Frank Partners. Pathways to Services Profitability
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Publications

Publications. If you wish to download these, please click here.

 

 
Moving towards Service Dominant Logic in Manufacturing Sector- Development of a Conversation Tool_May 2016
Paper written with colleagues from ISSIP UX SIG and presented at ServDes 2016
 
Finding the measure that drives your service business_Field Service News April 2016
As a Field Service manager, imagine having one Key Performance Indicator in your business that could predict how your customers will experience your equipment.
 
SIX strategies to maximise value from products, services and disruptive technologies_Field Service News Handbook_Feb 2016
If 2015 was the year that IoT & Analytics became mainstream business terminology, then perhaps in 2016 leaders will focus more on how to use these capabilities to gain competitive advantage and growth.
 
5 patterns to discovering new data driven services_Files Service News Jan 2016
As businesses begin to embrace the opportunities offered by the IoT, digitilisation and analytics, many are unsure what they are going to do with all that information.
 
Service Thinking, The Manufacturer May 2015
Nick Frank, founder of Frank-Partners, explains to The Manufacturer magazine why service thinking is the pathway to business growth.
 
The re-invention of manufacturing is profoundly changing field service: Field Service News October 2015
As the rapid evolution of traditional manufacturing continues the idea of field service as an entity must also change fundamentally writes Nick Frank
 
Urban Myth or Reality: The Manufacturer P16 August 2015
Frank Partners’ Nick Frank deconstructs whether there is any truth in the concept that servitization is only for complex equipment.
 
An Ecosystem Development Model for SME's with Big Ideas : May 2015
Published in the proceedings of the Spring Servitization Conference 2015 held at Aston Business School, UK
 
Big Imagination: The Manufacturer P 60 May 2015
Nick Frank of Frank-Partners reveals how The Internet of Things (IoT) is all marketing hype and of little value or relevance to SMEs without a little imagination.
 
Want to bring bold ideas to reality: Try ‘ecosystem thinking’ Field Service News April 2015
Want to bring bold ideas to reality: Try ‘ecosystem thinking’
Nick Frank looks at how forward looking companies can become more than the sum of their parts when they explore collaboration opportunities...
 
What do you think? The Manufacturer: P 56 March 2015
Service Thinking can be applied to companies big and small with impressive results. Nick tells the story of how R&D technology used Service Thinking to increase margins and grow their business.
 
Service Transformation: The Wood from the Trees: ISSIP Education SIG 8th Oct 2014

Managing Service Transformation is complex and never runs in straight lines. This Service Business Model which builds on Nick Frank's own experiences as well as his partnership with Noventum Service Mngt, is a useful tool to manage these conversations and define priorities.

 
Interview with Dave Gordon from Rolls Royce: Aug 2014

Nick Frank interviews Dave Gordon, VP Service Strategy and Programme Director at Rolls Royce defence on how they have driven service transformation to 'Create their Future'. This interview will interest professionals interested in hearing real innovation stories. Use this link to hear the interview on the Frank-Partners You-tube channel

 
Growth through Services: Spring Servitisation Conference, May 2014

Published in the proceedings of the Spring Servitization Conference 2014 Pages 48-54 held at Aston Business School, UK

Abstract

The question of how to grow profitably is high on the strategic agenda of most companies, yet only few are able to realise it. Many businesses are struggling to maintain their existing revenue and profit margins, let alone achieve ambitious growth rates, while others are exhibiting very healthy growth rates. In 2013 Noventum undertook research to understand why this disparity exists.

Given the fact that significant variations appear in the growth strategies companies choose and the role services play within this strategy, Noventum’s research set out to answer the following two questions:

1. What are today and tomorrow’s key drivers for profitable growth?

2. What role do services play in respect of growth?

 Our research comprised of in-depth interviews and a survey conducted amongst board members, service managers and directors, primarily from B2B product-orientated companies.

The key findings are that companies which pursue a broad portfolio of growth strategies, including advanced services, grow faster and have better profit margins. Other success factors for growth are innovation for customer value, agility and alignment of service and corporate values.

 
Driver's of Growth: Interview with Field Service News April 2014

 This Podcast with Kris Oldland from Field Service News discusses the recent research Nick published with colleagues from Noventum, and its implications on the Growth Strategies for business leaders. Use this link

 
Is growth through services both an opportunity and a reality check?: January 2014

Article written for Field Service News' 2014 publication "The handy little book for field service managers": January 2014

Nick discusses how Knowldge Management, Analytics and Big data are increasingly recognised as tools for acheiving service business excellence, but that its not as easy as the solution providers would lead us to believe. It's not just about technology, but requires a  transformation in culture, people and process

 
What Service Leaders need to get right in order to deliver profitable Through-Life Engineering Services: November 2012

Paper presented at the Through Life Engineering Conference 2012, Cranfield, UK

Developing Through-life Engineering Services takes many years of organisational and technical development. Having a clear overview of the key elements required to successfully deliver service transformation over an extended time period is vitally important to a business leader. This discussion paper provides business leaders with an easy to understand conceptual model that helps them visualise and so manage their way through the complexities of service transformation. It combines this conceptual framework with key capabilities that have been shown through rigorous research to drive services value and profitability. The result is a tool that supports service leaders move from high-level strategy to detailed implementation.

 
The Power of Brand and People in developing Through-life Engineering Services: Nov 2012

Paper presented at the 1st Through Life Engineering Conference 2012, Cranfield, UK

By the very nature of their history, engineering businesses tend to focus on technology and processes when developing Through-Life services. However for these services to be enduring and profitable, organisations must develop and even change their people, as they evolve to a services centric culture. This paper will review five guiding principals that will help business leaders achieve successful transformation:

  1. The link between Brand value and People

  2. An ‘Outside-In’ mind-set

  3. Aligning teams around the customer

  4. A formal people development programme for services

  5. Recognise and reward success

 

 
A Service Revolution in Fasteners: June 2012

Published and presented at the CAISE'12 conference at Gdansk: This is a real life case study of the servitisation of manufacturing. It compares and contrasts two different ways to approach services innovation, driven by the changing needs of customers and the competitive environment. It demonstrates the lasting impact this type of innovation has on both a companies organisation, as well as the dynamics of the industry.