Steve Downton, Downton Service Management Consultants Ltd, Noventum Group
Planning and scheduling were not words used much in field service just a few years ago. But now clever software tools can eliminate much of the reactivity and fire-fighting that once characterised the industry.
With all the noise and focus on customer relationship management (CRM), the concern that now seems upper most in the minds of service directors is how can they deliver the promises made on their behalf. One of the key differentiators in terms of both service levels and cost in this area is how the right parts and the right people can be scheduled properly.
But while there is a wide range of solutions available, at boardroom level the appetite for yet more software investment isn't always there. There is much pressure to suggest that people should buy a solution that will "do it all". However this thinking carries four real dangers.
The first is that the project becomes too cumbersome; it doesn't need to be big, it needs to be important; it doesn't need to be all encompassing, it needs to be focused; with senior support and commitment. Secondly that the solution, within a total package, for a particular area is sub optimal as it can only realistically scratch the surface.
Third that the return on investment (ROI) is diluted across the whole solution and not focused on the areas where the really rapid returns can be made. The fourth and final danger is that there is quite a level of misunderstanding of what the more specialised solutions can provide.
Most enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions are targeted at providing a payback, after implementation, of around two years. Where as the bolt-on products such as service parts planning or engineer scheduling, consistently provide payback in a quarter of that time.
In comparison to the ERP solutions, they are much smaller and have historically been overlooked in favour of their bigger and more prodigious cousins. That might be good for the providers and integrators and for company egos but as far as the bottom line profitability is concerned, it is bad news.
The purpose of this article is to put some facts on the table about these solutions. To open the discussion on the detail of what these types of systems might provide, I am reminded of the phrase that "the devil is in the detail". However, one possible reason why people shy away from them is a concern that they will show their ignorance.
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