Short on time to stay on top of service and technology best practices? We uncover the best LinkedIn groups for service managers to join in order to stay connected and informed.
With so much going on in our lives and jobs, finding time to keep up with industry trends and collaborate with other service professionals can seem all but impossible. From managing your team, to setting up contracts, billing, and scheduling, you barely have time for lunch, let alone hours to research a new topic or contact an industry expert for advice.
Even if you’re already using field service management system to run service operations, work can be hectic, and there are always areas to improve. How can you find time to take in new information while keeping the service department afloat?
What field service professionals may not realize is they can access the latest service and technology news, research, and best practices—and even join in on industry conversations—all in one place by joining LinkedIn groups.
Check out our list below to see how you can benefit from the latest industry updates and join in conversations about service best practices, industry news, and technology.
Service Best Practices
1. Aberdeen Service Management Research
Created: Feb. 10, 2009
Type: Networking Group
Members: 448
Why this group is great:
Aly Pinder, senior research analyst for Aberdeen, says the lifeblood of Aberdeen’s research is to engage with the community of end-users: service managers, executives, and leaders in field service. Aberdeen’s Service Management Research LinkedIn group allows for peer-to-peer networking and provides an opportunity for readers to access Aberdeen’s content and research reports, which are shaped by conversations with real companies experiencing various levels of success.
According to Aly, Aberdeen’s group allows service executives to connect with other leaders experiencing similar challenges. For example, a senior VP could voice what she’s seeing in the marketplace and ask if there’s research to back it up.
2. Aberdeen Group’s Chief Service Officer Exchange
Created: June 11, 2009
Type: Networking Group
Members: 161
Why this group is great:
Aberdeen’s Chief Service Officer Exchange is a subgroup of the Aberdeen Service Management Research group, but is only open to end-users (no vendors allowed). According to Aly Pinder, the group offers a chance for organizations to collaborate without the interference of outside vendors. Service professionals are assured that the questions they have or posts they post will only be answered or read by other professionals and service executive officers who know their situation and have experienced similar problems.
3. Field Service Society
Created: Feb. 16, 2009
Type: Networking Group
Members: 8,189
Why this group is great:
The main goal of the Field Service Society group is to connect field service professionals to share and discuss thoughts, knowledge, ideas, and trends, like Mobility, Contract, Asset and Resource Management, M2M, etc. It’s a great place to voice your thoughts on new trends in the field and learn from other professionals all over the world.
4. Field Technologies Online
Created: July 14, 2009
Type: Networking Group
Members: 1,302
Why this group is great:
Field Technologies’ magazine and website provide service, transportation, and public works professionals with information on technologies including field service software, mobile computing hardware, fleet management, and M2M to optimize field workers, service, and assets. The LinkedIn group is a great place to consolidate all that information in one place.
According to group owner and Field Technologies’ editor in chief, Sarah Nicastro, “The Field Technologies LinkedIn Group is a place service professionals and folks with a mobile workforce can visit to find information and insight from Field Technologies, as well as other industry partners and resources. The group is open for collaboration among members, which include end users, analysts, solution providers, and other industry experts.”
5. Service Management 2.0
Created: December 4, 2008
Type: Networking Group
Members: 5,377
Why this group is great:
Service Management 2.0 has a direct impact on your organization’s ability to grow new customers and network within the field service sector. It’s a discussion forum that helps service managers extend their list of contacts and connect with consultants, equipment and solutions suppliers, fellow service directors, logistics managers, etc.
6. The Service Council
Created: November 16, 2009
Type: Networking Group
Members: 4,036
Why this group is great:
The Service Council (TSC) started as a LinkedIn business group nearly four years ago with the goal to create a virtual networking environment in which service and customer management executives could gather, and sharpen their service strategies. It’s no surprise, then, that their LinkedIn group offers a wealth of ongoing learning and service best practices for service and customer management executives in a variety of industries.
Brandon Smith, TSC’s Chief Operating Officer, says that the goal of the group is to be a foundation for the service community to gather, share ideas, educate themselves, and sharpen their strategies. TSC shares its own thought leadership research, webcasts, analysis, data, etc. with group members. According to Brandon, TSC believes that “uncommon industries share common pains.” TSC’s LinkedIn group offers a place for service companies of various industries to network, find advice and research, and take feedback to sharpen their business strategies.
Industry News
7. Utility Products
Created: June 25, 2012
Type: Professional Group
Members: 27
Why this group is great:
Utility Products’ group serves field personnel and managers in the electricity, telecommunication, and cable markets and provides members with interesting, reliable, and easy to access information to guide them prior to making purchasing decisions. This is the perfect group if you’re considering an investment in service management software and want some guidance or information to direct your process.
8. The NEWS Network
Created: April 22, 2011
Type: Professional Group
Members: 4,036
Why this group is great:
Created by the editors of The Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration (achr) NEWS, this group connects HVAC professionals who want to share information and stimulate business.
According to The NEWS managing editor, Herb Woerpel, the group allows people in HVAC to talk in an open forum with minimal restrictions, and all discussions are HVAC related. The group is targeted to service managers so they can network with others, get answers across all sectors, hear how others have dealt with challenges, and share their thoughts. In such an open forum, you’re almost guaranteed to learn something new, says Herb.
9. Constructech Magazine
Created: July 17, 2009
Type: Professional Group
Members: 1,213
Why this group is great:
Constructech is a magazine and LinkedIn group that influences construction professionals to unleash the business value of technology. According to group owner and editorial director at Constructech, Peggy Smedley, association groups, like Constructech, “Interact with other professionals by amplifying the news and events that are shaping the very industry they are serving. The key is to influence conversations by offering up good information in a timely fashion. And that’s exactly what Constructech’s group does for construction professionals.”
Peggy goes on to comment on the networking and sharing aspects of the group: “Our group allows professionals to demonstrate their industry expertise whether it be on a general topic, for instance, security or safety, or something industry related such as job costing, accounting, or project management. At the end of the day, social media allows high-level individuals to demonstrate their skills quickly to an industry seeking marketable results.”
10. Equipment World
Created: August 17, 2009
Type: Professional Group
Members: 1,008
Why this group is great:
Equipment World magazine serves the heavy/highway construction and site preparation market and its LinkedIn group helps its members stay up to date on industry news and trends. Instead of spending hours researching a topic or sifting through links on a website, Equipment World’s LinkedIn group lets members scan recent articles and updates in one location.
11. HVAC Professionals
Created: April 1, 2008
Type: Professional Group
Members: 81,524
Why this group is great:
HVAC Professionals is dedicated to the HVAC Industry and available to help professionals expand their network in various facets of the business. Since it’s not affiliated with a specific publication or company, there’s a wide range of contributors and resources. And don’t disregard its enormous member pool, which is sure to draw an expert for whatever problem you’re experiencing or question you want answered.
Technology
12. Mobile Solutions for Sage ERP and CRM
Created: January 23, 2014
Type: Networking Group
Members: 65
Why this group is great:
Mobile Solutions was created by xkzero co-founder, Paul Ziliak. Since xkzero is completely tied to ERP systems, mainly Sage, the group was designed to create a broader resource opportunity for Sage customers and partners. And since xkzero isn’t the only company creating mobile solutions for Sage, the group creates a community of ideas and education with a broad market appeal, says Paul.
The content shared in the group has a wide range, from interesting mobile innovations down to business tips. The goal, according to Paul, is to create exposure and have members draw their own conclusions. Groups like Mobile Solutions beg for participation and they can bring a lot of value to those who choose to contribute.
13. Network World
Created: December 26, 2007
Type: Professional Group
Members: 3,680
Why this group is great:
The Network World group is best for service managers who have already implemented or are planning on implementing a mobile solution in their organization. It is a place for network and IT professionals to offer advice and discuss the networking news of the day. Join to learn and ask questions about the latest technology to help you make the best decisions for your mobile field workforce.
14. Sage ERP Solutions
Created: April 30, 2010
Type: Professional Group
Members: 4,786
Why this group is great:
Service companies need an ERP system in addition to a strong field service management system. The ideal situation is when the two can integrate. The Sage ERP Solutions group offers a place for Sage ERP users to exchange ideas and expand their network, as well as explore the software options that work best with their service management solution.
*Note: Some of these groups are public, meaning any LinkedIn member is free to join. Others are private, meaning you can click to join them but will have to be approved by the group’s owner or moderator.
Get Involved in Your Industry
With this new way to get involved and engage in your industry, joining the right LinkedIn Groups could mean the difference between solving a problem for your customer and letting it slide. Become a visible thought leader in your field by spending a few minutes a day engaging in these relevant, professional LinkedIn Groups.
7 Best Practices for Choosing a New Field Service Management App
While you’re gathering best practices and tips to grow your service organization, check out our best practices for choosing a new field service management app. These tried and true methods will help organize your buying process, eliminate the unexpected, and increase your chances of success with your new field service software.
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