How does AI improve field services and customer experience?

Research shows that a significant percentage of high-performing field service organizations have integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations. Specifically, the data indicates that 80% of such organizations utilize AI technologies in some capacity. This finding highlights the growing trend of AI adoption within the field service industry. It underscores the potential benefits that these technologies can provide, including improved efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced customer experiences. As AI evolves and matures, more organizations will likely leverage these capabilities to optimize their service operations and gain a competitive advantage.

According to recent studies, the significance of service quality in customer buying decisions has been increasingly recognized. Currently, a considerable majority of customers, i.e., 88%, rate customer experience as important as the products or services they receive. Moreover, as much as 94% of customers acknowledge that service quality significantly influences their decision to repurchase.

High-performing service organizations that aim to drive innovation and reduce costs have resorted to leveraging field service management to achieve their goals. Notably, as revealed by relevant research, 80% of such organizations rely on artificial intelligence.

The Salesforce State of Service research highlights three key field service trends critical to business success:

Field service has emerged as a revenue channel, with 86% of decision-makers at companies with field service viewing it as critical to the growth of their businesses.

High-performing organizations increase productivity and save costs by leveraging field service management software, with 98% of users attributing its use to increased productivity.

Through innovation, field service organizations can deliver better customer outcomes, with mobile workers serving as brand ambassadors and often the only human face customers see. As such, it is worth noting that 65% of mobile workers feel the weight of customer expectations more than any other service worker.

Field services are changing with AI

Enterprises recognize the significance of robust on-site service delivery as a lucrative income source. Research reveals that 86% of individuals who make key decisions consider field service teams vital in expanding the business. Moreover, 52% of mobile workers who perform at a high level indicate that upper management deems customer service as a means of generating revenue. Surprisingly, 69% of high-performing organizations monitor the revenue generated from their field service operations.

Virtual service delivery significantly reduces costs, high customer satisfaction, and environmental sustainability. According to recent findings, virtual service accounts for 40% of the overall service volume, averting a million truck rolls yearly. Moreover, the study underscored specific instances where 30% of all service cases were successfully resolved via virtual service delivery.

Notably, field service management tools are pivotal in ensuring high productivity levels. Empirical evidence indicates that an overwhelming 98% of mobile workers who utilize field service management tools credit them for the resulting gains in productivity.

Highly effective field service teams use artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance performance. Specifically, nearly 80% of high-performing field service teams utilize AI, unlike 62% of underperforming teams. The use of chatbots (78%), workflow automation (83%), and automated digital transcription of phone conversations (80%) are also widespread among highly effective field service teams. Technological advancements are driving considerable improvements in field service satisfaction, with 93% of mobile workers in high-performing organizations citing job satisfaction as a primary benefit of field service management. In addition, these technological innovations enhance productivity, optimize schedules, manage unexpected situations, and improve overall performance.

Workflow automation is especially effective in generating substantial productivity gains. According to research, it yields benefits such as significant time savings (95%), the ability to focus on individual customers (94%), the freedom to take on new projects (94%), improved communication with other departments (93%), and reduction of errors (92%).

The future of AI-powered field services

The projected growth of the field service management market is expected to reach an estimated $8.06 billion by 2028. In a digital era where customers and businesses are embracing a digit-first approach, field service professionals must equip themselves with a personalized, mobile, and smart toolkit, enabling them to deliver value at a moment's notice.

Furthermore, field service organizations must leverage AI-powered applications in their arsenal, as they are more likely to emerge victorious in the battle for customer retention, loyalty, and advocacy, as well as in their quest to secure future business opportunities. A company that is committed to delivering optimal customer satisfaction is a company that is capable of providing top-tier customer care. In today's business climate, the most effective customer care solutions are powered by real-time intelligence and personalized engagement at scale.