Quotes and Proposals in Field Service Management – Get More Wins!

Blog, Field Service, HVAC

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Last updated Feb 24, 2020 at 4:09PM | Published on May 4, 2018 | Blog, Field Service, HVAC

The field service cycle generally starts with a quote or a proposal. Whether it’s a break/fix repair, a contract for preventative maintenance, or an installation project, customers want an accurate and detailed quote so they know what they are getting in service, and how much it will cost. It can be a labor-intensive process to produce quotes and proposals for customers, and have it presented to them in a way that they understand each line item and what value they are getting. And your sales team can be under pressure to get quotes back quickly to ensure a fast fix rate.

With a field service management software, sales teams can confidently put together quotes quickly and accurately, with built-in integrations, pre-determined pricing schedules and for installations, and a full project module that outlines the entire project, the tasks involved and the hours to complete. And whether it is in the field or in the office, all the information to quote is with them, accessible from a mobile device or from a desktop, so even technicians in the field can produce an accurate quote on location with pre-determined quote templates to streamline the process. This advanced level of functionality not only speeds up the sales cycle but will also help in extending and developing sales channels further.

Having a field service management software with an integration to your CRM system offers accuracy in producing quotes, as sales personnel can get all the necessary customer information, available inventory and prices, and even check back on a customer’s service history to determine what parts they have used in the past, or what part will work well with a previous part installed. Quotes can then be adapted to fit the individual customer, as quoting and proposals are not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ format.

To increase the speed in which quotes are completed, field service management software automates much of the quoting process, so you don’t have to calculate pricing, mark-ups and reductions if applied. Pricing schedules for labor can be pre-built, as can the pricing for inventory. So, when inventory and time for labor are inserted with the quote, and hours applies for how long the service call will take, the automated quoting module will take care of calculating the price for the customer, with any additional mark-ups. Simply search for parts, add the quantity, and let the automation take care of what the closing price will be with your profit margin pre-built.

For installation projects, field service software comes built with a project module that allows sales team to plan out the entire scope of the project, including parts and equipment, labor hours, and the number of technicians needed for each individual task. Customers will see each task, what is needed in each and how much each task will cost them in a detailed proposal for the installation.

Being accurate and detailed in quoting is essential in today’s competitive field service landscape, as customers want to know why they are paying for certain items or tasks, and how much every step is going to cost to. By offering fully detailed quotes, you’re being honest and transparent with your customers, which will help you win their trust and loyalty, and in the end, win more contracts and projects.

And once a quote or proposal is accepted, it can be instantly turned into a work order in the field service management software, with all line items, parts and labor hours attached, while also be easily referenced by technicians who can access the quote from the field on the mobile device.

With quoting being such an important part of field service delivery, it’s imperative that it’s built into your field service software and other systems, so your team can deliver accurate and detailed proposals in little time. We are approaching a new era in sales pipelines, where there is an earnest effort to bridge the gap between the quote and the sale. With quoting on the fly capabilities and the ease of integration to financials, you can anticipate winning a lot more business, increased revenue and a hike in your bottom line!