Rugged Devices, Field Services, And What's Next

Field Technologies Online talks with Michael Trafton, Business Development Manager, Panasonic Connect North America, about why rugged mobile solutions are needed in field services, how they will support new trends, and what’s next for the industry.

Q: Why do field services need rugged devices?

Trafton: Field service operations face the unique challenge of managing a large network of employees in remote, diverse, and ever-changing conditions. For example, a commercial appliance company may have one employee at a site 20 minutes away servicing an industrial dishwasher and another 40 minutes away delivering and installing a new refrigerator. Now imagine you are one of the members of the on-site teams. You need to know when to arrive, what parts you need, relevant servicing manuals and warranties, how long you have to complete the job, where you are going next, and how to process the invoice. The fleet manager back at headquarters needs to track your progress and reach out quickly with any schedule changes, invoicing needs, or inventory updates.

Rugged mobile solutions put everything a field service worker needs in one place. They create a mobile office for technicians, putting data in their hands and helping them stay connected so they can get work done in any setting, which is critical to improve customer service and reduce callbacks. Consumer or commercial-grade devices are likely to break or not run at peak performance in the harsh and extreme environments field technicians work in. This causes downtime while devices are repaired or replaced, and negatively impacts overall worker productivity. However, rugged mobile solutions improve field service operations for efficient service and increase customer satisfaction, regardless of the location or environment where work takes place. Whether they are servicing a building, on the road between jobs, or working in remote locations, field service workers can access essential resources, process critical information, and contact team members using rugged mobile devices. These solutions offer enhanced connectivity and computing power, making it easier for field technicians to use specialized applications, access and transfer large files, and keep headquarters in the loop in their progress. This is what sets them apart.