Service chain optimization: Difference between revisions

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'''Service Chain Optimization''' is the application of processes and tools that embrace all functions for improving the efficiency, productivity and, eventually, the profitability of service organizations.

In this regard, profitability of a service organization is measured by the revenue generated from service demand (in the form of service work orders being carried out), and by the costs due to activity of the enterprise's human resources (who provide the service). Service chains consider the full life-cycle of service demand from early stages of forecasting, through planning, scheduling, dispatch, execution and post-analysis. Service Chain Optimization is closely related to the fields of [[Workforce Management]] and [[Field Service Management]]; the activity performed by field service resources is managed through the later while being planned and optimized through the former. This relationship is analogous to the relation between [[Supply Chain Optimization]] and [[Supply chain anagement software|Supply Chain Management]] in the ___domain of manufacturing. In this regard, the service chain benefits from demand forecasting, resource planning and scheduling, and long term analysis activities similarly to the manner these are applied to the [[supply chain]] (being typically managed by [[Enterprise resource planning|ERP]] systems and optimized by [[Supply Chain Optimization]] systems).

== The Modules of Service Chain Optimization Systems ==

A Service Chain Optimization system isare typically comprised of the following modulesunits:

# a long-term forecasting module used for:

## receivinguploading entries ofthe historic demand for service tasks;

## calculating the estimated future demand for service tasks tobased beon fulfilledthe ingiven eachhistoric specificdemand regionlevels within(per futuredifferent business periodsunits, based on said manual entriesgeographies and analysisfor ofdifferent pasttime demanddomains); for service;

# a mid-term planning module used for:

## periodically performing an optimization procedure in order to update said calculated demand for tasks;

## uploading the forecasted future demand for service tasks from the former forecasting step;

# a mid-term planning module used for:

## allocating human resources for covering the estimated future demand for service tasks;

## receiving entries of actual future service tasks already allocated;

## periodically performingcarrying anout optimization procedure in order to updateof said calculatedplan demand for tasksallocations;

## receiving estimated demand for future service tasks in each region based on analysis of past demand for service;

# a short-term scheduling module used for:

## allocating one or more service-men to fulfill each of actual service task, and further allocating personnel in each specific region for supporting said estimated demand for tasks;

## periodicallyreceiving carrying out optimization procedureentries of said plan allocations of service-men foractual service tasks;

## receiving updates to the required manning levels of human resources based on the former planning step;

# a short-term scheduling module used for:

## assigning one or more service-menhuman resources to fulfill each actual service task in an optimized manner based on the capability of each available service manperson;

## receiving entries of actual service tasks;

## assigning one or more service-men to fulfill each actual service task in an optimized manner based on the capability of each available service man;

## periodically carrying out optimization of previous assignments that have not yet been performed;

# an analysis module used for:

# an analysis module for collecting and periodically analyzing past demand for service tasks, performance of said service tasks, and the actual capability of each service-man or the aggregate capability of available service-men; the module is also used for updating said mid-term and long-term modules with analysis of past demand for service for the purpose of optimizing the assignments, and for calculating discrepancies in assignments;

## collecting and periodically analyzing past demand for service tasks;

# a coordination module iteratively calculates and propagates information relating to the effects of updates in task assignments from said long-term module to said mid-term module, and from said mid-term module to said short-term module and vice versa.

## analyzing the performance of said service tasks and the actual performance levels of human resources;

== See also ==

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== External Links ==

*[http://www.aberdeen.com/summary/report/benchmark/RA_SRO_MVRG_2860.asp Aberdeen''Group'' The Field Service Scheduling & Routing Optimization Solution Selection Report ]

*[http://www.aberdeen.com/summary/report/benchmark/4315-RA-optimizing-service-chain.asp Aberdeen''Group'' Optimizing the Service Supply Chain]

[[Category:Business software|Workforce Management]]