This episode of Copperberg Conversations on Manufacturing Matters explores how aftermarket and field service are evolving as manufacturers move from reactive service models toward more predictive, connected, and value-focused strategies.Our guest, Aly Pinder Jr., Research Vice President, Aftermarket and Service Strategies at IDC, joins Lisa Hellqvist to reflect on the key conversations coming out of Copperberg’s Birmingham events and what they reveal about the future of service. Drawing on his research and work with manufacturers, service organizations, and technology providers, Aly shares his perspective on the shifts reshaping service today; from connected assets and AI to workforce development, service monetization, and the changing relationship between manufacturers and solution partners.Topics covered:- From Reactive to Predictive Service: Why service organizations are moving beyond break-fix models and using connected assets, data, and intelligence to better plan capacity, reduce downtime, and trigger service more proactively.- The Workforce as the North Star: Why attracting, retaining, upskilling, and valuing service talent remains one of the most critical challenges for the industry.- Making Service Value Commercially Visible: How manufacturers can move beyond parts, labor, and consumables by selling tangible service knowledge, training, remote monitoring, and customer care.- AI Beyond the Hype: Where AI can create practical value today by giving technicians contextual knowledge at the point of need, and how agentic AI could eventually orchestrate workflows across the enterprise.- Bridging the Gap Between Manufacturers and Solution Providers: Why successful technology deployment depends on practical tools, fast adoption, vendor accountability, and a deeper understanding of real service environments.As aftermarket and field service become more connected, intelligent, and commercially visible, the challenge is no longer simply adopting new technologies. It is aligning people, data, processes, and partnerships around the value that service can create for customers, technicians, and the business.—Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction05:43 Key Takeaways From the Birmingham Events13:38 Shifts in Aftermarket & Service18:19 Service Monetization and Value-Based Selling28:28 Service as Customer Experience36:04 AI: What’s Real Now and What Comes Next42:00 Bridging the Gap Between Solution Providers and Service Leaders in Manufacturing52:15 Final Thoughts and Industry Outlook—Stay Connected:- Connect with Aly Pinder Jr. on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aly-pinder-jr/ - IDC website - https://www.idc.com/ - Follow Copperberg: → LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/cpprbrgLi→ YouTube - https://bit.ly/cpprbrgYT—Help Us Grow:- We’d appreciate it if you could leave a review and follow us on your favorite podcast platform.- Liked what you heard? Spread the word by sharing it with your network.- Got feedback or questions? Drop us a line at podcast@copperberg.com—we’d love to hear from you!—Music sourced from Pixabay - https://bit.ly/3XZ2KSE