APPLICATION OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE FIELD MAINTENANCE SERVICE EFFICIENCY: A CASE STUDY OF A VENDING MACHINE COMPANY

Abstract

The objective of this research was to study the current field maintenance operations of a vending machine company, to design and develop a digital platform supporting field maintenance services, and to develop and propose a conceptual framework for proactive maintenance, evaluated through four key performance indicators: Downtime, First-Time Fix Rate (FTFR), Maintenance Time, and Parts Cost. The results of the study revealed that: 1) the application of digital technology significantly reduced Maintenance Time from 27.93 to 23.21 minutes (16.89% reduction) and Parts Cost from 1,016.73 to 854.68 Baht (15.94% reduction) at a significance level of .01, while no significant differences were found for Downtime and FTFR. 2) The work experience of technicians did not significantly differentiate the benefits received from the platform across groups at the .05 significance level. 3) The educational level of technicians also did not significantly differentiate the benefits received from the platform across groups at the .05 significance level, even after controlling for pre-implementation values through Analysis of Covariance.

Keywords: Digital Technology, Field Service Management, Maintenance Efficiency, Vending Machine