Event Recap: What You Missed at the Servigistics User Group in Stuttgart

Recently, the Servigistics User Group met in Stuttgart and marked the beginning of an exciting era of rapid innovation.

After welcoming remarks from EMEA Sales Manager Wes Malcolm, Leslie Paulson kicked off the User Group by announcing the launch of our newly formed Servigistics Business Unit. Paulson, who now serves as the business unit’s General Manager, reaffirmed PTC’s commitment to equipping MCA, Xelus, and PTC SPM users with the latest service parts management functionality.

"We're beyond excited that PTC is reinvigorating its investment in Servigistics, especially given that the tool plays such an important role in our service operations," said one client.

Wes Malcolm and Two-Speed IT

Malcolm followed Paulson’s introduction with a 30-minute presentation on the concept of two-speed IT. Referencing his time as Qantas Airlines’ GM of Part Availability, he defined Two-Speed IT as the practice of balancing innovation-focused IT programs and internal process improvements.

According to Malcolm, the idea behind Two-Speed IT is to enable one’s organization to experiment with, and eventually utilize, new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and augmented reality without ignoring one’s existing infrastructure. Consolidating ERP systems, he posited, should receive equal priority as developing a connected aircraft capability.

Servigistics 11.4

SPM User Group attendees also received a first look into Servigistics’ upcoming functionality. Steven Caldwell, VP of Service Parts Management Product, emphasized PTC’s role as an IoT company, revealing that Servigistics 11.4 will come with two connected service parts management modules: life-limited parts (LLP) and equipment-based forecasting.

Equipment-based forecasting taps into ThingWorx’s predictive analytics capabilities to estimate when specific parts on particular assets will fail. Designed for companies producing, managing, or servicing connected products, the module expands on Servigistics' existing forecasting accuracy. 

The purpose of the LLP algorithm is to help parts planners track spares that, either due to regulatory obligations or best practices, must be written off or retired after a certain period of time. Instead of holding millions of dollars’ worth of inventory that will never be used and eventually reach obsolescence, parts planners can identify stock which can be sold to third-parties.

Digital transformation and other investments

The second half of the SPM User Group consisted of a two-hour workshop in which attendees collaborated with both each other and PTC’s experts to discuss approaches to their current initiatives. The discussions included:

• Applying digital transformation initiatives to service parts management.
• Servigistics feature enhancements based on existing business initiatives.
• Guidance and pathways for updating to the latest version of Servigistics.

This meeting was a fantastic exchange of expertise both from PTC subject matter experts and visionary client thought leaders. Together, we continue to increase the value derived from profitable aftermarket service businesses. Leslie said it best:

“I’m excited to take on this new role with a client first philosophy and lead an era of rapid innovation. I am energized by the potential of Servigistics to further deliver value.”

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