Advanced knowledge management and field service data automation will help companies and technicians make the next big leap in service evolution
The field service market is evolving, with an increased focus on customer retention and the need for service to drive new revenue growth. Existing field service management technology stacks will need to evolve as well — and the existing mix of solutions may not provide the degree of visibility, consistency, and agility required to support service as an engine of revenue growth.
The 2023 Salesforce.com State of Service survey found that “86% of decision makers whose organizations have field service call it critical to scaling their business, and 84% see major returns from their field service investments.” Further, 85% of service leaders believe there is a direct link between the employee experience and the customer experience.
A recent ServiceTitan report on residential service trends also highlighted some of these needs. According to the research, repeat customers drove 58% of work orders and 39% of revenue in 2022, and word‑of‑mouth referrals account for 71% of business volume.
This shift will require moving away from the reactive break/fix service model to a more proactive approach built on preventative maintenance, contract work, and helping technicians improve their productivity and effectiveness at the job site. It will also require an investment in technology that can break down organizational silos around service data.
According to the Salesforce.com survey, 58% of service organizations are using some sort of automation to balance customer expectations for empathy, speed, and quality, with 88% deploying field service‑specific solutions. The share of service decision makers using artificial intelligence (AI) has increased by 88% since 2020 (from 24% of respondents to 45%).
Graph Source: 2023 Salesforce.com State of Service survey
