Fabio Raffone, Vice President of Customer Service Operations for Tetra Pak, dives into the pressing challenges of attracting and retaining talent in field services. He emphasizes the critical role of AI and data-driven strategies in recruitment, stressing the importance of soft skills and alignment with company values. The conversation highlights innovative onboarding practices and the need for strong customer relationships to create a positive work environment. Fabio also touches on the need for continual competence development amid diverse market challenges.
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Quick takeaways
Attracting and retaining talent in field services requires prioritizing soft skills like communication over purely technical abilities for enhanced customer satisfaction.
Tetra Pak's commitment to competency development, allocating significant training time, fosters employee engagement and reduces turnover in a competitive labor market.
Deep dives
Challenges in Attracting Talent
Field service leaders face significant challenges in attracting and retaining talent within the rapidly evolving landscape of AI applications. A key issue is the necessity to hire individuals who not only possess technical skills but also embody a problem-solving attitude and a willingness to engage with new challenges. Companies like Tetra Pak recognize that soft skills, such as effective communication, often weigh more heavily on customer satisfaction than mere technical prowess. As illustrated by their experience, a service engineer with strong communication skills was preferred, even if they took longer to resolve issues, highlighting the importance of customer experience in service delivery.
Emphasis on Competence Development
Tetra Pak prioritizes competency development among its field service professionals, allocating around 15% of their time to training and skills enhancement. This commitment to professional growth not only enhances service quality but also fosters employee engagement and loyalty, effectively reducing turnover rates. In regions like the U.S., where the company may be less recognizable, focusing on values and nurturing talent through partnerships with universities plays a critical role in attracting skilled individuals who align with Tetra Pak's mission. The proactive investment in workforce competence reflects the company’s belief that a well-developed team directly contributes to increased customer satisfaction and operational success.
Data-Driven Tactical Planning
Tetra Pak employs data-driven approaches to tackle the complexities of workforce management across the Americas, ensuring that field service teams are equipped with the skills needed to meet customer demands. With advanced technical equipment in need of skilled support, the company relies on data to forecast future requirements and manage the distribution of competencies geographically. By leveraging AI and other technologies, Tetra Pak aims to maintain high utilization rates while ensuring service engineers are readily available for customer support. This strategic planning is vital as it aligns their operational goals with a commitment to sustainability, efficiency, and enhancing customer experiences.
Today’s guest is Fabio Raffone, Vice President of Customer Service Operations for Americas at Tetra Pak. Tetra Pak is a Swedish multinational company specializing in food packaging and processing solutions. The company provides a range of offerings, including packaging materials, filling machines, and processing equipment for various products such as dairy, beverages, cheese, ice cream, and prepared foods. Fabio joins Emerj Senior Editor Matthew DeMello on the program today to discuss the pressing challenges faced by field service leaders and the growing relevance of AI in overcoming these hurdles. With a team of 700 field service professionals across the Americas, Tetra Pak is navigating complex market-specific challenges, from attracting and retaining talent in a growing U.S. economy to advancing competence development in other regions.
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