M-net
Automated service processes for a network without double bottom
As a regional telecommunications provider, M-net supplies large parts of Bavaria, the greater Ulm area and large parts of the Hessian district of Main-Kinzig with future-proof communications technology. The portfolio is geared to the communication needs of business and private customers and ranges from voice and data services – on a fixed and mobile network basis – through complex site networking to the provision of a broad national and international radio and TV/HDTV offering. The company is one of the few providers in Germany to operate its own fiber optic networks in large parts of Bavaria in a particularly fail-safe ring structure.
Introduction of a paperless and media break-free resource planning
Service technician from M-netFor M-net Telecommunication GmbH a working customer service and satisfied end users are essential criteria for the business success. A good hundred service technicians provide commissioning of Internet or telephone lines, carry out maintenance and rectify faults. 200 orders pile up here each day.
Until the end of 2013, the dispatchers at M-net distributed orders for these service calls via Excel spreadsheets or email. The technicians picked up their order lists either from the backend system or directly from the dispatchers. Having completed a job, they manually filled in the service report and handed it over to the internal service for further processing. There, the information was verified and entered manually into the job database or the trouble ticket system.
To meet the scheduled job growth over the upcoming years, M-net decided to replace the paper-based service processes by a modern, IT-based disposition solution. The service technician should also be equipped with mobile devices, through which they receive their orders and submit their service reports. M-net chose mobileX-Dispatch and mobileX-MIP for Field Service of mobileX, as these two solutions best met the requirements of the telecommunications provider.
The rollout of the project began in early 2014. mobileX-MIP Server was connected via an Enterprise Service Bus to M-net’s data warehouse, technical order system, archive system and trouble ticket system. A pilot project with two to three technicians per region and a reduced scope of functions started in October 2014. In April 2015, the first stage of delivery was the go-live for all internal and external technicians.
Improving transparency for dispatchers
Ten dispatchers now control and plan the assignments of their in-house service technicians and those of external companies about a week in advance. The allocation of orders in the mass customer business takes place (semi-) automatically by the customer service based on predefined rules, such as quotas, driving times or the qualifications of the employees. For individual customers or disorders dispatchers arrange appointments directly with the customer and then manually assign the orders to the service colleagues. They are also responsible for the technicians’ work preparation – such as the provision of routers -, for warehousing and material ordering and for checking the service reports.
With the introduction of the solution the dispatchers now have an overview of the entire service team with regard to the utilization of the technicians, their skills and order status. The route optimization in mobileX-Dispatch also always calculates the shortest route and shows the dispatcher the route of the technicians on the map.
Electronical order processing and documentation
The technicians receive their assigned jobs with the technical details via the mobile solution mobileX-MIP for Field Service on their Samsung Galaxy Note smartphones and can start right from home. These devices also allow a barcode scanning of serial numbers of the terminal devices that will automatically flow into the backend and automatically provision an order. Once the technicians have completed their jobs, they create the service report, which is signed by the customer on the smartphone. This report is also submitted directly to the back-end system and archived along with photos in the document management system. This way, services provided can be billed on time.
Increased efficiency of service processes across departments
The mobile solutions an field service management software not only allows a precise management of field technicians, but has also resulted in optimized processes along the entire value chain through order processing without media interruptions. This digitization also creates a high potential for downstream process improvements in commercial and logistic areas. In addition, the new system offers a higher transparency of our service processes.
The customers of M-net benefit from the improved work organization as well. Faster response times, higher punctuality and information security enhance the service quality of the company and increase customer satisfaction. Thus, M-net offers its end users a time frame of two to three hours for service calls.
Outlook
In the near future many other applications such as the integration of the spare parts management including booking via SAP or the initiation of a direct allocation of working times and materials on the platform are planned.
As a regional telecommunications provider M-net supplies large parts of Bavaria, the greater Ulm area and many parts of the Hessian district Main-Kinzig with future-proof communication technology. The portfolio is aligned with the communication needs of business and private customers, ranging from voice and data services – on landline and cell phone base – to complex location networking to the provision of a broad national and international radio and TV / HDTV package.