Managing a team of field technicians and workers is perhaps one of the most complex tasks for most organizations. It requires managers to manually log, control, and monitor countless variables, which are often dynamic. Eventually, there comes a point when it becomes impossible to keep track of all the changes in these variables. Moreover, mistakes like miscommunication and incomplete or incorrect information are often easy to make. Hence, field managers have come to the conclusion that the current field service management system is impractical. That’s where field service software comes in.
What Is Field Service Software?
Generally, field service software is a program that aims to streamline the workflow of both field workers and field managers. It assists the field workers by providing them with information about their tasks through the platform. At the same time, field service software aids field managers by giving them the ability to designate workers on a specific task and monitor their performance accordingly.
These programs often consist of the following features:
Benefits Of Field Service Software
Field service software can benefit an organization as long as it deals with fieldwork like food delivery, hardware repairs, installation, and more. At the moment, these programs are prevalent in the healthcare, telecommunications, and public transport sectors. If your company doesn’t belong in any of these industries, you can still use field service software, considering its potential benefits.
1. Streamlined Workflow
Due to the scheduling features of field service software, managers are less likely to make mistakes in dispatching teams, leading to fewer delays and a more streamlined workflow. It also allows field managers to set notifications to remind them to dispatch teams at the right time.
2. Optimal Use Of Workers
When a company receives an order for delivery or repair, more often than not, field managers would designate any available worker to do the job. But with field service software, managers can gain insights on each worker, such as their work information, specialty, etc. With this data, they can come up with an optimal way to use workers in the field instead of simply assigning who’s available. Not only will this save them time, but it also improves customer experience, thereby building brand loyalty.
3. Organized Documentation
In the past, most organizations relied on papers to document work order details and other necessary information. While it’s certainly effective, it can become too cluttered as it piles up. Since field service software essentially eliminates the need for papers, field managers can achieve more organized documentation for field service management, further streamlining the workflow.
4. Establish Solid Communications
One of the many ways a company can lose customers is if the customer isn’t satisfied with their services. Mistakes like taking too long to answer a customer’s queries or making a mistake during installation or repair can lead to this outcome. One way to avoid this is by establishing solid communications between the fieldworker and the field manager. By doing so, managers can provide assistance that would come in very handy for the field workers’ situation.
Challenges Of Field Service Software
Despite the apparent use of field service in your organization, it’s essential to recognize the challenges your organization can potentially face by implementing field service software.
1. More Onboarding Work
If you were to implement field service software, you’ll likely be one of the few companies that will be doing so. Hence, employees that are looking to work in your enterprise might feel overwhelmed as they probably aren’t familiar with this software. For that reason, before you can make full use of field service software, you must make sure it’s included in your onboarding process, which, unfortunately, means more work for your HR staff.
2. Incompatible Tools And Add-ons
Due to its potential benefits, many companies have tried installing numerous add-ons to their field service software. While it does have its charm, it may also lead to chaos. Of course, you can always avoid installing too many tools, but finding field service software with compatible plugins is often tricky.
Conclusion
As the world becomes more technology-oriented, traditional ways of handling field service operations would not only become impractical; but also turn completely obsolete. So, while it may take time for your employees to familiarize themselves with field service software, it’s most definitely worth the investment if it means getting ahead of your competitors.