Even highly specialized service technicians are often confronted with malfunctions on devices that they are not familiar with. The result: queries to colleagues, extra trips to the customer, spare parts problems or lengthy service calls. One example: The customer service center of a construction machinery manufacturer receives an urgent call: "A dump truck is leaking blue smoke, oil consumption is increased and the truck is no longer fully functional." If the tipper were to break down completely, this would jeopardize the road construction project schedule and result in high financial losses for the customer. It is therefore high time to entrust a service technician with the repair.

However, the technician who is most familiar with the system or machine or who already knows the solution to a complex problem from their own experience is not always available in the event of a fault. This is when a central knowledge platform such as 'Empolis Smart Service' is an advantage. This can be made available in different ways: In a cloud solution as PaaS (Platform as a Service) or SaaS (Software as a Service), in a private cloud at the customer's premises and on-premise.

Intelligent knowledge database

The technician is given on-site access - online and offline - to an intelligent knowledge database. The knowledge platform automatically evaluates the existing order data, such as the machine type and the customer's fault description, and then offers the technician three different options to help him rectify the fault:

The dashboard of the mobile knowledge platform with a decision tree that supports the technician in his work.

© MobileX

On the one hand, the technician receives a list of the relevant documents, such as the repair manual with a link to the exact text passage. Secondly, the system offers diagnostic and decision trees that can guide the technician to the right solution via selection questions. Using the 'Case-based Reasoning' function, the knowledge platform also identifies solution descriptions that are similar to the problem at hand, but can also lead to the solution.

For example, based on a fault description such as 'blue smoke' in a K1 tipper, a technician can quickly find solutions such as 'change oil' or 'change turbocharger'. Decision trees on the topic and suitable documents can also be called up from the knowledge database - for example, instructions on 'Replacing the crankcase ventilation'.

If the query does not provide the solution in the first step, the user can vary the search parameters. For example, they can delete the model designation to increase the hit rate and search the database for further information. The system recognizes that a decision tree is the best match for the search query and starts it immediately. The technician follows the system's recommendation and clicks on the answer 'lack of power', for example.

Step-by-step instructions

The decision tree guides the technician step by step. First, the fault memory must be read to determine the fault code. In the next step, the technician checks the pressure control valve as instructed and discovers a defective diaphragm, for example. The knowledge database then knows the solution: replacing the pressure control valve - which the technician can carry out according to the instructions in the corresponding document from the knowledge database.

Once the technician has completed the job, he sends the data for solving the fault back to the mobile application. The so-called 'knowledge record' is saved as a solution document on the job and can be used as an activity log to create the service report. It can also be stored in the knowledge platform, where it is available for future repairs and service calls once it has been checked by the development department.

The mobile solution also allows the technician to report back to the scheduling department when the job has been successfully completed and to create the service report with all services such as travel costs, times and material consumption. The customer confirms this PDF service report on site with a digital signature and also receives it by email. The report is transmitted directly to the back office via the mobile connection and archived as an SAP CS order, for example. Together with the feedback, it can be used by the back office for further processing - such as an optional check by the service manager - and for creating the invoice. In general, third-party systems such as ERP or CRM systems can be integrated in an automated and process-integrated manner. In this way, the solution ensures the automatic transfer and return of relevant information from these systems. There are interfaces for file systems, databases and web sources. In general, sources can be integrated via REST/JSON or via native DLLs or JavaLips. Integration into third-party applications is also possible via REST/JSON.

Complete digitization

The combination of IT-supported deployment planning and mobile connection of service technicians with a knowledge-based software platform maps the service process completely digitally from start to finish. This increases operational and technical efficiency. Expert knowledge is no longer just available to individuals, but is accumulated in a constantly growing central knowledge platform for all service employees, whether technical hotline or field service technicians.

For service processes in companies, this means shorter repair times, fewer queries to colleagues, fewer second trips, less system downtime and wider deployment options for service technicians. This results in higher customer satisfaction and service quality as well as optimization of the entire service process.

Author:
Hannes Heckner is CEO of MobileX.