Category: Software

FEATURE
How Can Field Service Technology Improve User Adoption and Efficiency? with Vanessa Hunt (Ep. 28)

How Can Field Service Technology Improve User Adoption and Efficiency? with Vanessa Hunt (Ep. 28)

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In this episode, Michael Israel discusses change management in the context of field service and implementing field service technology. He is joined by Vanessa Hunt, founder of Vanessa Hunt Consulting, who shares insights on user adoption and the challenges faced by field service users. They emphasize the importance of involving field service staff early on, creating champions to advocate for the solution, and providing necessary resources and support. As well as, the role of executive management in the change management process and the significance of effective communication and recognition. 

Vanessa and Michael discuss:

  • Change management in the context of field service and implementing field service technology
  • Challenges faced by field service users who primarily use mobile devices
  • Importance of understanding the perspective of field service engineers
  • Benefits of mobile apps for field technicians
  • Essential steps for successfully implementing change management and ensuring sustained adoption
  • And more

Resources:

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About our Guest:

Vanessa Hunt worked as an independent CRM Consultant from 2006, before establishing Vanessa Hunt Consulting Ltd in January 2010. She’s held training and management positions in software organisations and consultancies such as Maximizer Software Ltd, McAfee, Detica and CSC Computer Sciences. With over twenty years’ experience in training, marketing and CRM implementation, she’s dedicated to sourcing the best Marketing Automation, CRM and ERP solutions for her clients. Vanessa is a keen linguist, fluent in English, French, German and Italian. She’s worked on many CRM training projects, delivering training across Europe in multiple languages. Vanessa loves hiking and bikepacking in the mountains. She lives near the Chilterns with her husband and athletic cat.

 

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FEATURE
Field Service and the Potential Impact of a Recession with Michael Blumberg (Ep. 26)

Field Service and the Potential Impact of a Recession with Michael Blumberg (Ep. 26)

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Did you know that field service can be recession-proof? In a recent study conducted by Blumberg Advisory Group Inc., results showed that despite concerns of a recession, a majority of respondents are optimistic about the future. What happens most times during a recession, there is a higher demand for maintaining and servicing existing products, which works out in your best interest. 

In this episode, Michael Blumberg is back on the podcast to discuss the findings of a study conducted by Blumberg Advisory Groupon field service and its potential impact during a recession.

Michael discusses:

  • The importance of proactive service especially in field services
  • The impact of economic recessions on homeowners and businesses
  • How customers expect the same level of service across industries, thanks to Lyft and Uber and the bar they set for customer service
  • The top challenges reported in the survey, including pricing pressures, shrinking labor pool, and supply chain constraints
  • Career opportunities in the field services 
  • The use of technology, such as AI and augmented reality, in improving service delivery
  • And more

Resources:

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The Key to Exceptional Customer Service in the Construction Industry with Eduardo Samayoa (Ep. 25)

The Key to Exceptional Customer Service in the Construction Industry with Eduardo Samayoa (Ep. 25)

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In Mexico City, Eduardo saw firsthand the struggles architects and developers faced in procuring materials on time. As a homeowner himself, he also noticed the lack of professional services in the construction industry.

In this episode, Eduardo Samayoa, CEO and founder of Simplo, shared his journey from working in lighting and product consulting in San Francisco to starting Simplo. He explores why Simplo was created and how he grew through the power of customer-centricity, clear communication, and leveraging technology.  

Eduardo discusses:

  • How creating a client-focused business promotes business growth
  • What clients want from a construction company
  • The importance of leveraging technology to streamline business operations
  • His advice for entrepreneurs looking to start a new business
  • And more

Resources:

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Fixing Customers, Not Just Problems: The Art of Building Lasting Relationships with Gaven Fahl (Ep. 24)

Fixing Customers, Not Just Problems: The Art of Building Lasting Relationships with Gaven Fahl (Ep. 24)

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“You can’t have a reasonable conversation during a fire or even when there’s a lot of smoke around.”

In this episode, Gaven Fahl, Director of the Critical Accounts Program at Hewlett Packard Enterprise joins us to talk about building proactive customer relationships and maintaining them.

With 12 years under her belt at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and as the founder of the Critical Accounts Program, she’s got a wealth of experience in building long-lasting relationships with customers beyond just fixing their technical issues. 

Gaven shares her insights into the art of nurturing successful customer relationships and offers practical tips that will undoubtedly revolutionize your approach to customer service and help your business thrive. 

Gaven and Michael discuss:

  • The critical role of customer relationships in business success
  • How to align customer expectations to avoid miscommunication and dissatisfaction
  • Effective techniques for rebuilding strained relationships and restoring trust
  • Proactive strategies for maintaining and nurturing customer relationships for long-term growth
  • The three crucial steps to rebuilding customer relationships
  • And more!

Resources:

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FEATURE
The Path to Success for Skilled Technicians in Field Service Work with Rod Cook (Ep. 23)

The Path to Success for Skilled Technicians in Field Service Work with Rod Cook (Ep. 23)

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In recent years, the field service industry has undergone significant changes, with a growing emphasis on sustainability and innovation.

In this episode, Rod Cook, Director of North American Service Operations at Trane Technologies, discusses the challenges and opportunities available for talent within the trades industry, particularly in HVAC. 

He explores how to achieve a lucrative career in the field service industry and the importance of investing in the next generation of technicians to drive sustainable change.

Rod discusses:

  • How HVAC technicians play a crucial role in reducing energy consumption and achieving sustainability goals
  • The challenges of attracting and retaining talent in HVAC, misconceptions, and an aging workforce
  • The lucrative and promising career path for field service work at Trane Technologies
  • How Trane Technologies is investing in culture and communities to uplift and retain technicians
  • And so much more!

Resources:

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About Our Guest: 

Rod Cook is the Director of NA Services Operations for Trane’s Commercial HVAC business.  He has held numerous positions across the organization over his extensive career with Trane and leadership roles in Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), Operational Excellence, Service and Contracting Operations, and Performance Contracting…just to name a few.

In his current position as Director of NA Service Operations, he is responsible for leading Trane’s field service operations teams.  He provides leadership and support to over 2,500 field technicians and their leaders and helps them provide customers with a world-class service experience.  His primary areas of responsibility include field technology and tech-enabled services, mobility, coordination, fleet, and value-stream transformation.

Rod has over 24 years of experience in the HVAC industry and has spent the majority of his time strategizing, leading and implementing services operations solutions across North America.

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Building a Unified Customer Experience: The Power of Collaborative Partnerships with Sai Padmarajen (Ep. 22)

Building a Unified Customer Experience: The Power of Collaborative Partnerships with Sai Padmarajen (Ep. 22)

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Collaborative partnerships have the power to revolutionize the way you build a unified customer experience.

In this episode, Sai Padmarajen, Head of Channel & Ecosystem Partnership, and Rob Freedman, Head of Growth, both from Zuper, share their insights on their partnership model’s three-pronged approach. They highlight the evolution of Zuper’s partner network, which has grown from six to over sixty partners.

Sai and Rob emphasize the value of creating a synergistic partner ecosystem and identifying the right platform and solutions to achieve this goal. In addition, they share the key benefits and takeaways that a potential partner will reap from the collaboration.

Sai and Rob discuss:

  • How the Zuper Partner channel evolved over the past year
  • How Zuper is creating a synergistic partner ecosystem
  • The three-pronged approach to the partner model at Zuper – referral, reseller, and solutions partnership
  • The significance of identifying the right platform and solutions to create a synergistic partnership with the partners
  • And so much more

Resources:

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FEATURE
The Power of Relationships in Field Service with David Nour (Ep. 21)

The Power of Relationships in Field Service with David Nour (Ep. 21)

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This week we’ll explore the concept of Relationship Economics and how it can transform the customer service and field service industries. 

In this episode, we feature David Nour, CEO of The Nour Group, Inc. and author of Relationship Economics®, to talk about the importance of relationships in business.

David shares his insights on creating a customer-centric culture and provides practical tips on developing and maintaining long-lasting relationships with customers. 

David and Michael discuss:

  • How relationship building is a critical skill that can be quantifiable and a strategic asset
  • Why focusing on fewer, deeper, authentic relationships that are mutually value-based is more important than having more contacts
  • Tips field service or customer service leaders can follow to create critical business relationships and be more disciplined and systematic in building and nurturing them
  • Effective relationship building and intentional long-term relationship development
  • And more

Resources:

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About Our Guest: 

A senior leadership/board advisor, educator, executive coach, and bestselling author, David Nour is internationally recognized as the leading expert on applications of strategic relationships in profitable growth, sustained innovation, and lasting change. The author of eleven books, including bestsellers Relationship Economics® (Wiley) – forthcoming in its 3rd edition, Co-Create (St. Martin’s Press), and Curve Benders (Wiley, 2021), Nour serves as a trusted advisor to global clients and coaches corporate leaders.  

Born in Iran, Nour immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager with $100, limited family ties, and no fluency in English. He graduated from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in business management and went on to earn an Executive MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. He resides in Atlanta, GA, with his family.

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FEATURE
Predicting Field Service Management Business Market in 2023 (Ep. 20)

Predicting Field Service Management Business Market in 2023 (Ep. 20)

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As we enter a new year, staying ahead of the curve and understanding the challenges and opportunities is essential to the field services business.

In this episode, we’re joined by Rob Freedman, Head of Growth at Zuper to explore the forecasted growth of the field service management market and the technology trends shaping the industry in 2023. 

Rob discusses everything from his latest article from outsourcing and the rise of contingent labor to the adoption of AI and automation.

Rob discusses:

  • The forecasted growth of the field service management market
  • The impact of outsourcing and the rise of contingent labor
  • Advantages of adopting AI and automation in field service management
  • How Zuper is navigating the future of field service management with technology solutions
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Rob Freedman: 

About Rob: 

Rob Freedman is a marketing executive and consultant with over 15 years of experience. He loves growing brands, developing all-star teams, and helping people achieve their professional and personal goals. Rob is a frequent contributor to articles on digital marketing trends, team leadership, and branding. As if all that weren’t enough, he also has two daughters to keep him busy! He spends his free time listening to music (he’s got eclectic tastes), traveling (he’s been everywhere from San Francisco to Kampala), reading books about the latest innovations in business, or drinking coffee (black).

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Triple Growth: How Zuper’s Platform Connected People and Improved Field Service Management in 2022 (Ep. 19)

Triple Growth: How Zuper’s Platform Connected People and Improved Field Service Management in 2022 (Ep. 19)

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Zuper experienced substantial growth in 2022, tripling the number of users and new customers. 

In this episode, Michael Israel discusses all the attributes that added to the growth and value of Zuper’s service in connecting people digitally and the added functionality and enhancements they have put into their product. 

Michael shares the key elements that field the surge in growth, such as the ability to perform bulk actions and send notifications to many customers simultaneously.

Michael discusses:

  • The contributing factors to the strong growth Zuper experienced in 2022
  • The new service enhancements Zuper has put into the products
  • Some of the critical updates made to the platform in 2023 
  • The recent trends in field service systems
  • And more

Resources:

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Outside-In leadership: The Fundamentals with Dennis Sadlowski (Ep. 18)

Outside-In leadership: The Fundamentals with Dennis Sadlowski (Ep. 18)

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Customer experience is how your customers perceive their interaction with your company, and it is fundamental to every business. 

So how do you excel at customer experience?

In this episode, Dennis Sadlowski, a CEO & Outside-In Leadership expert, discusses the roadmap to attaining the best customer experience. Dennis shares how teams have an advantage over their competitors by incorporating an outside-in leadership approach.

Dennis discusses:

  • The outside-in leadership concept in detail
  • How outside-in leadership affects field service in a positive way
  • Why it is important to connect every employee in the company to the customer experience
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Dennis Sadlowski:

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About our Guest: 

Dennis Sadlowski is an accomplished Chief Executive Officer, Board Member, Outside-In Leader and C-suite Advisor serving domestic and international businesses. He has led public and private equity companies globally, in various industrial manufacturing and services industries. Mr. Sadlowski served as the CEO of Siemens Energy and Automation, a $4 billion, 12,000-employee operating company of Siemens AG. He also served as the CEO of CECO Environmental, CEO of International Battery, and COO (North America) of LSG Sky Chefs. Mr. Sadlowski holds a BS in Chemical and Nuclear Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and an MBA from Seattle University.

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