Zuper FM – Field Service, Your Way: Recent Episodes
Michael Israel
Exceptional field service creates and sustains exceptional customer experiences. Welcome to Zuper FM – Field Service, Your Way with Michael Israel. Michael leads conversations about real field service issues with seasoned service management professionals. Gain insights into how your field service team can be a powerful competitive differentiator, one that boosts customer loyalty and grows your business
In field service, staying ahead means embracing innovation and strategic partnerships.
How can a company streamline operations and enhance processes? What role does technology play in transforming service delivery?
In this episode, Michael Israel hosts Mark Scharaga, the Founder and CEO of Sora Partners, to explore the journey of his company in field service management and the pivotal role that Zuper played in revolutionizing their services. Mark touches on the challenges encountered during implementation and the triumphs that followed.
Mark discusses:
- The founding of Sora Partners and its role as an implementation and managed service provider for point-of-sale systems
- The integration and benefits of using Zuper software to streamline Sora Partners’ operations
- The impact of technology on improving efficiency and customer satisfaction in field services
- The future growth plans of Sora Partners and the anticipated expansion of their technician team
- And more!
Resources:
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
Connect with Mark Scharaga:
- LinkedIn: Mark Scharaga
- Website: Sora Partners
- (310) 734-2572
Connect with Michael Israel:
- Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper – Website
- Facebook: Zuper
- michael@Zuper.co
About Mark Scharaga:
Mark Scharaga is quickly becoming a force in the technology service industry. Starting Sora Partners in 2020 in the height of the pandemic, the Company has tripled in size and revenue. It has grown revenue every month since January of 2021.
He leads the Company with a commitment to provide World Class services to the restaurant and cannabis industries. That goal resonates as the Company is known for providing highly skilled technology specialists, which leads to successful system implementation processes.
Discover the transformative power of integration between HubSpot and Zuper in the field service industry.
This week, Michael Israel chats with Paul Weston, GM & Sr. Director of Product at HubSpot, about the seamless integration of HubSpot’s Service Hub with Zuper’s field service management software. They explore how this synergy enhances customer experiences, improves operational efficiency, and empowers employees.
This is an episode you will not want to miss!
Michael and Paul discuss:
- The journey of HubSpot from its inception to becoming a comprehensive CRM platform
- How Service Hub connects various departments to provide a unified view of the customer
- The benefits of integrating Zuper with HubSpot for field service management
- The impact of integration on customer retention and account management
- The philosophy of going beyond resolving issues to offering additional customer support
- And more
Resources:
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
Connect with Paul Weston:
- LinkedIn: Paul Weston
- Website: HubSpot
Connect with Michael Israel:
- Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper – Website
- Facebook: Zuper
- michael@zuper.co
Whether you’re navigating change in your field service operations or implementing new technology, this episode offers practical guidance and actionable strategies to ensure success.
Join Michael Israel as he delves into this critical topic alongside Vanessa Hunt, founder of Vanessa Hunt Consulting. Together, they share invaluable insights on user adoption and the challenges faced by field service users.
Tune in to gain insights from industry experts and elevate your approach to change management!
Vanessa and Michael discuss:
- Change management in the context of field service and implementing field service technology
- Challenges faced by field service users who primarily use mobile devices
- Importance of understanding the perspective of field service engineers
- Benefits of mobile apps for field technicians
- Essential steps for successfully implementing change management and ensuring sustained adoption
- And more
Resources:
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
Connect with Vanessa Hunt:
- Vanessa Hunt Consulting
- LinkedIn: Vanessa Hunt
- Facebook: Vanessa Hunt Consulting
Connect with Michael Israel:
- Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper – Website
- Facebook: Zuper
About our Guest:
Vanessa Hunt worked as an independent CRM Consultant from 2006, before establishing Vanessa Hunt Consulting Ltd in January 2010. She’s held training and management positions in software organisations and consultancies such as Maximizer Software Ltd, McAfee, Detica and CSC Computer Sciences. With over twenty years’ experience in training, marketing and CRM implementation, she’s dedicated to sourcing the best Marketing Automation, CRM and ERP solutions for her clients. Vanessa is a keen linguist, fluent in English, French, German and Italian. She’s worked on many CRM training projects, delivering training across Europe in multiple languages. Vanessa loves hiking and bikepacking in the mountains. She lives near the Chilterns with her husband and athletic cat.
Have you ever wondered how technology can help you manage field service and improve expense tracking?
Michael Israel sits down with Omer Menashe, founder of Clyr and a pioneer in driving efficiency within field service operations through innovative automated expense management solutions. Join us as we explore how Clyr’s integration with Zuper is revolutionizing the way field service professionals manage expenses, save time, and elevate customer experiences.
Michael and Omer discuss:
- Unlocking the power of automating expense management for field service companies.
- The seamless integration of Clyr with Zuper’s robust field service management platform.
- Real-life benefits and significant time savings experienced by field service teams.
- Strategies for field service companies to transition from manual to automated expense management.
- And more
Resources:
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
Connect with Omer Menashe:
- LinkedIn: Omer Menashe
- Clyr
- Facebook: Omer Menashe
Connect with Michael Israel:
Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper – Website
- Facebook: Zuper
Did you know that field service can be recession-proof? In a recent study conducted by Blumberg Advisory Group Inc., results showed that despite concerns of a recession, a majority of respondents are optimistic about the future. What happens most times during a recession, there is a higher demand for maintaining and servicing existing products, which … Continue reading Field Service and the Potential Impact of a Recession with Michael Blumberg (Ep. 26) →
In Mexico City, Eduardo saw firsthand the struggles architects and developers faced in procuring materials on time. As a homeowner himself, he also noticed the lack of professional services in the construction industry. In this episode, Eduardo Samayoa, CEO and founder of Simplo, shared his journey from working in lighting and product consulting in San … Continue reading The Key to Exceptional Customer Service in the Construction Industry with Eduardo Samayoa (Ep. 25) →
“You can’t have a reasonable conversation during a fire or even when there’s a lot of smoke around.”
In this episode, Gaven Fahl, Director of the Critical Accounts Program at Hewlett Packard Enterprise joins us to talk about building proactive customer relationships and maintaining them.
With 12 years under her belt at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and as the founder of the Critical Accounts Program, she’s got a wealth of experience in building long-lasting relationships with customers beyond just fixing their technical issues.
Gaven shares her insights into the art of nurturing successful customer relationships and offers practical tips that will undoubtedly revolutionize your approach to customer service and help your business thrive.
Gaven and Michael discuss:
- The critical role of customer relationships in business success
- How to align customer expectations to avoid miscommunication and dissatisfaction
- Effective techniques for rebuilding strained relationships and restoring trust
- Proactive strategies for maintaining and nurturing customer relationships for long-term growth
- The three crucial steps to rebuilding customer relationships
- And more!
Resources:
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
Connect with Gaven Fahl:
- LinkedIn: Gaven Fahl
Connect with Michael Israel:
- Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper – Website
- Facebook: Zuper
In recent years, the field service industry has undergone significant changes, with a growing emphasis on sustainability and innovation.
In this episode, Rod Cook, Director of North American Service Operations at Trane Technologies, discusses the challenges and opportunities available for talent within the trades industry, particularly in HVAC.
He explores how to achieve a lucrative career in the field service industry and the importance of investing in the next generation of technicians to drive sustainable change.
Rod discusses:
- How HVAC technicians play a crucial role in reducing energy consumption and achieving sustainability goals
- The challenges of attracting and retaining talent in HVAC, misconceptions, and an aging workforce
- The lucrative and promising career path for field service work at Trane Technologies
- How Trane Technologies is investing in culture and communities to uplift and retain technicians
- And so much more!
Resources:
- Trane Technologies
Connect with Rod:
- LinkedIn: Rod Cook
Connect with Michael Israel:
- Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper – Website
- Facebook: Zuper
About Our Guest:
Rod Cook is the Director of NA Services Operations for Trane’s Commercial HVAC business. He has held numerous positions across the organization over his extensive career with Trane and leadership roles in Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), Operational Excellence, Service and Contracting Operations, and Performance Contracting…just to name a few.
In his current position as Director of NA Service Operations, he is responsible for leading Trane’s field service operations teams. He provides leadership and support to over 2,500 field technicians and their leaders and helps them provide customers with a world-class service experience. His primary areas of responsibility include field technology and tech-enabled services, mobility, coordination, fleet, and value-stream transformation.
Rod has over 24 years of experience in the HVAC industry and has spent the majority of his time strategizing, leading and implementing services operations solutions across North America.
Collaborative partnerships have the power to revolutionize the way you build a unified customer experience.
In this episode, Sai Padmarajen, Head of Channel & Ecosystem Partnership, and Rob Freedman, Head of Growth, both from Zuper, share their insights on their partnership model’s three-pronged approach. They highlight the evolution of Zuper’s partner network, which has grown from six to over sixty partners.
Sai and Rob emphasize the value of creating a synergistic partner ecosystem and identifying the right platform and solutions to achieve this goal. In addition, they share the key benefits and takeaways that a potential partner will reap from the collaboration.
Sai and Rob discuss:
- How the Zuper Partner channel evolved over the past year
- How Zuper is creating a synergistic partner ecosystem
- The three-pronged approach to the partner model at Zuper – referral, reseller, and solutions partnership
- The significance of identifying the right platform and solutions to create a synergistic partnership with the partners
- And so much more
Resources:
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
Connect with Sai Padmarajen:
- LinkedIn: Sai Padmarajen
Connect with Rob Freedman:
- LinkedIn: Rob Freedman
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper
- Facebook: Zuper
This week we’ll explore the concept of Relationship Economics and how it can transform the customer service and field service industries.
In this episode, we feature David Nour, CEO of The Nour Group, Inc. and author of Relationship Economics®, to talk about the importance of relationships in business.
David shares his insights on creating a customer-centric culture and provides practical tips on developing and maintaining long-lasting relationships with customers.
David and Michael discuss:
- How relationship building is a critical skill that can be quantifiable and a strategic asset
- Why focusing on fewer, deeper, authentic relationships that are mutually value-based is more important than having more contacts
- Tips field service or customer service leaders can follow to create critical business relationships and be more disciplined and systematic in building and nurturing them
- Effective relationship building and intentional long-term relationship development
- And more
Resources:
- David Nour’s Relationship Economics 3rd Edition Book
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
Connect with David Nour:
- LinkedIn: David Nour
- Linkedin: The Nour Group
- The Nour Group
- Facebook: The Nour Group
Connect with Michael Israel:
- Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper
- Facebook: Zuper
About Our Guest:
A senior leadership/board advisor, educator, executive coach, and bestselling author, David Nour is internationally recognized as the leading expert on applications of strategic relationships in profitable growth, sustained innovation, and lasting change. The author of eleven books, including bestsellers Relationship Economics® (Wiley) – forthcoming in its 3rd edition, Co-Create (St. Martin’s Press), and Curve Benders (Wiley, 2021), Nour serves as a trusted advisor to global clients and coaches corporate leaders.
Born in Iran, Nour immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager with $100, limited family ties, and no fluency in English. He graduated from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in business management and went on to earn an Executive MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. He resides in Atlanta, GA, with his family.
As we enter a new year, staying ahead of the curve and understanding the challenges and opportunities is essential to the field services business.
In this episode, we’re joined by Rob Freedman, Head of Growth at Zuper to explore the forecasted growth of the field service management market and the technology trends shaping the industry in 2023.
Rob discusses everything from his latest article from outsourcing and the rise of contingent labor to the adoption of AI and automation.
Rob discusses:
- The forecasted growth of the field service management market
- The impact of outsourcing and the rise of contingent labor
- Advantages of adopting AI and automation in field service management
- How Zuper is navigating the future of field service management with technology solutions
- And more
Resources:
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
- Zuper Blog
- Field Nation: Cutting Labor Costs In The Market With Mynul Khan
- Service Trends To Watch Out For In 2023 With Wael Mohammed
Connect with Rob Freedman:
- LinkedIn: Rob Freedman
About Rob:
Rob Freedman is a marketing executive and consultant with over 15 years of experience. He loves growing brands, developing all-star teams, and helping people achieve their professional and personal goals. Rob is a frequent contributor to articles on digital marketing trends, team leadership, and branding. As if all that weren’t enough, he also has two daughters to keep him busy! He spends his free time listening to music (he’s got eclectic tastes), traveling (he’s been everywhere from San Francisco to Kampala), reading books about the latest innovations in business, or drinking coffee (black).
Zuper experienced substantial growth in 2022, tripling the number of users and new customers.
In this episode, Michael Israel discusses all the attributes that added to the growth and value of Zuper’s service in connecting people digitally and the added functionality and enhancements they have put into their product.
Michael shares the key elements that field the surge in growth, such as the ability to perform bulk actions and send notifications to many customers simultaneously.
Michael discusses:
- The contributing factors to the strong growth Zuper experienced in 2022
- The new service enhancements Zuper has put into the products
- Some of the critical updates made to the platform in 2023
- The recent trends in field service systems
- And more
Resources:
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
- Zuper’s Integrations
- Zuper’s Blog
Connect with Michael Israel:
- Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper – Website
- Facebook: Zuper
Customer experience is how your customers perceive their interaction with your company, and it is fundamental to every business.
So how do you excel at customer experience?
In this episode, Dennis Sadlowski, a CEO & Outside-In Leadership expert, discusses the roadmap to attaining the best customer experience. Dennis shares how teams have an advantage over their competitors by incorporating an outside-in leadership approach.
Dennis discusses:
- The outside-in leadership concept in detail
- How outside-in leadership affects field service in a positive way
- Why it is important to connect every employee in the company to the customer experience
- And more
Resources:
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
Connect with Dennis Sadlowski:
- Linkedin: Dennis Sadlowski
Connect with Michael Israel:
- Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper
- Facebook: Zuper
About our Guest:
Dennis Sadlowski is an accomplished Chief Executive Officer, Board Member, Outside-In Leader and C-suite Advisor serving domestic and international businesses. He has led public and private equity companies globally, in various industrial manufacturing and services industries. Mr. Sadlowski served as the CEO of Siemens Energy and Automation, a $4 billion, 12,000-employee operating company of Siemens AG. He also served as the CEO of CECO Environmental, CEO of International Battery, and COO (North America) of LSG Sky Chefs. Mr. Sadlowski holds a BS in Chemical and Nuclear Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and an MBA from Seattle University.
As field service businesses come to terms with the recession – investing in technology, specifically AI technology can be a cost-cutting opportunity.
In this episode, Rob Freedman, Head of Growth Marketing at Zuper, maps out the biggest growth opportunities during the recession for companies in the field service industry. Additionally, he shines a spotlight on the charity, “The RainShine foundation”, what they do to support different communities and how the idea started.
Rob discusses:
- How the digitization of Zuper’s processes and work orders reduce costs for businesses
- The 3 Ways field service management software can enhance growth
- Native integration and syncing with all of your business tools
- How to save money on fuel costs with machine learning and AI-powered intelligent dispatching and routing
- The story behind starting the RainShine foundation
- And more
Resources:
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
- How to Combat Recession with the Best Field Service Management Software
- The RainShine Foundation
Connect with Michael Israel:
- Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper
- Facebook: Zuper
Connect with Rob Freedman:
- LinkedIn: Rob Freedman
About our Guest:
Rob Freedman is a marketing executive and consultant with over 15 years of experience. He loves growing brands, developing all-star teams, and helping people achieve their professional and personal goals. Rob is a frequent contributor to articles on digital marketing trends, team leadership, and branding. As if all that weren’t enough, he also has two daughters to keep him busy! He spends his free time listening to music (he’s got eclectic tastes), traveling (he’s been everywhere from San Francisco to Kampala), reading books about the latest innovations in business, or drinking coffee (black).
The field service industry is experiencing a massive opportunity for growth in 2023.
As the industry moves forward, service leaders and technicians will need to strive to make data-driven decisions that will move them in the right direction.
In this episode, Michael Israel is joined by Wael Mohammed, EVP of Strategy at Field Nation, to talk about how the data from the work Field Nation performs helps companies scale back or scale up when needed. Wael shares some of the insights from the valuable data of the 2022 operations and how it can help inform the field service community and customers.
Wael discusses:
- How the shift in IT and telecom needs has diversified labor sourcing strategies
- Why it’s better to adapt to move from a fixed expense structure to a variable expense structure
- How Field Nation’s data insights are helping its customers increase their service capabilities to expand their growth
- How the negotiation process for technicians works
- And more
Resources:
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
- Field Nation
Connect With Wael Mohammed:
- LinkedIn: Wael Mohammed
Connect with Michael Israel:
- Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper
- Facebook: Zuper
About Wael Mohammed:
Wael Mohammed is the Executive VP of Product Management at Field Nation.He has a passion for identifying innovative concepts and transforming them into viable market solutions. With 25+ years of experience that span several industries across the B2B and B2C spectrum, Wael enjoys inspiring, mobilizing, and leading Product and cross-functional teams to deliver innovative technology products that make significant market impact.
With the change in consumer expectations, there is a substantial investment in IT and telecom infrastructure to support the digital customer experience. As a result, the demand for skilled technical labor as a fast, convenient cost-cutting option has risen.
In this episode, Michael Israel sits down with Mynul Khan, CEO of Field Nation, to discuss his company and how it has been able to meet the demand for technical labor, manage macroeconomic obstacles and reduce overall costs for companies.
Michael and Mynul discuss:
- What the impetus was for founding Field Nation
- How Field Nation got into the overall field service landscape
- How Field Nation is helping businesses through this inflationary period
- The trends Mynul sees for field services in 2023
- And more
Resources:
- Book a call with Zuper’s sales team
- Field Nation
Connect with Mynul Khan:
- LinkedIn: Mynul Khan
Connect with Michael Israel:
- Linkedin: Michael Israel
- Linkedin: Zuper
- Zuper
- Facebook: Zuper
About Mynul Khan:
Mynul Khan is the founder and CEO of Field Nation. Khan graduated from St. Cloud State University, where he developed an affinity for business start-ups. After selling his first venture, Khan launched Minneapolis-based Field Nation in 2008, when he identified the emerging contingent workforce trend.
Field Nation is not Mynul Khan’s first startup, but it is the one into which he has poured all of who he is. Mynul is the Founder and CEO of Field Nation; the leading online work marketplace for connecting people to get work done. His programming and data analyst background, as well as a honed “growth hacking” business acumen, combine in the form of a humble and soft-spoken man who is uniquely driven.
Enhancing the customer service experience is really all about exceeding expectations. Going above and beyond for your customer leaves them feeling delighted and satisfied — ultimately building the customer Loyalty you want. In this episode, we build on last week’s conversation about the concept of completed service work with executive coach and founder of The … Continue reading Expanding Completed Service Work: How to Elevate The Customer Service Experience with David Nour (Ep. 14) →
Completed Service Work is a lot more than providing service to customers when things need fixing. It’s a very strategic aspect of the business if performed correctly can set your business apart from your competitors. In this episode, Michael Blumberg, the President and CEO of Blumberg Advisory Group, Inc. and David Nour, the author of … Continue reading A Framework for Completed Service Work with Michael Blumberg and David Nour (Ep. 13) →
There is no doubt that HubSpot is one of the leading CRM platforms for scaling businesses. One of the main reasons HubSpot has managed to stay the course in a competitive industry is because of its ease of integration with many other solutions and applications such as Zuper FSM. Michael Israel and the Zuper team … Continue reading Live From the HubSpot Inbound Conference in Beantown (Ep. 12) →
Did you know that we’re currently in the midst of our Fourth Industrial Revolution? The Fourth Industrial Revolution is a period of rapid transformation across industries, societies, and nations. Technology, connectivity, and automation have been at the forefront of this revolution. In this episode, We make a virtual stop in the UAE to speak with … Continue reading Gearing Up for the Fourth Industrial Revolution with Wajid Zakir (Ep. 11) →
The best businesses are created when you’ve identified a problem that needs solving. Our guests this week found their niche in the landscaping market as a result of their own frustrating experiences. In this episode, Ben Souva and Jacob Krum, the founders of Trim Landscaping, join Michael Israel to discuss the circumstances that made them … Continue reading Streamlining Services in the Landscaping Industry with Ben Souva and Jacob Krum (Ep. 10) →
You’ve probably heard of a popular management principle called Completed Staff Work. Completed Service Work is an evolution of this concept of doing everything thoroughly and anticipating next steps to the world of field service management. Did you know there is more to completed service work than simply fixing a customer’s problem? In this episode, … Continue reading Completed Service Work and Its Value in Field Services with David Nour (Ep. 9) →
Embracing new technologies, software solutions, and automation of workflows can be daunting for many businesses. Lumio Intelligence is one of Zuper’s premier partners that helps small and medium enterprises integrate value-added ecosystems into business operations, allowing a faster return on investment and a better automation process. In this episode, Michael Israel sits down with Melanie … Continue reading Achieving Successful Digital Transformation with Israël Fontaine & Melanie Maquet (Ep. 8) →
We know how important it is to protect your property when you’re not around. While incorporating technology into the process is a must, how are experts within the surveillance industry streamlining their workflow to provide you and your business with the best security? In this episode, Myles Osswald and Amanda Harris from Pro-Vigil, join David … Continue reading Incorporating Field Service Tools Into Smart Video Surveillance with Amanda Harris & Myles Osswald (Ep. 7) →
Before March 2020, the word inflation was considered taboo. Fast forward two years, inflation has seeped into every aspect of our lives. So, has inflation impacted the field service management industry, too? Sure it has. In this episode, Michael Blumberg, the President and CEO of Blumberg Advisory Group Inc, joins Michael Israel to unveil how … Continue reading Inflation’s Impact on the Field Service Industry with Michael Blumberg (Ep. 6) →
How much do you know about technology in the field service management industry? How much do you care about human connection and maintaining relationships as a field service management professional? In this episode, Michael Israel interviews David Nour, the CEO of The Nour Group. David highlights his career in field service management while unveiling everything … Continue reading The Value of Technology & Relationships in Field Service Management (Ep. 5) →
When you hear the acronym SEO — What is the first thing you think about? If you didn’t come up with search engine optimization, you’re not alone. In fact, a lot of field service management companies don’t really know what’s SEO and how it could benefit their business. This week, Rob Freedman, the head of … Continue reading SEO Tips for Field Service Management Companies with Rob Freedman (Ep. 4) →
Sales, repair and maintenance, customer support, and regular inspections are just a few branches of the field service management industry. But is this a viable career path? In this episode, David Nour, the CEO of The Nour Group, Inc, interviews Michael Israel. Together, they explore Michael’s journey in the field service management arena and reasons … Continue reading Here’s What You Need To Know About The Field Service Management Industry with David Nour and Michael Israel (Ep. 3) →
What do venture capitalists and field service professionals have in common? They both have wondered why they should invest in software that aids the field service industry. In this episode, Michael Israel welcomes Kellan Carter, founding and general partner at FUSE. Together, they explain why investing in technology in the field service industry is a … Continue reading Investing in Field Service Technology with Kellan Carter (Ep. 2) →
Every great business starts with a hurdle. And Zuper is no different. In this inaugural episode of Zuper FM – Field Service, Your Way, Michael Israel welcomes Anand Subbaraj, CEO and founder of Zuper. Anand shares everything you need to know about him while unveiling Zuper’s story, vision, and mission as they work towards building … Continue reading Zuper, Empowering Field Teams To Collaborate Effortlessly with Anand Subbaraj (Ep. 1) →