Field Service News & Technology Roundup is our blog series, where we feature the latest interesting field service and technology insights impacting field service organizations.
Now that the dust has settled from the Fourth of July fireworks, it’s time to get back to work. Of course, we celebrated and know how it is to come back after a few days’ vacation. Ease back into the workweek with our Field Service News and Technology Roundup June 2019 edition.
For some reason, June was the month for chief information officers (CIOs). Practically every news outlet ran an article focused on the CIO. We always love a great article that combines information technology, software and future trends.
It also seemed to be the month of drone technology insights. We included a couple articles worth the read.
As always, check out the list of must-read field service news and technology articles we curated. And catch up on previous issues of our
Field Service News and Technology Roundup blog series.
18th Annual State of the CIO Research Explores the Maturing Role of the CIO
Source: IDG
Author: IDG Marketing and Press Team
Analyst research firm, IDG, released their annual State of the CIO Research report and it did not disappoint. This year’s 18th annual report concluded CIOs currently spend 34% of their time on strategic activities (i.e., business innovation, strategy, and competitive differentiation). Note that’s up from 27% in 2018.
For us, the most impactful statistic to come out of the report states 38% of CIOs indicated their top priority from the CEO is digital business/digital transformation initiatives. With digital transformation top of mind across every industry and company of every size, this reinforces our viewpoint that commitment to such strategies is coming from the very top.
Read the full release for the key details.
PwC Research: Public Perception a Barrier to Drone Adoption
Source: DRONELIFE
Author: Malek Murison, Freelance Writer and Editor
As we mentioned in the introduction to this month’s Field Service News and Technology Roundup, this month was a flurry of activity in the drone space. Malek Murison’s article covering public perception of drone technology includes PwC’s recent research, Building Trust in Drones. In the article, Murison recaps the PwC’s UK-based report, focusing on the negative perception of how the public, as well as business, feel about drones.
According to the report and Murison’s recap, less than 31% of respondents feel positive about drones. In the commercial space, the public has three main concerns, of which the greatest is 41% fear the risk of misuse (Source: PwC report).
Murison points out the PwC report would be more complete had it included information on how the media covers and portrays drone technology. Read this article for no other reason than to understand Murison’s take and decide for yourself how you feel.
Both the PwC Building Trust in Drones report and Murison’s article, Public Perception a Barrier to Drone Adoption, are worth taking the time to explore. While this type of technology may not be relevant for most field service businesses, the pursuit of understanding different perceptions—in the U.S. and abroad—just makes good business sense.
How Mature Is Your Service Delivery Model?
Source: Field Technologies Online
Author: John Hamilton, President, Service Strategies Corporation
The one constant in life is change. The world of field service technology is no different. Field service businesses are like any other market in the process of digital transformation. John Hamilton’s article, How Mature is Your Service Delivery Model, hits on some of the latest, leading edge technology making waves in the field service space. It is clear he understands this is an evolving space, and these are future technologies.
Hamilton does a remarkable job of presenting a phased approach to technology adoption. I really liked the criteria for each phase, which will provide any service business with a quick guide to determine where they fall in the phases of technology and process adoption.
Learn where you fall in the phases and read the full article today.
Why You Should Stop Using Spreadsheets to Schedule Field Service Work
Source: Field Squared Blog
Author: Mark Percy, VP of Technology at Field Squared
It may seem far-fetched, but most field service businesses today still use paper-based processes to schedule or dispatch their field workforce. No one knows this better than us here at Field Squared. On any given day, we talk with companies that are just beginning to explore options that will help them digitally transform their field service operations.
To further spread the word about why it’s crucial to move away from paper-based processes as soon as possible, we published a blog on the subject, Why You Should Stop Using Spreadsheets to Schedule Field Service Work.
What you’ll learn in Why You Should Stop Using Spreadsheets to Schedule Field Service Work, a 20-minute read, is all you need to know. We hope you give us a call when you’re ready to switch out the paper.
Interview with BP’s Chief Executive, Upstream, Bernard Looney
Source: Oil & Gas Technology
Author: Oil & Gas Technology Editorial Staff
Here at Field Squared, we look at the world a little differently. We think field service software should be configurable across any industry. We read news across every vertical, sharing stories we feel are highly relevant even if they are not in the same industry. If continuous learning is the goal, it’s only fitting to be well-rounded and learn how others are doing things. You never know when another’s idea may spark your own.
On that note, this past month I read an interview-style article in Oil & Gas Technology’s online publication from late last year that I just had to share. The editorial team had the opportunity to speak with BP’s Chief Executive of upstream, Bernd Looney, about the company’s digital transformation journey, among other topics.
What followed was a fairly comprehensive deep-dive into how BP is changing the game, growing and where they focused resources. The interview is filled with insights from one of the most well-known oil and gas organizations in the world.
Read the full interview for all the details.
How to Integrate Drones into the Enterprise
Source: Commercial UAV News
Author: Jeremiah Karpowicz
The second article I read about drone technology is this beauty from Commercial UAV News writer, Jeremiah Karpowicz. The previous article focused on the negative perception drone technology has across the UK, while this article demonstrates the process by which companies can successfully integrate drones into the enterprise.
Similar to the previous article, this is an adaptation of the guide PwC put together at the UAV Expo in Europe earlier in the year.
Filled with a step-by-step process framework, key details on a buy vs build scenario and regulatory considerations, the article is exceptional as well as very thorough.
Read the column to get the full story.
Steal this Lego Map Style for ArcGIS Pro, please
Source: Esri ArcGIS Blog
Author: John Nelson, Content Team at Esri
It’s usually not all fun and games in field service. Here at Field Squared, we try to take the time to look on the bright side to laugh a little. This month, John Nelson of Esri’s content team, published one such blog: Steal This Lego Map Style for ArcGIS Pro.
Now it’s your turn to take a break and find the fun side of life. Check out the full article to begin building your own lego map.
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Image Source: Unsplash by Keith Misner