What Is the Future of Field Service?

The future of field service is being propelled by rapid change. AI and other technologies are advancing, customer expectations are growing, and the field service workforce is evolving.

How do you balance all these factors and take your field service from good to great? Success isn’t about reacting to what’s happening around you; it’s about taking the lead to streamline operations. By doing so, your business can stand out with exceptional customer experiences and achieve sustainable revenue growth.

In this article, I’ll look at the key innovations and trends shaping the future of field service and provide insights on how your business can thrive in 2025 and beyond.

What you’ll learn:

Three technologies shaping the future of field service

Technology is still the backbone of field service innovation, making things more efficient and delivering better outcomes for both businesses and customers. Let’s look at the role of agentic AI, voice AI agents, and the data platform in the future of field service. 

1. Agentic AI

Agentic AI like Agentforce is already transforming field service by making operations more efficient and customer interactions smoother. Agentforce goes beyond generating text — it also takes action. Agentforce with Salesforce Field Service can handle a wide range of both common and complex tasks, from scheduling appointments and managing work orders to providing real-time support and diagnostics — all within the guardrails your business has set.

For example, Agentforce for Dispatchers helps dispatchers to quickly address urgent appointments using a conversational interface. The AI agent presents a Gantt chart so the dispatcher can easily identify risks and adjust appointments on a single screen, streamlining decision-making and increasing productivity.

Agentforce can enhance customer satisfaction (CSAT) by providing 24/7 support and personalized service. Agents can answer questions, guide customers through basic troubleshooting like resetting an internet router, and even predict potential issues before they become major problems. This proactive approach not only reduces downtime but also builds trust and loyalty with customers, which is critical for success in the future of field service. Plus, Agentforce can continuously improve its performance through self-learning, keeping up with changing customer needs. Your customers will want to give you 5-star reviews every time. 

2. Voice AI agents

Voice technology is making field service operations more efficient and accurate. Field service technicians can use voice commands to ask Agentforce to access pre-work briefs, knowledge bases, and diagnostic information without the hassle of having to put down their tools. This hands-free approach facilitates the service process and cuts down on the risk of errors that can happen when your technicians have to switch between tasks. It also leads to capturing much more detailed information from the technician, which can be used to enhance and improve the next round of field service. 

For example, a mobile worker in the field can verbally ask a voice AI agent to pull up specific repair instructions, check asset service management, and order parts on the go. Agents can even log completed tasks using generative AI. This not only speeds up the service process but also ensures all information is immediately captured in writing without the need for manual data entry. It also helps cut down on tedious work for your techs, which can lead to burnout. In fact, our research shows that 57% of mobile workers — more than half — report experiencing burnout on the job. 

As voice technology advances, it’s getting more integrated with smart systems like IoT devices and AI analytics. This means potential issues can be caught and fixed before they turn into big problems. For example, a voice AI agent can automatically alert your back office about an upcoming equipment failure based on sensor data, allowing for quick action. This approach to proactive field service not only boosts service quality but also strengthens customer relationships by showing a real commitment to their needs.

3. Trusted data platform 

The right data platform plays a huge role in the future of field service. Unifying your data through a cloud-based platform like Data Cloud makes it easier for you to make more informed decisions and run field service operations more intelligently. Along with advanced analytics, Data Cloud provides real-time, actionable insights. For example, Salesforce’s Asset Service Prediction uses an AI model to analyze historical service data from Data Cloud. This allows for proactive maintenance, reducing downtime and avoiding costly truck-rolls.

Data Cloud helps to drive revenue, enhance customer experience, and minimize churn. It turns service appointments into revenue opportunities by highlighting potential upsells and cross-sells right from the field in Salesforce Field Service. Data Cloud also helps to personalize onboarding journeys for customers by integrating Unified Knowledge from external systems and apps. Plus, Data Cloud helps you retain customers by spotting early warning signs of at-risk accounts. This way, you can step in proactively, address issues, and turn them back into loyal customers.

The platform also makes sure that your entire field service team, including contractors and Agentforce, have access to the exact data they need at any time to deliver an exceptional customer experience. The actions and insights are accessible on any digital channel that the field service team uses, including messaging platforms such as Slack or WhatsApp, mobile apps, and the corporate website, through a conversational AI interface, or over the phone. It lets multiple team members work together smoothly, even if they’re miles apart, by sharing updates and coordinating tasks in real time with Salesforce Field Service. This improves overall efficiency and ensures that everyone is aligned, streamlining workflows and reducing administrative overhead to free up operational budget for other endeavors. (Back to top)

Evolving customer expectations

Customers expect the same level of personalized service from field service as they do from in-person retail or hospitality experiences. In fact, our research finds that 74% of mobile workers say that customer expectations are higher than they used to be, and 73% say customers expect a personal touch more than they used to.

These changing expectations are driving change in the following areas:

1. Real-time service updates

Customers value transparency and timely updates about service schedules. Our research backs this up: 52% of mobile workers say customers seem more rushed these days. With Appointment Assistant, you can provide real-time tracking of technicians, estimated arrival times, and status updates. These real-time updates help keep your customers informed, happy, and loyal. 

2. Self-service options

Customers prefer self-service solutions when they need fast, convenient, and accurate answers or actions. For example, a field service technician isn’t necessary for tasks like checking if a cable is unplugged, a switch is turned off, a breaker has tripped, a system needs a reboot, or a simple cleaning is required. A simple outbound reminder to the customer can prevent all of these issues. When a technician is required, automate the scheduling process and make the available slots easy to select online. 

Let customers help themselves by creating knowledge base articles, online troubleshooting tools, and video tutorials. This way, they can get the help they need anytime, even at 3:00 a.m. on a major holiday. Tip: AI can be a big help in building these resources; be sure to review them for accuracy.

3. Proactive service

Customers appreciate when service providers reach out proactively. Proactive field service in field service management is all about identifying and resolving issues before they cause any disruptions. The possibilities for predictive and proactive service are unique to your industry. Here are a few examples:

• Send an automated email or text message to customers reminding them to perform basic maintenance, such as cleaning a filter or updating firmware.
• Provide a list of instructions to help customers reestablish connectivity.
• Proactively send a message when a fault or unusual sensor data is detected, along with clear instructions on how to proceed.

These are carried out using predictive AI, data analytics, IoT sensors, and messaging technologies. By staying ahead of potential problems, you not only boost customer satisfaction but also improve service efficiency and extend the life of assets by preventing unexpected breakdowns. (Back to top)

Workforce transformation

The field service workforce is undergoing major changes, driven by a workforce with many seasoned technicians approaching retirement. At the same time, there’s a shortage of skilled workers entering the industry. This, combined with the rising demand for specialized skills, makes it increasingly difficult to find and keep qualified personnel. To make matters more challenging, companies must also navigate fluctuating work demands and the ongoing need to adapt to new technologies.

To adapt to these changes and succeed in the future of field service, one effective strategy is to focus on upskilling and training. Prioritizing training programs that emphasize digital tools and technologies like AI is critical. Hands-on training using augmented and virtual reality, such as Visual Remote Assistant, can help new hires learn faster and existing technicians enhance their skills.  

Trailhead, Salesforce’s free online, AI-powered learning platform, offers valuable resources for your technicians to learn practical skills for field service and AI. Encourage your team to join the Serviceblazer Community on Slack to connect with other field service professionals and learn best practices. (Back to top)

How to prepare for the future of field service

To stay ahead, businesses need to think ahead and plan for the future of field service which continues to evolve. Here’s how you can set up for success:

• Involve your operations team: Include your operations stakeholders at every stage, from ideation to implementation, to ensure a smooth path to the future of field service.
• Keep innovating: Don’t just keep up or react — invest in cutting-edge technology like Agentforce and stay on top of the latest field service trends. 
• Put customers first: Use data to anticipate customer needs and deliver personalized experiences. Make sure to involve them in the design and review of your customer experience tasks and processes.
• Invest in your team: Give your workforce the tools and training they need to succeed in the complex and fast-paced world of field service.

The future of field service is filled with opportunities for innovation and business growth. Collaborating with internal stakeholders, welcoming change, adopting new technologies, and adapting to customer and workforce shifts can do more than just help your business keep up — you can thrive now and in the years to come. (Back to top)