A few days ago I was in in Palm Springs, not to take advantage of their phenomenal golf courses and spas, but to engage with companies across industries seeking to provide a better experience to their customers through outstanding field service.  Field Service USA is a leading market showcase of technology, best practices and thought leaders driving organizations to maximize the service they deliver to their customers everywhere.  I’d like to share the wonderful things I learned during this event: 

First, it is clear that companies of all shapes and sizes are concerned about how their brands are viewed by their customers and that the service they provide is a key differentiator.  Customers have incredible power to make purchasing decisions and then communicate their experiences, both positive and negative, to the world.  Everything is connected in today’s marketplace, and companies know they need to consider this as they plan for how they deliver service in the field.  During Field Service USA, numerous presentations and sessions  highlighted the importance of placing the  the customer at the front and center of your service strategy

Second, there are many options for companies to pursue.  Vendors with new technologies and niche solutions seem to be everywhere.   New players and old technology brands all seem to offer Field Service Solutions.  This is understandable, as the market for Field Service is huge and companies struggle to find a solution that works for their customers in their business model.  Many organizations have tried and failed to break free from antiquated technologies and platforms that were built when customers held completely different expectations of service.   

Finally, many organizations are feeling the futility of attempting to string together solutions that can meet their needs.  The complexity and lack of visibility across the organization have consistently come up short.   Siloed systems slow down the ability of organizations to innovate the service they provide in the field.  Disconnected mobile solutions don’t deliver the efficiencies they promised.  Ultimately, these add to failures in meeting the ever-increasing expectations of customers in the field.  This demonstrates the importance of having a complete approach to service, one where employees across the company are connected on a single platform and have a 360 degree view of the customer.

Field Service USA provided an incredible venue for conversations about how companies could address these concerns as they looked to the future.  Salesforce was excited to be a part of these conversations, as many of our customers and partners were excited to learn about our new product, Field Service Lightning.  Field Service Lightning lets organizations leverage the world’s #1 customer service platform, Service Cloud, to bring amazing service directly to their customers.  Field Service USA was a great event to showcase Field Service Lightning and to engage with leaders at organizations that are excited to transform how they deliver a connected, end-to-end service experience to their customers.

Want to learn more about how Field Service Lightning can transform the customer experience? Download the free Salesforce e-book.