Gartner Video: Trends in Customer Service 2010

By Emily Lehnen
Senior Marketing Manager

Think this is worth checking out. In a short video, Michael Maoz, Research VP and Distinguished Analyst for Gartner discusses service trends for 2010, including how the focus of service is going toshift from cutting costs to generating revenue, and how service needs to be integrated with all parts of your business.

Key Trends in Customer Service 2010
Michael Maoz, Research VP and Distinguished Analyst for Gartner
Gartner Video (3:14)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Gartnervideo#p/u/3/-OZdQ3GlFoc

Metrix Completes Successful Customer Conference

By Emily Lehnen
Senior Marketing Manager

Last week we hosted our annual customer conference near our headquarters in Milwaukee, WI. Among other topics, the conference featured an in-depth look at Metrix Service 5.2, which was released at the conference.

Also highlighted was Metrix Mobile 2.3, and lots of best practices information on how to leverage Metrix to optimize your service organization. The attendees were also given an opportunity to share their thoughts on what features and functionality they would find useful in future releases.

However, my favorite thing about the conference was seeing everyone interact, sharing ideas and strategies.

By all accounts the conference was a success – we have already started planning for next year.

Introducing Metrix OnDemand

By Emily Lehnen
Senior Marketing Manager

Metrix unveiled our new hosted solution at the Field Service 2009 show last week. Metrix OnDemand delivers all the features and functionality of Metrix Service, but without the cost, burdens, or risks of implementing software or hardware.

Licensed on a per-user, per-month basis, Metrix OnDemand becomes a variable expense, rather than a fixed cost at the time of purchase, allowing companies to realize all the benefits of automating field service, without impacting the budget.

Read our press release
Learn more about Metrix OnDemand

Four Ways to Increase Service Revenues by Improving Contract Management

By Emily Lehnen
Senior Marketing Manager

With product revenue decreasing, service managers are being pressured to meet the dual goals of cutting costs and increasing revenues. One of the best ways for companies to accomplish this is by doing a better job of meeting the service obligations under contract, and by placing more customers under contracts, leading to a higher and more predictable revenue stream.

In a new benchmark report titled Service Contract Management: Winning Strategies for Managing Customer's Expectation, the AberdeenGroup reported that companies that effectively manage their contracts experience significant competitive advantages, including:

26% increase in service revenue
90% contract renewal rate
28% increase in SLA agreement/contract compliance

These companies employ a number of strategies and capabilities to achieve these results. REan on for four key recommendations from Aberdeen on your company can improve contract management.

RECOMMENDATION #1
Automate key service contract processes
Lack of technology to help automate the management of contracts is cited as one of the biggest challenges to putting customers on long-term contracts.

Fully automated contract management
Automate contract pricing, renewals and approvals. Metrix contract management will help your company create, execute, revise, monitor and administer service contracts from initial quoting and pricing to automatic renewal and billing.

RECOMMENDATION #2
Expand contract service portfolio
Having a wider portfolio of offerings, especially meter contracts and self-renewing contracts, improves contract renewal rates.

Easily manage evergreen, self-renewing and tiered-service contracts
Many companies shy away from more complex contract offerings such as meter and self-renewing contracts because they are more complicated. With Metrix, you set up contracts based on rules. These rules may define coverage types and response times, part and labor coverage as well as OEM warranty coverage. Contract rules can also define renewal terms, current and future contract pricing as well as contract entitlements. Simply define the rules, and the system takes care of the rest, creating a way to bolster renewals with minimal effort.

RECOMMENDATION #3
Integrate contract management with service execution
Every year, an estimated 10%-12% of service revenue is lost due to poor management of service contracts.

Stop service “giveaways” through improved visibility
The Metrix contracts module is fully integrated with all other aspects of the field service solution, including scheduling/dispatch, parts management and reverse logistics. Metrix Mobile gives field techs real-time visibility into contracts, and allows for cross-selling/up-selling opportunities.

RECOMMENDATION #4
Measure service performance against contract obligation
Without this information, you will not be able to successfully attain improved level of SLA compliance, and therefore will find it difficult to incorporate expanded contract offerings.

Gain greater visibility into contract performance
You don’t know how you are doing unless you can measure it. With Metrix all the data you need is available, providing information you can act on.

Want to learn more? Download the whole report, or go to our Key Findings site for a summary of the report's statistics, strategies and recommendations.

Metrix Unveils Latest Release of its Industry-Leading Field Service Management Software

By Tom Bowe
VP of Product Marketing and Engineering

Metrix recently released version 5.1 of its field service management software. Beyond adding new functionality, this new version cuts implementation by 20%, simplifies integration with existing back-office systems, and features tools that allows users to easily modify the interface.

By leveraging state-of-the-art development tools like Microsoft .NET 3.5 and Visual Studio 2008, and combining it with Metrix’s 30 years of service know-how, Metrix Service 5.1 contains an impressive number of new features.


• Real-time traffic updates with turn-by-turn driving directions.
• Expanded reverse logistics and third-party repair optimization.
• Drag-and-drop configuration tools to rapidly modify the user interface.
• Enhanced role-based security and SSO support through Active Directory.
• Flexible validation rules to eliminate data-entry errors and extra key-strokes.
• Meter-based pricing and billing automation for pay-per-click service contracts.
• Product recall management including engineering change orders and outbound calls.
• Dynamic customer surveys to improve service quality, compliance and responsiveness.

Read the press release.