Modernized service strategies combine enterprise IT, ‘smart’ technology, and information.
Manufactures are expected to be more demand oriented, data driven, and technologically focused. This means focusing on the customer, using the data collected from many different areas, and digitally executing strategies using platform technologies.
Many companies today are focusing on the current stage of achieving field service excellence. This tends to be an easier, stand-alone area to focus on as it incorporates vast amounts of technology available to help and support them.
The next stage deals with moving towards connected service platforms which oftentimes involve an integration of smart, connected products. This is when companies will start to deal with how to capture data, leverage the insights, and turn it into actionable results for various stakeholders throughout the organization.
The last stage deals with achieving servitization optimization. Servitization is an important concept because it holds the potential to transform how products are delivered and monetized. This is really the movement towards product service systems and products-in-use value.
Ultimately, providing access to product and parts information is a crucial step in on the path to successful profitable growth.
Technology is fueling service transformation for many organizations.
For instance, here’s how ‘service’ has begun to transform with the help of new technologies:
- Cloud technologies have enabled greater access to service parts visibility and information.
- Mobile technology has put information in the hands of service technicians, at the right time.
- Big data analytics now capture asset and product information, enabling enhanced service quality with better first-time fix rates.
- And social technology has allowed engineers, service, and customer support to collaborate.
These cloud, mobile, social, and big data analytics technologies have enabled manufacturers to transition from systems to service, from information to innovation.
Our team is prepared to help you achieve field service excellence. Our Product Development Information Services team is experienced in the architecture, implementation and support of a technology portfolio making service excellence a reality for many of our customers.
By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the buzz about IoT (the Internet of Things).
‘Start improving the way you do business’, ‘connect with technology’, ‘responsive solutions’, ‘amazing results’.
It’s safe to say that the internet of things along with smart connected enterprises have easily become technology’s theme of the year.
Businesses everywhere have started to look at how they can make more money by inserting this “IoT” thing into their business processes.
The truth behind your success and IoT:
No matter where your journey begins with IoT, it’s essential to recognize good business models rely on technological processes, but technology on its own is not enough.
When it comes to IoT and connected business model innovations, if you don’t have a solid business case, you’re not going to have success.
A connected strategy is about business and business transformation. It’s not just about the technology, it’s about using technology as an enabler.
It’s important to realize there is no value in your IoT platform alone. The real value for you, the success of your business case, lies within your application.
The future is smart and connected.
Whether you choose to build connected solutions into existing products, enter new markets, change your business model, or connect your manufacturing floor; you need to be ready.
Transforming the way you connect with your products, organization, and customers all starts with smart connected design and the right Internet of Things (IoT) platform. The right platform allows you to connect and scale your business.
This is exactly what our company specializes in, in fact we have even created a dedicated connect services team to design and implement custom connected strategies for any organization.
Being able to monitor a product from design into manufacturing, throughout its complete lifecycle makes it possible to improve product quality, increase production, reduce costs, and even predict failures.
Building a smart connected strategy that works for you:
Integrating company initiatives with the Internet of Things needs a strategy, this is what we are here for.
Our connect services team works with your organization to deliver workshops, prescribe technology solutions, and create an IoT strategy that coincides with your company initiatives.
We want to help you define a strategy that makes a connection between your products and operations that already exist within your company and the smart, connected world that we live in today.
We transform the way companies design, manufacture, connect to, and service their products.
To fully grasp how we assist and serve our customers, you need to understand our core organizational beliefs:
- We believe the product development process is broken.
- We believe that there is a better way to achieve business initiatives through product development processes and it all starts with learning.
This is exactly why we created the EAC Value Model. We’re a learn first organization. We focus on taking the LAMDA approach.
What is LAMDA?
The LAMDA is a basic learning cycle of lean product and process development. It literally stands for “look, ask, model, discuss, and act.” Ideologically it is a way to learn and optimize within a closed-loop learning cycle that continually looks to improve a situation by defining and improving root-cause issues.
Our LAMDA based EAC Value Model works as follows.
The first phase of the EAC Value Model: Learn
During the learn phase, our specialists take a first-hand approach with your business. This is when we learn about your business initiatives, ask open-ended questions, and gather information so we can truly understand the key drivers of your business’ success, any the root-cause of any potential areas of improvement.
Throughout this phase we take time to learn about your people, your team, your processes, your technology, and the ways of your organization.
We take an in-depth look at your business from front-office to back-office to determine the how your company can extract the most value from its interaction with EAC.
This leads us to the second phase of the EAC Value Model – The Mutually Agreed Upon Plan or M.A.P.
The second phase of the EAC Value Model: The M.A.P.
Using the knowledge acquired from our learning exercise, our team creates a unique customized M.A.P for your organization. Your M.A.P. is a Mutually Agreed Upon Plan that incorporates a multiple step strategy, with actionable steps and business cases for your organization.
This phase provides an understanding of what needs to be accomplished in order to achieve your desired results.
Throughout this process we evaluate solutions that may address your organizational needs. Wither they may be through engineering services, educational training services, product development consultations, system implementation services, software solutions; we configure a plan to fit your specific needs.
The creation of the M.A.P. provides a clear path to value for your organization. It holds everyone accountable for the actions needed to solve business problems and tackle initiatives.
Once we have created your mutually agreed upon plan, the implementation phase begins.
The third phase of the EAC Value Model: Implementation
During the implementation phase we put the M.A.P. into action. This is where our teams move your solution from the developmental stage into production.
You could also refer to this stage as ‘deployment’, ‘go live’, ‘roll-out, or even ‘installation’.
The tasks performed during this phase might include installing or implementing CAD, Windchill, Industrial Automation, IoT or any number of other systems. Perhaps your M.A.P. incorporated training programs for your current teams or additional services for product information. No matter what your plan includes, our team works with you to provide any service, system, or additional skill necessary to achieve your desired results.
Throughout this phase our focus remains on helping your organization become a smart, connected enterprise.
The fourth phase of the EAC Value Model: The Score Card
This is the phase that sets EAC apart. Once we have implemented your solution(s), we never lose focus on gathering feedback on how we did, how a solution is working, or whether the desired outcome or return on investment is being realized…
Remember, our overall goal is to build a long-term relationship with your organization. We feel the best way to do this is by making sure you achieve the success your company needs.
Our business is built around the way your company designs, manufactures, services and connects your products and we recognize, its’ happy customers like you who keep us in business!
With the help of our EAC Score card, we obtain your feedback on how we can continue to help your organization grow.
Our dream for your organization is to create a smart connected enterprise where you have the ability to connect to your products, your shop floor, and know your predictive downtime before it even happens. We make it our priority to help your organization achieve more than you had had imagined.
It’s finally here, the next big thing-Augmented Reality (AR) AR is finally moving from ‘a neat idea’ to ‘a necessary tool.’
Like any new technology, AR has gone through its awkward teenage years; clumsy, hasn’t grown into its ears, and doesn’t quite know what it wants to do with its life. It’s no different than the likes of portable computing, the smart phone, or any other modern technological marvel. (here’s a hilarious slide show of the early life of portable computing from itworld.com)
AR is finally coming into focus for many companies. People in various roles are starting to see how AR can reduce human errors, simplify the transfer of information, and provide insight to end users and managers alike. And I’m not even going to get into the endless possibilities involving customer engagement and experience. When a technology moves from video games and parlor tricks into serious applications like technical publications, assembly instructions, maintenance and support, and plant operations…it’s arrived.
Computing power and hardware has all but caught up to the demands of AR applications. Your company should either have, or be working on a strategy to take advantage of AR. If you don’t believe me, then maybe you’ll believe the Harvard Business Review. EAC Product Development Solutions is here to support your adoption of Augmented Reality and other Internet of Things (IoT) smart connected operations and product applications. Whether you’re getting a plan together, trying to obtain buy-in from the rest of your organization, selecting the right software platform, implementing a solution, or developing ‘experiences’ (that’s what AR and IoT applications are typically called); we’re here. We have teams of experts to make sure you successfully transform the way you design, manufacture, connect to, and service your products and organization.
As the leading PTC North American partner we offer our customers all of PTC’s technology solutions: ThingWorx, Windchill, Creo, Arbortext, Vuforia, Mathcad, etc. We also have a deep knowledge of the tools, applications, and configurations. This allows us to provide first-class consulting, implementation, and support services to ensure people like you are successful. Give us a call.
Here’s how connected products are changing service.
Connected products optimize business processes
Lets face it, business is all about efficiency – taking costs and time out of products and processes. This is exactly how connected products optimize business processes.
Connected products provide organizations with access to real-time data that is combined with existing system information to increase efficiency.
For example, you could provide data about your products condition in the field. By doing so, your technicians can be better prepared to troubleshoot. This can reduce the number of onsite visits because technicians have the right instructions or tools required to quickly repair an asset.
Implementing a connected product strategy can improve your first-time fix rate, decrease truck rolls and service calls, and increase the efficiency of your delivery model.
Connected products improve customer experience
Connected products also positively impact customer experience.
Customers recognize more service value when issues are resolved in one call or service visit. Connected products arm your service team with the information necessary to quickly and effectively address service requests and increase customer satisfaction.
Customer satisfaction correlates to service renewals.
Connected products differentiate offerings
With the use of a connected product platform, your organization will be able to increase the pace of product and service innovation, proactively diagnose and service your products all while increasing the speed of your service delivery.
For instance, if your hardware was a commodity or under heavy competitive pressure, improving the software, applications, and service that came along with your products could help differentiate your offering and help you outpace the competition.
Connected products drive new revenue streams
Connected products help drive new revenue streams by unlocking new business models, reducing customer downtime, meeting SLA’s, and by providing offerings such as “product as a service”. Would your company rather wait for occasional service revenue to come in, or would you rather intelligently monitor, maintain, and update your products for a consistent recurring fee?
Information will fuel the future of products and services. Data can be used to improve, differentiate, and optimize your business. The impact the Internet of Things has had on service delivery and customer experience is staggering. Delivering connected products is the first step to realizing the benefits of a connected product service strategy. We’d like to help you realize your strategy, implement industry-leading solutions, and support your implementation and deployment. Let’s connect.
It is not too bold to say the Internet of Things (IoT) is just about everywhere. Some even say that IoT will have a greater impact on business and productivity than the introduction of the Internet itself.
Whether you embrace it or attempt to look past it, the wave of IoT has already started disrupting many industries.
So what exactly is the Internet of Things? Well, if you haven’t read the HBR article by Michael Porter and Jim Heppelmann, I encourage you to do so.
I am referring to the concept that our physical and digital worlds, in which we have always compartmentalized into separate realities, have begun to converge into a single new reality.
This new reality with the IoT has started to change the way we do business.
Our strategies have begun to take our physical products, parts components and factories, and connect them to our digital systems.
This has allowed us to collect data, analytics, performance measures and much more.
Although there is so much that you can learn about IoT, Here are 10 things you need to know about the Internet of Things.
1. IoT Can Fuel Your Existing Business Initiatives
The Internet Things should not be thought about as something separate and distinct from your business strategy, but rather as an opportunity filled with unlimited capabilities.
This revelation could possibly be the exact catalyst needed to meet your existing business initiatives.
No matter what your business is specifically looking to achieve, IoT can be a real game-changer.
Some businesses have used smart connected operations to discover efficiencies while reducing risk.
Others have integrated smart connected products by modifying and creating new assets and services to increase revenue.
I have also seen companies incorporate smart connected solutions to quickly bring products and services to the market.
Despite your industry, an IoT strategy can be shaped to help fuel your existing initiatives.
2. Everyone Over Designs
Moving from IoT strategy to value is complex.
There are lots of distractions and rabbit holes to go down.
Achieving your IoT initiatives requires focus.
By this, I am referring to the importance of strategically mapping out the innovation that you are looking to drive.
Before deploying an IoT strategy, make sure to ask yourself if the concepts you are looking to implement match to the strategies you are pursuing.
3. There Is No Time Like The Present
Don’t over think it, just get started.
Your company has a chance to take part in one of the greatest economic value adding opportunities of a lifetime.
This is your chance to embrace change and see all it has to offer.
Companies that are able to identify the opportunities and quickly bring to market solutions with IoT will be the leaders of decades to come.
4. Think Wrap/Extend, Not Rip/Replace When it Comes to the Internet of Things
The idea behind integrating the IoT into your business strategy should evolve around bettering your processes, not replacing what you have done so far.
This is your time to pro-actively use the IoT to drive growth and optimize your current business operations.
5. The IoT Stack is a Huge Help
The IoT stack is a handy way to break down any IoT project into manageable chunks. Think about it this way.
Before adopting innovative technologies your company must establish frameworks, protocols, and standards that are consistent with your business strategy.
Your framework should revolve around the problems your business is looking to solve.
By breaking down your IoT solution into 5 layers you can better understand the business technology tradeoffs that are needed at each level and the system as a whole.
6. Zealots and Laggards Are Everywhere. Beware.
It’s easy to get distracted by the daily grind and to put off getting started.
Change is a scary thing for all of us, so it’s easy to procrastinate.
Doing nothing is one of the biggest threats when it comes to the Internet of Things.
The reality is, big change is what can define success.
Don’t let your company develop a reputation as a technical laggard in the IoT arena.
7. Avoid The Simple Small Tool Sets
If you’ve ever heard the saying “go big or go home”, it defiantly applies to an IoT strategy.
So often I see companies who are hesitant to make a big change, resorting to small easy to adapt ideas.
If your company wants to see real results, you must avoid wasting your time on the small and simple projects.
Running test pilots to assess potential value is not how you will reach your real strategic initiatives.
To see change, you must make a change. This is when you need to roll up your sleeves and make a connection to your real business issues.
8. The Control Engineers Are The Key to Success
On IoT projects, get to the Controls engineer — this is who has the keys to unlock the room or path to data that might already exist.
Who is your control engineer? This is the person that brings together disparate systems within your network.
A good control engineer knows how to design, develop, and implement the systems that will control your specified applications, networks and machines.
9. IoT is a Big Concept and Many Have Different Views
After introducing the concept of the Internet of Things to many different companies; it has become apparent there are many diverse views of IOT along with its purpose and benefit.
It’s important to remember that two people who seem to differ on the topic of IoT may simply be looking at opposite sides of the same spectrum.
IoT solutions offer limitless capabilities that can easily be tailored to your specific business needs.
This means what IoT can offer for your business, may be completely different than the purpose and benefit it can offer for another.
10. There Is Always a Way To Do Something with IOT
The Internet of Things can be applied to just about every business strategy that exists; it’s just a matter of working at it.
For example, IoT has been used for the complex systems of products like John Deer’s Farmsight to optimize the farm, to simple examples like the Babilat tennis racket that provides data about a player’s performance.
Device connectivity and data analytics enable a closed-loop, real-time digital thread that can connect your people, systems, and equipment across the entire supply chain.
With the rapid creation and developments of new IoT applications, any organization can connect, manage, and optimize complex sets of disparate systems.
See how IoT goes beyond connecting products and has expanded to enable manufacturing and service processes by reading these case studies from PTC.
When it comes to IoT, there is always a way to do something.
