The top stories from the field this week.
Home Improvement Techs Get Mobile Makeover
It’s been a tough couple of months for Home Depot following its high-profile data theft. Hackers stole at least 53 million email addresses and 56 million credit and debit card numbers from the company’s customers. The retailer hopes to mend its reputation, in part, with a new mobile app that its 1,500 service technicians use to install the toilets, showers or kitchen appliances that customers buy online or in a store. (via Mobile Enterprise)
Survey: Americans Top Canadians in Customer Service Satisfaction
A survey from Moneris Solutions Corporation, a payment processing provider, found some subtle differences between Americans and Canadians in what constitutes great customer service. Neither countries’ residents appreciate service that takes longer than expected, but they’re irked by different failures. Americans are upset when technicians arrive without the right part, while inconsistent communication bothers Canadians. (via Business Solutions)
Apple Turns Gaze Toward Field Service
Apple is shedding its reputation as an indifferent — even cold — partner to business users. This summer, the tech giant announced a partnership with IBM to break the ice with IT departments. Among other lucrative targets is the $15-billion field service industry, where iPads and iPhones have already made inroads. (via Reuters)
GE’s ‘Industrial Internet’ Ambitions Hit the Home
General Electric is making big bets on connected devices to transform healthcare, aviation and manufacturing. The company recently sold its home appliance division to Electrolux, but it hasn’t given up on selling connected-home products to consumers. This week, GE announced several “smart” home products that it will develop with Quirky, an innovation startup that’s built a community of inventors. GE has invested $30 million in Quirky. (via CNET)
One Job That Robots Can’t Match
Hundreds of feet in the sky, there is one profession that’s largely immune from automation: window washing. Despite the risks — earlier this week, two workers were stranded for several hours 68 floors atop 1 World Trade Center — skyscraper window washing is still in the human domain. Some people argue that people are just better at the job. Others point out that large buildings are complex structures, or “huge sculptures in the sky,” according to one consultant. (via The New York Times)
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