AI will change the trades too - and field service technicians can't wait

A recent Salesforce survey has shed light on a significant issue affecting tradespeople and technicians in the US: the substantial amount of time spent on paperwork. The double-anonymous survey revealed that these professionals, who include equipment installers, maintenance and repair workers, skilled tradespeople, public works employees, on-site medical staff, and building inspectors, are losing nearly a full day's worth of work each week to inefficient, unproductive, or low-value tasks. These tasks, such as manual data entry and job summarization, are taking up as much time as the skilled work they are trained to perform.

The Business Impact of Time Wasted by Tradespeople

The impact on businesses is staggering. For a company employing 1,000 full-time technicians, the weekly loss amounts to over $260,000, calculated using the average US hourly wage. This inefficiency is particularly concerning given the current shortage of skilled tradespeople, pushing service organizations to seek ways to enhance operational efficiencies and overall output.

Key Survey Takeaways

1. Scheduling as the Top Efficiency Blocker: The survey pinpointed scheduling as the primary obstacle to efficiency. On average, it takes 17 minutes to make an appointment, 14 minutes to change it, and 12 minutes to cancel it. In some sectors, such as telecommunications, it can take up to 20 minutes to schedule an appointment, while in energy and utilities, cancellations can take 14 minutes. Nearly half (47%) of service appointments do not adhere to the planned schedule, and 38% of technicians report frequent scheduling mishaps due to issues like customer miscommunication, inventory problems, and inadequate time allocations.

2. Administrative Work Overburdening Technicians: The bulk of a technician's time is consumed by administrative tasks rather than actual service delivery. Tasks such as gathering job briefs, managing customer documentation, and filing permits account for 30% of their work hours, slightly more than the 28% spent on service delivery. This imbalance is even more pronounced in sectors like energy and utilities, and telecommunications, leading to 81% of technicians working overtime on administrative tasks at least monthly and 66% feeling burnt out frequently. A significant 37% of technicians believe that administrative duties prevent them from performing their core job functions.

3. Optimism About AI Agents: Technicians are overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the potential of AI agents to transform their work. After understanding the concept and applications of AI agents, 80% believe these tools would allow them to focus on the more rewarding aspects of their jobs. They estimate that AI agents could eliminate 35% of their administrative tasks, saving over two hours per week per employee. This sentiment is even stronger in consumer business services and manufacturing, where the potential time savings are estimated at 39%.

Moreover, technicians are excited about hands-free technologies like voice commands, which they believe can improve efficiency, safety, and quality, with 94% of respondents endorsing these benefits. They are keen on AI applications such as troubleshooting with text and image recognition, smart scheduling, automatic job summarization, predictive service needs, form filling, creating work orders and job briefings, locating parts and equipment, and filling schedule gaps.

The adoption of AI agents in the field service industry holds the promise of significantly enhancing productivity and job satisfaction for tradespeople and technicians, ultimately leading to faster, more personalized, and higher-quality service for customers. The current situation, where skilled professionals spend as much time on administrative tasks as on their skilled work, is not only wasteful but also costly. AI agents have the potential to eliminate these wasteful activities, allowing technicians to focus on delivering superior service.

The synergy between humans and AI agents is poised to create the best possible customer experience, aligning with the true purpose of AI technology.

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