Service Case Management with the symmedia Hub – Efficiency and Collaboration for Operators and Manufacturers
In industrial environments, machine availability and production continuity are critical to success. Two key metrics for evaluation and optimization are Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and Time to Resolution (TTR). While OEE measures productivity through availability, performance, and quality, TTR represents the time required to resolve a service case.
The symmedia Hub helps businesses optimize these metrics by centralizing service processes, enabling seamless system integration, and fostering digital collaboration – for machines of all manufacturers – ensuring maximum efficiency and minimal downtime.
Service Case Management for All Machine Types
As discussed in our blog post on Asset Management, collaboration between operators and service providers, as well as efficient handling of service cases, begins with features like ticketing, conferencing, and whiteboard support. This process starts directly with the creation of one digital twin or a mass of digital twins in the symmedia Hub, using bulk upload functionality, as Collaboration/Unconnected Assets – without the need to connect the digital twins to an edge device.
This capability allows businesses to launch their first service processes within a single day, enabling immediate cost and time savings.
When the machines are equipped with a symmedia Edge Device or a virtual Edge Device, they become Secure Connect/Connected Assets, enabling secure real-time data transfer, remote access and significantly expanding service possibilities.
Through the symmedia Hub, access rights for specific machines or endpoints can be configured for each service case individually, ensuring access is granted only for the necessary data and time, as managed by the operator.
Live Support Directly at the Machine
The symmedia Hub enhances Service Case Management with integrated conferencing and chat functions for seamless communication between operators and service providers:
- Direct live support: Operators and manufacturers can collaborate via video or text chat during service cases to address issues together at the machine.
- Efficient collaboration: Real-time problem analysis and resolution significantly reduce downtime.
- Comprehensive documentation: Use the whiteboard feature to create detailed visual explanations with sketches and photos. Reports, including case summaries, are archived alongside issue descriptions for future reference.
One Platform for Internal and External Service Processes
The symmedia Hub supports both external collaboration with manufacturers and the internal organization of maintenance teams:
- Internal service tickets: Businesses can manage their own service cases and maintenance tasks, optimizing collaboration between internal teams and providing centralized documentation for operators and manufacturers alike.
- External service tickets: Share service tickets with manufacturers or service providers to resolve issues efficiently. Manufacturers and operators collaborate directly without requiring proprietary tools or workflow interruptions, fully utilizing the Hub’s multi-tenancy platform.
Seamless system integration
APIs enable service case integration with external systems like SAP or Jira, ensuring smooth communication by displaying system reference numbers within service cases.
Flexibility Through Mobile Access
The symmedia Hub’s Service Case Management and other features are accessible from any device:
- Access from anywhere: Manage service cases directly at the machine via tablet or smartphone, or through browser-based HMIs.
- Real-time data: Operators can access up-to-date information anytime to respond promptly to service cases.
Benefits of Service Case Management with the symmedia Hub
- Universal machine integration: Manage service cases for connected and unconnected machines from any manufacturer.
- Direct cost savings in service delivery. (read more)
- Direct networking: Share service cases with manufacturers for direct collaboration.
- Efficient communication: Integrated chat and video functions for live support.
- Internal and external use: Manage internal maintenance and external service requests on one platform.
- Seamless integration: Connect to existing systems like SAP or Jira via APIs.
- Mobile access: Use all features directly at the machine via tablet or smartphone.
Conclusion
The symmedia Hub revolutionizes Service Case Management by providing a centralized platform that maximizes machine availability and production continuity. Its ability to handle service cases for both connected and unconnected machines ensures efficiency regardless of manufacturer.
The combination of live support, ticketing, conferencing, and whiteboard features fosters seamless collaboration between operators, service providers, and internal teams. The symmedia Hub significantly reduces Time to Resolution (TTR), thereby improving Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
Thanks to its multi-tenancy architecture, the symmedia Hub offers a flexible and secure platform for operators and manufacturers alike, integrating seamlessly into existing systems like SAP or Jira and ensuring full mobile accessibility for future-proof operations.
The symmedia Hub is the ideal solution for companies aiming to optimize service processes, minimize machine downtime, and leverage a comprehensive collaboration platform – for a modern and secure connected industry.
Stay tuned! In the next installment of the symmedia Hub series, we’ll explore how the symmedia Hub enhances service management with advanced remote access solutions for greater security, efficiency, and speed.
Curious of what symmedia Hub can do for you?
Contact our sales team for more information.
sales@symmedia.de
+49 (0)521 9665 50
Author
Kay Andorf
Kay Andorf is symmedia’s Chief Product Officer with extensive experience in product development and digital transformation. With his passion for innovative solutions, he drives the development of the symmedia Hub together with symmedia’s Product Owners. At the symZone, he’ll give you valuable insight on how to fully leverage the opportunities of digitization.