By Sarah Nicastro, Creator and Editor in Chief, Future of Field Service
On last week’s podcast, I shared a summary of our first Live event since 2024 which took place at the beautiful Glasshouse Chelsea in NYC on June 2nd. In catching up after the event, I’ve been humbled by the wonderful feedback we’ve received from those who joined us for the day.
These events, while intimate, take a tremendous amount of effort to plan and execute. At the height of the stressful moments, I’ve questioned myself – is this really worth it? Reading LinkedIn posts, receiving emails, and reviewing post-event survey responses reminds me the answer to that question is an emphatic yes.
If you’ve never joined one of our events, it’s hard for me to describe how special they are – and it’s the leaders to who join us, to speak and to engage, that make that the reality. The energy from the day in New York and the response we received from those who joined us has sparked massive excitement for the planning of our London event (September 24th). More on that soon, but for now here are five of the top community-sourced takeaways from NYC.
#1: Technology Alone Can’t Power the Future of Service
Natalia Shuman, President and CEO of MISTRAS Group, and one of our NYC speakers, shared the following on LinkedIn: “One theme stood out throughout the day: the service organizations that will succeed in the years ahead are those that can effectively connect strategy, technology, and people. Whether the discussion centered on AI, workforce development, customer experience, or operational excellence, the message was consistent—technology alone is not the answer. Success comes from combining innovation with strong execution and empowered teams.”
I spoke in my opening keynote about the need to modernize our mindset around technology from viewing it as an enabler (which has been the historic thinking) to viewing it as a multiplier (more aligned with not only what today’s tools can do, but the impact organizations must seek). While I believe this is important, to Natalia’s point, it’s even more crucial for leaders to really and truly understand that no matter how capable a tech stack they invest in, it cannot and will not alone achieve what they need to achieve.
Natalia’s humble view on the necessity and value of both customer listening and frontline input was one I not only respect and admire, but that more leaders would be well-served to embrace. The future of service will be owned by companies who intimately understand what their customers value, who can successfully rally crucial talent to deliver that value, and who deploy technology to amplify value delivered beyond what’s possible with human talent alone.
#2: AI is a Present-Day Business Imperative (But Not a Strategy)
Tim LaHaie, Jr., Director of Operations at Torque by Ryder, shared a summary on LinkedIn in which he echoed Natalia’s point above. He said, “Leading through change requires more than technology. Successful transformation depends on aligning people, processes, and strategy while maintaining a strong focus on customer outcomes.”
He also dug into the AI aspect of technology more specifically, sharing that “AI is no longer a future discussion, it’s a present-day business conversation. The focus is shifting from experimentation to delivering measurable value for technicians, customers, and organizations.”
In an AI Think Tank with Nick Vandivere, Chief Innovation Officer at IFS Nexus Black, we had a lively discussion among the entire group around AI myths and missteps. One we discussed is that while many leaders are reporting they’re being told to “go do AI,” AI is not at all a strategy – it’s a tool to serve your strategy.
The discussion made very apparent Tim’s point above – that AI is a must-have present-day business mandate, but also that it isn’t a panacea, and it won’t magically solve your problems or realize your potential.
#3: The Growth Potential in Service is Massive
After lunch, Dave Clement and Eric Flato of Simon-Kucher ran a workshop on how to best leverage frontline superpower as a growth lever. The session, based in part on the findings of our joint research, highlighted the growth potential that exists across service industries.
Dave shared after, “My key takeaway across all the speakers was that many field service organizations are sitting on a tremendous growth opportunity that's already in front of customers every day - the technician. The challenge isn't finding opportunities; it's building the systems to capture them.”
Tim LaHaie agreed in his summary, saying, “The role of frontline technicians continues to expand. Organizations are increasingly recognizing their impact not only on service delivery but also on customer relationships, revenue growth, and long-term business success.”
The discussion in the room centered around what the best mechanisms are not only to capture the opportunities that exist, but to adequately and appropriately encourage, motivate, and incentivize the frontline to engage in this way. One key point that was made was that this works best when the organization is truly invested in the customers’ best interest and desired outcomes versus simply looking for short-term results. This is an excellent point to underscore, both in terms of what will drive true and lasting impact as well as what will be most palatable for the frontline to rally behind.
#4: We’re So Much Stronger Together
One of my favorite pieces of feedback that I’ve received after almost every Future of Field Service event is, “I feel so much less alone after hearing today that so many others are grappling with the same challenges.” The sense of camaraderie that surfaces is such a gift of these days and each event reminds me of the power of community.
Sheri Pelish, Chief Operating Officer at BFC Solutions, mentioned this in an email she sent to me following the event. She said, “I’d just like to take a quick moment to thank you for a great event. It far exceeded my expectations, in terms of not only content but connectedness. It’s rare, and a tremendous gift, to stand in a room with leaders who face the exact same challenges you do. I walked away with growth strategies, thoughts on how to better connect with my field technician team, and a perspective on how we can and should leverage AI within our business. I’m grateful and sincerely, nice job designing an impactful, relevant, and inspirational day.”
I appreciated this message deeply because it articulates really well what I’ve found hard to describe about what takes place at these events. No one can expect to leave with a blueprint for exactly how to go and solve every problem, but the realization you aren’t alone, the connections made, the points that re-energize and inspire you to go back and dig in with renewed gusto – I have been honored to witness those moments unfolding in real-time and it’s one of my proudest accomplishments.
#5: Service Organizations Must Seek Inspiration Outside Their Own Industry
All of the feedback we’ve received has pointed out the benefit of spending time learning from organizations outside your own industry – and I think this practice is especially important for today’s service leaders.
There was a point in time where being the best in your industry was enough – but today’s customers are influenced by experiences not only across industries, but from business to consumer, from professional to personal. There’s no more acceptance of offering the best “X” industry experience; you must level up.
Tanya Singh, CCO of Biotronics 3D and Co-Founder of the FemTech Healthcare Network, emphasizes this in the summary she shared on LinkedIn. She said, “It was fantastic to reconnect with familiar faces, meet new industry peers, and engage in thought-provoking discussions around leadership, AI, service transformation, and the future of customer experience. The speaker line-up was exceptional, featuring honest conversations, practical insights, and perspectives that challenged conventional thinking while remaining grounded in real-world experience. One of the aspects I value most about events like this is the opportunity to step outside our own industries and learn from leaders facing similar challenges from completely different perspectives.”
Another sincere thank you to those who joined us in NYC – and for those who took the time to share your takeaways on social, to send a personal note, or to share feedback through our survey. I am so appreciative of you making this community what it is!
Next up: London! If you’d like to join us there, you can register here.