The market in a number of different industries is changing, especially for those who offer services. Profit margins are shrinking, the competition is intensifying and the market itself is just getting more crowded. At the same time, customers are also cutting costs and searching for ways to get more value from the vendors providing them with a service.
To meet these challenges head-on, service vendors in the mid-size range must be able to deliver Smart Services. With the use of Condition-based Service Management (CbSM), these vendors can add higher margin premium services to improve overall profit margins; reduce operational costs and lock out the competition; implement a simple solution for mobile workforce management; and overcome the challenge of remote customer support in a 24/7/365 business environment.
The power of CbSM comes from the ability to provide real-time visibility into customer operations and asset performance. This is made possible by such technologies as embedded systems to collect real-time data from equipment assets and allow monitoring; mobile communications technologies that provide alerts for nearby technicians; and cloud computing to reduce the time necessary to get up and running.
In the simplest terms, CbSM is a process that enables service companies and suppliers to run their operations according to the highest-priority needs of their customers. In taking such an approach, it tightens the service chain, while also facilitating collaboration between businesses and the service organizations from which they gain support.
The concept was developed by Pedigree Technologies as a way to unify operations disciplines and offers a systematic way of applying technology to develop a sustainable competitive advantage when service organizations are delivering services. This approach also helps to drive better integration for service vendors into customer operations.
While CbSM has traditionally been limited to those large enterprises and facilities with the larger budgets to afford the price tag (News - Alert); companies of all sizes today can leverage the convergence of mobile communications and computing, as well as a movement to the cloud, to put CbSM into play.
Cloud-based applications are readily available, including Pedigree’s OneView, to provide the service vendor with an easy and secure way to capture important information about customer operations, equipment and inventories. As a result, these companies have a new opportunity to offer premium service contracts and launch a proactive approach to the service their deliver to their customers.
With a changing market today, full of tight margins, intense competition and hidden opportunities, service vendors can benefit greatly from the accessibility of this technology.
Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.
Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Jennifer Russell
