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Introduction

Field service management (FSM) is the practice of coordinating and optimizing field service operations that are performed off-site and out on the field. Common examples include installation, repair, maintenance of equipment, site audits and inspections, outdoor customer support, periodic assessment of machinery at different locations, and regular field visits and consultations. Field service managers are responsible for scheduling, dispatching, and managing an organization’s field service technicians, tracking their job status and performance, and monitoring field resources.

Field service management is a multifaceted process that includes operations such as:

  • Service scheduling (job scheduling): Setting up work order completion timelines, employee schedules, and service appointments.
  • Work order management: Creating, assigning, and tracking service work orders end-to-end, including customer invoicing.
  • Dispatch management: Coordinating the process of dispatch, that is, deciding which field technician should be picked for a specific job and tracking when and where they are sent out.
  • Parts and inventory management: Monitoring the usage and stock levels of parts and supplies will allow store managers to understand when they need to place orders and how much to order.
  • Contract management: Managing field service contracts with customers and ensuring adherence to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) committed.
  • Employee training: Training field service teams with the skills required to complete their jobs and help them stay in touch with product and service changes.       
  • Customer self-service: Allowing customers to choose or change service schedules, review invoices and make payments, track the status of their service requests, and communicate with service agents.

What is Field Service Management Software?

Field service management software allows businesses to oversee all aspects of field service operations. FSM software enables field service providers to automate job scheduling and dispatching, process work orders, monitor task progress, and completion, optimize routes for field technicians to reach job sites faster, manage SLAs and contracts made with customers, track inventory, generate invoices, collect payments, and much more.

Technicians and service engineers can use their mobile devices and tools to access field service management software delivered as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform. FMS software’s mobility allows them to execute more field jobs without worrying about manually sending reports to the back office or transferring faulty equipment to the service provider’s headquarters. The software updates technicians about upcoming schedules and offers all the required insights to complete each job. For instance, a field technician can view on their FSM app’s dashboard:

  • Service request details
  • The account linked to the order to view the service history
  • Purpose of the visit
  • Conditions of the equipment to be serviced
  • Priority tasks involved
  • Customer contact information
  • Location details of the service event
  • Directions to the work site
  • Scheduled date and time of visit

Field Service Management Software Capabilities

  • Customizable dashboards for administrators, business owners, and mobile field service teams
  •  Self-service portal for customers to report and track service requests and interact with a customer support team
  • GPS tracking to locate and track field technicians, fleet vehicles, assets, and other resources
  • Assign technicians and resources based on their abilities to complete the task
  • Prioritize jobs based on their urgency or the need to comply with SLAs
  • Service standards, safety instructions, guided walkthroughs, etc. for field service crew
  • Job-specific analytics and insights enable technicians to quick decision support
  • Manage inventory and parts, replenish exhausted products, and control requisition requests

Read more: Effectively Manage Your Remote Workforce With FSM Suite

Why Do Service Businesses Need FSM Software Today?

By 2024, the global field service management market is expected to double its value. Several factors contribute to the industry’s growth, such as:

  • Rising demand for cost-effective and well-timed services
  • Increasing application of mobile-based field service management solutions
  • Using advanced technologies to equip field technicians
  • Development of cloud-based field service software and SaaS solutions

As customers fervently seek unique and personalized service delivery, field service companies are adopting automation and digitalization to enhance employee productivity, reduce workforce costs, and improve overall operational efficiency.

Technology implementation and automated systems allow service providers to seamlessly navigate scheduling, planning, and dispatching processes, which are the crucial components of field service management. Service companies adopting FSM software are successful in reducing the number of business years required to attain positive ROI.

  • Data shows that fleet managers were able to reduce accident costs by 14% and labor and fuel costs by 10% after implementing GPS fleet tracking software.
  • Integrated data analytics in FSM software allows field service organizations to gain a 44% improvement in SLA performance and an 18% increase in service profits.  
  •  75% of field service businesses using mobility tools have increased the productivity of their workforce, while the rest have seen a steady rise in customer satisfaction rates.

Mobility-powered FSM software enables service providers to make better decisions, supervise field operations from anywhere, and deliver timely customer service.

Common Industrial Applications of FSM Software

Energy and Utilities

Energy and utility companies handle huge volumes of time-sensitive work orders, deliver uninterrupted service, maintain vast networks and equipment located at multiple sites, ensure code compliance, minimize outages, manage complex crew scheduling, and constantly monitor the geospatial data generated by remote assets.  

FSM software allows utility companies and energy providers to organize work schedules and judiciously dispatch engineering experts and technicians to inspect the equipment, attend to repairs, and review resources. The software reduces the manual effort involved in monitoring and collecting vital data from remote equipment.

Installation

Equipment installation, maintenance, and management are vital responsibilities of service businesses. Client-owned equipment and tools rented out by service providers need to be examined and serviced regularly for improved and stable performance.

Home service business software allows service managers and technicians to stay on top of equipment installation and maintenance jobs. The software offers a reliable record-keeping system by storing details such as serial numbers, warranties, sale dates, default vendors, and installation dates for each component that makes up the equipment. Service providers can set preventive maintenance schedules and link them to their technicians’ work orders. Tracking warranty details prevents businesses from overcharging clients, thus reducing the volume of customer complaints.

Read more: https://www.reachoutsuite.com/10-important-skills-compliance-managers/

HVAC

HVAC companies operate in a highly oversaturated and volatile market. Mechanical engineers, building service engineers, technicians, and contractors should be consulted and onboarded before implementing customized HVAC systems. Manually tracking all the installed HVAC systems, documentation, and customer support is only next to impossible.

FSM software is a versatile solution that simplifies the process of HVAC management through the automation of mundane processes and real-time monitoring of HVAC technicians and installations. The HVAC software enables better coordination and collaboration between geographically scattered HVAC technicians and back-office teams, automates work order scheduling, tracking, and reporting, streamlines inventory management, and mitigates the complexity of addressing customer needs. With the integration of HVAC software, businesses can optimize their operations and enhance efficiency in managing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

Fire and Safety

Fire safety is an emergency service where every second counts. Technicians must reach accident scenes faster and handle risky situations with the available tools and information. Safety compliance is another time-consuming area for fire safety contractors. Carrying out safety audits and inspections and eliminating the factors leading to fire hazards can be daunting.    

Fire safety software can eliminate the pressing challenges discussed above. Automated scheduling can quickly dispatch technicians to inspection and work sites. Mobile checklists allow technicians to conduct inspections promptly and digitally record and transfer all the required information to their back office. When a customer calls in to inform a smoke alarm malfunction or a faulty fire extinguisher, the FSM software allows customer service reps to record all the critical information tagged to the work order. This enables technicians to quickly fix the problem without wasting time on data collection.

Pest Control

The pest control industry faces sudden spikes in activity, mainly based on seasonal demands. Success depends on faster turnaround times, adequate availability of pest repellants, tools, and protective wear, and rapid identification and destruction of pests that inflict on the customer’s premises.

Field service management software allows pest control companies to enhance their fleet management, automatically match technician skills with incoming jobs, stock the correct set of tools to complete each job, execute pest treatments and post-treatment inspections, prioritize work orders, and make timely interventions. The pest control software integration streamlines operations by providing online pest control checklists that enable technicians to rapidly disinfect afflicted premises. Additionally, access to service history helps them understand the type of pests they will encounter, ensuring effective and targeted treatment strategies. With the incorporation of pest control software, companies can optimize their processes, improve customer satisfaction, and achieve greater efficiency in managing pest control operations.

Landscaping

Office buildings, shopping centers, salons, spas, hotels, and restaurants should regularly prune and decorate their landscape to enrich their premises’ aesthetic value, presentation, and ambiance. The growing utilization rate of machinery, complex governmental regulations, changing service demands raised by customers, and shortage of creative landscaping artisans make landscaping business management more challenging. 

Field service management software allows landscaping businesses to balance the time window, machinery, and skilled employees successfully. This is achieved through automated scheduling, a paperless office, customizable dashboards, GPS tracking for route optimization, and a clear display of reports. Landscaping software enables landscaping businesses to handle the entire process from sales to invoicing cost-effectively.

Read more: 8 Ways a Service Management Software Helps Drive Servitization in Field Service

Digitize your field service operations from scheduling to invoicing with ReachOut. Connect your technicians with the companion mobile app to execute jobs and reduce paperwork in the field. Try ReachOut now and give your customers the fast and quality service they deserve.

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Aarathy

Aarathy is a Senior Digital Marketing Analyst at ReachOut Suite. She is majorly into content marketing and focuses on getting the messaging right across a host of marketing collaterals. While not working on content, you can find her juggling SEO, social media, branding and more. She enjoys exploring new frontiers in digital marketing and the associated challenges keep her going.

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