INSIDER, February 2026 | By Sarah Nicastro, Founder and Editor in Chief, Future of Field Service

What have you found is best practice for measuring field service success?

This is a layered question as it weaves in many variables. First, thinking about how you define what success is for the service organization within the business – is it used to drive revenue? Profit margin? Or is it perceived as a cost center? We’ve often discussed service as a function in terms of cost center vs. Profit center, but I loved the point Roy Dockery of TSIA made in his recent State of Service 2026 webinar that there’s a further viewpoint beyond profit center, which is strategic revenue driver. Alignment on what service means to the business is crucial to developing the right measures of success.

From there, it’s about developing KPIs for your frontline workforce that ensure they are focused on the right behaviors. What we’ve seen happen is organizations that shift to viewing service as a more strategic lever for customer experience and revenue but continue to measure field technicians on metrics rooted only in efficiency. So, for instance, the focus broadens to encompass customer satisfaction, but measurement of success doesn’t change from jobs per day.

There’s a need to set KPIs that aren’t too broad – focusing on three to five core areas of performance at most is best practice. As such, leaders must ensure that KPIs across function align to the behavior the service organization – and broader business – are aiming to drive. While jobs per day may remain an important measure of efficiency, if focus shifts to CSAT, KPIs like on-time arrival and first-time-fix would likely take priority.

It’s also important to remember that KPIs should be reflected upon regularly – as objectives shift; they may need tweaked or even overhauled. Clear communication to employees is essential, ensuring they are understood and agreed upon. Many organizations also find it helpful to communicate KPIs not only at the individual level, but with team and even cross-functional visibility through dashboards, regular updates on company calls, and even through contests that foster friendly competition.