Aftermarket and Service in Focus: 2024 Review & 2025 Forecast with Lisa Hellqvist

In this special year-end episode, we reflect on the trends, challenges, and innovations that defined aftermarket services in 2024 and look ahead to 2025, exploring growth drivers and potential disruptors in the industry.

Our guest, Lisa Hellqvist, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Copperberg, shares her expert perspective, drawing from years of tracking the aftermarket sector’s evolution and countless conversations with industry leaders.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

- 2024 Trends and Challenges in Aftermarket Services

Discover the key themes that emerged this year, including the critical role of resilience in overcoming disruptions and adaptability in managing rapid change. Lisa shares a compelling example of how a mid-sized manufacturer turned supply chain delays into an opportunity by adopting 3D printing and reimagining their service strategy.

- Workforce Challenges: Balancing Upskilling and Digital Transformation

How companies are addressing the talent gap while navigating digital transformation. From blended workforce strategies to creative approaches like VR-driven gamification and "returnships," Lisa shares surprising strategies that are helping companies upskill their teams and build a digitally competent workforce.

- Evolving B2B Customers: The Rise of the Informed Buyer

An exploration of how B2B customers are becoming more demanding, informed, and focused on long-term value and sustainability. Lisa paints a vivid picture of today’s customer expectations and assesses how well the industry has adapted, identifying where companies excel and where there’s room for improvement.

- 2025 Outlook: Growth Drivers, AI Assistance, and Circular Economy

A look ahead at the biggest growth opportunities for aftermarket services in 2025, including predictive maintenance, circular economy models, and AI-powered service assistants. Lisa shares a bold prediction for how AI will transform service delivery while emphasizing the importance of aligning value-driven strategies with customer needs.

Throughout the episode, Lisa provides actionable insights, real-world examples, and thoughtful analysis, offering listeners a roadmap for tackling challenges and seizing opportunities in 2025.

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Time Stamps: 

00:00 INTRO

00:30 Reflecting on 2024: Trends in Aftermarket Services

08:09 Upskilling the Workforce: Balancing Digital Transformation

17:17 Evolving B2B Customer Expectations: The Informed Buyer

24:26 Growth Opportunities: Predictive Maintenance and Circular Economy

31:21 Bold Predictions for 2025: AI-Powered Assistance in Service

36:03 Staying Informed: Resources for Industry Professionals

42:39 OUTRO

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Related Resources:

On Aftermarket and Service: 

• The Continuing Rise of Servitization in 2025: Embracing Outcome-Based Models

• Upskilling the Field Service Workforce: Preparing for a Less Hands-On Future

• How to Amplify Customer Centricity for Enhanced Service Lifetime Value?

On Value: 

• Decoding the Concept of Value in the Aftermarket and Service Industry

• Customer Obsession: Negotiating the Ideal Customer Relationship

• Selling Value: A Fireside Chat with Michael Wilkinson

• Field Service Virtual Academy 2024: Prepare to Predict

Recommended websites:

- Copperberg: https://www.copperberg.com/

- Field Service News: https://fieldservicenews.com/

People to follow:

- Lisa Hellqvist: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisahellqvist/

- Kris Oldland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-oldland/

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Stay Connected:

- Join Copperberg’s online Business Manufacturing Community - https://bit.ly/3ZiYUoe

- Follow Copperberg: 

→ LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/cpprbrgLi

→ YouTube - https://bit.ly/cpprbrgYT

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Music sourced from Pixabay - https://bit.ly/3XZ2KSE