Enhancing Remote Maintenance Using Visual Technology

Field service organizations have long been implementing measures to reduce their high operational costs. Technician dispatches, in particular, are a huge drain on resources, considering that each truck roll involves technician labor costs, and vehicle expenses such as fuel and insurance. Remote maintenance is therefore becoming a preferred solution for many field service organizations, as it enables technicians to monitor and maintain customer systems from afar using a range of tools and sensors.

Remote maintenance allows field service organizations to provide prompt, high-quality service, without the need to dispatch a technician to the customer’s site. Whether it’s an engineer overseeing a factory production line, an IT technician upgrading a server, or an electricity company worker servicing a meter, remote maintenance is critical when it comes to minimizing downtime.

COVID-19 and remote maintenance

The pandemic is further driving the need for remote maintenance. Safety concerns and pared-down workforces mean that there is a smaller pool of technicians available to service customers. But the change is also being driven by customers. A new study examining consumer expectations of technical support and technician visits during the COVID-19 pandemic found that while most still expect their providers to resolve service and equipment issues as quickly and effectively as before the pandemic, 75% do not want technicians in or around their homes unless strictly necessary.