Field Service Etiquette

With close to 30 years working in the Field Service business, I can’t help but notice, I developed a passion for, and am quite enthusiastic about the profession. I’ve worked for several great high-tech companies, learned a lot about their culture and technology, traveled the world, and had the privilege to visit some of the most famous and well-known Universities and company sites. Interacting with customers, learning about their work, and helping them to succeed in their research by keeping their equipment up and running, is such a rewarding experience. I am very grateful, and it is the reason why I enjoy and love the profession of Field Service.

Field Service is about applying product knowledge at customer sites. It is also about interaction with customers and representing the employer. Not only product knowledge, but also professional communication, appearance, preparation, and documentation is key. From my experience, employers seem to focus mostly on product knowledge and not Field Service etiquette. It is expected that the Field Service Engineer (FSE) “knows” or “picks it up” eventually. But when does a FSE learn how to dress appropriately, what tools to carry, how to interact with customers, or write a professional service report? I’ve seen so many FSEs wearing sneakers and inappropriate clothes at customer sites, carrying unorganized, partially corroded, or missing tools in a backpack, and variations in service reports written from an insufficient “one-liner” to an overwhelming novel.

For the sake of reputation, professionalism, and customer satisfaction, Service Managers should not undervalue Field Service etiquette and seek for assistance from within the company, e.g. Training department, HR, or from an external source.

Field Service etiquette considerations:

1)?????Dress code

Corporate identity is essential! Wearing a shirt with a company logo identifies the Engineer and their employer. Wearing a short sleeve shirt, shorts or sneakers may be common nowadays, but may look unprofessional.

2)?????Tool Case

A tool case should always be appropriate in size, sturdy and include all required tools for the job. Avoid borrowing tools from a customer! Tools should always be organized in a tool case. This helps to find the right tool for the task but also identifies if a tool is left behind.

3)?????Preparation

FSEs must prepare for their task. This includes product knowledge, understanding of the reason for work on site, the plan of action, possible spare parts required, possible resources to contact (e.g. Technical Support, R&D, etc.), and a “Plan B” if the task can’t be resolved on the first visit.

4)?????Service Report

Besides customer information, the Service Report should always include:

a)??????Reason for work (Installation, PM, Repair – What?)

b)?????Action carried out (Replacement of spare parts, calibration, etc.)

c)?????Status of product (Open issues, is in working condition, etc.)

No personal, emotional comments nor opinions should be written in a Service Report - stay technical. Always remember to get that customer signature.

5)?????Customer interaction

Keep customers informed about schedule, plan of action and any scheduling changes which may occur. Customers are forgiving if they are kept informed.