IFS Planning & Scheduling Optimization

Optimize Your Field Service with Real-Time Precision

AI-powered workforce planning for manufacturing, telecom, service providers, and energy organizations. Transform operations and exceed industry standards.

39%
More Jobs Per Day
35%
Travel Reduction
87%
First-Time Fix Rate
20%
CO2 Reduction
Report Contents

What's Inside This Report

1

Global Field Service Benchmarks

Industry standards & how to measure up

2

Manufacturing Organizations

Challenges, impacts & IFS solutions

3

Telecom Organizations

Multi-generational network optimization

4

Service Providers

Contract winning & workforce optimization

5

Energy, Utilities & Resources

Evolving landscape & resilience

6

Greener Paths to Efficiency

Sustainability & EV fleet management

7

Customer Success Stories

Real results from global enterprises

8

Something to Takeaway

Resources & next steps

Executive Summary

Meet & Exceed Industry Standards

Top-performing companies are pulling further ahead by minimizing workforce skill gaps, optimizing service processes, and reducing costs. In contrast, lower-performing organizations are burdened with higher expenses and inefficiencies.

With IFS' AI-powered Planning and Scheduling Optimization (PSO), you can meet and exceed industry standards. PSO uses real-time data, predictive street-level routing, actual engineer availability, current locations, skills, tools, and parts availability to improve efficiency, first-time-fix rate, and reduce operational costs significantly.

This intelligent platform ensures the right technician, with the right skills and parts, is dispatched at the right time to deliver a first-time fix, significantly reducing travel, downtime, and resource waste — taking your service organization from excellent to world-class.

Key PSO Capabilities

  • Real-time data & street-level routing
  • Engineer availability & skill matching
  • Tools & parts availability tracking
  • First-time fix optimization
  • Carbon emission reduction
Global Benchmarks

How Do You Measure Up?

Based on Aquant's 2024 Field Service Benchmark Report, key cross-industry benchmarks that service-focused organizations should aim for.

First Time Fix Rates

76% - 87%

Top organizations achieve FTFR above 76%, with leaders reaching 87%. Bottom performers may be as low as 55%.

Resolution Time

2.44 Days

Top performers resolve issues in 2.44 days. Bottom 20% take 9.67 days — four times longer.

Time Between Visits

133 Days

Top performers have 133 days between visits. Industry average is 88 days, bottom performers just 46 days.

Don't just meet industry standards, set them, with IFS, your guide to operational excellence.

Industry Solutions

Tailored Solutions by Industry

IFS PSO delivers measurable results across multiple industries with customized approaches for each sector's unique challenges.

Manufacturing Organizations

Advanced planning for distributed field teams

Manufacturers face challenges in managing large, distributed field teams, requiring advanced planning to ensure timely service and minimize downtime. Rapid response to service demands and balancing operational efficiency with cost control and sustainability are essential. IFS technology solutions enhance workforce management, improve SLA compliance, and reduce operational costs and carbon emissions.

Key Challenges Addressed

Maximizing UptimeProactive preventive maintenance
People & Parts Sync10.5% FTF improvement
Demand SmoothingMulti-time horizon planning

Average Results

39%
Increase in jobs per day
27%
Reduction in travel time
20%
CO2 reduction
13.1%
Increase in SLA adherence

Telecom Organizations

Network evolution & workforce optimization

Expanding and evolving telecommunications networks is complex, requiring careful planning to avoid inefficiencies, delays, and resource misallocation. The telecommunications industry is characterized by rapid technological evolution, requiring providers to manage and support multiple network generations simultaneously, from legacy 2G and 3G systems to advanced 5G rollouts. AI-powered solutions from IFS optimize field service operations helping telecom companies meet customer expectations, improve worker utilization, SLA compliance, and achieve sustainability goals.

Key Challenges Addressed

Multi-Gen Networks2G to 5G management
SLA ComplianceAvoid penalties & breaches
Skill Gap ManagementReal-time workforce matching

Average Results

39%
Increase in SLA adherence
17%
Increase in tech utilization
30%
Reduction in travel time
30%
Increase in jobs per day

Service Providers

Contract management & workforce productivity

Whether you're a Retail organization, Facilities Management organization, Testing Inspection and Certification, or Managed Services Provider business, your people are your priority. IFS workforce planning and scheduling optimization software can reduce your field service technician travel costs, increase service productivity, and consistently meet service level requirements through real-time, AI-powered scheduling optimization.

Key Challenges Addressed

Contract Retention49% subcontractor savings
Workforce BalanceGig economy integration
Tiered ServiceDynamic SLA prioritization

Average Results

30%
Increase in same-day response
15.5%
Reduction in travel time
42%
Reduction in travel distance
19%
Increase in SLA adherence

Energy, Utilities & Resources

Mission-critical service delivery

In a customer-centric industry, any loss of service is unacceptable. IFS can help you keep the lights on, the water running, the gas burning, and so on. The energy sector is undergoing a rapid transition towards decentralized and renewable energy sources, requiring organizations to manage both traditional and new energy infrastructures simultaneously. Workforce planning and scheduling software ensures you deliver exceptional service and minimize downtime, helping you maintain customer satisfaction and meet SLAs.

Key Challenges Addressed

Energy TransitionTraditional & renewable
ResiliencePlanned & unplanned outages
Dispersed WorkforceAI-driven allocation

Average Results

8.75%
Reduction in travel distance
16.6%
Increase in jobs per day
40%
Reduction in travel time
16%
SLA compliance increase
Success Stories

Real Results from Real Customers

See how leading organizations across industries have transformed their field service operations with IFS PSO.

Konica Minolta

Digital Workplace Services

Leading provider of digital workplace services with two million customers in 150 countries, transforming from field-centric to remote-first operations since July 2023.

25%
Productivity
17%
Closed Incidents
21%
SLA Achievement
"By partnering with IFS, we increase SLA adherence, reduce fuel consumption, optimize worker efficiency, and increase first-time fix rate by assigning the right person with the right skills and parts to each job."
— Ged Cranny, Senior Consultant

PHS Group

Hygiene Washroom Services UK

Market leader in hygiene washroom services in the UK, managing a substantial mobile workforce with over 1000 vans covering the whole of the UK.

35%
Travel Time Reduction
EV Ready
Fleet Optimization
"The benefit for us using IFS in a dynamic way... the beauty about IFS is that if something doesn't get done on the day, that's now back in the system and out, rerouted, in real time."
— Stephen Male, Head of Planning and Scheduling

Proximus Group

Telecom & Digital Services

Founded in 1930, provides future-proof connectivity and digital services in the Benelux and international markets, going far beyond a traditional telco.

Sustainability Focus Areas

  • AI-driven optimization for workers, fleets & projects
  • Predictive maintenance for improved asset lifespan
  • ESG compliance & reporting solutions

Xcel Energy

Electric & Natural Gas Utility

U.S. regulated electric utility and natural gas delivery company, serving more than 3.7 million electric customers and 2.1 million natural gas customers across the USA.

"Planning, scheduling, and dispatching are manual processes for our teams today. We are excited on behalf of our customers and employees to digitize, streamline, and simplify our process."
Jesse Seering, Director of Scheduling
Sustainability

Greener Paths to Efficiency

Sustainability remains a top priority for organizations in 2025 and beyond. IFS PSO offers an innovative solution to reduce fuel costs, carbon emissions, and optimize workforce productivity.

35%

Reduction in technician travel

33%

Improvement in productivity

13M lbs

CO2 emissions reduced

Ready for Electric Vehicle Fleet Management

When it comes time for your organization to shift its service fleet over to include electric vehicles (EVs), IFS makes it easy to setup, track and monitor vehicle attribute information. By adding charge and capacity planning into the solution, it allows the optimization of EVs taking into consideration location of charge points, type, capacity, speed of charge and range.

Reduce fleet fuel and labor costs while preparing for EVs
Modernize service fleet and optimize EVs seamlessly
Track and manage carbon emissions for ESG compliance
Resources

Something to Takeaway

IFS offers real-time planning and AI-powered scheduling optimization that supports the present and future state of your field service operations.

10 Questions to Ask

Key considerations when evaluating your next field workforce planning and scheduling solution. Understand the full capabilities of a best-of-breed solution.

Learn more

Proof of Value

Using YOUR real business data, IFS can show tangible and measurable business value in hard currency, time, and CO2 reductions.

Learn more

What-If Scenario Explorer

WISE feature lets you test ideas thoroughly before putting them into practice. Minimize risk and maximize profits with accurate predictions.

Learn more

About IFS

World Leader in Industrial AI

IFS is the world's leading provider of Industrial AI and enterprise software for hardcore businesses that make, service, and power our planet. Their technology enables businesses which manufacture goods, maintain complex assets, and manage service-focused operations to unlock the transformative power of Industrial AI to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability.

IFS Cloud is a fully composable AI-powered platform, designed for ultimate flexibility and adaptability to specific customer requirements and business evolution. It spans the needs of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Field Service Management (FSM).

Founded in 1983 by five university friends who pitched a tent outside their first customer's site to ensure they would be available 24/7, IFS has grown into a global leader with over 7,000 employees in 90+ countries. Recognized by industry analysts including Gartner, Forrester, and IDC for leadership in planning and scheduling optimization, asset management, field service management, and ERP solutions.

Industry Recognition

Gartner Leader
Forrester Leader
IDC Leader
7,000+
Employees in 90+ countries
Since 1983
Industry leadership

About ESS

ESS is a trusted IFS partner specializing in enterprise software implementation and optimization. Our team of certified consultants helps organizations across manufacturing, distribution, and service industries maximize their investment in IFS solutions.

With deep expertise in Planning & Scheduling Optimization, we guide businesses through digital transformation to achieve operational excellence and sustainable growth.

Start Your Transformation Today

Ready to Transform Your Field Service Operations?

Don't just meet industry standards, set them. Let ESS help you implement IFS Planning & Scheduling Optimization for your organization.