In the evolving landscape of digital workplaces, efficient field service operations are critical in ensuring reduced downtime and high productivity with faster resolutions. Now more than ever, organizations are looking for effective ways to enhance field services. One such way that helps organizations transform field services starts with taking the Shift Left approach using Augmented Reality (AR).

The Field Service Management Industry is growing. Its estimated market size of USD 3.24 billion in 2021 is expected to reach USD 8.06 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 13.9%. The Field Service Industry has witnessed massive changes in the last few years as the pandemic restricted in-person field service visits. To adapt to the change, many organizations have invested in emerging technologies such as AI, Machine Learning, AR, etc., for remote service and predictive maintenance.

Even though the adoption of emerging technologies is expected to drive industry growth, many organizations still follow the traditional approach, which is riddled with challenges. The traditional approach also creates problems for the customers, the organizations, and the field agents. Statistics show that one of every three field service calls requires remote assistance. The organizational impact ranges from US$300,000 to US$5 million for every hour of downtime, depending upon the organization’s size. 55% of the agents also say they require better training to do their jobs. Learning gaps between technicians, the dispatch of wrong equipment, and the shortage of experienced staff increases the MTTR, which adds to customer frustration.

To remediate the problems caused by the traditional approach, organizations can create capabilities to solve the work that requires higher-level employees (L2 & L3) effectively by lower-level employees (L1). This approach is called the Shift Left approach, which essentially brings the process/technology/person closer to the customer and helps create self-service capabilities for the customer

Why Shift Left?

• Saves time and money by eliminating waste calls and unnecessary field visits
• It improves the end-user satisfaction levels by helping them solve issues faster and more effectively, which in turn decreases support costs
• It frees up the skilled workforce for tasks that require their expertise

We have seen how the Shift Left approach can benefit the Field Service Industry. But how do we implement Shift Left? The answer lies in the adoption of modern technologies such as AR. Let us look at how AR can transform the Field Service Industry. 

Transforming field service by shifting left using AR

The pandemic has accelerated digitalization across all industries, and customers have also started demanding more personalized and faster digital service solutions. AR can help the Field Service Industry embrace this transformation by helping the industry Shift Left. 

Customers enabled with the AR applications on their mobile devices/ tablets /wearables can either solve the issues independently or collaborate remotely with technicians who can help them navigate through the issue. Customers can now say goodbye to bulky manuals and the long list of instructions since they can effectively be replaced by immersive information provided with the help of AR.

Support levels provided through AR-enabled Digital Field Services with associated components:                                                        

Interestingly, this approach is industry agnostic and applies to both IT and non-IT devices. The benefits of the proposed AR solution are as follows:

• Reduction in mean time to repair (MTTR) by 10 to 25%* – McKinsey & Company Report
• Elimination of skill gap and increase in productivity
• Reduction in onsite field service cost by ~20-30%* through optimization of field scheduling from L3/2 to L1 – McKinsey & Company Report
• Boost remote-solve rates through AR-based visual guidance that incorporates overlayed graphics

Depends on Customer Environment, IT Maturity, and Landscape

Wipro is embracing this innovation by teaming up with pioneering tech partners such as CareAR. The AR solution uses live visual interactions, easy integrations, self-guided instructions, and contextual insights to empower field agents to detect and resolve problems efficiently, thus, addressing the critical challenges of increasing skill gap, lower FTRs, and multiplying operational expenses due to high onboarding efforts.