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November 21, 2022 | 4 Mins Read

Themes from Field Service Connect Austin

November 21, 2022 | 4 Mins Read

Themes from Field Service Connect Austin

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By Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service 

My lucky streak of relatively smooth travel this year ended last week with my trip to Austin to attend Field Service Connect. Despite a delayed arrival, the event was enjoyable. This is one of WBR’s intentionally small sessions, which creates a lot of lively dialogue. I am sometimes asked if I ever bore of attending these events, and the dialogue is what allows me to answer that question with an honest “no.”

I know the mainstage topics by heart, that’s true. And there are times where I feel a deep urge to really shake things up, which I try to do in my own way. But the dialogue, the side conversations, the layers of detail are where I find the really interesting nuggets that keep me engaged, invested, and passionate about where this industry is headed. 

So, what stuck out from Field Service Connect? I had an opportunity to host a roundtable discussion on opportunities within service to drive sustainability and moderate a panel alongside Roy Dockery of Flock Safety, Haroon Abbu of Bell and Howell, and Curtis Novinger of P3 on what it takes for businesses to create a digitally focused identity. 

Driving More Sustainable Service 

The sustainability discussion raised some good points of consideration. Participants mostly reported their organizations as having a “medium” level of focus on sustainability, but all agreed that the level of focus will inevitably need to increase in the next few years. Some of the top-of-mind topics for those who participated included:

  • That while environmental initiatives are getting more attention, they haven’t yet begun to factor into decision making 
  • Putting practices in place to measure and track environmental impact – only two of thirteen companies participating do so currently
  • Awareness of looming changes in policy and regulatory pressures. The US lags behind Europe in how sustainability is being measured and improvements driven, but nearly everyone expects that will come soon
  • How to lower waste and improve recycling, reuse, and remanufacturing
  • What role remote service can play in alleviating unnecessary travel and reducing carbon footprint – and the challenges of adoption, customer acceptance, and how to monetize remote service vs. traditional break-fix
  • How Servitization lends itself to more sustainable product and service practices
  • Greening of fleets – discussion around how practical the use of electric vehicles currently is for commercial fleets in terms of availability, cost, infrastructure to support, and practicalities of how employees would access and use 

Overcoming the Burden of Digital Debt

During our panel discussion, we focused a lot of the discussion around a metric that Curtis had shared in his morning presentation from McKinsey stating that 70% of digital transformation efforts fail. In considering why this is and how to combat common missteps, we talked first about how investment decisions within the businesses are made. While most decisions are driven by either an opportunity to reduce cost or increase revenue, there’s a category of investments that need to be made of necessity and/or disruption. 

This brought up the topic of digital debt, where Roy shared that at Flock Safety, they have an issue of having almost too many tools in use, some of which aren’t effective. Taking the time, and spending the money, to streamline, improve, and re-introduce technology is something companies often don’t do because they see those dollars as already spent and a thing of the past. While that’s true, if your existing systems aren’t effective and driving value, you cannot simply forge ahead or layer new things on top – you must face the burden of that digital debt and do the work of creating an effective digital stack. 

We also talked about the role of leadership in driving success with Digital Transformation and other forms of innovation. Haroon spoke about the importance of having leadership who is technology adept, but not to the point of being too technically “in the weeds,” who also deeply understands the business and it’s needs to work on creating a true digital strategy and roadmap as well as owning much of the process and continual improvement. Businesses who are investing in leaders to drive innovation, versus expecting leaders with responsibility for the day-to-day business to also find time to innovate, seem to be much further ahead. This also helps in breaking down siloes, which is one of the most common reasons digital transformation efforts fail. 

These were just two of many excellent topics discussed at the event. Sessions around AI, augmented reality, As-a-Service, attracting talent, company culture and people centricity, effective communication and much more rounded out the agenda and gave today’s service leaders an opportunity to share what they’re learning, working toward, and struggling with. 

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November 14, 2022 | 4 Mins Read

Reflecting on the State of Service in 2022 to Plan for 2023

November 14, 2022 | 4 Mins Read

Reflecting on the State of Service in 2022 to Plan for 2023

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By Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service

IFS recently published its State of Service 2022 Global Report, which surveyed 400 CIOs, COOs, VPs, and Directors of Operations, Field Service, Digital Transformation, and Information Technology across Manufacturing, Service Provider, Telecommunications, and Utility Organizations in 24 countries. I had the opportunity last week to reflect on some of the State of Service 2022 report findings on a live webinar with WBR, but I also wanted to share with you here some of the points that stood out to me most. 

The first point is how respondents describe the top competitive differentiators in service. Companies across industries have recognized that service has a powerful impact not only on customer satisfaction but also competitive differentiation. What did respondents feel contributed most to their competitive differentiation, though? Companies reported that technological superiority has become a deciding factor (29%), followed by CX (26%) and operational excellence (18%). 

What’s perhaps most interesting here is that the last time this same question was asked, in 2018, technological superiority was ranked fourth – and it’s now first. We know that when well-embedded and adopted, today’s technologies help companies master both operational excellence and CX. It has an immense impact on both of those points, which is why I think its capabilities as a differentiator are ranked first in responses. 

These areas of technology superiority, operational excellence and CX are all intersected – and it would be highly unlikely for a company to be strong in one area without being strong in the others. Companies are learning that technology-enabled service delivery is key to meeting today’s customer expectations, which include the operational excellence that leads to on-time arrivals, first-time fix, and knowledgeable frontline workers. 

The Top 5 Issues Facing Service Organizations Today

So, what stands in the way of companies achieving competitive differentiation? According to survey respondents, here are the top five issues facing service organizations today:

  1. 46% struggle to meet customer SLAs
  2. 40% are struggling with a lack of skilled workers
  3. 37% struggle with change management
  4. 37% are dealing with outdated or insufficient service management technology
  5. 29% are grappling with how to create as-a-service offerings

How do you relate to this list? Maybe you feel some solidarity. 

There are a number of factors to consider in solving each of these challenges, but since this is an IFS study let’s stay on the technology topic for the moment. No, technology can’t singlehandedly solve each of those challenges, but it certainly plays an important role. If you take, for example, IFS’s Planning & Scheduling Optimization solution, it directly impacts three of these five top challenges – by maximizing efficiency, it helps combat the skills gap by maximizing utilization of the existing workforce. With its self-learning and dynamic scheduling capabilities, it considers a wealth of criteria to ensure you meet customer SLAs by eliminating unnecessary travel, increasing first-time fix, and leveraging automation. 

And for companies like Cubic Transportation Systems, tools like IFS Planning & Scheduling Optimization are setting the stage for the creation of new service offerings. You can read here about how Cubic has successfully migrated to delivering outcomes-based service. 

Upcoming Areas of Technology Investment 

The challenges companies are facing are reinforced when looking at the top areas of focus when it comes to technology investments across respondents: 

  1. Remote Assistance Using Augmented/Virtual/Merged Reality
  2. Wearables
  3. Knowledge Management
  4. Simulations
  5. Scheduling Automation & Optimization 

Personally, I’m really excited to explore more the potential that Remote Assistance/Augmented Reality brings when it comes to the challenge of recruiting talent. Not only can the technology have a significant impact on how companies train new employees and offer them expert support on the job to speed time to value, but I believe in the coming years we’ll see significant development in remote service as a first response, reducing the burden on the frontline and eliminating unnecessary on-site visits. 

Roel Rentmeesters, VP of Digital Transformation at Munters, describes the potential of remote service well, “When you want to reduce downtime, you cannot permit yourself to send a technician who goes on site, has to travel for two hours, does a diagnosis, comes back, orders a part, goes for a second time to fix it. You don’t have that luxury anymore,” he says. “Remote Assistance can help reduce downtime, because that technician that did one visit during the day, using remote technology can maybe serve 20 customers that day.” 

Top of Mind for 2023

So, based on where we are – where are we going? IFS asked survey respondents, ‘Over the next 12 months, which will be key areas of focus for your service business?’ and identified three clear top initiatives:

  1. Sustainability
  2. Updating Legacy Service Management Systems
  3. Leveraging Emerging Technology

I think numbers two and three are quite self-explanatory based on what we’ve already discussed – and the need is likely exacerbated by economic turbulence and a recognition of the improvements in efficiency and productivity that can come from a technology investment. 

In terms of sustainability, I am happy to see this was listed as number one. While there’s ample reason to put better emphasis on sustainability strictly for the sake of our environment, we’ve discussed on the podcast several other reasons companies need to be putting more thought into this area. There are regulatory pressures that are heightened already in some regions and will be ramping up in others, and there are also concerns around investment decisions – some investors are putting sustainability into their criteria. It’s also important to consider customer preferences and opinions – in many industries, customers are now demanding visibility into a company’s sustainability initiatives and choosing where to spend their money based – at least in part – on that insight. And finally, there does exist for some service organizations the ability to develop new offerings around sustainability to help your customers with their initiatives – creating a new potential revenue stream. 

Stay Connected

Subscribe to The INSIDER, our exclusive monthly newsletter, and get a first look at what’s new, what’s next, and what’s only shared with our inner circle.

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November 7, 2022 | 7 Mins Read

The W2 Vs. 1099 Field Workforce Conundrum: Addressing Struggles on Both Sides

November 7, 2022 | 7 Mins Read

The W2 Vs. 1099 Field Workforce Conundrum: Addressing Struggles on Both Sides

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By Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service

This week’s podcast is a really interesting one – I am talking firsthand with an IT service technician who is an independent contractor. There’s so much discussion and debate around what the service workforce should look like and how best to leverage W2 and/or 1099 workers to meet the needs of each company’s demands, but I’d never sat down with an independent contractor to ask some of the questions I believe our audience would want to understand:

  • What, if anything, would make you consider going back to a W2 role?
  • The #1 concern I hear about contract workers is protecting the employee experience – is this valid?
  • What steps do companies take in working with you that make your relationship with them most successful?

Tamika Fields, the independent contractor who specializes in IT services, happily answered those questions and more – giving her honest and thoughtful input. To hear all her answers and the deeper discussions we got into, you’ll have to tune in on Wednesday. But there are a few points that I want to discuss a bit here.

We Aren’t Giving Our W2 Workers What They Want

Recruiting and hiring full-time technicians is a major challenge across industries and geographies today. And while there are several reasons for this, it’s important to stay focused on how to control what you can to get the best results possible given all circumstances. With that said, I think the issue is that companies know the needs and desires of today’s workforce are different than those of the incumbent workers, but many (probably most) aren’t taking action to change to better deliver today’s wants.

I asked Tamika, is there anything that would entice you to go back to a W2 role?

She said, “I know there are some things that are beneficial when you have W2 employment, but the only thing that really would make me reconsider a full time employment role would be if I was in a position where the organization allowed me to have the exact same growth opportunities, flexibility, and autonomy to get the job done with an efficient manner in the standard of the white glove service that I provide irrespective of office politics, which is virtually impossible. I've only had that as an independent contractor.”

There are some key words here that stand out immediately to me, but I wanted to understand a bit better, so I asked Tamika about what some of those “office politics” feel like or prohibit.
She shares, “I find myself to be more proactive when I'm working 1099. I'm focused on the process and improvement. I do that anyway, but there's so many things that limit that in a W2 role because there's so many steps and approvals and people who don't see what's really happening and what really would change things and scale things to what they actually need. They see things on papers, it's abstracted, it's not tangible. They're not dealing with the forward-facing aspect of it, nor are they dealing with the actual infrastructure and what it is that they're doing or trying to do based on the industry that they're in.”

Tamika also identifies herself within our conversation as a creative (which I love). So, if we begin to break this down a bit, there are some core concepts that I believe many of today’s workers want that most of today’s service organizations aren’t finding ways to deliver:

  • Flexibility. Yes, I realize it can be challenging to provide flexibility in the sense we often think of it (work from home, flexible hours, etc.) given the need for service organizations to react adeptly to customer needs – especially so in some industries where SLAs are tight and responses urgent. However, I do believe that if companies were to force themselves to become more creative, they would find a way to delivery some flexibility.
  • Autonomy. Today’s workforce – OK, basically everyone – doesn’t want to be micromanaged. Sure, you are working hard to protect efficiency and to improve the CX, but you have to build trust with your employees that gives them some freedom to do what you need them to do in a way that feels right for them, because no one wants to feel they have no control over how they do their jobs.
  • Voice. When Tamika brings up how far away some decision makers are from what’s really happening on the frontlines, she’s emphasizing the incredible knowledge your field workers hold. By not giving them an opportunity to share what they are learning in their customer interactions – what problems or opportunities they see – or, even worse, giving them the voice to weigh in but then not listening, you are essentially saying you don’t respect the knowledge they have. Not only does this kill employee engagement, but it prohibits you from benefiting from really smart individuals who are having a higher volume of firsthand customer interactions that many others in your company (probably including you).
  • The ability to contribute to innovation. A creative like Tamika has keen observations, strong ideas, and a drive to implement improvements. But she doesn’t feel like in a W2 role, she’s able to contribute to change or innovation within the business because of all the “politics.” We need to work on creating a culture of creativity, collaboration, and innovation that allows those who incline toward these characteristics to have an outlet so that their ideas are channeled toward positive improvements instead of into frustration.
  • Empowerment. Tamika likes feeling she can take pride in what she refers to as her “white glove” service, and this is because she’s able to make it her own. When your employees feel empowered to be themselves, to bring their personality to what they do, to make (reasonable) decisions on their own, they give more of the CX you’re looking for them to give.
  • Growth. As Tamika says, she feels she has more growth opportunity as an independent contractor than she would in a W2 role. This is probably because most companies haven’t modernized the trajectory of their frontline roles to be in line with what many of today’s employees want – opportunity to progress. A worker who comes in with initiative and drive but is entering a system where they are expected to be at the same level of work for five, 10, 15 years likely won’t stay long. We need to evolve to providing growth opportunities within our own businesses rather than strong talent needing to go elsewhere to achieve their aspirations.

We Aren’t Giving Our 1099 Workers What They Need

Ok, so we can take from Tamika’s input some valuable perspective about why a worker who is often approached to take a full-time role after she provides contract service emphatically says, “No, thank you.” But what did Tamika share about what we can do better in working with independent contractors?

We discussed a few different points, but the one I’ll share here is around the #1 concern companies have when deciding to use contract technicians: that it will negatively impact CX. I asked Tamika her thoughts on whether this concern is valid.

“We are the unintentional mascots for any organization,” she says. “I've worked for hospitals, nonprofits, schools, government agencies, contracts, subcontracts, security teams. You name it, I've done it. And you are the person the customer remembers, you are the face, so yes, it is a valid concern.”

While she agrees it is a valid concern, she goes on to explain that it is one that really isn’t too hard to address – companies simply don’t often do the work. We aren’t investing the effort to set our contract workers up for success.

“If you have a professional who's adept and at a certain level in the industry, there's a level of embedded communication skills and decorum just by virtue of being in the industry at that level,” she explains. “So, then you have to think in terms of whoever the HR person is or whoever the temp employee services person is that are bringing these people on and onboarding them. Are you sharing the expectations? If you have time for people to sign NDAs, you have time to have them sit down and even just have a meeting, like, "This is our company, this is our vision. We know this is a short project, short turnaround, but you represent us at all phases, and these are our mission statements. This is what we bring to the table. Our customers are used to this expectation. This is our standard operating procedures."

It sounds simple, right? According to Tamika, it is a simple step often overlooked or skipped. “It’s a 15-to-45-minute moment of communication. Bring everybody in, make space for that, lay it all out, have them repeat it back to you. Maybe add another 30 minutes to role play, and then you're done,” she says. “So, what have you invested? Maybe an hour and a half of somebody in HR and communications time to do that with a contractor. But most people don't think that way. It's not even the fact that they don't have the skills and resources available, they don't think about it. They're just like, ‘Well, we only want people who already know, who are already working here.’ You've got people working there 10, 15, 13 years who don't even understand the vision and the brand of the company, who could care less. That's just a fact.”

Stay Connected

Subscribe to The INSIDER, our exclusive monthly newsletter, and get a first look at what’s new, what’s next, and what’s only shared with our inner circle.

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October 31, 2022 | 5 Mins Read

You Get the Results You Deserve: Wise Words from Michael Phelps at IFS UNLEASHED

October 31, 2022 | 5 Mins Read

You Get the Results You Deserve: Wise Words from Michael Phelps at IFS UNLEASHED

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By Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service

At IFS UNLEASED in Miami a couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to hear from the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals, Michael Phelps. While I’m not a swimmer and have never followed the sport, I was very interested to hear from a household name like Michael and understand more about the person behind the achievements. His session did not disappoint!

I’ve talked often about how much I value authenticity. It’s a trait that I always aim for and appreciate when others do the same – it’s also a trait I believe is in high demand from leaders today. Michael oozed authenticity – he showed up with no false pretenses, no ego, no need to be anything but 100% himself. I respected and enjoyed that so much and believe the entire audience benefited from his willingness to be open and transparent. 

As he shared stories from the span of his career, he retold experiences through a lens of self-reflection that not only illustrated how much he’s grown and evolved as a person but also made his journey relatable even for those of us who will never take part in an Olympics. 

I wanted to share with you all a few of the points from Michael’s session that really resonated with me and reflect on how they relate to some of the topics that are top of mind within service today:

  • Whether you fail or succeed, keep right on going. Michael said, “The day after I set the World Record, I got right back in the water to train.” He didn’t take time off, whether he was working to improve or working to maintain success. This is the idea of continuous improvement, and with the pace of change in service today, we must keep on swimming – whether we have far to go or are working to maintain a competitive pace. 
  • You get the results you deserve. “I got the results I deserved every single Olympics,” Michael said. Facing nerves at his first Olympics, he took it as a learning experience to help prepare for the next race. He discussed how you cannot expect to get the results you want if you are not willing to do what is needed to prepare – and I think this parallels the concept I wrote about here that some companies claim to want the benefits of transformation but aren’t willing to do the work it takes to achieve those benefits. Your results are reflective of your effort. 
  • The small things matter. Michael shared a couple of stories about how much the details come into play in races as close as an Olympic swim. In one story, he discussed how his goggles filled with water during a race which made it impossible for him to see. If he’d have taken even the briefest pause to clear his goggles, he’d have lost – but with the amount of preparation he’d put in and the level of detail he included in that preparation, he knew exactly how many strokes it took him to get from one end of the pool to the next. So, without being able to see, he was able to win by counting his strokes. “The small things matter, and they show up in the most pressured situations when they matter the very most,” Michael said. “I’d spent six straight years of every single day in the pool, so I had more feel for the water than anyone and relied on that when I needed.” This is a great example of the power of details and a great reminder that sometimes the smallest things can present the biggest challenges – make sure as you plan for change or growth, you consider what small things will play a big role. 
  • We must break the stigma around mental health. Michael asked for a show of hands from the audience of who had struggled with feelings of loneliness during the pandemic, and a sea of hands raised with mumbles of appreciation for such an honest question. He shared a personal story of being a young child struggling with ADHD who was told by a teacher he’d never amount to anything because he couldn’t sit still, and of battling thoughts of ending his life after his DUI. Michael had the strength to ask for help and to learn how to live with his ADHD, depression, an anxiety and urges others to do the same. He began the Michael Phelps Foundation to help children avoid some of the struggles he faced. “I feel lucky every day waking up to make a difference in people’s mental health,” he says. “Communication is the key to breaking the stigma around mental health.” We know that better addressing mental health in the workplace is a huge area of concern and focus – it was great to see someone with the fame of Michael speaking about the topic so openly on stage. 
  • The importance of communication can’t be overemphasized. Michael talked about how since his career started in childhood and was maintained into adulthood, communication with his coach was imperative – what he needed at the beginning of their relationship was far different than what he needed later in his life. In any form of change, we need to remember the critical importance communication plays – it is one of those seemingly “small” things that can truly make or break the relationship you have with your employees (or customers) and their engagement and satisfaction.
  • Goals motivate people. “What are you directed towards? Goals motivate me,” said Phelps. “If you’re not challenging yourself, you’re cheating yourself.” It’s hard for most people to harness motivation if they don’t have something specific to direct it toward. This is important to remember in terms of considering how you motivate the different personality and skill types within your workforce – the goals they have will be different, but no one thrives in ambiguity and having something specific and agreed to work toward will help your teams achieve more. 
  • The great do things the good won’t. “No one feels 100% every day, some days you have to fight through that,” acknowledged Michael. “But if your goal matters to you, you get up and go. The different between being great and good is that great do things the good won’t – they’re ok getting uncomfortable.” While you can’t expect all your talent to fall into the “great” category, this point does beg the question of how you will work to acknowledge, appreciate, and reward those who are willing to go above and beyond. 

Stay Connected

Subscribe to The INSIDER, our exclusive monthly newsletter, and get a first look at what’s new, what’s next, and what’s only shared with our inner circle.

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October 24, 2022 | 3 Mins Read

A Winning Service Strategy: Think Rings, Not Trophies 

October 24, 2022 | 3 Mins Read

A Winning Service Strategy: Think Rings, Not Trophies 

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By Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service 

When I talk with leaders about what stands in the way of achieving success with their service transformation, their business transformation, or their digital transformation, one very common response is organizational siloes. When it comes to providing standout service, these siloes are detrimental to the customer experience. Customers seek seamlessness, ease, and outcomes – the disjointedness that even very individually successful but disconnected functions causes in the customer journey simply does not meet today’s expectations. 

On this week’s podcast, I talk with Bob Feiner, SVP of DELL Technologies Services about how the company’s service organization has overhauled its strategy, structure, communications, and technology use to be more customer centric by creating an end-to-end approach. There’s a lot to glean from the conversation, because what Bob and the DELL team have undertaken is a lot of hard work – but work that in my opinion is very necessary to achieve the level of customer centricity they’re aiming for.

One of the points that Bob made that stands out in my mind most is how he’s articulated the shift in mindset that is required to undertake such a significant change. “My mantra has become, ‘Focus on winning rings, not trophies,’” he says. “I'm a big sports guy, in particular team sports. When you think about team sports, if somebody has a great year and they win the MVP or whatever it may be, they receive a trophy. But when you win a World Championship, no matter what the sport is, the Super Bowl or the World Series or Stanley Cup, every member of that team gets a ring. Because they played together to win that championship, to achieve the common goal.”

Motivating Teams Toward a Shared Goal

In many ways, this analogy has served as a guiding philosophy as Bob has led his teams through a significant reorientation toward the customer experience. “I just think about leading teams that way. What I often tell my teams are, we're actually playing for a World Championship every day. Our Super Bowl is every day. Our World Series final is every day. Our World Cup final is every day,” he says. “That's the mindset we need to have. I think this has helped people look at it from a team perspective and not just, okay, I got this great trophy that I can put on my desk somewhere, or a badge I can show virtually. It's really about getting that ring and continuing to get those rings, as a team. And if you look at folks who were great, even individual athletes, what they care most about are rings. They don't care about the trophies. And they'll say that time and time again.”

If you’ve managed through change, you know that often the mindset – overcoming the human inclination toward what’s comfortable and known – is the hardest part. This is why Bob’s analogy and how he’s used it to reinforce the principle of why DELL needs to evolve its approach stands out to me – it’s a concept teams can understand and get behind. 

Sometimes we rush past explaining the “why” and right on to tackling the how, and this can leave workers feeling confused and frustrated which is never a great basis for acceptance of change. Not only has Bob prioritized starting with the “why,” but he’s found a way to articulate that why that is relatable and a theme he can keep revisiting to reinforce the teamwork and cohesiveness that is crucial to DELL achieving its overall objectives of creating an end-to-end approach. 

Stay tuned to hear more from Bob this Wednesday on the podcast about how he built off of this mindset shift and has made great progress in eliminating siloes within DELL to improve the customer experience. 

Stay Connected

Subscribe to The INSIDER, our exclusive monthly newsletter, and get a first look at what’s new, what’s next, and what’s only shared with our inner circle.

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October 17, 2022 | 3 Mins Read

Lessons from a Run Last Week in Miami

October 17, 2022 | 3 Mins Read

Lessons from a Run Last Week in Miami

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By Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service

Last weekend, along with 1,500-plus others, I landed in Miami for IFS Unleashed in South Beach. My suitcase included workout gear for every day of the trip – clothing that once would have been packed with good intentions but returned home untouched. Since the beginning of this year, I’ve lost 35 pounds and have re-committed myself to daily movement, so the clothes were put to good use (Ok, maybe the morning after the beach parties I didn’t make it). 

I’ve shared before that I am a Peloton subscriber and enjoy the company’s instructors. They’ve recently teamed up with actor Ashton Kutcher, who is preparing or a marathon to benefit his charity, to create a series of runs based on his training. They recently had a session where Peloton instructor Adrian Mills (one of my personal favs) and Ashton were joined by psychologist and bestselling author Adam Grant to talk about why and how we as humans are motivated. On a rainy morning in Miami, I decided to take this run in the hotel gym and really enjoyed not only the workout but the discussion. 

Knowing not everyone in our audience is a fellow Peloton subscriber, I thought I would share some of the points from their discussion that stood out me:

  • There’s more than one kind of workaholic. In a discussion around work ethic and how they each perceive productivity, Adam shares that there are two types of workaholics – engaged and compulsive. Engaged workaholics work a lot because they genuinely enjoy what they do and want to do it, whereas compulsive workaholics work a lot because they feel pressure and a sense of obligation. I really appreciated this distinction because I realized I’m the engaged type and gave some more context to what that means. However, it also reminded me that while he pointed out that the engaged workaholic is a healthier type, it’s still important to maintain balance and set boundaries. 
  • Altruism is rarely just that. As the group explored what was behind Ashton’s frustration with himself for falling short of a goal, Adam questioned if he’s running the marathon solely for his foundation – or if there are some personal motivations woven in. In doing so, he made the point that altruism is rarely just altruism alone – and that it is OK to enjoy and even love the ways that you can change the world. This stood out to me as well, because it highlights one of the many “either/or” ways of thinking we often have – if it’s doing good, it won’t be enjoyable – and if it’s enjoyable, it isn’t doing good. It can be both! We can give of ourselves in ways that have a positive impact and that we enjoy. 
  • The basement holds up the house. This part of the discussion was all around building a strong foundation for yourself, in whatever ways work for you. This can be everything from rest to nutrition to movement to therapy to meditation to hobbies, and beyond. But the point is that everything we do builds upon our own foundation, so we must make sure that foundation is strong. I use this analogy a lot when discussion digital transformation, too, because often companies try to race to the flashier, more exciting layers without first putting in place that strong foundation – and it’s like building a house of cards. 

In our fast-paced world where burnout is a major challenge and how leaders must motivate teams is evolving, I thought these points were universally helpful to consider. If you do happen to use Peloton, I strongly urge you to look up this ride and take it – it’s a good one. 

As for IFS Unleashed, what a week! Stay tuned for this week’s podcast on Wednesday recapping the highlights for those who weren’t with us in person. 

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October 10, 2022 | 4 Mins Read

How Does Servitization Enable the Democratization of Innovation?

October 10, 2022 | 4 Mins Read

How Does Servitization Enable the Democratization of Innovation?

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By Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service 

Coming up on this week’s podcast, I talk with the Managing Director of Koolmill Systems, Alec Anderson. Now, I learned a lot from Alec during our discussion – and I don’t want to give that all away here because, well, then you won’t go listen for yourself when the episode comes out on Wednesday. But I do want to share some thoughts on one of the pieces of our conversation that stuck out to me, which is thinking about how Servitization allows for the democratization of innovation. 

To give a little background with minimal spoilers, it is important for you to know that Koolmill Systems is a company that has created a disruptive machine for milling rice. I will admit to you that when I first heard what Koolmill does, I had a preconception that hearing the ins and outs of rice milling from Alec may be a little boring – and I couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s actually very fascinating! 

Learning a bit about the rice industry wasn’t the only aspect of the conversation that was fascinating. What’s also interesting is Koolmill’s decision to go to market with an As-a-Service business model, which is also disruptive for its industry. There were a number of angles for Alec and I to discuss there, too, such as exploring the similarities and differences of a new market entrant selling As-a-Service versus the transition of a legacy business to the model. Understanding how the decision impacts Koolmill, its customers, and the environment certainly had my attention – but then Alec brought up how he views the decision to go to market As-a-Service as a way to level the playing field between huge players and the small businesses, as well as what he refers to as create a “virtuous cycle,” and I was intrigued.

The Competitive Landscape Shifts with Move from CapEx to OpEx

In rice milling, the significant capital expense of modern machinery is prohibitive to many businesses. “The current state of the art in the industry, that's probably around about 50,000 large millers globally, and they're very highly capital intensive. Not necessarily digitalized, but quite automated in many instances. But to run that kind of operation, you need a lot of money to buy the equipment in the first place. You need a lot of rice to keep it running, and you need a huge amount of infrastructure and power to support it,” Alec explains. “Now, there are around one and a half million SME processors globally who don't have access to those three requirements. So, they're kind of locked in to using antiquated and wasteful equipment. In fact, we were in Nigeria earlier this year, and they were running machines that were made in the 1870s, still driven by diesel. They're locked into what they have, or if they do replace, they replace like with like, because they don't have access to this high performance, state of the art, modern equipment, and we aim to try and change that.” 

With pay-as-you-mill, Koolmill’s cutting-edge machinery becomes attainable for each of those SMEs. “Offering these small operators cost certainty is an enabler, an empowerment,” says Alec. “It empowers these small producers now to compete on pricing and quality with the large producers.”

With modern milling technology now within the grasp of SMEs within their grasp thanks to Servitization, significant opportunity is created. “We see the opportunity for a virtuous cycle in three pillars: economic, social, and environmental,” says Alec. “In terms of building the social capabilities, we call it rural industrialization. This is where we can use that small rice mill, now equipped with cutting-edge machinery, as a focal point, as an employment generator, as a means of creating and retaining value at a local community. With pay-as-you-mill, we have the opportunity to transform their livelihoods.”

This angle on the impact of Servitization hasn’t come up in my previous conversations, and I admire Alec for wanting to make sure that as he creates a successful business, he is also helping others along the way. It isn’t uncommon for companies to get so narrowed in on their financial viability that they overlook the ways in which they can perhaps achieve monetary success and have an impact – it doesn’t always have to be either/or. This conversation with Alec about how Koolmill’s decision to go to market with their innovative technology in an As-a-Service approach is leveling the playing field in the rice milling industry has had me thinking about all of the other areas that Servitization could democratize innovation as well. I think this angle is one that is intriguing to explore. What do you think? I’d love to hear!

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October 3, 2022 | 4 Mins Read

What Can We Learn from Amazon’s Investment in Its Frontline Workforce?

October 3, 2022 | 4 Mins Read

What Can We Learn from Amazon’s Investment in Its Frontline Workforce?

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By Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service

On Wednesday of last week, Amazon announced a new investment of nearly $1 billion over the next year in its frontline workforce. The company is increasing the average hourly rates of its fulfillment and transportation workers and has also introduced a new benefit that gives employees greater flexibility around when they collect their pay. The announcement also includes an expansion of career advancement and development opportunities for its frontline workforce. 

The press release states that, “Amazon employees around the world team up to meet the needs of customers every day. Employees are the cornerstone of the company, facilitating the journey of an Amazon package … To ensure customer orders are picked, packed, and shipped on time every single day, Amazon continues to invest in our employees, technology, supply chain planning, transportation, and delivery teams in an effort to get customers what they want, when they want it, wherever they are.”

You may read of Amazon’s investment and think – well, sure, but not every company has Amazon money. Here’s what I want to emphasize – it isn’t as much about the money as it is about the recognition that the frontline workers are powering Amazon’s customer satisfaction. That’s the part of the announcement that stands out to me far beyond the dollars and cents. 

Companies across industries and geographies are struggling with filling roles and finding talent. These challenges often take the conversation to how do we better attract, recruit, and hire – and those are all important things, but I want to urge you to think critically about what you are doing to invest in your current workforce. We’ve all heard the saying that it is far harder to find a new customer than it is to keep an existing one happy, and this is true for the workforce as well. We will exacerbate the talent problem by focusing so specifically on brining in the new that we overlook the need to nurture the existing.

Not Every Investment in Your Workforce Has to Be Dollars

The goal isn’t to replicate exactly what Amazon is doing, but to consider some of the points surfaced in the announcement and reflect upon whether you’re doing what you can to engage and retain your existing workforce while you seek that new talent. Here are a few points that come to mind:

  • Recognition costs nothing and goes far. Yes, Amazon is investing $1 billion – but as I said, while the number is significant, what stood out to me most when reading the news release was the respect and acknowledgement of the critical role the frontline workforce plays in the company’s success. Your employees want to feel that they matter, they want to hear their hard work acknowledged, and they want to be respected for the value they bring to the business. There are very simple (and free) ways to recognize your frontline workers for their contributions that will make a real difference.
  • Pay must be fair. With financial pressures top of mind, it can be difficult to prioritize investing in your resources. What you want to be careful of is making sure you are being fair to your existing workforce when you bring new talent on board. I’ve had people ask how to handle situations where new workers are demanding far more than existing workers are paid – and while there’s no easy answer, I think the right thing to do is to make sure your workers are all fairly paid. 
  • Flexibility is hugely desired today. In Amazon’s example they are addressing flexibility by giving employees greater control over when they get paid. But the takeaway here, to me, is that flexibility in general is very important to today’s workers. In some frontline roles you are constricted in what ways you can offer flexibility, but you should be getting creative in how to do so.
  • Complacency is a thing of the past. Amazon’s commitment to upskilling its workers and offering ample career advancement and development opportunities is one to model. Many companies haven’t moved beyond the memories of being able to hire a frontline worker who was happy to show up and do the same job, every day, for 20 or 30 years. Those days have past and to not only attract new talent, but to retain the knowledgeable workers you already have, you must think of how to offer development and growth opportunities. 
  • Purpose matters to people. In the press release it says, “Amazon workers around the world ‘team up’ to meet the needs of customers.” Now I recognize these are only words, but they are words that can get you thinking in the right direction – which is that a sense of purpose, and a sense of belonging, matter. Does your company have a “team” culture? Is there a camaraderie of working toward a common goal and celebrating wins together?

I’d love to hear how your company is investing in its workforce. If you have thoughts or a story to share, email me!

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September 26, 2022 | 6 Mins Read

Key Themes from the 2022 Service Council Symposium

September 26, 2022 | 6 Mins Read

Key Themes from the 2022 Service Council Symposium

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By Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service

At last week’s Service Council Symposium in Chicago, much of the conversation centered around people. Whether discussing how to better attract and empower talent, how to address and alleviate burnout, or how to give customers the connection they’re seeking, the Service Council’s Service is Humanity focus took center stage. 

This isn’t to say there weren’t ample informative conversations on digital transformation and opportunities to engage with those providing the industry’s modern solutions, but simply that the conversation broadened into some of the very important but often less clearcut topics companies are grappling with. I think this is important because, as I’ve often said, technological sophistication isn’t what is holding companies back from achieving their objectives around innovation – the layers of change and complexity involved are. And while no one attendee at events like this has all the answers, collectively as a community we can inspire, inform, and uplift one another to go back to the day-to-day reinvigorated to solve challenges and keep the ball moving forward. 

With that said, and in no particular order, I wanted to share some of the moments and insights that stood out to me at the event:

Elizabeth Dixon, former Principal Lead of Strategy, Hospitality and Service Design at Chic-Fil-A delivered a keynote based on her new book, The Power of Customer Experience: 5 Elements to Make an Impact. Elizabeth said during her session, “We have to remember that Customer Experience is nothing more than the overflow of our Employee Experience.” This is a reality I think many in our industry are reconciling currently. After many years of being very focused on cutting costs, we began to see the potential of service as a profit center – which shifted our focus to the customer. Now we’re realizing that we can’t deliver the customer outcomes we want, to drive the profits that are possible, without a frontline workforce that is engaged and satisfied. When you couple this with the shifts we’ve seen in the workforce and the challenges organizations have recruiting and retaining talent, it is clear that getting employee experience right is absolutely critical for service success in the coming years. 

Customer Centricity Can Require Organizational Change

Bob Feiner, SVP of Global Services and Jason MacIver, VP of Services Procurement at DELL Technologies delivered a great presentation on what happened at DELL when the company began focusing on Customer Experience. They learned that their siloed approach, where support, field service, and parts management all worked toward individual objectives and measurements of success, although effective historically, didn’t stand up to the needs of a customer-centric business. They shared how DELL worked through the complexities of organizational change and invested in technology to ensure that each function of the business is unified in strategic vision, approach, and measurement of success. 

Recognizing how imperative the employee experience is – and sharing stories of how disruptive change can be – leads us to the conversations around humanity. How are company cultures shifting to fit the needs of today’s workforce? In what ways do both organizations and leaders need to evolve to embrace the need to nurture and empower versus drive and demand? 

Stefano Folli, EVP and Head of Global Services & Solutions at Philips shared some of the ways Philips is working toward a human-centric company culture, but he also shared how he as an individual leader has had to self-reflect and grow. I really appreciated the way he surfaced the importance of individual leaders not only being willing to “change with the times,” but putting in the work to do so. He drove his points home with some specific examples of issues within his team where he realized he needed to shift his thinking or augment his skills. He also discussed how he practices reverse mentoring, because he realizes he has as much to learn from those he mentors as they do from him.

The Role of Leadership in Human Centricity

I would argue that the role of leadership in human centricity is even more important than a company’s commitment to any sort of programmatic approach. This point surfaced in the workshop I moderated on Monday afternoon on Workplace Mental Health & Wellness. I was joined by Emma Jellen, Interim Director of the Center for Workplace Mental Health; Chris Westlake, Director - Service Process and Digital Transformation at Generac Power Systems; and Sasha Ilyukhin, SVP of Customer Service Operations at Tetra Pak. We had an outline of prepared points to center the discussion around, but as soon as we introduced ourselves, questions from the audience started flooding in:

  • How do we make this more than a check-box exercise?
  • What is a leader supposed to do when they notice an employee is struggling – how do you handle those conversations?
  • What if a leader is “old school” and feels that being personal has no place at work?

The questions were excellent and prompted a very lively discussion around the fact that while a company focus on this is needed, and most evidenced in its culture, the role of the individual leaders is most important. Emma shared some excellent advice on what goes in to building programs, training managers to handle tough conversations, and alleviating burnout. All of the free resources she referenced in our session are available at www.workplacementalhealth.org. 

We know that one important facet of employee engagement is for employees to feel valued, appreciated, and heard. Karin Hamel, VP of Services, US Digital Buildings at Schneider Electric, demonstrated her commitment to improving employee engagement among the company’s frontline workforce at least year’s event by sharing about her creation of the Service Hero award. At last week’s event, Karin shared how she’s continued looking for ways to not only keep the field workforce engaged, but also to create an outlet for their valuable insight, and this past year has created a Field Service Advisory Committee to ensure the field service teams at Schneider can share their input, ideas, and feedback. 

Another element of employee engagement that was discussed repeatedly at the event is having a sense of purpose. Sasha Ilyukhin of Tetra Pak, who won this years’ Service Council Humanity in Service Award, gave a presentation that tied in another very important area of focus in service: Sustainability. Sustainability gives companies, employees, and customers a sense of purpose and, as Sasha expressed, has become a license to operate. For Tetra Pak, this is a significant area of focus both in how the company itself continues to focus on its environmental impact, but also how it helps its customers do the same. As such, Sasha spoke to how sustainability is such an area of opportunity in service. 

Technology Streamlines Complexity to Allow People Focus

These are just a few of the excellent points that were surfaced during last week’s event. At the close of day three, the Advisory Board answered a few questions around lessons learned, what they’re excited about, and what their top areas of concern are. Many of the members responded that their biggest concerns surround talent. Laura Mather, VP and GM, Global Services at STERIS Corporation made such a good point – she said, “Service is becoming ever more complex. If we want to have the capacity to focus on humanity, we must embrace the technology available to us.”

I could not agree with her more – the sophisticated technology at our disposal today can simplify some of that complexity. If you can leverage it in a way that gives you clear insights, automates menial tasks, and increases efficiency, it augments your ability to pour more time and effort into your people – which is a clear imperative for the industry. 

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September 19, 2022 | 9 Mins Read

8 Facts About Mental Health at Work to Expand Awareness and Prompt Action

September 19, 2022 | 9 Mins Read

8 Facts About Mental Health at Work to Expand Awareness and Prompt Action

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By Sarah Nicastro, Creator, Future of Field Service

If you’ve been following Future of Field Service for any amount of time, hopefully you know I am passionate about the discussion around mental health. It’s such an important topic, one that impacts me personally, and thankfully one that is beginning to get more attention – and action – in the workplace. 

However, while I’m among the ranks that are thankful greater attention is being given to the need for better mental health support at work, there’s still much to be done. Many stigmas still exist, many organizations lag far behind what’s acceptable in accepting the need for more focus on mental health, and many individuals are still struggling without the resources and support they need and deserve. And therefore, the quest to talk about this topic in an actionable way continues!

To that end, this week, I am thrilled to welcome to the podcast Darcy Gruttadaro, Director of the Center for Workplace Mental Health, part of the APA Foundation. Our podcast episode is on six ways to address employee burnout and it’s a must-listen coming Wednesday. In the meantime, I wanted to share from my conversation with Darcy eight facts around mental health that I feel we all need to better understand and urge action on.

#1: We All Have Mental Health

This is such an important point to start with – that we all have mental health, and we all deserve for our mental health to be supported at work. “We all have mental health and mental health exists along a continuum,” explains Darcy. “So, our mental health may be in a really solid, healthy place even if we live with a mental health condition like anxiety, depression or another one. Or it may be slipping, and it may be that it's really not doing well at all. Mental health exists along a continuum.”

Whether you have an employee that is generally healthy but going through a hard time or has a mental health condition that is very well-managed, it’s important for them to feel supported in the workplace. It’s also important for employers and leaders to understand that many incredibly high performers achieve all they do while managing a mental health condition. “We know that people living with mental health conditions exist along the continuum from frontline healthcare workers to the C-suite,” says Darcy. “Having a mental health condition does not limit your ability to perform at an exceptionally high level.”

#2: We All Share Responsibility Around Mental Health at Work

Second, we all must accept that we have a personal responsibility around mental health at work. While companies should absolutely be prioritizing an investment in creating and expanding mental health programs, a lot of the foundational work begins with individuals. “There are myths and stereotypes that persist around mental health, that it's this dark scary condition that makes people act in ways that any of us would be sort of ashamed of in a sense, but that's all changing because more and more people are being upfront about the fact that they're feeling anxious, depressed, or they're struggling with the substance use issue,” explains Darcy. “The more people talk about it, the more others are willing to come out and say, you're not alone. I'm experiencing this too.”

Being open about struggles and needs is one way the conversation takes hold and reduces or eliminates those long-standing stigmas, but even if you have no current personal mental health challenges to speak of, you should be contributing to creating a supportive workplace for those who may. “It’s important to remember that the workplace is what we make it and that all of us have a contribution to make in creating a caring culture,” Darcy emphasizes. “Whether you are brand new to the organization and at an entry level or are at a C-level, you can make a difference. It really is about caring for each other and asking, ‘Are you okay? You don't seem like yourself. I'm just checking in to make sure everything's good.’ And the more we do that, the more we create that caring culture that people want to be part of. It’s important to remember every little bit counts.”

#3: Improving Mental Health at Work is Key to Your Talent Strategy

Are you aware there is a greater expectation among younger talent that companies have structured mental health programs and ample support in place? Putting effort into a mental health program will not only help you to ensure your existing talent is engaged, supported, and healthier, but it is becoming a facet of recruiting new talent as well. 

“We know from surveys that younger generations are more comfortable talking about this. They have an expectation that the workplace will address these issues,” says Darcy. “They're looking for programs when they're making decisions about careers and where they want to work. The expectations are growing that organizations will provide mental health services and support. That it will be visible, that it will be talked about. They are really looking for that. And because we know 4 million people left their jobs during the pandemic, we are in a very competitive work environment and candidates have choice. So, you want to be the place people want to go to and be part of every day.”

It's understood that high performers can have mental health conditions, so for companies looking to attract and retain high performing talent, having support in place can help these employees stay ahead of any issues and take care of their needs. “Right now, employers are really looking for high performing individuals in the service industry, in the tech industry, in the finance industry. And we know that people who are high performers may have mental health conditions,” says Darcy. “So, companies recognize the increased need for services and support.”

Finally, employers should understand there is a connection between mental health support and employee engagement. “If you're an employee in an organization that shows they care about you, not just your physical health, but your mental health too, you're going to go to work every day and feel much better about the fact that your organization cares about you. In turn, you will be more likely to be a high performer, whether you live with a condition or not,” says Darcy. “Employees in the field, they are representing the brand of the organization. And the more they feel good about what they're doing because they're being treated well and they're in a culture that cares about them, the more they're going to project a positive image for the brand.”

#4: Male Dominated Industries Lag in Addressing Mental Health 

When you consider that much of our audience is comprised of industries that are still male-dominated, it’s important to acknowledge the reality that these industries tend to lag in normalizing mental health and creating at-work support. “Stigma is associated with mental health conditions in many industries. I think industries that tend to be male dominated, like many that have people who work out in the field, there can be perceptions that you should be tough. Just stick it out, suck it up,” explains Darcy. “There’s this tendency to want to send the message that they're strong and they're tough and that somehow mental health can be linked with weakness. We still all must work at breaking down some of those stereotypes and breaking down the stigma.”

How do we do this? There’s no quick or easy way but recognizing the impact of opening up personally and being willing to engage in conversation is an important start. “There's a real opportunity, but we have to chip away. It's not like we're going to wake up one day and the stigma will be gone. We all have some responsibility, like we're doing here, to have conversations about it and to say it's not a matter of weakness. It could be really a matter of strength to seek help when you need it,” says Darcy.

#5: Mental Health Initiatives Don’t Need Require a Huge Investment

I find this point to be so very important, which is mental health initiatives do not need to be based on a big budget or huge investment. This could be a barrier for organizations in taking action, so I appreciated Darcy pointing out that companies of any size, scale, and financial status can take steps to have a positive impact. 

“A focus on mental health is not a massive investment. This is recognizing human nature and reminding employees they're appreciated and rewarding them when the time is right,” explains Darcy. “I mean, one simple piece of advice is for managers and leaders to ask themselves, is this an organization that I feel good about being part of on a daily basis? And if it's not, what minor changes can we make to make it more so?”

Just starting there is starting – and that matters far more than feeling you must have a perfectly planned formal program to “begin.” Darcy also suggests asking your employees for their input. “Think about surveying your employees because they have really good ideas,” she says. “Believe it or not, it's often not about a lot of frivol that'll cost a lot of money. It's sometimes just simple policy changes that are very workable that can make all the difference in the world. And this all hits the bottom line when it comes to retention and recruitment and really meeting the organizational goals.”

#6: Leadership Sets the Tone on Mental Health at Work

While it is important to ensure your company is taking a programmatic approach to prioritizing mental health and providing employees support, it’s also important to remember that authenticity and a personal touch can be the difference in how that program feels to your employees. “A check-the-box approach does not work well. If you do one training and say, we did a mental health training, we are good, that is not going to make a big change for your organization. And leadership sets the culture,” cautions Darcy. “So, the more leadership is visible in talking about mental health, the more it's happening at a leadership level and operational and managerial level.”

We all get busy, and often leaders are juggling immense responsibility. But making a human connection with your team a priority is well worth the effort. “It's really important to recognize we all get busy and sometimes we forget,” says Darcy. “Create simple reminders around I'm part of the culture, I need to be real about making it a mentally healthy culture, and so on.”

#7: Burnout Isn’t an Individual Issue

As I mentioned, the podcast with Darcy that will publish on Wednesday is discussing six ways employers can alleviate burnout. I won’t give too many spoilers here, but I will say that Darcy expressed that we must recognize that burnout isn’t simply and individual issue – and that it was becoming a major issue even before the pandemic. “Burnout became an issue of major concern in 2019 when the World Health Organization announced a new definition. It is not a product of COVID-19,” explains Darcy. “It's important to know that because we were already heading into concerns with occupational burnout and that has obviously been intensified.”

While every individual has a responsibility to take care of themselves and speak up if they need support from their employer, Darcy stresses the fact that we cannot blame burnout solely on individuals or expect the issue to resolve without the shared ownership of employers. “I think when people think of burnout, they think individuals should just get over it. More exercise, more sleep, better diet, don't take stress so seriously,” she describes. “What the research shows is that, yes, we have individual responsibility when it comes to burnout, but there's a huge amount of responsibility that comes from organizational change, operational change.”

#8: There Are Ample Resources to Support Businesses Making Mental Health a Priority

Before I was introduced to Darcy for the podcast, I wasn’t familiar with the Center for Workplace Mental Health or the resources it provides – free of cost. So, if you are struggling with where or how to start or feel your employer is lacking in their efforts around mental health, know that there are resources to help increase awareness, provide information, and assist in creating impactful programs. Learn more at www.workplacementalhealth.org.   

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