4 Questions Field Service Management Software Can Answer

Blog, Dispatching, Field Service, Mobile App & Checklist

Last updated Nov 2, 2023 at 7:24PM | Published on Sep 16, 2019 | Blog, Dispatching, Field Service, Mobile App & Checklist

Do you have questions? Field service management software has the answers. For service managers, having the right information is important. And it’s even more important to have it available at their fingertips. Managers can’t make business decisions that will have an impact if they don’t have the most current information. a Field service mobile app gives managers a better look into the activities of their technicians in the field, it’s even more information available. And it’s current, in real-time, and processed immediately.

The type of data and information available makes it easier for service managers to make effective change. Data that is weeks old before it is processed doesn’t do any good to the business to reflect change today. And lingering problems in the field could have been caught weeks ago had the service manager been able to have the information available to them. With so many questions, it’s up to field service management software to provide the most important answers.

Where are my technicians right now?

Knowing where your technicians are can greatly benefit scheduling and dispatching. How do you send the nearest technician, with the right skill set, to the nearest job, if you don’t know where they are? In the case of emergency calls that have to be met with urgency, it is critical to locate an available technician. With the field service mobile app track the location of your technicians on your field service management software using the resource routing tool. See exactly where they are, as their GPS location will ping-back to your dispatchers.

On top of that, if they are on a service call, see their progress on the work order. See if they are working, moving to the job site, arrived and checked in, or closing out the call. With this much insight, you’ll know exactly where your technicians are on the road, and in their work. This ensures that when emergency calls or contractually obligated calls come in, you can dispatch someone quickly.

How long did the service call take?

When working with paper-based work orders, tracking time can be a challenge. You may not get the full time recorded, which could shorten you on the bill. Or, even worse, overcharge a customer by adding time to their call that wasn’t part of it. And on top of it all, you don’t get any accuracy in exactly how long it took the technician to finish the call. Inside this question are many other questions, such as:

  • How long did it take to travel to and from the job site?
  • Were breaks taken and how long were they?
  • Did the service call need to be paused to retrieve a part?
  • Was lunch during the service visit?

All of these questions matter, especially when trying to schedule and optimize your technicians. With the field service mobile app, technicians can start and stop timers for accurate work and travel time gathering. With workflows built into the field service management software, dispatchers can see exactly when the call was accepted, when the technician was on-route, and when they arrived, for accurate travel time. This will help you determine if you need to better optimize the technician’s route and work schedule. And it will allow you to put more service calls into their schedule if you can account for all the time in their day.

How can I add more service calls to my technician’s schedule?

If you know where your technicians are and how long their calls are taking, you can start to add more service calls to their schedule. But you still need to see their schedule and optimize the route they take. With field service management software, dispatchers will get a full view of each technician’s schedule. Coupled with the resource routing tool, dispatchers can find ways to shave time off their driving. Or they can move service calls around to leave less idle time. Those minutes add up quickly, and eventually, you will be able to add in more service calls.

With the field service mobile app, changes made to the technician’s schedule are directly pushed to their device. No extra communication is needed. So, when a new service call comes up, make the switch. The technician will look at their device when they are ready for the next call and drive to the right location. It gives the power to dispatchers to control movements and time. At least, when it comes to technicians.

What is our return on investment with field service management software?

Tracking Return on Investment (ROI) is important because it can dictate the services and products you provide. What’s the point in providing a service if you aren’t making a good ROI? Tracking all Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is something field service management software does. It’s how you know what your ROI is, what your first-time fix rate is, and who your best technician is. Monitor how each of your technicians is doing, and if their duties meet your expectations. It’s here where you can see real-time analytics straight from the field because of the field service mobile app. And with that information, make meaningful decisions that will have real change in your company.

Move forward with field service management software

With technology like the field service mobile app and field service management software powering your company, gaining greater insight is easier than ever. It’s giving your dispatchers and managers the information they need to make critical decisions. And it’s answering all the important questions they may have throughout the day. Field service management software is the one portal you will need to answer the tough field service questions. Implement a software solution and see how you start to get answers to your most burning questions, without a lot of work to figure out the answer.