5 Spare Parts Pitfalls Leading To Failed First-Time Fix

By Aly Pinder Jr., sr. research analyst for service management, Aberdeen Group, www.aberdeen.com

Don’t underestimate the impact parts management can have on your organization.

Field service excellence seems to be a moving target. When I started researching field service five years ago, the conversation revolved around the schedule and ensuring technicians reached customer sites within a given service window. Then, mobility was all the rage. And now, topics such as wearables and the Internet of Things are taking center stage.

But what really matters in field service? I think the common thread amongst all of these trends is the customer and how service can better resolve customer issues. So how do we get better at providing service to customers beyond the trends mentioned? I think the answer is to fix the customer issue the first time a technician arrives. This should be a no-brainer, but unfortunately first-time fix is still a major problem for many organizations. However you define first-time fix within your operation, the key is that customers expect faster, more efficient service. As seen in Aberdeen’s Field Service 2014: Access to the Right information Empowers a Results-Driven Workforce January 2014 report, reduced margins, changing customer dynamics, and competition have forced organizations to reexamine how they manage the field.