Your October INSIDER!

Welcome to the October edition of the INSIDER newsletter!

This month, we’re bringing you the latest insights from the field service world, fresh from the excitement of IFS Unleashed 2024. Among the highlights was the announcement of the Stand Out 50 Leaders, who were celebrated in a truly iconic way: their names were displayed on the Nasdaq billboard in Times Square, New York City. This global recognition not only honored their achievements, but underscored the international impact of their contributions to service excellence.

Accompanying the celebration, the Stand Out Service Trends Report offers an in-depth look at the strategies driving these leaders and the industry forward. Focused on People, Process, and Technology, the report reveals innovative approaches to talent modernization, evolving customer demands, and strategic AI implementation, providing a roadmap for future-ready service.

Also in this month’s newsletter, we explore articles such as The Crucial Work of Connecting Women with the Trades and Mastering the Basics in Today’s Service Landscape. In our podcast series, Sarah Nicastro covers topics like service fundamentals with Ben Williams, leadership insights with Roy Dockery, and the role of coalitions in advanced services with Dr. Kawal Kapoor and Sandra Benbow.

Stay ahead in the field service industry by reading the full newsletter and exploring the Stand Out Service Trends Report. Download the full report here!

Explore this month's UNSCRIPTED Podcast episodes

Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Name: Adam Gloss

Job Title: Sr. Vice President, Service

Company: McKinstry

1. What trend or challenge is top of mind for you at the moment?

There are always challenges in what we do, but two particular trends are on my mind right now. Fortunately, I see convergence and opportunity between them. The first is the shortage of available skilled labor, and the second is the lack of diversity in the skilled trades. I see an opportunity to bring women, people of color, veterans, and others into field service, and to leverage inclusivity to address the labor crisis we are experiencing. We are developing connections to these people by partnering with organizations and programs in the communities we serve, and are working with them to create pathways to the careers we can provide.??

2. How do you nurture creativity and innovation for yourself or for your team?

I try to incorporate this into my approach to life and to work by reframing big problems and asking “what is the opportunity” in them. Said otherwise, if this could be solved, how could that solution create a more positive situation, additional leverage, or even new opportunities? This creates positive thinking, and even if an opportunity or solution isn’t clear, reduces frustration and fosters creativity. Next, I like to leverage two questions to inspire creativity about what is possible and then help to create focus on how to achieve it:?

1. If you had a magic wand (no budget limits, time constraints, etc.), what would an ideal outcome, solution, etc. look like.??

1. If you had a blank slate (no existing teams, systems, tools, etc), how would you execute on that solution.??

Removing pre-conceptions, existing conditions, and arbitrary limits enables much more creative thought. Even if you can’t immediately execute on it because some of those constraints are real, you can start to see how you can make progress, and how you might be able to manage through the change required to deliver that solution over time.??

3. What source of either information or inspiration has helped you/helps you most in your role? (can be a book, podcast, article, quote, website, community, mentor, famous person, etc.)

I get ideas from all kinds of places; mostly from looking at examples of excellence (other leaders, other companies, books, etc.) and thinking about how I could apply what they have done to my world. The core focus that has enabled more success than any other, and that continues to inspire me, however, is to think about people first: “How will my vision or strategy improve things for our people, our customers, and for the world around us?” My mother has been teaching and helping people her entire life. She made (and still makes) an enormous impact on the lives of others, helping them see how special they are, and bringing out the best in them. The effect she had on those around her, personally and professionally, created a deep impression on me. My focus on people was sparked by her, and then shaped by many of the leaders I had the fortune to work with over the years.?

Explore this month's articles

Read more of our articles here.

1. Should we be using Chat GPT??

Ah, everyone’s favorite buzzword! There are so many applications for tools like, and including, Chat GPT but whether or not you should be using one is hard for me to answer. What I will say is that you should absolutely be looking into and evaluating various sort of AI that can automate menial, low value work to free up your employees’ time for other things. Chat GPT is one example among many of how powerful today’s AI tools are and they undoubtedly play a role in the future of field service – but you want to be sure to lead your evaluation with the business value in mind versus the tendency to be drawn in by what’s newest, coolest, or shiniest. And, be sure to take steps no matter what new technology you’re testing to avoid any cybersecurity issues.??

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