Choosing to invest in field service software can be daunting, but not doing so will mean your business gets left behind. Here are 7 ways your business will benefit.
Field Service Software is not a new thing; it’s been around a long time and we’ve seen lots of developments and progression as the relevant technologies have matured.
The result of this is that the choice of systems and solutions can be overwhelming, and if you’re lagging behind the competition in your approach, it can be even harder to make the leap. But, now more than ever, it’s imperative to invest in a solution that will give you the competitive advantage to not just survive, but thrive, in an ever-changing environment.
Here are our top 7 key benefits that we think you will realise from implementing or updating a field service management software solution:
- Real-time Visibility
Unlike working on paper or spreadsheets, field service software gives you a real-time overview of your field service operations. You’ll get knowledge of where your field technicians are, what they are doing and how well they are doing it. Many systems promise this kind of view, but not all can deliver it; it’s worth really looking into whether your proposed solution will provide what you need in real-time.
- Enhanced Communication
User-friendly apps allow information to flow easily between the field and back office teams. And of course, with all this data flowing, managers can view comprehensive dashboards that give the power to make decisions on information received in real-time. If things are not going to plan, you can adapt and modify your operations to ensure you still meet your objectives for the day, week or month ahead.
- From Reactive to Predictive
With the increased data you are receiving and (if you’ve chosen your solution wisely), the learning built into the system, you can start to be proactive and even predict the future. Software that allows you to predict demand based on what has happened before and other programmable factors – particularly useful for seasonal work.
- Positive Impact on Productivity
Ensuring your field technicians have the right information for each job, including customer data, driving directions and work order details, will have a measurably positive impact on your team’s productivity. If you make it all available on smartphones or tablets with enhanced features such collaboration tools and full off-line availability you’ll take an even bigger step towards increased productivity. Equally, by eliminating the inefficiencies of paper-based processes, you will naturally decrease non-productive time.
- Increased Efficiency
Assigning the right person, to the right job, with the right tools and skills will significantly increase your first time fix (FTF) rate. With FTF often seen as the key measure of a field service team’s efficiency, so it’s hard to imagine this won’t flow through greater efficiency overall.
- Reduced Costs
In parallel, increasing your first time fix rate will help to reduce your costs. Reducing field workers’ need to visit an office or depot, and by ensuring that they take the most optimised route between jobs, you will immediately notice a reduction in your field service costs. Some field service software can also help you review your capacity, reducing or eliminating the need for expensive overtime by ‘right-sizing’ your field force - giving you the confidence that appointment booking is being done cost-effectively.
- Improved Compliance and Risk Management
If you are able to remove the risk from seasonal service fluctuations, buying behaviours or new product offerings you will always know your workforce's true capacity, eliminating risk and improving compliance.
These are just our Top 7 reasons for implementing a field service solution – there are lots more potential benefits, depending on your industry, the size of your fieldforce, the nature of your demand and other factors. You may decide it’s not right for your business, but the important thing is to make that decision consciously, and equipped with up-to-date information.
