Santa Clara, CA – January 26, 2011 – The SmartVan launches today to bring field service professionals the latest business and technology intelligence on fleet and logistics management, HVAC and clean technology trends, and other insights on how to manage and grow a 21st-century field service business. Sponsored by ServiceMax, a suite of cloud-based field service management applications, The SmartVan aims to be an open-source hub for industry news while providing useful insights from field professionals on latest technologies and best practices.
“At ServiceMax, we’re dedicated to helping service organizations rethink the way they approach field service management,” said Dave Yarnold, CEO of ServiceMax. “Field technicians are constantly introduced to new HVAC, green, and other new installation technologies but lack a centralized hub of technology news. We’ve partnered with The SmartVan to give service professionals a one-stop resource for useful news and best practices around how they can approach the service arm of their organization. The SmartVan will bring the best news to their fingertips alongside useful tips on how to foster collaboration and rethink the way they manage their fleets, so they can make their operations hum.”
Targeting field service managers and technicians across a number of industries such as HVAC, manufacturing, clean technology and construction, The SmartVan will deliver both original blog content and Q&As and other features from experts, as well as aggregated news from quality sources — from blogs and trade publications to industry associations and data providers. Some of The SmartVan’s expert contributors will include:
Sumair Dutta – Sumair Dutta is a senior research analyst with the Service Management team at the Aberdeen Group. He researches and examines how service executives are using technology and streamlining business practices to improve the management of post-sales service and support. Sumair has published over 500 research reports particularly in the areas of field service and mobility and he is beginning to expand his coverage to the contact center as a vehicle for profit-centric support. He is also responsible for the development of a community of ‘Chief Service Officers’ to share and present best practices surrounding the ascent of service in today’s global organizations.
Richard Schuster – Rich Schuster has worked in many phases of the HVAC and plumbing industries since 1991, from apprentice to general manager in the contractor segment, and later as a rep for a large HVAC wholesaler. He has written two books with a focus on installation training basics. His latest book,101 Ways to Suck as an HVAC Tech, is available on Amazon.
Chris O’Neill – Chris O’Neill is an expert in the area of field service sales and operations. With experience in logistics, medical equipment, commercial electronics, office equipment, technical infrastructure, ERP and SCM, Chris provides customers and industry partners support and guidance on matters of field service delivery and resource management.
“Being informed of the latest news and technologies is crucial for service organizations – it’s what helps them stay competitive,” said The SmartVan contributor Richard Schuster. “What The SmartVan is doing is bringing critical news and insights to this captive audience, and I’m proud to be a part of this initiative by putting my years of HVAC experience to use.”
To read the latest field service buzz, visit www.thesmartvan.com or follow us on Twitter.