by Sarah Nicastro, Creator and Editor in Chief, Future of Field Service
I’ve just wrapped the week at my 7th IFS Sales Kickoff, this time in Dallas, TX. It was the company’s first kickoff in the US, and the event planners struck gold with a location ripe with thematic inspiration. They selected “The Next Frontier;” fitting for the point IFS has arrived at after consecutive years of impressive growth.
Throughout the week, my mind couldn’t help but consider how the theme applies to the world of field service. What created competitive differentiation and guaranteed success just a few years ago is not sufficient for today’s landscape – let alone tomorrows. But what does the next frontier of field service look like?
To some extent, it’s foolish to even attempt to predict the future. But while being confident in exactly what will unfold might not be possible, there are plenty of truths service leaders can bet on. Here are a few that came to mind for me throughout this week.
The "Field" in Field Service Evolves
I don’t believe in a future where there’s no need for true field service, but there is certainly an imperative to get away from field service by default (many companies’ autopilot). To meet both the expectations of today’s customers and the cost pressures service leaders face, there’s no choice but to work smarter.
Thankfully, while there’s no choice, there are plenty of opportunities. So many field service organizations today still have poor utilization, first-time fix rates that need massive improvement, and lack modern options for self-service and remote resolution. Solutions exist to allow you to maximize the impact of your existing workforce; not by wringing the last ounce of productivity out of them in a way that kills the employee experience, but by removing so many layers of inefficiency that you’ve improved it.
In the next frontier, “field” service is still a foundational piece of service, but when and where needed. With a well-informed and prepared and capable technician to fix what’s broken, or as a strategic tool to maintain and expand customer loyalty – the inefficient processes of multiple visits for a repair and scheduled yet unnecessary maintenance trips are simply not fit for today’s needs.
Operational Excellence is the Foundation, Not the Finish Line
This really expands on what I’ve said above, because so many organizations are yet to adopt the capabilities to achieve true operational excellence – let alone embrace what comes next. Companies are still working hard to be able to arrive on time, reduce repeat visits, and incorporate offerings beyond transactional service – not too long ago, these characteristics alone would land you best-in-class. But customer demands have evolved far faster than service organizations. Most industrial businesses are struggling to respond to customer pressure that stems from experiences they’ve become accustomed to in their consumer lives.
To be fair, while they may feel frustrating, these pressures aren’t unfounded. Customers expect more – more communication, more convenience, more knowledge, more value – because they see that it’s possible. Industrial businesses may have much more complexity to navigate to meet these demands, but it is what will be required to maintain advantage – and the more energy you expend making it a reality rather than bemoaning what’s being requested, the more success you’ll find.
What’s required is intelligent use of modern technology combined with an ample focus on people. Reading that, it sure sounds simple – doesn’t it? I realize it’s far from it, particularly in companies with a deep legacy, significant technology debt, or leadership that isn’t adept at navigating change.
The expectations aren’t lessening, though, and the speed of change is only increasing. I fear technology debt – core systems that are ill fit for today’s needs but required so much investment or are so heavily modified they feel impossible to replace – will kill some organizations. AI is inevitably changing the future of work, but it’s nearly impossible to leverage those capabilities in any meaningful way if your core technology is outdated, inflexible, fragmented, really anything less than rock solid.
The Frontline Role is Redefined for the Next Generation of Workforce
Not only has AI changed what the future of work will look like, the talent landscape itself has shifted. We know that today’s talent doesn’t tend to stay put in a role for five, ten, fifteen years like technicians from previous generations were happy to do. We know that today’s talent wants more flexibility, more autonomy, and better work-life balance. We know they want to feel the work they do matters; to feel a part of something.
Yet businesses have been slow to adapt to these new circumstances. Some seem to have entirely ignored what’s changed (while complaining about how hard it’s become to hire and retain), while others have made adjustments that have at times seemed to be more for optics than with meaning. For instance, an organization may have introduced career paths – but fail to adopt the recruiting and hiring practices that support talent that moves through frontline positions more quickly.
Some businesses have truly embraced what’s changed, though – and it’s been heartening to see. Those who are putting more focus on leadership, working to improve diversity, taking the onus to develop talent instead of expecting to be able to hire based on experience, developing (and supporting) career paths, and leveraging technology to not only ease the burden of the frontline role but to offer greater flexibility will absolutely win in this area of the next frontier.
The “People Part” that Makes Service Special Requires Thoughtful Investment
In an era where AI buzz is everywhere, cost pressures are high, and technology is a more crucial differentiator than ever, it’s easier than one would think to lose sight of what matters most – people. With all these moving parts, it’s so important to keep people in focus.
This goes for employees and customers. In my many years in this space, leaders have always reiterated that “service is a people business” – that people are what make service special, the heart of the competitive advantage. My belief is that no matter how much automation is introduced, no matter how many inefficiencies can be removed, no matter how the service value proposition evolves, people will remain at the heart of service.
Yet, if I were a betting woman, I’d put my money on the fact that some organizations are going to become so enamored by the potential cost savings of AI, so distracted by all that’s changing, that they’ll fail to remember what matters most – and they’ll suffer as a result. Don’t let this be you.
Customers want convenience, yes – but they also want character. They want seamlessness, but they also want empathy. They may need fewer on-site visits to accomplish the same or even more, but they will continue to value relationships.
And employees want strong leaders – leaders who show up authentically, who care not only about the work but about how it’s done, who appreciate and recognize their teams and create a sense of belonging.
Maintaining, upholding, and expanding this vital human connection takes intention, thoughtfulness, and investment – not necessarily in big dollars, but in prioritization and of time. The next frontier of field service will bring with it new layers we haven’t yet imagined, but in my opinion, it will also most certainly consist of some of the components that have always mattered most – people first and foremost.