these different things. It sometimes, we overlook those simple things because we're focused on, should we be doing the big things? And if we can't, are we kind of, you know, just out of luck? Right? The Tetra Pak findings, you know, the satisfaction in those relationships came from this feeling the technician had of being able to go there and solve a problem and be appreciated by the customer for doing that. And so, there are a lot of different ways we can show appreciation and recognition that are on a whole continuum of however much continua of however much time and money you have to invest. So, I wanted to point that out as well that it doesn't have to be a grand thing every time. The little things make a huge impact.

[00:28:23] Jason: In fact, I think from my perspective and based on conversations I've had with literally thousands of employees, it the little things matter even more. Like, the bigger it is, the more it feels like a corporate initiative that's been budgeted and, you know, it just has a different feel to not that people don't appreciate it, but they see it for what it is. Versus, like, what you just described, a handwritten note or, you know, I'm going to set aside thirty minutes, you know, every week or every day or whatever the right timing is for your schedule to have a conversation with my team that isn't about what you're doing, it's about how you're doing.

[00:28:59] Sarah: Yep.

[00:28:59] Jason: And then that that those are the types of things that that build stronger bonds because at the end of the day, all this stuff we're talking about is a trust exercise. Mhmm. And so, your culture, your results, you know, everything that you measure there from a workplace perspective, all of that is built around trust. And even the little things you do are deposit into that trust bank account with your team.

[00:29:24] Sarah: Yeah.

[00:29:25] Jason: And they add up over time. And lord knows, at some point, somebody's going to write a check against that account, and you don't want it to bounce. So, the more of those deposits you can keep putting in there, even the little stuff, you know, it matters. It matters, especially to your employees.

[00:29:40] Sarah: Another really good, specific example someone shared is, they're in an executive leadership role, and it's just so happens that, you know, in in that role, they're always getting company merch. So, zip ups, hats, polos, chargers, whatever, all this different stuff. And he said, like, I have so much of it already. I can't even use it all. So rather than letting it pile up in the corner of my office, I just send it out to my employees with a note. I just pass it along to them. And I thought, like, that's it's such an easy little thing.

[00:30:18] Jason: That's right.

[00:30:19] Sarah: But it's again, a really actionable example of something that doesn't take a lot. You know? Another person pointed out, they like to do a gift card for the person to take their family to dinner because, you know, they said, like, often it's nice to share that with the person's family, that they're appreciated and things like that. So, there are so many ways to do it.

[00:30:46] Jason: There really are. Like, I'm reaching over right now on my desk and, like, look at this. This is just a stack of nice notes that I have received, and people are like, oh, gosh. You got all those in the last two weeks? Nope. Some of these are 15 years old.

[00:30:59] Sarah: Yeah.

[00:30:59] Jason: I have moved these from job to job to desk to desk, and now they're on this desk. And every now and then, I just like to go through there and read what people had to say and remember that I made a difference. And so, if you think that that stuff doesn't matter, go think about your own little special box that you have or your special folder. It is full of stuff like that. Those aren't $5,000,000 corporate initiatives. Those are ten minutes that somebody took and wrote a personalized note to you that made, you know, a world of difference to you.

[00:31:28] Sarah: Yeah. Absolutely. Now and I want to come back to sort of this point we've been talking about is when we when we do this well, you know, we create that trust. We create these relationships that are very impactful. You talk about the fact that often there are these companies' internal influencers that remain a very untapped resource. And you refer to them as the ones everyone goes to for the meeting after the meeting, which is a really good point.

[00:32:05] Jason: Yep.

[00:32:05] Sarah: So how can leaders do a better job of identifying who those internal influencers are and finding ways to, you know, create alliances with them or, you know, better working relationships so that they're leveraging that resource in a helpful, positive, natural way?

[00:32:31] Jason: Absolutely. And the best way to find this out and, you know, there's formal ways and informal ways. You don't have to spend any money to find it out. The best way to find it out is to ask your own employees who they go to for the meeting after the meeting. You know? Not in a threatening way or any other kind of way, which is like, you know, I tell you all stuff and then y'all go and talk about it. Who do you talk to? They'll tell you; you know. And for some leaders, there's a little bit of jealousy in there and it can feel also a little bit threatening if they're going to, you know, somebody else on your team and you think, oh my gosh, that person is going to end up taking my job. But no. That's not how it is. The they employees identify a relationship with a leader or manager as different from a relationship with an influencer. Once not better or worse, they're different. I come to my leader manager for certain kinds of things. I go to my influencer for other kinds of things. I need both just like in our personal lives. Different kind of relationships with different kind of people. And so it's important to understand who those people are because they're influencers, and they can influence things in a good way, and they can also influence things in a not so good way. Usually, it's in a good way because the research that I've looked at is that most of these people, HR might call them, you know, high potential folks, but they're not necessarily on the high potential list because HR doesn't know who they are. But they I would call them high potentials because they are super engaged just by default. They were just wired that way. It's hard to create these kinds of folks like but they just come fully loaded already like that. And so, they read all the stuff. They listen to all the stuff. They distill it. They think about it. You know, work is them and their work, and it and that's just a fountain of knowledge for all these people that they're influencing. And the important part about that is that in most organizations of any size and in any industry, about 12% of the workforce is what we would consider to be leaders, and they can only directly influence 50% of the rest of the employees. 50%. As opposed to these influencers who are typically 3% of the workforce, and they can directly influence 90%. So that tells me one important thing. Whoever it is out there that's relying on cascades, stop doing that. Because the leaders from the CEO all the way down to the frontline supervisor can't reach as many people as the influencers can. So, once we know who these influencers are, we can rely on them to help, quote, cascade this stuff. Because they're more trusted. They're more believable. They're going to, you know, use weekend words to describe things, and sometimes, you know, others use weekday words to describe things. And it's just it's going to put a turbo on the things that you're doing. The other reason why it's important is that if one of those influencer leaves on their own or asked to, whoever they're influencing is 90% more likely to also leave and almost immediately with the thinking being, well, gosh, Sarah knows everything. And if she's not here anymore, why on earth would I stay? Right? And so, it's just important to know who they are. It also depends on your culture. If you have the kind of culture where that might create, you know, some friction or whatever, then just know it and treat them with kid gloves. They're already influencing. Now you just know that they are. And you could just leave it like it is. In other cultures, you can celebrate them. They're now champions or change or catalyst people or, you know, you want to put a group together and call them something. In some cultures, that's fine. But in others, you know, for sure, the fight club is not talk about fight club, and that might apply for your culture as well. But either way, now we know who they are. We are and that they're influencing, and what can we do to make sure that they stay as plugged in as possible without it becoming like a second job for them? Because, truthfully, they're already doing it. They're already influencing. So, you don't need to do anything else, really, to make them super influencers. They're already as influential as they're going to be. And the more you make them that, I think the less trustworthy they are because then it starts to feel like they're a corporate mouthpiece.

[00:36:58] Sarah: Right.

[00:36:58] Jason: And they're not. They don't want that to be that.

[00:37:01] Sarah: Yeah. I think that's important. I was thinking about how to articulate this thought while you were saying that. I mean, I think it like you said, it's important for it to be organic. I think it's also important to not allow it to become a situation where you're, like, paying them off. And I don't mean that in reality. Like,

[00:37:20] Jason: we're not out of the way.

[00:37:21] Sarah: Saying, like, it can't be manipulative. Right? Like, it can't be, like, they're being they can be leveraged where it makes sense for a mutually beneficial purpose, but they can't be used in a way that is manipulative either to them or the employees that they're influencing. Right?

[00:37:42] Jason: Right.

[00:37:42] Sarah: But you see this sometimes in, you know, our realm, and you reference this with you know, if you have a change coming along and you know that there are some influencers in, you know, your structure, you can work with them proactively to say, Hey, I'd like to involve you in this upfront. I'd like to get your feedback on it. And I would like to, you know, have you help us find the right ways to communicate this change to the teams because you're plugged into them. You know what will resonate, what won't, etcetera. And that's a very wise and appropriate use of

[00:38:24] Jason: Totally natural and organic. You would do that. Even if you didn't know, you know, you would that's something you wouldn't naturally normally do. So that makes total sense. It's very organic. It feels organic. Yeah.

[00:38:35] Sarah: You mentioned in your content that leaders have a natural tendency to under lead. So, what does that mean?

[00:38:46] Jason: It's such a strange concept to me. And if I can ever figure this out, this will be the book that I that I write or have AI write for me. The idea is, like, just whoever's listening, just, like, think of your first job. Alright? Whatever that was. It doesn't even matter. Flipping burgers or McDonald's. I don't care. Whatever the first job was, you were there and then there were, like, 15 layers of leaders above you all the way up to the CEO. And so, you're just doing your thing, and you're observing decisions and personalities and, you know, things that happen in the organization. And at some point, because we all do this, you know what? If I ever get to be up there, I'm not going to do things like that. I'm going to do things my way. And then lo and behold, after fifteen or twenty years, those people are up there, and they continue to do the same thing. So, at the so my question is then at what point in your career do you lose touch with reality? Because it happens, and it happens quite a lot. Not for everybody, but for a lot of people. And when it happens, that's when it feels like these folks are underleading. And I which means they're not informing. They're not involving. They're not inspiring. They're not, you know, being more high touch than high-tech. And it's a mystery to me because they all used to be people on their teams. Age wise, role wise, whatever. They all everybody used to be those people. And when they were those people, they wanted those things. And now that they are the people who can give those things, they're not.

[00:40:27] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:40:28] Jason: And that feels like for at least in a lot of those areas, a conscious decision. And so, however you felt when you weren't getting what you needed early in your career, that's how your team now feels. So, if you want to sort of get over this underleading concept, then the easiest thing to me is to remember what it was like when you were them.

[00:40:52] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:40:53] Jason: Remember what it was like when you were them. Like, you're getting so much of this corporate swag and you're just throwing it in a closet somewhere because, you know, I don't need yet another pullover. Some of the people out there have never been given a pullover anywhere they worked, you know. And you were like that too when you first started out. Imagine how much that would mean to you. Do those type just put yourself. It's that EQ. It's that empathy. It's that, you know. I understand other people, and so what can you do to constantly think about how it used to be for you when you were them so that you can be what you wanted your own boss to be back then? You know?

[00:41:32] Sarah: Yeah. What you're saying just made me think of an experience I had last year. I went to visit a leader who is very well respected in our space, James Mylett. He works currently for Schneider Electric and is in Texas. I had never been to their offices and so I got there and checked in, and he, you know, met me in the lobby. And we stopped and grabbed a coffee, and he said, should we sit over here in this little area and I said, sure. You know, we sat down. We had a bit of a chat, and then he was going to give me a tour. And we're walking around, and I said, well, where is your office? And he said, I don't have one. And I'm like, what do you mean? And he's like, I don't like to sit in an office because I feel like that disconnects me from people. Like, I would rather just, depending on what I'm working on, I'll either sit in a conference room for a bit or I'll sit out in an open working space, but I it just helps me stay more connected to the culture and what's going on. And I thought

[00:42:41] Jason: Yeah.

[00:42:41] Sarah: So, you're an SVP at a massive company, and a lot of people I would say most people in that role have a corner office. You know, that they might even only work in one day a week, one day a month sometimes. Right?

[00:42:58] Jason: Yeah.

[00:42:58] Sarah: Not him. Just doesn't have one at all. Yeah. And I'm like, that's

[00:43:02] Jason: That's amazing.

[00:43:02] Sarah: But it it's a really good example of one part of what you're saying, which is, I think, like, keep grounded in, you know, the humanity of it all. Right? I think the other thing that happens that it's more on, like, the company culture, the corporate culture part is I think people are put in really unfortunate situations. You know? A lot of times they end up having to, for lack of a better term, sell out to take those roles. You know? So, you have this passion when you're among the

[00:43:40] Jason: Sure.

[00:43:41] Sarah: team that, I would never do that. You know? And then you start making tradeoffs that lend themselves to that. And I think it's tough because you can criticize that. You know? But it happens in a way that it's really hard to pick apart. But I do think I do think that there is a shift in company culture because I think that this whole employee experience topic is becoming so important

[00:44:11] Jason: Mhmm.

[00:44:12] Sarah: At such a scale that companies are really grappling with, you know, some of those historical practices and dynamics and really having to dig in and change. And I think as that shift continues, it puts those leaders in a better position to challenge the status quo. But the reality historically is

[00:44:37] Jason: Mhmm.

[00:44:38] Sarah: The people that really challenge the status quo, even appropriately and where it rightfully should be challenged, aren't the people giving the senior leadership roles because they want a team of yes men that will, you know, take those orders. So, there is a part of that dynamic that comes into play. So, I'm just saying that because I think sometimes leaders get put in positions where they do remember what it's like. And there's a certain part of that they can control within how they treat people, the little things they could do, etcetera.

[00:45:18] Jason: Sure.

[00:45:19] Sarah: If they're working against a pressure that is really at odds with the change they would like to see, I'm excited because I think there is a growing groundswell, if you will, of people who will push back and positive things that will come from that. And not only that, but companies that are recognizing those dynamics aren't working anymore anyway. Right? So, let's change it from the top as well. You see both. Right? So, I think that's a good thing, but it's a very interesting point to bring up.

[00:45:51] Jason: Well, it takes a ton of courage. And, you know, on that example that you gave about, you know, some leader who's trying to kind of push those boundaries and then, you know, ends up, you know, getting kicked to the curb. They end up becoming the startup CEO that's very disruptive and is doing thing different, and they're the ones speaking at TEDx. So, they're the ones that are on the cover of all the magazines.

[00:46:11] Sarah: And they're helping this groundswell too. Do you know what I mean? Because it's people that, you know, fundamentally don't believe any longer that profit comes at the expense of people. Right? Like, that we can do both. We can treat people well, and we can have a good working culture, and we can make a lot of money. They're not

[00:46:33] Jason: There's a lot of data that shows that. Yeah. There's a ton of data that shows that. You know? Some of the most profitable companies are the ones that are spending the most in these areas, which

[00:46:42] Sarah: Yeah.

[00:46:42] Jason: Doesn't sound, you know, like that math would add up that way. But there I mean, there's company after company that, you know, that we can use in as examples like that. And then I think the other thing too is that transition if there's if you're trying to think that way for your organization, to me, the easiest way that I use to kind of explain that to my own clients is this is something you are already doing, and it's called customer experience.

[00:47:09] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:47:10] Jason: And so, in most organizations, you know, marketing owns a relationship and sales on the transaction, and the two of them, you know, are ultimately responsible for customer experience. So, what does employ experience look like? Typically, HR and IT kind of own the transactions for employees, but who owns the relationship?

[00:47:32] Sarah: Mhmm.

[00:47:33] Jason: That's an opportunity for the all the leaders. Leaders and managers have to own that relationship. And then when they're like, well, I'm not quite sure how we would go about doing that. Well, just look at everything that you've done to drive better customer experience and all those initiatives And just substitute the word employee for customer, and that just gives you an easy way to start thinking about it that's less risky because the organization inherently understands the customer experience side of things that people have been doing for twenty plus years now. We're just going to take that same thing and apply it under here, and that feels less risky and less scary.

[00:48:12] Sarah: Mhmm. Yeah. Very interesting stuff, Jason. I appreciate you coming on and sharing. If you would like to connect with Jason, easiest place is LinkedIn?

[00:48:26] Jason: Absolutely. I'm on LinkedIn. My website is JasonAnthoine.com. And on both of those places, you can find my own podcast, which is called Riding Shotgun. And the whole idea behind that is I've been riding shotgun with leaders, you know, my whole career. Come ride shotgun gun with me on each episode and learn some things that I've learned from doing that. No more than five or six minutes, you're in, you're out, you're on with your day.

[00:48:52] Sarah: I love it. Awesome. Alright, everyone. Check it out. Thank you, Jason. Appreciate it.

[00:48:57] Jason: Thank you, Sarah. I really appreciate it.

[00:48:59] Sarah: You can find more by visiting the home of the UNSCRIPTED podcast at futureoffieldservice.com. The podcast is published in partnership with IFS. You can learn more at ifs.com. As always, thank you for listening!

by Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service

Last week I had the opportunity to attend Field Service Medical just outside of San Diego, California. I haven’t attended this event before, and since this platform encompasses many industries, I am no expert in the medical space specifically. So, it was interesting to hear about some of the themes that don’t come up as often in my conversations.

I bet you won’t be shocked to hear AI was heavy on the agenda. Aquant and Hamilton did a session together where they discussed how Hamilton is using AI to improve time to competency of new hires. Their goal is to reduce their current 80% competency at six months to 80% at four months using Aquant’s technology. I thought this was an interesting, very real-world example of the practical impact AI can have today while we continue to determine how more advanced use cases will change the future of what field service looks like.

AI Observations

That session was followed by a panel on AI that started with some research from the Service Council’s 2025 State of AI & Service Technology, stating that 85% of service leaders plan to invest in AI in 2025 but that 80% of AI initiatives are failing to delivery meaningful ROI. As the panelists talked through why this is and how to navigate it, some of the themes that arose were:

Data chaos – needing to put effort into readying data for AI
The tenure of field teams having decreased in one organization from 17 years to 8 years and how this impacts the need for access to knowledge
What AI committees look like (or don’t) in different companies and the role they can/should play
How knowledge management & use is an area of low-hanging fruit for AI use
The need to be patient in determining where and how to apply AI to service; not rushing into use cases that won’t deliver that meaningful ROI
Remembering that when communicating change to technicians, put it into the terms of how it will benefit them
The importance of remembering that your cohorts and the executive team don’t necessarily understand what (all) service does, so put it into terms they’ll understand and resonate with
The opportunity of being your business or team’s AI “hype man” – resistance to change is to be expected, keeping a positive energy about the initiatives makes a difference
An urge that “you think you’re not ready, but you are” explaining that laggards are laggards because they think their data “sucks” but it’s closer to where it needs to be than you may realize, and you shouldn’t let that allow you to get behind

Compliance Readiness

One of our Future of Field Service 2024 Stand Out 50 leaders, Alesia Sullivan, who is the Sr. Director of Global Technical Support Services at Luminex Corporation – A Diasorin Company, gave a keynote presentation on what service leaders need to consider around compliance. She spoke about the FDA’s guidance and the service and support teams’ responsibilities when it comes to the stages of service compliance. Her key takeaways included:

Service is no longer just about servicing
- Quality medical device servicing is essential to ensuring patient safety
- All FSEs and support are responsible for quality documentation
- Organizations must be audit ready at all times
Document and Ask Questions
- High quality data is required
- Incomplete service device history impedes tracking and compliance root cause investigations
- Follow the procedures and seek for improvements
Service and Support can control the outcome
- This is a race the FSE should not run alone, but the repair and documenting is in the employee’s control
- When they reach challenges, they should reach out to a team for support
- The document outcomes (and later the patient) can be better with their input

Women in Service

My highlight of the week was co-hosting a Women in Service lunch, alongside Alesia, sponsored by IFS. The timing of this being the week of International Women’s Day was entirely serendipitous but just right. We had a great group of women and a very open, honest conversation about some of the challenges we face, how we can navigate different situations, and how we need to continue to lift one another up. Some of the points of conversation that I found interesting:

The women in the room that are also mothers agreed wholeheartedly on how unavoidable and difficult “mom guilt” is, especially with roles where frequent travel is required. We spoke about how unfortunate the state of parental leave is in the U.S. and the challenges this causes
We also spoke about how we need to not only respect but honor that not all women are or want to be mothers. I shared that at a conference a year or so ago, a man said to me in an interview that “We need more women in service because they are nurturing,” which is NOT why we need more women in service. Another woman at lunch shared that she’s often called “mom” by the technicians in her organization and that, while they are using it as a term of endearment, it’s nonetheless uncomfortable and unprofessional
Speaking of uncomfortable, we spoke about some of the situations we’ve been in that have been deeply uncomfortable but that are also often difficult to address. Being asked to take notes or perform administrative duties simply because you are the only woman in the group, and feeling like you want to address why that doesn’t feel right but also don’t want to be seen as “difficult” or not a team player
We also commiserated about a common thread of our reaction to how we respond in these situations – often feeling shame or judging ourselves for not reacting “correctly,” even though in many instances these situations are very nuanced and delicate
To try and workshop the above, we brainstormed different ways to respond to various scenarios, keeping in mind different personality types and levels of comfort with confrontation
We spoke about how incredibly unfortunate it is that corporations are pulling back on DEI when so many of these situations (and more) still happen on a very regular basis
We discussed the importance of mentors and sponsors and women shared examples of how they’ve been well supported, by both men and women, in ways that have helped them progress in their careers
We analyzed the feelings of competition that can arise among women, and why, and how powerful it is when women stop feeling in competition with one another and instead realize each person’s unique value and focus on lifting one another up. Alesia recommended the book “She Wins, You Win”
We spoke about the sense of responsibility to other women to “let the ladder down” as we progress in our careers, ensuring we help pave the way for hopefully an easier time for women in generations to come

This lunch really filled my cup – my only wish was that we’d have had more time together. But the way that each of us left the room feeling so seen, heard, and in community was a very positive thing. Big thanks to everyone who joined, and I hope to have more of these sessions in the future!

Episode 306

In this episode of the Unscripted podcast, host Sarah Nicastro shares what’s on the hearts and minds of the Future of Field Service community when it comes to International Women’s Day 2025 and its theme to #AccelerateAction.

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Watch the episode here:

Episode Transcript:

Sarah Nicastro (00:04):

Welcome to the UNSCRIPTED podcast. I'm your host, Sarah Nicastro. Today's episode is the International Women's Day 2025 episode, and I'm going to be sharing with you contributions from the Future of Field Service community. International Women's Day this year is on March 8th, and according to the website, International Women's Day has been around for over a hundred years, as have many of the issues still impacting women's advancement since 1911. International Women's Day belongs to all who care about women's equality.” Each year, international Women's Day sets a theme for the year, and this year's theme is #AccelerateAction. So as I thought about how best to cover International Women's Day this year, there was a lot on my mind, certainly creating content around the topic wasn't in question, it was just a matter of how best to do. So I became very curious what is on the hearts and minds of the community.

(01:23):

There is a lot going on in the world right now, and it made me really ponder a bit more what everyone's thinking and feeling versus in the past years, sometimes we've just featured a specific woman's story. Other times we've done different topical things. This year just feels a bit different, and so I was really curious how the community might be feeling. So I posed the question on LinkedIn and had some great response, some people that were more than willing to share their opinions and feelings about some different prompts that I asked them to comment on, as well as welcoming them to share anything and everything that is on their mind. So I'm going to share some of those thoughts with you, along with some of my own, in today's podcast. I did edit a bit because I didn't want this episode to be too, too long, but I plan to release sort of an extended article on this topic, including everyone's full input around the date as well.

(02:50):

So keep an eye out for that. But for now, let's get started. I tried to categorize this input into some different themes that we're going to talk through together, and the first is that while we have come a long way, it's indisputable that there's still so far to go and biases stand in the way of making the progress that we need. So Catherine Coulter Wood, who is the Senior Manager for Service Optimization and Transformation at Compugen weighed in on this point. She said, “gender equality in the workplace has really come a long way, but women still face real challenges in STEM, particularly I see a lot of capability bias. The results of this bias are hiring disparities, leadership inequality and more. But the why is that there is an unconscious hiring of men over women or of promoting men over women to leadership roles.

(03:53):

At its core, there is a capability bias. There are many historical and societal reasons which have created this unconscious and sometimes very conscious belief that men are more intelligent or capable than women, particularly in areas of stem. Multiple studies and ample testimonies of people's lived experiences show that when there are two candidates with the same qualifications, credentials and experience, the man is generally viewed as more capable. This is an area where we can accelerate action.” Catherine suggests determining a way to make capability bias more visible so that we can critically analyze how to change it and measure progress. So when we think about biases and how we start accelerating action to identifying those and overcoming them, representation and visibility become very important. We need to see examples of that capability bias being proved false. Chantelle King, who is Managing Partner at Woola says, “we need to accelerate action in industries that have historically been male dominated, especially in trades operations and leadership roles.

(05:14):

Representation matters and we need to actively encourage and support more women in these spaces through mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership development programs.” Alyce Peterson, who is the Product Marketing Manager at ServicePro by MSI data says she's heard from many women, other women in the service space at industry events across the country that agree fully that women need more visibility. And this is impossible to dispute if you simply attend one of these events like I have for the last many, many years. Again, going back to the earlier point that Catherine made, there has been progress, but there is still a long way to go. I remember at one of my first field service events, I was one of two or three women out of a couple of hundred at the entire event, and that ratio has certainly grown, but it is nowhere near equal.

(06:24):

Alyce says, “we need more women in leadership and for others to help pass the torch. There are so many ways to get women not only a seat at the table, but also to become deeply integrated leaders into their organizations.” When it comes to how we get there, allyship is critical and came up quite a bit in people's responses. Carolyn Haggstrom Markland, who is the Managing Director and Vice President for Customer Services in the Nordics at Vattenfall points out that with intent, allyship doesn't have to be hard. She says, “for me, from a personal point of view, what's been most impactful in terms of support has been allyship, and I try to pay that forward as often as I can. It's not hard. Just be mindful of sharing your space and putting people forward within your networks.” Jayda Nance, who is the Delivery Project Executive Leader for AI Development and Innovation for Client Experience at IBM shares an important reminder that there is no allyship without action.

(07:39):

She says, “allyship is more than acknowledgement. It's action. It's men stepping into women's worlds, not as saviors, but as advocates. Too often society assigns women the easy tasks mistaking consideration for fragility, but we don't want saving. We want opportunity, a voice, a seat at the table with a steak. I've been fortunate to work with men who have spoken my name in rooms I wasn't in advocated for me when it mattered and celebrated my accomplishments publicly. The hard truth. Sometimes things happen simply because a man said so that's the reality. And while we work toward a future where all voices carry equal weight, we must also recognize the opportunity within this dynamic. Behind many accomplished men are women who played a pivotal role in their success. So lift us up with you when you rise, bring us along. That is allyship, that is impact.” Chantel of Woola echoes that allyship, especially from men is impactful saying, “having male allies who actively space for women in discussions advocate for their advancement and push back against biases has been incredibly impactful.

(09:04):

Leadership needs to be intentional about fostering inclusion.” KM Manickam, who is a Customer Support Manager at BD said he's focused on doing just that. He said, “One impactful way I've supported a woman at work was by advocating for her during performance reviews and promotion discussions by highlighting her achievements and contributions, I helped ensure she received the recognition and opportunities she deserved.” When you think about what he's saying, this person he's referring to, these were her achievements, they were her contributions, the recognition was deserved. But the reality is sometimes despite all of that, it still won't happen if allies aren't taking the initiative to be conscious of looking for the people around them that are in marginalized groups that need that allyship and making it a priority to essentially just share the realities of the hard work that they're doing. Another incredibly important mechanism for change is the many ways that women are supporting women.

(10:22):

This is near and dear to my heart and it came up in many of the responses which I absolutely loved. So the first example of that is from Danielle Waterworth, who is the Vice President for North America AG Dealer and Customer Support and the Global Vice President for Parts and Service AG Maintenance and Services Development at CNH. These long titles are incredibly challenging, but I think I'm doing okay. Danielle says, “while I have learned and enjoyed working for all of my prior leaders, I have found the relationship with my first female executive to be different in that she sees things in a different lens. Our relationship has grown to be open and reciprocal where we do not bullshit one another. We are transparent when we are disappointed in the other's opinion or work and we are open with one another when it comes to growth and leadership.

(11:19):

Also, when I have a problem, it is her problem too. Having a leader that you trust to be truthful and that has your back is something all should have. But especially women helping another woman as they know how to balance the various aspects or jobs that our life entails from employee to wife, to mother to friend and volunteer, but do not question how or if you will be successful still in accomplishing what they expect of you.” So they know the juggling act and know that regardless of what might come up, your ability to be successful and accomplish what you need to is not in question. And I can understand how much comfort there is in that. To have a relationship with someone who understands what you are trying to balance and has confidence in you, that no matter what all of that is, no matter what hurdles might come up, you have what it takes to get the job done.

(12:27):

Erica Marois, who is the Senior Manager for Content and Community at Informa says, “I was fortunate to have many other women take me under their wing in my twenties and gently nudge me out of my comfort zone while also championing my work. I didn't realize it at the time, but they were planting the seeds of confidence I needed to grow both personally and professionally. Society loves to pit women against each other, but when we take it upon ourselves to offer support, kindness and understanding to others, those small acts can make a huge difference. Give other women a seat at the table by speaking positively about their work and contributions even when they are not in the room. It's such an easy way to pay it forward.” This is such an important point because this really comes back to this idea of a scarcity mentality or a mentality of abundance, right?

(13:22):

And this concept that if we as women lift other women up, are we risking what we could be achieving? And it's such foolish thinking and really holds us back from our own true and full value because we're all on this earth to help other people. And hearing these examples of women supporting other women just shows you how much more impact you can have when you expand your lens beyond your own struggle, your own challenges, your own journey and look around you for other women to lift up. There's what's the saying, this isn't pie. There's a piece for everyone. And so looking for those opportunities to speak positively about your coworkers, to showcase their accomplishments, to offer your support or your mentorship or sponsorship, these are all actions of allyship and they can be done by men for women. They can also be done by women for other women, and they should be.

(14:42):

And it's really great to see that they are. So I loved hearing that while allyship and the one-to-one mentor examples are incredibly powerful, the respondents also pointed out how much value there is to be found in community. Dot Mynahan, who is the Senior Director for Safety and Workforce Development at National Elevator Industry, Inc. stresses the role of employee resource groups as one important form of community. She says, “I think there's a need to accelerate action around employee resource groups. There's a great guidance document assembled by 16 state AGs called Multi-State Guidance concerning diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility employment initiatives that stresses the important of employee resource groups providing an inclusive and supportive space where employees of particular backgrounds or common experiences feel value and heard According to the document, ‘When employees feel that their identity is recognized and supported within the organization, they're more likely to stay long-term.’ Dot has been on the podcast before when she was with Otis Elevator and she was responsible for starting Otis’s Women's Employee Resource Group, I believe called Forward and it has had an incredible impact on the organization.

(16:11):

So I understand why she's passionate about bringing up the value of these groups, and I've also seen many other examples of how these employee resource groups can have a great impact. And also to point out, I think with hers and others, it's not only a space for women to come and be in community, it is also a space for allies to come and to understand what the challenges and opportunities are to better understand how they can support the women that are in these groups. So very good point. From Dot. Alyce from ServicePro touches on the good that can come from making time for in-person engagements. She says, “onsite networking events, workshops and discussions are not just nice-to-haves. They're crucial for women to have the space to be heard and connect in such large rooms. Some of these women invite you to be mentored, be on boards, attend other events, speak in other ways.

(17:13):

The networking is invaluable.” I think this is another very good point that sometimes it can be very helpful to step out of your own bubble, whether that is connecting with more folks on LinkedIn, whether that is attending an industry event or a women women-focused event. There are some of those as well. Getting out there and getting the perspective of other people who are in similar and different circumstances can be very helpful. And again, that's where a lot of these connections can be made that gives women the opportunity to support other women and allies, the opportunity to support women as well. So these points have all been very helpful to illustrate some of the ways that we could think about accelerating action, which is the theme for this year. But there is a lot in question up for debate and at stake at the moment, particularly in the United States with a YouTube video recently published by the White House claiming ‘DEI is Dead Under the Trump Administration.’

(18:29):

It is concerning to say the least, what could happen to the pace of progress we've made not only with women's equality but diversity and inclusion of all kinds. This is a touchy subject of course, but it is something that I could not create this podcast without bringing up because in the conversations I have on a day-to-day basis with service leaders in different parts of the world, I have been asked certainly weekly if not more frequently since the change in leadership about what all has been going on. And there is a lot of impact not only in the United States but in other places coming from some of the decisions that are being made and some of the debate and hesitancy and changes in policy that it is triggering around DEI. So it wasn't something that I could not bring up. You can also understand though it is a topic where some of the respondents preferred to remain anonymous.

(19:48):

One saying, “Of late, I have been so frustrated by the fact that DEI initiatives have been undermined even before the current administration by what is perceived as having swung over to the other extreme where they see women being appointed for more leadership roles over men in a given organization, for example, and thereby the constant assumption that she got hired because she is a woman. I do understand that in a micro situation, one may perceive that as being unfair, but I also believe that if we don't change things today, then we will never get to the point of equity. We have suffered through decades of being undermined at the workplace due to stereotypical expectations from women. And the action to change needs to come. Now it's not just good and fair for women, but also better to prepare humankind for a future where all segments of society are represented and in fact utilized optimally.”

(20:51):

Another person weighed in saying, “I'm very worried about how this administration's policies will undo so much of the progress we've made in recent years. Their stance on DEI is alarming and the sweeping RTO mandates are impacting so many of the women that I know. Covid was a tipping point for the family structure in the US and for the first time we started to see moms and dads share the load more evenly. It feels like all of that is in jeopardy now and women are left to figure out how to make it all work. I expect that we'll see a lot of women pushed out of work in the years ahead, which is deeply sad to me.” Caroline of Vattenfall, who did not request to be named anonymously, is based in Stockholm, I believe, says she's getting a lot of questions from her organization about the developments in the United States.

(21:44):

And her thoughts are, “I get questions from my organization about the developments in the US when it comes to DEI at large and what it means for us. And if this means we're going to change something in the way we do things here, and the clear answer is no, nothing will change other than that, we will prioritize our DEI agenda even higher. We do this because we truly believe in it. Equal rights and opportunities are a core belief and not something will change just because the wind blows in another direction.” So while what is currently happening is unsettling to say the least, when it comes to the topic of today's podcast, accelerating action around women, Carolyn's stance must be the stance. Organizations that have committed to DEI because they genuinely and firmly believe in the value of a diverse, inclusive, and fairly treated workforce must continue to take steps to create just that in all the ways. We're speaking today about women because this is an International Women's Day podcast, but that statement is across the board.

(23:05):

So I like her perspective. I think that there's always this element of accepting what you can't control, making change and having impact where you can. And I think that each and every company has an opportunity to continue to take the appropriate actions and to accelerate action in whatever ways they can and should in their respective businesses, regardless of what is going on in news headlines or with YouTube videos. So my hope is that many, many people will do just that. And finally, while we navigate what this next phase of accelerating action may look like, those who weighed in also shared reminders of the need for women to believe in themselves, advocate for themselves, and look out for themselves. Jennifer Dye, who is the Director of Power Services, West Region at Schneider Electric says, “I have taken many roles in my career in which I was the first or the only in the room, sometimes simultaneously, some with extreme levels of support from others and some where I knew the ones who wished they'd been chosen for my seat and they had struggles understanding why I was the chosen one.

(24:33):

The latter are who I spent a long time trying to justify my successes to until I reached a point in my career 9and within an incredibly inclusive culture of leaders and company mission) that I finally realized I'm in the room because I deserve to be. I owe nobody my proof of entry and the only one who is allowed to question my worth is me. And, I'm very familiar with imposter syndrome in excess. Once I realized this for myself, it's been a mission of mine to challenge others with this same mentality, inclusive and constantly curious. I think strong cultures, teams, companies, et cetera, have succeeded when they encourage challenging the norm as a form of endearment and crucial to future success, not a limiter to an outcome.” I love this point and I love Jennifer's conviction around doing the work to recognize and own her value.

(25:37):

The most important point to me in what she shares here is that that firm belief in your worth and your right to be in whatever room you're in, in whatever seat you're in, in whatever role you have earned, can exist simultaneously with imposter syndrome and self-doubt, and often does. So those two things can be in parallel, but I would love for more women to get to the point Jennifer has where she keeps them in parallel. Like she says, that I owe nobody my proof of entry and the only one who is allowed to question my worth is me. I absolutely love that. Erica of Informa talks about the importance of setting boundaries. She says, “I used to think I needed to put in more hours and always be available to prove my worth. With age, perspective, and out of necessity as a mom, I've learned that setting boundaries isn't only an act of self-care, but an act that commands respect.

(26:43):

Saying no to the things that don't drive value and protecting my calendar allows me to work more effectively and deliver better results. A mentor once said to me, if you don't set your boundaries, someone else will set them for you. And that's so true.” Chantel of Woola says, “one of the most beneficial actions I've taken as a woman in service and at work is advocating for myself. This includes confidently taking on leadership opportunities, ensuring my contributions are recognized, and making my voice heard in meetings and decision-making processes. I've learned that speaking up even when it feels uncomfortable is crucial for growth and visibility.” I think these are great reminders that there is, again, there are always elements of this equation that we can control and these reminders of working on your own vision of your self-worth, working on your belief in yourself, working on your courage to speak up and speak out, working on your awareness of lifting other women up.

(27:52):

These are all things that as women we can do to help accelerate action. My hope, obviously is that other people will listen and take actions beyond that. So from an ally perspective, from an organizational perspective, making sure that just because DEI is “dead” (in quotes), the efforts around it don't need to be diminished. And more importantly, most importantly, the value of it is still just as valid. So that is what I had to share with you all today for our International Women's Day 2025 podcast. And I will, like I said, put together a piece to run on the website that has everyone's contributions in full because it was very hard for me to decide what to take out for the sake of brevity, but I will do that and share that as well. I appreciate everyone so much that took the time to share their thoughts anonymously and by name. This was very interesting for me to take a pulse of the perspective on this topic of our community. And I know you are all very busy women (and one man!), so I really appreciate you taking the time to weigh in and share. And, also, thank you for listening! You can find more at the home of the UNSCRIPTED podcast by visiting us at futureoffieldservice.com. The podcast is published in partnership with IFS. You can learn more at ifs.com. And as always, thank you for listening.

by Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service

Each year we’ve created content around International Women’s Day, and this year it felt no less important to do so (if anything, more important than ever). But as I pondered who to interview or what specifically to focus on, I found myself feeling very curious about what’s on the hearts and minds of the Future of Field Service and my LinkedIn communities. So, I decided to ask!

I appreciated each and every response – and many echoed my feelings about now being such a crucial time to keep the conversation alive. As such, I’ve decided to share the responses I received with you directly – raw and unfiltered.

This isn’t me being lazy and not wanting to do the work of editing – in fact, in this week’s podcast, I do share snippets of these contributions organized around the common themes stood out to me from the responses. But I feel it’s so important not to edit or filter women’s voices (and one man!) – I’d rather you read their thoughts in full and reflect on every word they had to share.

For context, I sent everyone the below questions and asked that they weigh in on any that they felt compelled to – or to share something entirely unrelated that is on their minds. What you’ll see below, in alphabetical order beginning with those who requested to share anonymously, is exactly what I received from the community – and I am so thankful for their engagement, reflections, and wisdom.

How do you feel we could/where do you feel we need to #AccelerateAction (this year’s IWD theme)?
When you think about gender equality, what is most frustrating for you OR what makes you feel most inspired?
What is one specific action you’ve taken that has benefitted you as a woman in service/at work?
What have you witnessed firsthand as most effective when it comes to the tactics or actions that truly create gender equality?
What is the most impactful way you’ve been supported that others could benefit from hearing and perhaps modeling?
How do you feel the U.S. current administration will impact women at work and gender equity as a whole?

Anonymous

“Of late I have been so frustrated by the fact that DEI initiatives have been undermined (even before the current administration) by what is perceived as having swung over to ‘the other extreme’, where they see women being appointed for more leadership roles over men in a given organization for example. And thereby the constant assumption that ‘she got hired because she’s a woman.’ I do understand that in a micro-situation, one may perceive that as being unfair. But I also believe that if we don’t change things today, then we will never get to the point of equity. We have suffered through decades of being undermined at the workplace due to stereotypical expectations from women, and the action to change needs to come now. It’s not just good (and fair) for women, but also better to prepare humankind for a future where all segments of society are represented and in fact utilized optimally.”

“I’m very worried about how this administration’s policies will undo so much of the progress we’ve made in recent years. Their stance on DEI is alarming and the sweeping RTO mandates are impacting so many of the women that I know. Covid was a tipping point for the family structure in the U.S., and for the first time, we started to see moms and dads share the load more evenly. It feels like all of that is in jeopardy now and women are left to figure out how to make it all work. I expect we’ll see a lot of women pushed out of work in the years ahead, which is deeply sad to me.”

Alyce Peterson

Product Marketing Manager, ServicePro by MSI Data

How do you feel we could/where do you feel we need to #AccelerateAction?

“When hearing from other women in our industry at events across the country it sounds like the biggest support we need is honestly just visibility. We need more women in leadership and for others to help pass the torch. There are so many ways to get women not only a seat at the table but also become deeply integrated leaders into their organizations.

What have you witnessed firsthand as most effective when it comes to the tactics or actions that truly create gender equality?

“Within the service space, I've attended events coast to coast from Field Service to smaller niche, service tradeshows. These on-site networking events, workshops and discussions are not just 'nice to haves' they are crucial for women to have the space to be heard and connect in such large rooms. Some of these women invite you to be mentored, be on boards, in other rooms, attend other shows, speak with them. The networking is invaluable. I'm also a mother and often bond with other women quickly over being a traveling working parent.

Recently, I had a touching experience at a service show that highlighted the importance of bringing our whole selves to these professional spaces. A fellow attendee also recognized my Latina heritage, opening the door to a deeper, more personal connection. Being able to share this part of my identity and bond over our common background was incredibly meaningful. It reminded me that our diverse experiences and cultures enrich the industry and create opportunities for more genuine, human connections.”

What is one specific action you’ve taken that has benefitted you as a woman in service/at work?

“Embracing that I bring something different to the table as a woman to mentor other women. In my work life, I volunteer to go to the tradeshows and conferences and feel comfortable enough to even run the networking table or event. These connections have built so much for the work I do. There are people who I will drive over an hour to go see and mentor. It's all about making the time to give back to invest in those who are next in line.”

What is the most impactful way you’ve been supported that others could benefit from hearing and perhaps modeling?

“By joining like-minded associations and groups, there are so many wonderful organizations for women. I've served on the WI Board for Women in Manufacturing (WiM), and at first was nervous because at the time I was in my twenties. In my current role, I also led a Women In Field Technologies panel at our user conference. As women, we have to stop disqualifying ourselves for opportunities because everyone has something to offer.”

Caroline Haggstrom Marklund

Managing Director/VP Customer Services Nordics at Vattenfall

“For me from a personal point of view what’s been most impactful in terms of support has been allyship and I try to pay that forward as often as can. It’s not hard, just be mindful of sharing your space and putting people forward within your networks.

Another topic that speaks to me is that I currently get questions from my organization about the developments in the US when it comes to DEI at large and what it means for us and if this means we’re going to change something in the way we do things here.

And the clear answer is NO, nothing will change other than that we will prioritize our DEI agenda even higher. We do this because we truly believe in it, equal rights and opportunities are a core belief and not something we’ll change just because the wind blows in another direction.

It has never been more important to speak up and stand up for these values!”

Catherine Coulter-Wood

Senior Manager, Service Optimization & Transformation, Compugen Inc.

“Gender equality in the workplace has really come a long way, but women still face real challenges. In STEM particularly, I see a lot of Capability Bias. Underpinning the results of this bias, which results in hiring disparities, leadership inequality, etc, is the why. Why is there an unconscious hiring of men over women or of promoting men over women to leadership roles. At its core, there is a Capability Bias. There are many historical and societal reasons which have created this unconscious (and sometimes very conscious) belief that men are more intelligent or capable than women, particularly in areas of STEM. Multiple studies and ample testimonies of people's lived experiences show that when there are two candidates with the same qualifications, credentials, and experience the man is generally viewed as more capable. This is an area where we can #AccelerateActions! What if we could make it visible? Some organizations work to mitigate these issues by removing names from incoming resumes to address this phenomenon, but this solution isn’t scalable and is too limited. What if, alternatively, we could make Capability Bias more visible? We need to develop methods that enable us to name it, measure it, and critically analyze how to change it.

Organizations measure areas of focus so that they can best understand the problems they face and, later, the impact of proposed solutions. If we can find a way to make Capability Bias visible and measure how often it happens, then we would be equipped to address one of the root causes of gender inequality in the workplace. Ruth Bader Ginsberg once said to ‘[f]ight for the things that you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.’ Real change takes will and, when armed with knowledge, we can lead that change. Let’s #AccelerateActions!”

Chantel King

Managing Partner, Woola

How do you feel we could/where do you feel we need to #AccelerateAction?

“We need to accelerate action in industries that have historically been male-dominated—especially in trades, operations, and leadership roles. Representation matters, and we need to actively encourage and support more women in these spaces through mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership development programs.”

What is one specific action you’ve taken that has benefited you as a woman in service/at work?

“One of the most beneficial actions I’ve taken as a woman in service and at work is advocating for myself. This includes confidently taking on leadership opportunities, ensuring my contributions are recognized, and making my voice heard in meetings and decision-making processes. I've learned that speaking up, even when it feels uncomfortable, is crucial for growth and visibility.”

What is the most impactful way you’ve been supported that others could benefit from hearing and perhaps modeling?

“Having male allies who actively create space for women in discussions, advocate for their advancement, and push back against biases has been incredibly impactful. Leadership needs to be intentional about fostering inclusion.”

Danielle Waterworth

VP- NA AG Dealer & Customer Support + Global VP Parts & Service AG Maintenance & Services Development, CNH

“Two and a half years ago, I was given a first…..my first dual role, but my first where one of those leaders was a female executive ! While I have learned and enjoyed working for all my prior leaders, I have found this relationship to be different in that she sees things in a different lens. Our relationship has grown to be open and reciprocal where we do not bullsh** one another. We are transparent when we are disappointed in the other’s opinion or work, and we are open with one another when it comes to growth and leadership. Also, when I have a problem, it is her problem too.

Having a leader that you trust to be truthful and that has your back is something all should have but especially women helping another woman as they know how to balance the various aspects or jobs that our life entails – from employee, to wife, to mother, to friend and volunteer- but do not question how or if you will be successful still in accomplishing what they expect of you.

I think it is very important, especially for International Women’s Day, to reiterate that women CAN do it all if they want to, but they have to be honest with themselves on if they want to do what it takes to attain the goal.

Do not let others make excuses for you or tell you what you can and cannot accomplish or be. AND ON A LAST NOTE- find a leader/mentor that you can trust to not hold things against you, that you can be your true self with, that deep down you know wants to help you grow.”

Dot Mynahan

Sr. Director, Safety and Workforce Development, National Elevator Industry, Inc.

“I think there’s a need to Accelerate Action around Employee Resource Groups. There’s a great guidance document assembled by 16 State AGs called, ‘Multi-State Guidance Concerning Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Employment Initiatives’ that stresses the importance of ERGs providing ‘an inclusive and supportive space where employees of particular backgrounds or common experiences feel value and heard.’ According to the document, ‘When employees feel that their identity is recognized and supported within the organization, they’re more likely to stay long-term.’”

Erica Marois

Sr. Manager, Content & Community, HDI & ICMI, Tech Events, Informa

What is one specific action you’ve taken that has benefitted you as a woman in service/at work?

“Setting boundaries and blocking off my calendar! I used to think I needed to put in more hours and always be available to prove my worth. With age, perspective, and out of necessity as a mom, I’ve learned that setting boundaries isn’t only an act of self-care, but an act that commands respect. Saying no to the things that don’t drive value and protecting my calendar allows me to work more effectively and deliver better results. A mentor once said to me, ‘if you don’t set your boundaries, someone else will set them for you.’ It’s so true!”

What is the most impactful way you’ve been supported that others could benefit from hearing and perhaps modeling?

“I was fortunate to have many other women take me under their wing in my 20s and gently nudge me out of my comfort zone while also championing my work. I didn’t realize it at the time, but they were planting the seeds of confidence I needed to grow both personally and professionally. Society loves to pit women against each other, but when we take it upon ourselves to offer support, kindness and understanding to others, those small acts can make a huge difference. Give other women a ‘seat at the table’ by speaking positively about their work and contributions even when they’re not in the room. It’s such an easy way to pay it forward.”

Jayda Nance

Delivery Project Executive Leader: AI Development & Innovation for Client Experience, IBM

“For me, it’s Allyship.

As an ambitious young Black woman, I learned early on to separate who I am from what I do—while preserving my happiness. Navigating male-dominated spaces meant building connections that felt both natural and authentic. Is that fair? Maybe not. But when you focus less on who and more on why, real relationships take shape.

Allyship is more than acknowledgment—it’s action. It’s men stepping into women’s world, not as saviors but as advocates. Too often, society assigns women the “easy” tasks, mistaking consideration for fragility. But we don’t want saving—we want opportunity. A voice. A seat at the table with a steak.

I’ve been fortunate to work with men who have spoken my name in rooms I wasn’t in, advocated for me when it mattered, and celebrated my accomplishments publicly. The hard truth? Sometimes, things happen simply because a man said so. That’s the reality. And while we work toward a future where all voices carry equal weight, we must also recognize the opportunity within this dynamic.

Behind many accomplished men are women who played a pivotal role in their success. So, lift us up with you. When you rise, bring us along. That is allyship. That is impact.”

Jennifer Dye

Director of Power Services, West Region at Schneider Electric

“I started writing down some thoughts, but I believe they're a hybrid of two of your prompts; ‘What is a specific action that I've taken that has benefitted me as a woman in service/at work’ and ‘what have I witnessed firsthand as an effective support of gender equality?’

I've spent 15 years in the corporate service industry (4 years+ before that in the hospitality industry of services), and in a way I have ‘grown-up’ in this industry. Looking back, I would change absolutely nothing; though in hindsight I can see more clearly the moments when gender inequality was the theme of my challenge, but I never looked at it like that in the moment. I'm thankful for that mindset, as it's allowed me to really examine and seek to understand other's and their perspectives on equality within their careers (and lives).

Early in my career I observed that leaders do not beg or wait for someone else to set up time for an idea they have. If they feel their thoughts add value, or feed a curiosity, they take initiative to start that conversation without fear. They are intentional with the time, ensuring that it covers what they had in mind, and always ensuring if it's a quizzical topic that they leave room for others’ opinions. Women in meetings are usually the first to speak, the most to be interrupted, and yet seem to be the ones that take the most notes and bring the follow-up actions back to the table. From the beginning of my career to now, I can say I've witnessed more examples where the woman(en) were not asked to take notes or order the coffee, etc; and it's led to more productive interactions and inclusiveness. Leave it to Louisa May Alcott's main antagonist in Little Women, Jo March, to remind us from 1868 what was/is still true today: ‘women have minds and souls (and) hearts, and they have talent and ambition as well as beauty.’ We are never just one part of the conversation; we are every part of it.

I have taken many roles in my career in which I was the ‘first’ or the ‘only’ in the room (sometimes simultaneously); some with extreme levels of support from others, and some where I knew the ones who wished they'd been chosen for my seat, and they had struggles understanding why I was ‘the chosen one.’ The latter are who I spent a long time trying to justify my successes to; until I reached a point in my career (and within an incredibly inclusive culture of leaders and company mission) that I finally realized, ‘I'm in the room because I deserve to be.’ I owe nobody my proof of entry, and the only one who is allowed to question my worth, is me. (and I'm very familiar with imposter syndrome in excess). Once I realized this for myself, it's been a mission of mine to challenge others with this same mentality; inclusive and constantly curious. I think strong cultures (teams, companies, etc.) have succeeded when they encourage challenging the norm as a form of endearment and crucial to future success, and not a limiter to an outcome.

By nature, our tactical services instinct could be rebranded into #AccelarateAction; the moment we stop focusing on gender (in)equality and other social gaps, we cease to move the action forward.”

KM Manickam

Customer Support Manager, BD

“We need to #AccelerateAction in areas where gender disparities are most pronounced, such as in leadership roles. I am proud to say that my current organization strongly supports in every decision we make.

What frustrates me most is the crime against or targeting women. However, I am inspired by the growing number of women breaking barriers and leading successful initiatives across various industries.

One impactful way I've supported a woman at work was by advocating for her during performance reviews and promotion discussions. By highlighting her achievements and contributions, I helped ensure she received the recognition and opportunities she deserved.”

Sarah McKay

VP, Service Delivery, Concentrix

“These are the two areas that I have been thinking on most in relation to the female role in business, and in the community as a whole:

I think that the general direction of stepping back from DEI initiatives, which may be most visible in the US, is not unique to the US, but is becoming pervasive across the globe. The US administration may have made it feel acceptable for businesses to deprioritize, or worse, to be penalized for trying to redress imbalances within their organisation, but this mentality has been gaining popularity across the globe.

There is a huge risk that this conversational direction will damage, and reverse years of positive momentum, but that leads me to consider two options in terms of #AcclerateAction:

We accept that the global trend is to favour the privileged wealthy white middle-aged man, and that any other view is ‘woke,’ and we start to create the Margaret Atwood dystopian world of ‘handmaids tail’ OR
Those of us in a position to influence, amplify our voices in protest, and put a hand down to pull the next generation of female leaders up

Personally, I find that the more extreme the misogynistic commentary from the likes of Trump, Zuckerberg, Musk, Andrew Tate becomes, actually, the more it lights a fire in me to combat that narrative, and prove that the world is a better place when everyone has a seat at the table – women, and all minority communities, and it is not a threat to the position of those trying to protect their control of power.

In Northern Ireland, we have two female heads of state – a first and deputy first minister. They hold polar opposite political views, and have many points of difference, but they negotiate a path that allows practical decisions to be made, and all communities represented. It is examples like this, that prove to me that women add value, bring insight, and can engage people in conversations that result in value to the company/ country.

I am so glad that my own company continue to value and invest in ESG initiatives globally and will continue to do so. And I am so glad that people like you are still out there promoting the benefits of diversity for the benefit of the business, not just as a LinkedIn sound bite.”

by Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service

From OpenAI’s evolution to DeepSeek disruption, AI persists as one of the most buzzworthy topics of 2025. While I’ve talked to service leaders whose responses run the gamut from hard-to-contain excitement at its potential to utter disdain for its all-consuming prominence, it is indisputable that AI is changing how businesses across industries work – and we’ve only just begun.

Where We Are

In field service, there are organizations leading the charge to adopt AI in meaningful ways and those that are more resistant to its inevitable impact – with the vast majority somewhere in between. Late last year, Future of Field Service conducted a service with our Stand Out 50 leaders and here are some of the interesting points they shared.

Fifty percent of respondents said that less than 10% of field service tasks are automated. This reveals the tremendous opportunity that exists to use AI to help make the lives of field technicians specifically and service operations on the whole much easier and potentially more satisfying.

When we consider how customer expectations have evolved, as well as how they will continue to – especially as their familiarity with AI expands in everyday life – it’s interesting to begin to envision all of the ways in which AI could enable service providers to work smarter. Here’s how the Stand Out 50 ranked the top seven customer expectations:

Demanding faster resolution
Wanting peace of mind/guaranteed uptime or performance
Desiring more data and insights to aid in improving their business
Expecting more data and insights about the service delivery process and value delivered
Seeking streamlined or different channels of communication
Higher standards of brand experience/soft skills
Seeking more sustainable providers/partners

Sixty-two percent of respondents already use AI in their service operations and shared a wide range of examples of how so:

Chats and emails
Triage in tech support; insights dashboard
Using AI to review customer equipment on material through-put to ensure they get the best yield of products
Service order summaries
Document and data search
Guided troubleshooting (pilot phase)
Used in monitoring assets and in our scheduling tool
Customer contact, scheduling & routing, predictive maintenance
Primarily used for the service desk, with a goal of preventing calls from dispatch and resolving via phone or chat. AI is also being used to immediately dispatch to the field issues that cannot be resolved remotely, ensuring swift resolution and not requiring customer interaction for the call
Generating service tickets from emails
Diagnostics workflow, technical training, value-based selling, technical report dictation, material master data cleanup
Self-service, self-training, knowledge management, process automation, data mining
Generative AI for triage, AI for resource allocation, machine learning for predictive analytics
Scheduling and optimization of our field interventions, optimizing work order quality by using AI to predict job duration, and supporting field force on the job with image recognition AI

As the use of AI and other technologies expands, organizations must consider the effect it will have on how service is delivered – and what that means in terms of changes needed in the customer narrative, commercial agreements, or both. The increase in both self- and remote service are great examples of how today’s technologies can be used to significantly reduce inefficiencies and provide faster resolution, but for organizations who still primarily have transactional, break-fix relationships with customers this can present a hurdle to overcome.

Fifteen percent of the Stand Out 50 respondents have extensive self-service options in place and state customers are responding well; 52% currently have some self-service capabilities and state it’s a focus to expand. Thirty-three percent of respondents have transitioned a significant portion of service delivery to be remote and another 30% are in the midst of transitioning a portion of service delivery to remote, while 26% use remote capabilities but for diagnosis versus resolution, and 11% state that they either have barriers to using remote capabilities or it’s not yet a focus.

While this data is representative of a relatively small group of service businesses, it shows some real-world examples of how AI is being adopted, how AI and other technologies are changing workflows and transforming service delivery, and how these new ways of working can raise questions that reach beyond service transformation to business transformation.

Where We’re Going

Regardless of whether AI elicits excitement or an eye roll from any given service leader, they generally agree that its use and impact is still in its infancy – and organizations have a massive responsibility to determine how to take today’s pilots and early use cases and rapidly expand on their success.

Forty-seven percent of the Stand Out 50 respondents listed AI as their next area of focus for technology investment and 76% believe Advanced AI will be critical for staying competitive in field service. When asked what areas of AI they feel hold the biggest potential for service organizations, respondents said:

Fault/failure prediction – 33%
Knowledge management – 30%
Customer support (chatbots, self-service capabilities, etc.) – 19%
Automated scheduling and resource optimization - 11%
Automation of reporting – 7%

In many ways, the sky is truly the limit in terms of where AI can go in field service. In his 2025 predictions blog, Mark Brewer, VP of Service Industries at IFS, talks about some of the exciting advancements he expects this year – including more instances of agentic AI, the lift AI can provide for knowledge management, and the potential it has for fault detection. All of these uses – and more – have the capacity to bring a lot of positive change to how service organizations operate and the value they can offer their customers.

A great example I came across recently is CNH. The company used AI to condense 1.5 million pages of manuals into one AI-powered chatbot. According to this article, “CNH AI Tech Assistant tool is already at work at over 300 authorized agriculture and construction dealer groups, with global expansion underway. The first-of-its-kind tool was developed with dealer feedback and works by simulating conversations to provide a diagnosis and repair plan for CNH brands’ machines, enabling dealer technicians to save time on repairs by providing fast and accurate answers to technical questions.”

While this is just one of a multitude of ways AI can transform service, the bigger question to ask around where we’re going is how ready an organization is to change – and to what extent.

What We Don’t Yet Know

When it comes to what we don’t yet know, there’s both the logical and the philosophical. Let’s start with the logical. The Stand Out 50 respondents weighed in on their biggest concerns around the growing use of AI in field service:

Accuracy & bias - 33%
That we haven’t yet mastered “the basics” and must do so first - 23%
Not having the data at the ready to support its use – 19%
Security – 11%
The hype surrounding it – 7%
Keeping pace with the technological advancement - 7%

There are also some very crucial logistical questions I’ve alluded to already around how the use of AI will evolve the work frontline employees do (or don’t) as well as what the service value proposition looks like. So, when it comes to an increase in remote and self-service; how does less on-site work change what we need from our employees? Are they able to do that new work today, or do they need reskilling or upskilling?

Also, how does a more modern, remote-first service delivery model change the customer value proposition? For companies whose customers are still accustomed to paying for time technician is on site – that visible, tangible work – how do they reshape the commercial agreements and then communicate them in a way that resonates?

These are the questions where the most sticking points arise – the real strategic meat of what using AI to a significant extent will mean digging into and ultimately through. But perhaps the most important question that is left unanswered is a philosophical one: how do we make good use of sophisticated technology without it having a negative impact on how we value humanity?

This question was the premise of a recent podcast discussion I had with Arnaud Billard, Senior Director for Applications and Service for Europe at Cepheid. When Arnaud and I connected to land on a podcast topic, he mentioned that he is really struggling with what the future holds around AI and automation and, once we dug in, I admired the perspective he was sharing.

He clarifies at the beginning of the podcast, saying, “The struggle I refer to is not about resisting technology or AI particularly. It's more about how to navigate its evolution while preserving what makes service truly valuable, which is a human connection.”

For organizations who haven’t evolved their view of service beyond break-fix, the reverence for relationships may be less than Arnaud’s – but for many, this is a missed opportunity. “Relationships in service really matter and there is a component of trust that is very important. When you sell service, it’s intangible. It’s no longer just about fixing things; service professionals today are no longer only solving technical issues; they are acting as a trusted advisor. They gather insights, identify customer pain points, they contribute to company growth via customer intelligence. It’s one of the most overlooked aspects of service, I believe, but service is a source of innovation and growth,” says Arnaud.

If you share this view, then you can understand that the risk of overapplying AI in service for the sake of cost savings or efficiency gains is not only a risk to the business at present but also cuts off an incredibly valuable source of knowledge, relationships, and fuel for innovation. “I'm very conscious that AI can bring fantastic efficiencies,” says Arnaud. “However, to me, we have to find the right balance between enhancing service productivity without depersonalizing it. We need to ensure that we don't erode the very element that built customer loyalty and satisfaction. We must make sure that technology enhances our human capacities rather than diminishing them.”

I’d encourage you to have a listen to the full podcast discussion here. If you have thoughts on the now, the next, or the unanswered questions of AI in field service – reach out!

by Stephen Goulbourne, Vice President, Global Program Director - Global Service at Mettler-Toledo

As field service continues to evolve in an era of rapid digital transformation, traditional support tools remain essential. However, with the rise of AI powered solutions, these tools can be significantly enhanced to drive efficiency, reduce costs, and improve customer experience.

The Critical Role of Triage

Triage has long been a foundational element of effective field service. It enables organizations to diagnose and resolve issues before dispatching a technician or, ideally, to provide a remote fix that eliminates the need for a truck roll altogether. When executed effectively, triage delivers two key benefits:

1. Increased Uptime for Customers - Faster issue resolution minimizes operational disruptions

2. Lower Cost to Serve for Service Providers - Reducing unnecessary site visits improves productivity and optimizes resource allocation

Triage should not be viewed simply as a process but as a strategic approach to service excellence. At a recent America's Service Managers meeting, a colleague and I explored this concept further, breaking it down into its core components to better define its role in modern field service. By reframing triage in this way, we can see it as more than just a support tool, it becomes a critical enabler of improved service outcomes.

The Shift Left: Elevating Support Through Digitalization

The Shift Left strategy driven by digitalization and AI, allows organizations to resolve more issues remotely and at earlier stages of the support cycle. This shift has profound commercial implications, particularly in distinguishing the value of a service contract from the traditional time and-materials model.

As AI driven tools improve triage effectiveness, service providers can offer higher value, proactive support. This differentiation is crucial in an increasingly competitive landscape where customers seek maximum uptime and predictability in service costs.

Monetizing Triage: A Strategic Imperative

One of the ongoing discussions in the Services industry is how to effectively monetize triage. While opinions vary, one clear opportunity lies in leveraging AI powered knowledge management systems to enhance support outcomes. Given the tangible benefits of these advanced tools, organizations must consider reserving them exclusively for service contract customers.

By bundling remote diagnostics, AI assisted support, and predictive maintenance within a comprehensive service contract, organizations can create compelling value propositions:

Budget Predictability - Full-coverage contracts (including parts and labor) eliminates unexpected repair costs
Extended Equipment Lifespan - Routine maintenance and proactive service reduce failure rates
Higher First Time Fix Rates - Access to remote support tools ensures that when a technician is dispatched, they arrive with the right solution the first time

This approach strengthens the case for service contracts, making them indispensable for customers who prioritize uptime and operational efficiency.

The Future of Field Service: A Data-Driven, Customer Centric Approach

Service driven revenue streams continue to grow across industries, particularly for manufacturers investing in modern support technologies. As we move further along the Shift Left journey, the future of field service will be defined by remote, predictive, and eventually self-service capabilities, offered exclusively to customers who recognize the strategic value of a service contract.

Organizations that embrace this transformation will lead the industry, delivering superior outcomes for customers while optimizing their own operational efficiency. Triage will remain a cornerstone of this evolution, ensuring that service is not just reactive but proactive, intelligent, and deeply integrated with AI driven decision making.

Now is the time for organizations to rethink their service strategies, align with digitalization, and position themselves for long term success.

Stephen Goulbourne is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of professional experience in driving operational excellence and customer success. The views expressed in this article are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Mettler Toledo.

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