“I know the data I need, but obtaining it from the various systems in my business… what a nightmare!”
As a Service Leader, have you ever felt this? Of course you have! Any service leader worth their salt knows that having the right information in the right place at the right time is critical for success. This was abundantly clear at our last Service Leaders Network Summit, where there was intense interest in the experiences shared by colleagues from Endress+Hauser. They discussed their journey from leadership vision to the nitty-gritty of executing ideas. They shared their challenges with data collection, data cleaning, and analytics, as well as how they collaborated with third parties to overcome specific analytical hurdles using AI technologies such as Machine Learning. They also discussed the challenge of integrating an analytics solution into business processes, particularly those involving people. At no point was there a discussion about why, as that was apparent to all the business leaders present. They were much more interested in the how, especially how others had achieved it.
My observation is that service leaders are beginning to reach the right level of data maturity, enabling them to move away from AI buzzwords and focus on value. They recognize the vast reservoir of unstructured data and potential knowledge contained within service reports and management systems. They acknowledge the urgency of knowledge transfer, as many face a skills shortage due to retiring service staff. They understand that if they could manage the Bill of Material of their installed base and equipment locations, they could deliver more value to both customers and their own businesses.
Perhaps this shift towards a focus on value over the inundation of marketing with AI terminology is also true for solution providers. They too are becoming more value-focused while recognizing the need to develop capabilities to use advanced analytics methods where appropriate. Moreover, the availability of more “off-the-shelf” analytics solutions providing access to advanced mathematics and computing power is facilitating this transition.
What’s particularly interesting is how the implementation of these projects depends so much on a company’s context—its mindset, competitive environment, existing system complexity, and geographical spread. This extensive list underscores the importance of listening to and exploring as many use cases as possible for successful execution. This isn’t about finding a benchmark; there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it’s about understanding the parameters necessary for success.
With this in mind, we’re hosting another SLN Summit on June 5th, where we’ll explore with Smith Detection their journey of turning unstructured data into structured intelligence and actionable insights. This won’t be an ordinary event; the audience will be small, perhaps 10-15 experienced service professionals, who will have the opportunity to delve deeply into the application over a full day. To provide a different perspective, the technology provider of the solution, Aquant, will also participate in the discussion. Understanding the supplier perspective is crucial to grasping the ecosystem of partners required to access the capabilities and insights needed at any given time. For instance, the readiness of an organization’s data architecture is an important consideration when planning transformation.
With this diverse mix of backgrounds and experiences, along with the opportunity for collaboration with colleagues after the event, all attendees will walk away with valuable insights that can make a real difference to them.If you’d like to learn more about this topic and the event, you can use this link to Si2Partners to view the agenda and register.
