Overview

This training course is designed to improve the leadership skills of service professionals managing deskside field support operations. The course provides training on the fundamentals of managing remote customer facing staff, while enhancing the inherent skills and knowledge of front-line field service management. Participants who successfully pass the exam will earn the "Certified Field Service Manager" credential.

This in-depth certification program contains fourteen modules and more than one hundred key learning objectives, including:

• Understanding the Service Product
• Managing Strategically for Field Service Operations
• Inventory Planning and Management
• Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty
• Management Operations Analysis
• Revenue, Profit and Capital Budgeting for Field Service

Requirements

Participants must have at least one or more years of service management experience.

The course begins with a review and quiz on a set of pre-class reading materials. These materials are sent to each participant prior to the class start date. Participants are strongly encouraged to register at least two weeks in advance to allow time to complete these pre-class assignments. Each participant is required to bring the pre-class reading materials as well as a laptop with MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint installed. These will be used as tools during the course. All other materials and tools will be provided. Homework is assigned for most evenings of the course. Please plan for study time outside of class.

Agenda

Module 1 - Managerial Leadership and Behavior

• Discuss the differences between management and leadership.
• Discuss the benefits of a well founded and communicated Values system in a knowledge organization.
• Use the REM (Resourceful, Evaluative, Maximizing) Model in managing performance and motivational issues.
• Identify the three managerial systems that make up the foundation of an effectively managed field service organization.
• Plan for change and assess the impact of change on the service operation.
• Understand how values can limit self-interest costs and behavior in a field service operation.

Module 2 - Understanding the Service Product

• Compare and contrast the key similarities and differences of service products and tangible products.
• Express and explain the unique nature of service products.
• Examine and explain the nature of field service solutions as service products.
• Manage for quality in the design, development and delivery of the field service solution.
• Examine and illustrate the open systems view of field service management.
• Express the definition of knowledge and the definition of a service product as they are used in the field service organization.

Module 3 - Managing Strategically for Field Service Operations

• Categorize and explain the strategic relevance of service offerings to field service representatives.
• Explain how service offerings contribute to the overall strategies of the organization.
• Select and design field service strategies that compliment the company’s product strategies.
• Examine the service strategy and manage field service operations consistent with corporate strategies.

Module 4 - Inventory Planning and Management

• Understand the role of information technology in the management of parts inventory.
• Describe the annual ordering, holding and total cost components of a parts inventory system.
• Determine the Economic Order Quantity for a replacement part inventory item.
• Understand the determination of the reorder point for spare parts inventory.
• Determine safety stock required to meet pre-defined part availability service level.
• Understand the concept of an ABC analysis of inventory items relative to field parts echelon stocking locations and levels.

Module 5 - Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

• Formulate customer satisfaction survey questions to maximize the value of customer responses to the service operation.
• Identify important characteristics of an event survey and how to avoid the most common pitfalls.
• Employ a variety of useful tools to analyze survey data.
• Identify the three survey questions that comprise a useful customer loyalty index.
• Understand the “One Number You Need” to grow.
• Analyze case study information, identify process and data anomalies and recommend remedial actions.

Module - Management Operations Analysis

• Use visual operations analysis tools in managing field service operations.

Module 7 - Decision Making for Field Service

• Identify the production resources of the field service organization.
• Recognize and explain how decisions affect the production resources.
• Recognize and assess the impact of risk, bias, past experience and the political environment on the decision making process.
• Identify who should make which decisions: individual, team, manager, or outside entity.
• Evaluate and recognize how to define and change the level of empowerment of each individual in the service organization.
• Evaluate the costs and benefits of centralized and decentralized decisions.
• Identify and describe the elements of a sound decision making process.
• Use the multi-criteria decision tool to identify and select the best-fit alternative when dealing with multiple decision criteria.

Module 8 - Staffing and Resource Planning

• Use learning curve analysis in planning for field service staffing.
• Create a linear forecast and an exponential forecast of future service activity from historical service call activity data.
• Determine whether a linear forecast or an exponential forecast is the best predictor of future service call activity.
• Calculate a seasonality adjustment rate.
• Generate a seasonality adjusted linear and exponential forecast.
• Determine the key elements of scheduling service representatives in a demand environment.
• Create a staffing plan using the M/M/c queuing model to determine the required staff for a real time field service operation.
• Understand the impact of combining scheduled, semi-scheduled and demand activities in a field service operation.

Module 9 - Performance Measurement and Metrics

• Recognize the characteristics of a good performance system.
• Recognize the characteristics of a good performance metric.
• Determine whether a correlation exists between two metrics and measure the strength and direction of that correlation.
• Enumerate and describe the four pillars of a Balanced Scorecard system.
• Create key performance indicators as part of a Balanced Scorecard system.

Module 10 - Coaching and Performance Improvement

• Recognize the role of the manager in the performance of employees.
• Understand the value of inspiring, encouraging and challenging members of the field service team.
• Understand how to use the “The 2 Minute Challenge” to challenge your people to perform better, in a non-threatening way.
• Evaluate and act on the reasons behind any team member’s poor performance.
• Use the Coaching Analysis technique in managing performance problems.
• Identify the steps in the face-to-face discussion with problem employees.

Module 11 - Hiring for Field Service

• Develop selection criteria for filling an open position.
• Employ steps in the hiring process.
• Create behavioral interview questions
• Interview using a systematic approach.

Module 12 - Training and Career Development Planning

• Recognize the role of the manager in employee training.
• Differentiate the need for training from the need for performance coaching.
• Develop and inspect objectives for training.
• Create and review individual training and development plans.

Module 13 - Revenue, Profit and Capital Budgeting for Field Service

• Calculate Net Service Profit and Net Service Profit Rate.
• Measure the relative value of current and future cash flows.
• Develop a cost-benefit analysis.
• Determine the Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Return on Investment and Payback Period of a project, future investment, or purchase.
• Use “Monte Carlo” simulation to determine the likely outcome distribution of a proposed project.

Module 14 - Capstone Module - Distance Management for Field Service

• Understand of the building blocks for establishing and maintaining trust from a distance.
• Be aware of the 10 key things that field service employees want from their manager.
• Identify with managerial wisdom and the road to leadership.

Certification

Certification consists of several weighted elements, as follows:

• Pre-class Reading and Quiz - 10%
• Case Study Project - 10%
• Participation - 15%
• Last Day Exam - 65%

To earn the Field Service Manager certification, participants are required to complete a post-class exercise planning document. This exercise is designed to solidify and apply the knowledge acquired in the Service Manager course through practical application. Throughout the week, participants should be looking for project possibilities. On the last day of class, each participant will submit a project description or plan for the instructor’s review and approval.

System Requirements

Participant are required to bring their laptops with a recent version of MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint installed for use during the class.

Registration Fees

The per student registration fee for this seminar is $3,995, and includes the training, course materials, exam preparation, and the certification exam.

The 4½-day training program begins at 9:00am on Monday morning and ends after testing is completed Friday at noon. Travel plans should be made to permit arrival at the training site at least 2 hours prior to the beginning of class. Departure flights should be planned for 2:00pm or later on the day of course completion.  Please arrive early the first day to sign in and meet fellow attendees.  Virtual class consists of eight 4-hour sessions spread over two weeks.

Dress is business casual.

Register securely online with confidence or please call (708) 246-0320.

Seminar Schedule

Mar 3-6, 10-13, 2025	12:00 PM-4:00 PM ET	Virtual Classroom
Apr 28-May 1, 5-8, 2025	12:00 PM-4:00 PM ET	Virtual Classroom
Jul 14-17, 21-24, 2025	12:00 PM-4:00 PM ET	Virtual Classroom
Sep 15-18, 22-25, 2025	12:00 PM-4:00 PM ET	Virtual Classroom
Dec 1-4, 8-11, 2025	12:00 PM-4:00 PM ET	Virtual Classroom

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