By Elías Cedillo Hernández
Grupo Be IT and BuróMC CEO.

The next generation of Field Services promises a more convenient future for both clients and collaborators thanks to the flexibility offered by version 2.0 of this service today. Companies will be able to count on fixed, floating, or part-time engineers through economies of scale and adequate logistics.

The topic of remote support changes the game by generating direct savings for clients. For example, there are businesses like Oxxo, which has around 12,000 to 14,000 branches in Mexico. I don’t believe all stores need support all the time, which would be very costly for them. That’s why they choose to hire companies that offer technical support for situations such as: “the computer broke down,” “a cable broke,” or “the camera stopped working.” Nowadays, it might not even be necessary to travel to a point or location, like in the Oxxo example. A large part of this support can be performed remotely.

Within this topic, there are many aspects, but let’s focus on technical support, since it is always necessary to implement management: asset management. And I emphasize that all this must be carried out from an administrative, security, visibility, and support perspective, which are the pillars of Field Services 2.0.

Currently, how do companies measure technical support? I define the state of the art in this regard as a focus on minimizing consumption; however, it’s crucial that everything remains in balance. At this point, tools are necessary. At the company I lead, we decided to implement a tool called VICARIUS to ensure solid protection and measurement, thereby achieving better technological integration and greater service effectiveness, getting the following benefits:

• Greater flexibility and scalability: Companies can tailor their IT workforce to their specific needs, allowing them to save money and improve efficiency.
• Enhanced remote support: Current technology enables technicians to solve many problems remotely, reducing downtime and travel costs.
• Improved security: Field Services 2.0 can help companies improve their security by implementing stricter access controls and stronger security practices.
• Increased productivity: Technicians can be more productive when they don’t have to travel to different locations, which can lead to better customer service and increased profitability.
• Greater customer satisfaction: Customers appreciate the convenience and efficiency of remote support, which can lead to greater loyalty and satisfaction.

The above is key to remember and to have a comprehensive view of the landscape from a hardware, software, and—above all—technical support and service quality standpoint. Once you have that in place and achieve a level of standardization where everything is relatively consistent, then you can automate. Now, many support companies don’t know about cybersecurity; they have no idea what ‘Zero Trust Network Access’ is, nor they understand asset management—many just handle tickets. We don’t stop there, as we must consider best practices alongside effectiveness. These practices are reflected in a baseline, which involves meeting the specific characteristics of a project. And how can Grupo BeIT help your company implement Field Services 2.0 based on a baseline? We can help in the following ways:

• Evaluating your needs: We’ll help you identify your specific technical support needs and develop a plan to address them.
• Implementing a solution: We’ll help you select and implement the right Field Services 2.0 solution for your company.
• Training your staff: We’ll help you train your staff to use the new solution effectively.
• Monitoring and optimizing your solution: We’ll help you monitor and optimize your solution to ensure you’re getting the most value from your investment.

The evolution toward Field Services 2.0 represents a fundamental change in the way technical support and related services are delivered in the business world, with a commitment to continuous improvement and the provision of quality service, as well as fair cost/benefit to drive the success of your organization in the digital era. 

Field Services 2.0 is a powerful way to improve technical support while reducing costs. If a company is looking for a way to enhance the efficiency and productivity of its IT team, Field Services 2.0 is an excellent option to consider.