Millennials, popularly known as Generation Y, have grown up in an era flooded with technological advances and with the internet at their fingertips. An advanced knowledge base at a younger age and an adaptive nature make this generation lucrative to be the next-gen to take over many of the forward-thinking businesses that are looking to expand with time.
Companies consequently, cannot overlook the drivers of this new generation if they wish to attract and retain top talent in the future. The face of today’s workforce is changing in every field, but the effect is visible prominently in field service technicians.
The population of this generation keeps up with everything via digitalized sources of information. Hence it is easier for them to understand field service management software, the future of this industry.
Why are Millennials Important in Field Service Management?
Although the replacement will mark the end of the older generation in this sector, the change is crucial because there are specifically vital field service skills that only millennials can bring. Gen Y loves technology, immediacy and transparency and enjoys the interdependence of field-based work with office work. They harness their energy into active participation and work to build customer loyalty. Below are a few pointers for field service companies to effectively embrace the talents of the new generation.
Invest in technology – Millennials are all about tech routes that save time and energy rather than the traditional methods of doing work. So there is no denying that this generation will appreciate and quickly get used to each modern technology and software-based working policy your company plans to adapt. They truly aspire for are businesses that support automation to increase efficiency, and provide real-time access to information. You can arm your new workforce with field service software mobile apps and watch them get exponentially productive instantly.
Embrace flexibility with mobile field service software – After battling the disruptive times brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, all of us agree that allowing employees to adjust their schedules according to the situation is crucial to retain productivity. The inherent nature of field service in the coming years is going to be mobile so millennials preparing for a career in field service would not prefer desk jobs. These new on-field technicians should have instant access to information right at their fingertips to work independently and efficiently.
Offer ownership of work – As I mentioned previously, millennials are an independent set of people who respect organizations which offer them a chance to be creative with their work. They crave contribution, responsibility, and accountability. The more you hear them and aim to develop a genuinely beneficial learning experience, the more you can expect them to grow professionally to benefit your company. It falls on managers to offer the Gen Y adequate clarity about their job, and upcoming responsibilities, set their priorities straight, and inform them about the precise business goals.
You have to believe that field service is slowly moving towards transformation to become a giant technology game and millennials are the talented players you will need to win. They are the ones who will be able to manage the rising penetration of technology into field service management by embracing it right from the beginning.
All your worries about the future outlook in field service and deciding to purchase field service management software will subside once you trust this generation with it. Remember that they are the ones who will ultimately use it and that they have been using similar technology over several years. Your investment in service delivery today will mark the beginning of a return-worthy investment in tomorrow’s workforce.
Akhil Rajan is a Customer Success Specialist at Zuper, an intelligent workforce management platform for service-oriented businesses. Working with customers on a daily basis, he has a deep understanding of their needs and pain points and so he is able to contribute to the marketing strategies for Zuper with the content he writes. He writes on topics like how to increase workforce utilization, how to reduce the service turnaround time and increase workforce efficiency, customer adoption, cost reduction strategies, etc – to name a few. He is often found buried in books or playing chess in his free time.
