With mobile innovation becoming more affordable and prominent, field service management software is expanding. In 2019, it was estimated that the market for this software was worth more than $3.52 billion, and it is only expected to grow from here. Despite this, many businesses are still practising paper-based FSM. They might even be unaware that an automated system is available out there.
Is this same for your business as well? Then, it’s high time to think about automating the most crucial part of your operations. However, before you jump right into finding the vendors for this software, you must understand the fundamentals of this software. Luckily, this blog is here to help. So read on.
Overview
What is field management software?
Starting with the basics, a field service management software is basically a system that coordinates and connects different field operations using a mobile workforce. At the basics, this software is useful for assigning jobs, tracking vehicle locations, scheduling service orders, and dispatching agents. The software automates all of these processes and also provide mobile access from a cloud-based platform. However, a field service management software also covers other operations, such as:
- Initiating projects
- Customer portals
- Integrated invoicing processing
- Inventory management
- Workforce management
- Job costing
- Maintenance contract management
- Reporting
- Regulatory measures
- Time tracking
- Route optimization
Benefits
Benefits of field service management software
Although there are different requirements and specifics of each business, every organization tend to experience some standard issues when providing field services:
- Problems in dispatching orders that eventually results in schedule overlaps and inability to meet urgent deadlines
- Consuming fuel and mileage uncontrollably mainly due to unoptimized routing, no tracking, and cheating on the side of the drivers
- The absence of workflow control, eventually requiring a hefty amount of paperwork to be done
- No analytics and reporting mechanism to analyze the performance and identify issues in decision making
- Inability to see who is available for completing urgent orders
- Delays in invoices in case the technicians are unable to fill their data in the system
- Incompetent customer service leading to customer complaints and mismanagement of the orders
These problems can be resolved if an automated system is in place instead of a botched process. Here are some specific benefits of a field service management system:
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- Increases productivity
A significant benefit of the field management system is that it makes the business operations more efficient. Whether your customers’ complaint of delays or you get annoyed with documents, the software can organize the processes and make them more productive.
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- Decreases cost
With inefficiencies and delays, the operational cost can increase. Luckily, a field service management system can make the operations more cost-efficient, for instance, by decreasing fuel consumption and dealing with urgent orders.
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- Standardizes the workflow
Be it dispatching or reporting and invoicing, the software can standardize the entire workflow and bring the whole team on the same page. For instance, if a technician has to quote the price of service, he can use the field service application to confirm the price.
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- Improves communication
Field service management software also makes it possible for remote teams to coordinate with the management. For instance, technicians can immediately communicate information about their jobs by taking pictures and getting electronic signatures of the clients, etc.
How does field service management system work?
A field service management system basically covers all the parts of a field operation. Both the software and mobile app of this system are designed to make communication, information sharing, scheduling, and dispatching easier. The system can be curated according to the needs of the organization and make its processes more efficient.
Selecting a company for field service software
Integrating a field service management system in the business operations that you will have to spend a hefty amount of capital in the beginning. You will also have to invest a lot of time in optimizing the existing systems. Therefore, it makes sense that you compare different vendors of field service management system before making the decision.
How to choose the right company for FSM software development?
Here are some points to consider when choosing the company for FSM software development:
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- The reputation of the FSM provider
The system will be as good as the company itself. With so many vendors out there, it is crucial to identify the reputation of the service provider in the market. To do so, you can see the testimonials of the customers and see if someone in your circle can give a referral.
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- Suitability of the system
You should also consider how effectively the system will integrate with your business operations. For instance, many companies offer customizability of the system. If this is what you require, you should go ahead with such a system.
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- Usability
How well the system will serve the operations of your business is also essential to consider. It is crucial that the field service management system works on mobile devices as well. If this feature is not available, then it is better to look for a different company.
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- Customer Service
The way a company treats the customers can also tell a lot about the services you will be getting. For example, suppose the company is not responsive at all when asked a question. In that case, you should look for a different one where your queries or concerns are taken into account.
Effects of FSM Software on a Business
Before the advancements in technology, businesses had to spend a lot of time in completing manual processes, such as logging details, monitoring technicians’ jobs, and controlling services. With this manual working, miscommunication, delays in tasks, and customer complaints were common throughout the industry.
However, as technology started to advance, and customers became more demanding, the field service industry is now becoming automated. Businesses today realize that field service management software can completely change the way they conduct their operations.
How can an FSM App & Software Improve Business Performance?
Both a field management software and field service management app can make it easier for the technicians and management to collaborate. For businesses especially looking to deliver exceptional services can benefit from this technology by increasing efficiency in their operations. With the changes in customer demand, companies can also scale and customize this software.
Everything from the work orders to signing of the invoices can be done electronically. Information can be accessible to every individual in the business from anywhere at any time. In this way, FSM solutions can also save a lot of time and maintain consistency throughout the company.
Is appointment scheduling software part of FSM Software?
A field service management software comes with numerous features. One of these features caters to online appointment scheduling. With an effective scheduling system, your technicians can work in a timely manner, orders can be completed easily, and there will be no customer complaints.
Appointment scheduling can provide opportunities to monitor the jobs, react quickly in case of emergency, and make timely decisions. In this way, appointment scheduling is a standout feature of the FSM software.
Why is appointment scheduling software essential for small businesses?
A vital benefit of the appointment scheduling software is that it can save time for the business. For instance, important updates can be sent to the employees quickly. Customer complaints can also be resolved promptly. On the other hand, this software can make the job of technicians more timely by helping them reach locations quickly and communicating their availability. Accordingly, the business will be able to cut down the cost required for the field service operations.
Benefits of mobile workforce management software
Workforce management software basically ensures that the workforce is functioning in the right manner. The primary objective of this tech is to guarantee that the business can operate in a useful and timely way. With features such as forecasting, it is easier for companies to predict the future based on the available data.
Mobile workforce management software further facilities the business by tracking the performance of the employees, sending job-related notifications, supporting KPI tracking, and giving opportunities to report. Accordingly, this software can provide a holistic view of how the employees are working and where improvements are needed.
Is workforce management feature part of the FSM software?
The workforce management feature is a critical part of the FSM software. It basically facilitates how the entire workforce is managed, for example, by showing which technician is available to complete the urgent task. In this way, the management can take swift decisions and also make the job of the technicians easier.
Time tracking and labour budgeting also support workforce management. For instance, technicians can use attendance tools to enter the time they start and end the job. This attendance can be collected at the end of the month or the week to see the employee hours and get insight into the performance of the workforce.
In The End
The field service management software has now become critical to the operations of many businesses. Are your customer complaints increasing? Is it becoming tough to deal with the paperwork? Are your remote technicians experiencing issues in communicating with the management? It’s time to use the FSM software and resolve all of these problems.
