Five trends shape service and asset management in 2026. They are artificial intelligence and predictive maintenance, the Internet of Things and digital twins, augmented reality and remote assistance, the flexible workforce, and sustainability.
Two EU rules belong in your plans for 2027. The Omnibus Directive has been in force at EU level since 18 March 2026. Under it, the CSRD only covers companies with on average more than 1,000 employees and more than EUR 450 million net turnover. Under the Cyber Resilience Act, from 11 December 2027 sensor manufacturers must state at the time of purchase until when they will handle vulnerabilities.
1. Where do you start with AI and predictive maintenance?
Start with one group of assets whose failure is expensive, and check that their failure history and work orders are complete. You do not always need sensors, because IFS Cloud can also create work orders from readings that technicians enter themselves, such as operating hours.
Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics, organisations can identify failures, wear or capacity issues before they occur. Sensors continuously measure vibration, temperature or pressure in assets such as motors, pumps or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Algorithms recognise patterns that indicate potential defects. As a result, maintenance becomes planned and targeted instead of reactive.
AI now also personalises maintenance, for example with customised maintenance intervals, spare-parts selection or service methods. It can generate work orders, service reports and even optimisation recommendations automatically. Since October 2026 IFS has brought its Industrial AI together in IFS Intelligence, which prepares actions for people to approve.
At Eqeep we see that AI only adds real value when the underlying processes are well designed. Predictive maintenance does not pay off for every asset either. For each asset type you weigh risk, impact and cost. Read what AI adds to predictive maintenance.
2. What should you know before you buy sensors?
When you buy sensors, ask until when the manufacturer will handle vulnerabilities in them. Under the EU Cyber Resilience Act, manufacturers must state that date at the time of purchase from 11 December 2027.
Also start with the asset register. In the IFS Cloud IoT Controller, you link a sensor that sends live measurements to a test point on an object that already exists. You do that on the Device Map page.
The Internet of Things (IoT) and digital twins are changing how organisations manage buildings and installations. A digital twin is a digital replica of a physical asset. Combined with IoT sensors, digital twins give real-time insight into performance, energy consumption and wear.
Property managers, municipalities and infrastructure organisations use digital twins to simulate scenarios and optimise maintenance based on current data. This helps them prevent failures, plan investments better and make their assets perform more sustainably.
Digital twins work when the data is reliable and integrated with systems such as IFS. Sensor data produces no planned work unless someone sets the limits and follows up the alerts. Read how sensor data becomes a work order in IFS Cloud.
3. Where does remote assistance help your technicians first?
On faults that currently send a specialist on the road. Start with one such type of fault. In IFS Cloud, Remote Assistance is built into IFS Cloud Web and the mobile work order apps. Only users set up as active Remote Assistance users can make or take calls.
In field service, the need for smart digital support is growing. Technicians no longer want to rely on paper checklists or endless phone calls with colleagues. With augmented reality (AR) and remote assistance, they get direct support via their smartphone, tablet or smart glasses. They can work live with an expert, look up technical information or follow visual step-by-step instructions.
The video recording is attached to the call log. So agree with your customer beforehand what the technician may film on their site. Read ten real-world examples of remote assistance.
4. How do you schedule with permanent staff, freelancers and subcontractors?
Start with the skills and certificates of everyone you schedule, contractors included. Whether you may use a freelancer is a question for HR and your legal adviser, not for the scheduling system. Since 1 January 2025 the Dutch Tax Administration has fully enforced the rules on false self-employment again, and the government says this will continue.
The ongoing shortage in the technical labour market calls for new ways of working. An important theme in service and asset management is the blended workforce: a mix of permanent employees, freelancers and external partners. Because technical staff are increasingly scarce, organisations need to plan intelligently and deploy the right people with the right skills at the right time.
IFS Planning & Scheduling Optimization (PSO) only assigns a task when skills, resource groups and certificates match. Competencies count too if you enable them in the scheduling configuration. IFS places the decision on where to use contractors in tactical planning, zero to six months ahead. Read how to get service planning and your customer promise right.
5. What changed in sustainability reporting in 2026?
The obligation under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) became narrower, at least in the EU rules. Under the Omnibus Directive, it only covers companies with on average more than 1,000 employees and more than EUR 450 million net turnover. The Netherlands and Belgium have one year from 18 March 2026 to transpose these thresholds into national law.
If the CSRD covers you, check the reporting requirements separately, because software alone does not make you compliant. If a large customer asks you for data, there is a limit. Companies with no more than 1,000 employees may refuse requests that go beyond the European Commission’s voluntary standards. The Commission adopted those standards on 3 July 2026.
The CSRD and the EU Taxonomy ask the companies in scope to report on energy consumption, CO₂ emissions and circularity. Dutch organisations are also looking more and more at the full lifecycle of their assets, from acquisition to reuse. By linking maintenance strategies to environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, companies can save energy, reuse components and reduce environmental impact.
Sustainable asset management starts with insight. Data on performance, lifespan and reuse has to come together before you can base sustainable decisions on it. Start with the energy and maintenance data you already record per asset. Read our interview on sustainability and traceability.
How do you turn these trends in service and asset management into results?
Pick first the trend for which your data is already in order. If you have a complete failure history and work orders per asset, you can start with maintenance based on readings, even without sensors. If the skills and certificates of all your technicians are in the system, planning is the more obvious place to start.
The trends reinforce each other. An integrated environment, for example with IFS, makes information about assets, costs, ESG performance and maintenance status available in real time. Deep Value supports us by showing where digitalisation delivers the most business value.
A full platform is not always the right step. For a small, simple maintenance or service process, a more limited set-up can fit better. You decide which trend gets attention first. Read the roadmap to smarter maintenance.
Questions about trends in service and asset management
Which trend should you start with?
The one for which your data is already in order. With a complete failure history and work orders per asset, start with maintenance based on readings, even without sensors. If the skills and certificates of all your technicians are recorded, start with planning.
Does your organisation have to report under the CSRD?
Under the EU rules, only if you have on average more than 1,000 employees and more than EUR 450 million net turnover. That follows from the Omnibus Directive (EU) 2026/470, in force since 18 March 2026. Companies above those thresholds that have not reported yet do so for the first time for the financial year starting in 2027. If you already reported for 2024, ask your auditor what national transposition means for 2025 and 2026.
When do the Cyber Resilience Act rules apply to sensors?
The main obligations apply from 11 December 2027. Reporting obligations for manufacturers have applied since 11 September 2026. When you buy sensors or gateways, ask until when the manufacturer will handle vulnerabilities.
Which trend matters most for your organisation?
Tell us where you stand with IFS. After one conversation you will have a clear next step. Discuss your IFS question
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