Service’s Missing Voice: Why Field Technicians Now Drive Business Outcomes

As Lisa Hellqvist, Managing Director at Copperberg, explained in her opening remarks, it is no longer possible to talk about service trends without addressing the technician’s role. 

Technicians now operate at the intersection of customer expectations, digital transformation, and outcome-based business models. They are no longer just problem solvers. In many organisations, they are the single biggest determinant of uptime, safety, and customer success.

To explore what technician empowerment means in practice, Hellqvist was joined by Jodie Velasquez, President of Parts and Services APAC at Epiroc. Velasquez brings more than 18 years of experience across finance and service transformation, shaped by leadership roles across multiple continents.

The Technician as the Heartbeat of Service

Velasquez began by drawing a clear distinction. While Epiroc is an OEM where products matter, people are the organisation’s true assets.

Field technicians are present on site, working alongside customers in demanding environments. Their role is to ensure uptime and support productivity, often under challenging conditions.

At the same time, technicians feed data back into the organisation. That information is used to improve offerings and enhance future services, making technicians both delivery agents and sources of insight.

What Technician Empowerment Looks Like on the Ground

Technician empowerment, Velasquez explained, must be reflected in everyday working conditions.

One of the most important elements is independence. Technicians need access to real-time information and digital tools that support troubleshooting and decision-making in the field.

Empowerment at Epiroc shows up in several practical ways:

• Access to real-time, relevant information
• Digital tools that support troubleshooting and repairs
• Continuous upskilling, both required and self-directed
• Fewer approval layers for on-site decisions

Reducing excessive approvals allows technicians to act faster and with greater confidence. When they have the right information at the right time, outcomes improve for both customers and the organisation.

Skills That Will Define the Technician of the Future

Looking ahead, Velasquez identified a clear shift in the skill sets technicians need to develop.

Technical expertise remains fundamental. Deep understanding of equipment and systems continues to be the foundation of the role.

Alongside this, digital literacy is becoming increasingly important. Computer skills and familiarity with AI-driven diagnostics and predictive maintenance tools are now essential.

Velasquez also emphasised that soft skills are not optional. Effective customer interaction is becoming a core part of the technician role, meaning the ability to explain insights clearly and engage with customers confidently is critical.

The most effective technicians combine technical expertise with strong customer communication skills.

Digital Enablement and the Technician Co-Pilot

A major theme of the session was digital enablement.

Velasquez acknowledged that organisations are collecting vast amounts of data from multiple sources. In turn, the challenge is not access to data, but making it usable for technicians in the field.

At Epiroc, this has led to the development of what Velasquez described as a technician co-pilot. Using AI and augmented reality, the organisation is working to bring knowledge, data, and instructions into a single, accessible interface.

The co-pilot supports technicians through:

• Remote support
• Interactive repair and maintenance instructions
• Easier access to historical data and insights

Early experience shows that technicians are able to troubleshoot and complete repairs more efficiently when supported by these tools.

Predictive Maintenance and Asset Intelligence

Alongside the co-pilot, asset management tools powered by AI play a critical role.

Velasquez described predictive maintenance as one of the most impactful developments to look forward to in 2026 and beyond. These tools allow service teams to intervene before problems occur, rather than reacting after failures.

Predictive insights enable technicians to be present before issues arise, supporting optimal uptime and building stronger customer trust. For customers, this translates into fewer disruptions and more predictable performance.

From Fixing Problems to Preventing Them

Hellqvist highlighted the changing nature of service work.

Reactive service will never disappear entirely. Equipment failures and maintenance needs are a reality of industrial operations.

However, predictive maintenance shifts the technician’s role. Instead of arriving on site to fix problems, technicians increasingly focus on prevention. Service visits become planned, and asset health determines when intervention is needed.

The model improves efficiency, supports sustainability goals, and creates a different type of customer relationship based on predictability rather than emergency response.

Trust, Transparency, and the Role of Soft Skills

The session also addressed how technician empowerment affects customer relationships.

Technicians are often the most trusted representatives of the organisation. However, Velasquez was clear that empowerment does not mean turning technicians into salespeople.

Instead, digital tools enable technicians to share data-backed insights such as:

• Asset health indicators
• Predictive alerts
• Performance metrics

These insights support fact-based conversations with customers. Trust and transparency are built through evidence and accountability, rather than commercial pressure.

Standardised digital processes also improve consistency, which strengthens service quality over time.

Risks, Change, and Inclusion

Velasquez acknowledged that digital transformation introduces challenges.

Digital literacy gaps remain a risk, as does the integration of new tools with existing platforms. Addressing these challenges requires more than one-off training sessions.

Effective change management means supporting technicians throughout implementation. Training must be reinforced, and concerns must be addressed as they arise.

Regional considerations also matter. Language differences, cultural context, and local working patterns need to be taken into account to ensure adoption across global teams.

Retention, Purpose, and Workforce Development

Talent retention was a recurring theme.

With an ageing workforce and continued skills shortages, service organisations must invest in continuous training and development. At Epiroc, training programs are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain relevant.

Advanced certifications in areas such as automation, electrification, and digital tools provide clear development paths. Technicians are also invited to participate in innovation initiatives, including productivity projects and circular economy efforts such as machine rebuilds and battery conversions.

These initiatives help technicians see the broader purpose of their work, which is especially important for younger generations entering the workforce.

An Agile Mindset for the Future

In closing, Velasquez identified the most important capability technicians will need moving forward: an agile mindset.

This mindset blends technical expertise with data, AI systems, and human judgment. The technician role is evolving. To remain competitive, both technicians and organisations must be able to adapt continuously. 

As this session made clear, technician empowerment now shapes outcomes and not just operations.