So, what are some of the ways field service management software can help grow a company? Through automation, integrations and cost-cutting measures, field service companies are running leaner than before. And they are taking on a wide range of new jobs and projects to grow revenue. It’s not just about service anymore. It’s about the customer experience, recurring revenues and offering service contracts and installation capabilities. After all, if you want to grow, you need to be looking at addition, as well as some subtraction.
Field Service Management Software Integrations
Perhaps you have heard of streamlined field service? It’s what you’re trying to accomplish when looking at software to replace the manual processes of your business. But with different software working side by side, it’s important that they work together as well, to achieve that streamlined business. That’s what makes integrations so important to anyone looking at field service management software.
With many different field service apps, including CRM, ERP, accounting systems, tax and payroll software, sales software, and industry-specific software, having them work together streamlines your business. It allows your people to work in the system they use regularly, without having the duplicate their efforts in the field service management software. Did your sales team sell an installation project? Have quick automation turn that sale into a project, without the sales team having to build it in the field service software. With integrations, you’re driving your service forward by connecting everything that makes your business successful.
Better Tracking with Field Service Apps
Tracking can mean many different things in field service. And all of them are very important. New resource routing tools allow dispatchers to track the movements of technicians in the field. So, they can see exactly where they are, what route they are taking, what calls they have to complete, and where they are in the current work order. This allows dispatchers to make critical decisions when it comes to scheduling. They can reassign technicians by pushing work orders through to their field service app. And they don’t need to worry about communicating those changes to the technician. That’s because they will receive the changes and move on to the next call.
Tracking also happens in the field service management software for things such as inventory, first-time fix rates, and meaningful data to the company. With inventory numbers available in real-time, you know exactly how much stock is on hand for parts, and when it’s time to order more. You can also track many different Key Performance Indicators to ensure your business is running smoothly. Don’t let first-time fix rates slip and monitor your technician’s utilization to ensure they are profit-generating. Grow your business by keeping a firm handle on the data and analytics that comes into your business.
Cut Costs
A way to grow revenue is by cutting costs. However, that doesn’t mean laying off technicians to save on salary. Although, some field service companies are turning to more subcontractors, rather than hiring new technicians. But by using field service apps, you can track how much your technicians drive and find alternate routes for them to take. That reduces gas expenses and repair bills on their truck. Cutting costs by using better routing practices is a way to keep your technician volume high, and make them more efficient in the process.
With field service management software automating many of the manual processes, you’ll need less back-office staff. Or, you can have your office staff doing other jobs, rather than fielding service calls and producing paper work orders.
Going Mobile With Your Workforce
Technicians can accomplish more when they have the right tools. And that includes a field service app they can use in the field. Get rid of the manual paper-based work orders that eats up valuable time to fill out. Give your technicians a field service app on their mobile device to complete their administrative work. Firstly, it will limit how much time they spend completing administrative work. Secondly, they can complete checklists on their mobile device and follow step-by-step instructions. Thirdly, they can see service history on their mobile app. And finally, they can close out service calls, collect signatures and start the invoice process, all from their field service app.
Mobility is one of the major areas field service companies are focusing on in order to grow. It gives their technicians more information to complete service jobs. And it speeds up the time it takes to complete a call. The faster they complete calls, the more calls you can put into their schedule each day. And that grows the business through additional revenue.
Work Order Automation
If you want to grow your business, you need to automate. There is little denying how important automation is to the field service industry. With field service management software, you can automate many of the processes that make up your business. Work orders can be created automatically from quotes, which can be generated from the field. Your technicians can use their field service app to quote a new job and turn it into a work order right away. Preventative maintenance contracts can automatically generate service calls each month, without someone having to keep an eye on it. That means you never miss a service call and have recurring revenue work orders automated in your system.
Grow with your Field Service Management Software
If you haven’t turned to a field service management software yet, you’re missing out on chances to grow your business. With these five ways, your operation can be leaner, run smarter and cut costs in areas that are important. All without cutting your workforce and keeping all the technicians that provide the service you are hired to do. Field service apps are growing businesses through automation, tracking and workflow. So, empower your team and grow your business with a solution that is right for you.