What Is Service Lifecycle Management (SLM)?

What is service lifecycle management?

Service lifecycle management (SLM) is the practice of aligning service parts management, technical communication, field service management, and product support operations to maximize customer uptime. Companies use SLM to manage parts and inventory, communications across teams, oversee service activities, and support overall product operations to assure that customers’ assets and machines operate with maximum uptime.

The four stages of SLM

A successful SLM organization utilizes four main stages: connection to the asset, orchestration of resource delivery, execution of work, and a good data foundation to optimize activities.

Connect

Connect with installed assets and the customer: Track real-time performance and usage, predict future events, and establish a relationship with the customer.

Orchestrate

Set up service processes and information: Establish customer engagement and operational process, provide necessary service information and content, and establish entitlements and related commitments.

Execute

Deliver on work and customer commitments: Enable involved stakeholders, streamline work completion and validation, and capture asset data.

Optimize

Plan for resource demand: Uncover resource demand for people and parts, identify and prepare necessary resources and information, ensure revenue coverage.

IDC MarketScape names PTC a leader in SLM platforms

PTC is once again positioned in the Leaders Category in this latest 2023–2024 IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Service Lifecycle Management (SLM) platforms. Read this excerpt to gain insights on the increasing importance of picking an SLM vendor that delivers a complete suite of service capabilities, can be implemented at scale, and has what it takes to future proof your service operations.

Read the Excerpt

Service lifecycle management case studies

Optimize immense service parts network

In an exceedingly complex aerospace supply chain, Boeing needed a flexible enterprise service parts management solution with a firm foundation in advanced data science.

Read Their Story

Achieve regulatory compliance with harmonized data

B. Braun began partnering with ServiceMax in 2016 to improve the uptime and lifespan of its products, and transform its service operations and compliance management.

Read Their Story

Improving technician effectiveness and service performance

With ArborText and Windchill, Kirloskar was able to achieve a true SLM across their entire service channel, ensuring better and faster customer service.

Read Their Story

Drive service efficiency and grow business

To consolidate dozens of disparate systems, create standardized processes, and increase service efficiency, Kodak Alaris sought out a cloud-based FSM platform to meet their needs.

Read Their Story

ServiceMax

Manage end-to-end service processes to assure compliance and meet SLA/contract needs.

Servigistics

Control inventory to ensure optimal supply, delivery, and costs.

Arbortext

Create, manage, and deliver content with a single flow of data.

iWarranty

Maintain a view of product and service knowledge with best-in-class warranty management software.

Vuforia

Use advanced AR content development solutions to address workforce challenges and meet business goals.

ThingWorx

Implement and scale service-optimizing solutions with out-of-the-box applications and a robust Industrial IoT platform.

Service resources

PTC named a leader by IDC

PTC is the only vendor to be named a leader in five different service-related IDC MarketScape reports.

New vision for service

Deliver new services and outshine rivals with the right data access. Design products for serviceability, profitability, and sustainability with key info.

Frequently asked questions

What is SLM in PLM?

Service lifecycle management (SLM) and product lifecycle management (PLM) complement each other. PLM is the digital component for supply chain agility and business continuity. Data allows organizations to control costs, speed time to market, and offer quality and compliance. SLM is the physical component made up of assets and machines that require management of service, parts, communications, and product support.

How is SLM related to IoT?

Service lifecycle management (SLM) systems would employ Internet of Things (IoT) devices to do a variety of things. For example, IoT sensors could monitor the health or performance of a machine. Should the sensor spot a possible issue, it might alert the SLM system for service. Data from IoT-connected assets would allow service management teams to make better business decisions in deploying technician resources or predicting parts inventories.

What are the stages of service lifecycle management (SLM)?

Generally, there are four stages of SLM. They are:

Connecting the physical asset once it has left assembly and been sold to a customer. (Connecting)
Placing resources in the right spot to meet future service demand. (Orchestrating)
Executing work whether tied to customer commitments or based on customer expectations. (Executing)
Establishing a good foundation of data to make the necessary adjustments to your service business. (Optimization)

Contact an SLM representative

Tell us about the challenges your business faces, and our team will contact you about how to best leverage SLM.

Contact an SLM representative

Please wait while your request is being submitted...

Hi {name}, welcome back.
Not you?

Country
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Catalonia
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Congo, Democratic Republic
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Cote d ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard & McDonald Isl
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea, Republic of
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao Peoples Dem. Rep.
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova, Republic of
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
S.Georgia and S.Sandwich Isles
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Vincent and Grenadines
Sudan
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania United Republic of
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Uruguay
US Minor Outlying Islands
USA
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City State (Holy See)
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands (British)
Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Wallis and Futuna Islands
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Click the button below to continue.

Service Lifecycle Management (SLM)