Transforming Field-Service Operations

Running Faster, Longer, Smarter In Customer-Delivery Services

The modern marathon dates back to 490 BC, when a Greek courier named Phidippides ran from Marathon to Athens to deliver the news of a military victory. It took him about three hours to reach his destination, whereupon he promptly collapsed and died from exhaustion. In 1896, gold medalist Spyros Louis covered the 26.2 mile Olympic race course in just under three hours—and lived to talk about it. Today, the world record for a marathon is a speedy two hours and four minutes.

As with marathons, business boundaries continue to be tested and surpassed; what was once good enough to win the gold medal won’t even qualify you to take part in today’s race. This is principally the case for field-service retailers and other companies that deliver products or services that people use every day: packages, consumer goods, groceries, maintenance and repairs. Being able to simply cover the distance will never set you apart from the crowd.

This paper is intended for the growing number of companies with field-service operations. It explores options to keep pace with the latest strategies that deliver more value to both customers and shareholders. We offer examples of companies that have used these strategies to increase their competitive positions, and discuss how transforming delivery and service business models can propel long-term growth and strategic flexibility.

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