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Salesforce, a prominent US software company, is set to enhance field service operations through the introduction of agentic AI aimed at improving scheduling, reporting, and troubleshooting processes for service workers.
This innovative AI technology, part of the ‘Agentforce for field service’ suite, is designed to mitigate scheduling issues and handle routine, time-consuming tasks autonomously.
Agentforce seeks to seamlessly integrate with existing data infrastructures and user interfaces, operating independently to manage appointments, fill schedule gaps, provide real-time troubleshooting, and generate job report summaries.
Equipped with audio playback and natural language processing capabilities, field technicians can engage with Agentforce hands-free, enabling them to access information while on the go, ultimately enhancing productivity, safety, and response times.
“Agentforce for Field Service transforms workflows within essential sectors such as manufacturing, telecommunications, utilities, and consumer home services,” stated Taksina Eammano, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Field Service at Salesforce.
“Fueled by advanced data analytics and intelligence, this innovative step in AI addresses many of the inefficiencies faced by field personnel, alleviating the challenges associated with scheduling while empowering field representatives to make informed, context-aware decisions and address real-world complexities effectively.”
A recent survey conducted by Salesforce revealed that American technicians allocate nearly one-third of their working hours to information-related tasks—such as reviewing job briefs, managing customer documentation, and filing permits—often spending more time on these administrative duties than on actual service delivery. This issue is notably exacerbated in the energy and utilities, as well as the telecommunications sectors.
As a result, many technicians report struggling with excessive overtime on paperwork, leading to feelings of burnout on a regular basis.
Specifically, the time invested in scheduling onsite service appointments averages about 17 minutes for initial bookings, 15 minutes for adjustments, and 12 minutes for cancellations. With Agentforce, users may be able to manage scheduling needs 24/7, completing these processes in under five minutes.
The agentic AI utilizes pre-configured topics and functionalities, leveraging Salesforce’s robust data engine that merges structured and unstructured data sets, including customer service histories and insights from connected assets, to deliver timely and precise responses.
This foundational data is transformed into actionable insights through a sophisticated ‘reasoning engine’.
To illustrate its practical applications, Salesforce highlights asset management capabilities. For instance, when equipment reaches a certain usage or performance threshold, Agentforce can automatically alert the customer via SMS and suggest service appointments, engaging with them in natural language to determine optimal scheduling for repairs.
Another use case involves utility lineworkers completing tasks more efficiently; Agentforce is tasked with automatically producing summaries of work orders based on completed forms and troubleshooting steps taken during site visits.
AJ Bagwell, Chief Technology Officer at Axis Water Technologies in Texas, shared insights on the benefits of Agentforce, noting that the training period for new employees has been drastically reduced from two months to just three weeks.
“Moreover, we are reducing the number of unnecessary truck rolls by 20% and enabling our technicians to commence work 35 minutes earlier each day by ensuring they are better prepared and equipped with the right parts,” Bagwell emphasized.
Originally published in Smart Energy International.
Source
www.renewableenergyworld.com