Not all work is covered under a preventative maintenance contract or service level agreement. It can be an emergency repair called in by the customer to the office, or something a technician notices on a regular inspection that needs to be looked after. But before any repair can happen and parts ordered, the customer is going to want to know the cost that is associated, and for that, a quote is going to be needed.
Quoting can be done manually, using simple word documents or spreadsheets, hunting down product costs and calculating the final total, or, it can become automated and made simple with field service management software.
Quoting management is a large part of any field service business and one that can be time-consuming for back-office administrators. But much like how work management is handled in a field service management system and made simple with built-in integrations and levels of automation, so too can quoting management be made simple. Here is how Fieldpoint has made quoting management a part of their field service management software to better serve you and your customers.
From the initial stages of starting a quote, you’ll feel the power of integrations between your field service management software and CRM system. It’s the same system utilized in the work order management module, where your integrated CRM system works with your quoting management module to make sure the right customer is getting the quote. Simply search for your customers by multiple fields and have the customer’s quote history also included in case you need to resend an older quote. But the levels of automation affect every aspect of the quote, as items and tasks come with their own fixed prices and costs for parts and labor, and can give you the markup you desire on parts, whether it is your own technician purchasing and installing, or a subcontractor who has their own markup.
With price schedules already established in your field service management software, customers are getting accurate quotes. And making changes to prices or margins is as simple as changing the price of an item or labor costs in the quote and having it automatically reflect the overall quote cost.Field service organizations are quoting for repairs, and each part has their own set of tasks that need to be completed. Have your quote reflect exactly what work will be required, how much time and the cost of it by adding tasks to the quote. Your customers will get a full breakdown of where their money is being spent, giving great transparency to your organization’s repair costs.
From Quote Management to Work Order Management
Once a quote is submitted and accepted by the customer, that quote can be automatically turned into a work order with just a click, capturing all the customer information, parts and tasks needed. Add checklists to the newly created work order, and your service department can quickly turn a quote opportunity into a repair opportunity and final bill without having to re-enter information.
And with everything being done within the field service management software portal, quoting details and work orders are connected, with each distinct number being available on the other document for quick reference. See in the work order management module what was quoted and what tasks and parts were quoted by clicking on the quote number, which opens the quote management module and displays what was sent to the customer.
Quoting is an integral part of a service delivery organization, and by having it built in with your field service management software, it keeps everything connected with all the other modules you utilize to better serve your customers. Whether a CRM system, an accounting system, or the work order management module, having everyone speaking the same language and keeping a connected record of what jobs you have quoted will only make your service department run smoother and more efficiently while improving transparency and accuracy with your customers.