9 things your field service management software should be able to do
- 29/11/2022
With Field Service Management software, you can efficiently digitize and manage all the activities of your maintenance staff. Such a package can have a huge impact on the operation of your service team and at the same time it can improve the customer experience. But what exactly are the possibilities of Field Service Management software? Here are at least 9 important tasks your software should be able to perform.
Especially among manufacturing companies, there has been an increasing focus on field service in recent years. The realization that poor service costs money is growing. More than that, service is taking on an increasingly important role in the business model. Technology is lending a hand in this regard. Technological innovations such as Field Service Management software allow service teams to optimize their processes and proactively anticipate customer needs.
Perhaps you, too, are looking for a suitable Field Service Management package. Because, more efficiency and more customer satisfaction, who doesn't want that for their department? Only, how exactly do you put that into practice? What are the possibilities today?
Choose wisely, together with your service partner
Of course, it doesn't stop at the 9 tasks below. Field Service Management software can do so much more. But perhaps the most important thing is to find a package with the features and functions that can help your operations the most. So get advice from a partner who knows your industry.
Field Service Management software can have a serious impact on your team. Your search for the ideal solution should be well thought out. In the ebook 'The must-read whitepaper for choosing Field Service Management software that fits your company' we discuss this.
In manufacturing companies, maintenance personnel are often spread across different departments (production, project management, service). To work optimally, team leaders need a complete overview of the work schedule and available skills. They need to be able to manage work orders and calendars, assign tasks, see customer history, and monitor the status of an intervention. Some packages even allow AI to create the most ideal schedule and choose the right expert at the right time.
Clear communication is crucial in service interventions. It gives the customer confidence and it improves customer satisfaction. A Field Service Management package allows you to interact smoothly with customers through various channels. Keeping your customers informed becomes even more important if you have to unexpectedly reschedule or cancel an intervention.
Even after an intervention, the interaction doesn't stop. Using automated, personalized surveys, you can continuously monitor customer satisfaction. Field Service Management software also gives customers a lot of self-service options. For example, they can look up information themselves at the time they need it.
A Field Service Management package is best embedded in the organization and must be able to work seamlessly with other systems. For example, the field service team must be able to find its way smoothly to inventory management and to the billing service, as well as to any necessary asset information or intervention history.
Mobile access to work orders and asset data is a must today. Field technicians need smooth contact with the back office for information or to quickly resolve unexpected problems. In addition, a mobile app is useful to connect with experts in real time or to perform remote inspections.
In addition to the right skills, a service technician must also have the right spare parts to complete maintenance at the first intervention. Real-time (online) inventory visibility, both from the back office and on-site at the customer's premises, are indispensable.
Field service employees often still have the most physical contact with customers. They are seen as trusted advisors and are therefore ideally suited to recommend additional products or services. A good Field Service Management package allows upsell and cross-sell opportunities to be centrally directed so that service technicians get them suggested.
With digital work orders, you don't have to enter as many things manually in different places. That saves costs and it allows everyone to work on the same data. With such a "one version of the truth," you work faster, with fewer errors, and nothing gets lost. Digital timekeeping for different work regimes or vacation requests can also greatly reduce turnaround time and simplify planning.
Service personnel should be able to capture asset data through inspections. Conversely, through IoT sensors, assets can now automatically generate alerts when faults occur or when certain thresholds are reached. Based on that information, service managers can schedule more accurate and proactive interventions.
Field technicians need to be able to quickly access necessary information digitally. A customer history or knowledge base article, for example, can help them successfully complete a repair as early as the first intervention.
Service managers also benefit from this digitization. For example, many Field Service Management packages can turn service reports into handy dashboards. That, in turn, can help team leaders make better decisions and improve first-time-right rates.
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