With few exceptions, the service business is viewed as a "necessary evil". Servicing products, after they are sold and in customers' hands, is frequently overlooked and can be a source of customer dissatisfaction and profit loss. This thinking results in missed opportunities to convert customers into advocates and to generate significant business revenue.

Complicating field service operations is the global nature of business – where your customers are, where your products are manufactured. Sourcing global parts, managing the parts supply chain and the investment required are the things that keep managers up at night.