5 Mind-Blowing Statistics About Technology Adoption In Field Work
By Luke Krueger, Co-founder, ICwhatUC
It’s hard to imagine the field work industry as a high-tech place when the most prominent visual we have is a large van or truck (likely with a ladder on top). The reality, though, is that field workers have a huge technology adoption curve – and even bigger technology needs. Between customer demands for increased speed, contactless service, and the desire to solve problems without having someone come into your home, field service is due for a huge technology revamp. Here are 5 mind blowing statistics that show just how ripe for change the field service industry really is.
80% of field service workers want mobile field service technology
Despite the fact that field service workers are on the road for nearly half their day, high-quality, ultra-fast mobile technology is not yet standard. However, 80% of field service technicians state that mobile field service technology is critical to increase their efficiency and effectiveness at helping customers.
Customers want increased speed – and will often buy more when a company responds quickly or give business to the company with the quickest response times. With this in mind, businesses need to listen to field service workers and adopt mobile field technology quickly.
97% of businesses see security as a competitive advantage
Customers want convenience, but they also want their data to be protected. Gone are the days when customers were willing to give up privacy and security for the sake of speed – now companies must provide both. The good thing for businesses is that customers are willing to move providers if they feel their data is more secure, which is likely why 97% of businesses see security as a competitive advantage.
Embedding security into the way you work isn’t just about privacy policies but leveraging technology to do some of the work for you.
Only 15% of field workers believe AI will take their jobs
There is a lot of intrigue, curiosity, and fear around artificial intelligence (AI), but the majority of field workers aren’t worried that AI will take their jobs. Most believe the opposite, with 80% of technical experts believing that AI will actually enhance workforce skills and efficiency, not replace humans.
AI comes in to fill the gaps that humans simply can’t process. With technology doing the heavy lifting, field workers can focus on the human element of customer relationship management, leading to more sales and lower customer churn.
Technology adoption is linked to COVID business survival
When the COVID pandemic hit, companies began to adopt technology at a rapid pace to make up for the sudden gaps they had from leaving the office. The silver lining for these businesses is that organizations that adopted technology quickly as a result of the pandemic report a higher rate of recovering from COVID-related economic issues.
All massive shifts in society open up opportunities, but unfortunately a lot of the opportunity is caused by others going under. If companies adopt technology quickly, they increase their chances of survival so they’ll be ready to take advantage of opportunities as they come.
Customers will pay more for companies that prioritize security
Even though nearly all businesses understand that security is a competitive advantage, not everyone cares enough to do anything about it. The ones that care end up winning, with the majority of customers reporting they will pay more for services if the company has invested in privacy and safety.
As customers demand more privacy and more convenience, they understand they are asking for a premium service. However, they are also willing to pay for that service. In a world of data breaches and hacks, customers will pay for the peace of mind that comes with a company investing in privacy and security.
Technology is the future of field services
Companies that prioritize technology adoption will see increased customer satisfaction, more sales, less churn, and even the ability to increase prices. All of this translates to a healthier, more sustainable business that can continue to provide jobs, create wealth, and add value to the economy. It’s a win-win-win.
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Luke Krueger is a Co-founder of ICwhatUC, an industry leading augmented reality virtual work platform that helps the mobile workforce execute remote work.