Field service organizations have traditionally operated under the break-fix model--that is, responding to a device failure after the customer reports an issue. This operating model has grown antiquated due to rising costs and inefficiencies in labor and operations. It is also proving less than effective in satisfying the customer's growing expectations. The field service industry is evolving quickly in new and exciting directions with cutting-edge technology continuing to enter the arena. These innovations in technology and workflows are helping to transform field service by providing customers optimal device uptime, along with greater visibility, efficiency, and profitability.

Field Service organizations need to take a proactive approach to build a platform infrastructure that is capable of capitalizing on AI. This selection is critical to set up early and helps pave the way for the future. Field Service Management platforms that are purpose-built on the cloud and leverage a robust, open API communication structure are best poised to help organizations take advantage of the growing use cases for AI. Anticipating the future needs of the organization and investing appropriately in the current systems is critical. We are just starting to scratch the surface of the potential use cases for AI.

Zinier, the leader in intelligent field service automation, announced that it has raised $90 million in Series C funding to transform field service workforces with AI-driven automation. New investor ICONIQ Capital led the round with new participation from Tiger Global Management, and return investors Accel, Founders Fund, Nokia-backed NGP Capital, France-based Newfund Capital and Qualcomm Ventures LLC. The funding will support global customer adoption and expansion of Zinier's AI-driven field service automation platform, ISAC. In the past year, more than $100 million was invested in Zinier to transform the way field service work gets done. From the electricity that lights up homes to wireless connectivity that enables communication around the world, it's expected that these services work on demand.

In some cases, ISAC will immediately implement a recommendation once it has been accepted by the user. In other cases, it will suggest a course of action for a back-office coordinator or field technician.