Speaking of Service: Breaking Down the Journey to Digital Transformation

By Ailbhe Coughlan

The ways in which the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) can maximize your organization’s value are often overlooked, especially when it comes to service outcomes. While big topics such as the implementation of predictive maintenance and remote condition monitoring can seem daunting, PTC’s?Speaking of Service?podcast show features industry experts breaking down practical ways to grow service revenue, manage costs, and improve satisfaction.

During the early episodes of the show,?Chris MacDonald, Head of AI and Analytics at PTC, walks listeners through a variety of service-related topics that are integral to digital transformation. These include the value of IIoT, the state of predictive maintenance programs, how to lead Smart Connected Product (SCP) initiatives, and the economic value of data.?Chris Wolff (Wolffie)?(Sales VP, Strategic Partnerships, PTC Americas) spearheads the episodes focused on remote service. Keep an eye out for episodes with research analysts from?IDC?and the?Service Council.?

Guests such as?Joe Biron?(General Manager, Strategic Missions Products at Microsoft),?John Carroll?(Founder & CEO of the?Service Council), and?Andy Hay?(CEO of Sysmex America) join MacDonald to discuss the impact IoT has had on service at their organizations, and how listeners can use that knowledge to support service growth in their operations. The field is quickly evolving and always adapting to the needs of customers—industry leaders can use what we learned from the earlier days of IIoT and apply it to today’s more advanced technologies.?

“Now that we know a lot more about how the technology can serve us, let's expand on those early use cases of interactive remote troubleshooting and take advantage of advancements in analytics and big data.”?—Joe Biron, Speaking of Service (Episode 1)

It is just as important to focus on the customer and their adoption of IIoT as it is to evaluate the technologies themselves. End-users' main goal is to have efficient and effective resolutions to their problems—or the ability to stop them from happening in the first place. Remote diagnostics shift service technicians into a proactive mindset, which reduces downtime and subsequently cuts costs.

At the Service Council, Carroll mostly focuses on the post-sale customer experience. His insights on the evolution of the frontline service engineer highlight the deepened role they play in the customer relationship. In?Episode 2?of?Speaking of Service, he discusses how service technicians are no longer just resolving problems or improving efficiency, and even alludes to Schneider Electric’s choice to refer to engineers as “superheroes.”

“[Frontline employees] are representing the whole customer journey—opportunities to engage in new ways, purchase new products and assets... the frontline agent is playing a much broader role today.”?—John Carroll (Episode 2)

The evolution of service capabilities does not come without some risks. Almost all organizations beginning their remote service journey face challenges regarding reliability, uptime guarantees, and service ability. Hay?shed light on unique risks faced by Sysmex America and other healthcare organizations: HIPAA regulations.

“With connected technologies, we are often able to see levels of confidential information that need to be completely secure. The security of the connection has become essential to make sure we can maintain the highest possible levels of service.” - Andy Hay (Subscribe?today to hear the full episode, airing September 28th)?

In episode 3, Anthony Moffa, Senior Director of Smart Connected Products at PTC discusses how to successfully navigate the challenges of implementing a successful smart connected product strategy.

Speaking of Service?is a great resource for anyone looking to expand their organization’s service offerings while cutting costs and boosting overall customer satisfaction. Learning about the options regarding predictive maintenance, remote condition monitoring and service, and connected data is integral to digital transformation and thriving in today’s quickly evolving service environment. Our hosts have thoroughly enjoyed working with an amazing group of guests so far and are looking forward to continuing to collaborate in the future. Upcoming August episodes will feature discussions regarding smart connected products and using data to better capture expert knowledge alongside?Anthony Moffa?(Senior Director of Smart Connected Products at PTC) and?Billy Milligan?(Solutions Development Lead at Howden). Check out the?podcasts?to discover how digitizing service offerings has made a major impact on organizations like yours.