Automation and Artificial Intelligence Propel North American Mobile Field Service Management (FSM) Market

Mobile field service management software solutions continue to be a popular area of digital investment, bringing real-time guidance to workers on the front line and providing valuable information and feedback to supervisory and administrative staff.

For the purposes of this 2022 study, mobile field service management (FSM) applications are defined as software solutions that use various technologies via the field technician’s mobile device to locate, manage, automate, guide, and/or optimize the field-based service workers and their tasks. FSM capabilities continue to grow in number, and include features such as location tracking, data capture, wireless timecards, dispatching, mobile payments, parts management, customer self-service portals, predictive analytics, dashboards, and reports.

In this study, purchase dynamics, channel mix, key trends, strategic imperatives, competitive presence, and potential growth opportunities are examined. Revenue and user forecasts are provided for two product categories: 1) Small and Mid-sized Business (SMB) solutions for companies with fewer than 500 employees and 2) Enterprise solutions for businesses with 500+ total employees.

The North American FSM market is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 12.3% over the study's 2021-2027 forecast period. Revenue growth will come from both embedded and new users as the need for automation and intelligence accelerates in the field. FSM providers have been strong, enthusiastic pursuers of innovative technologies, and this pattern is expected to continue.

This is a dynamic market. Participants should continuously monitor vendors, channels, user feedback, potential acquisition targets, and the evolution of solution capabilities.

Challenges to growth in today's mobile field service management market include: 1) A lack of vertical-specific FSM solutions and capabilities, 2) Change management worries on the part of the prospective customer, 3) A low level of familiarity with FSM solutions and their hard-dollar benefits, and 4) A lag in providers developing valuable channel and technology partnerships.

Companies interviewed for this study include Actsoft, Comarch, CSG, GPS Insight/FieldAware, IFS, ProntoForms, Salesforce, and ServicePower.