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Fires or safety-related incidents can occur at any time. For this reason, fire and safety service businesses are evergreen, essential services. But the sector is also competitive, and tasks are challenging to execute. Only service providers who keep abreast of the latest trends and strive for efficiency succeed.

The latest trends in the fire landscape

The fire environment has changed of late. The new dangers make some paradigms obsolete. As a result, fire and safety management providers have to rethink their approaches and workflows to succeed.

Global warming, leading to higher temperatures and increased fuel aridity, has increased the risk of fires.

Chaotic urbanization also increases fire risks. The designs of residential facilities and types of construction materials make structures vulnerable. In addition, the lack of proper maintenance of ignition sources, owing to the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased fire risks.

However, the most significant fire risks are from alternative energy sources that replace conventional fossil fuels. Examples include lithium-ion batteries that power mobile devices and electric car batteries. These alternative sources promote clean energy and increase energy efficiency. But they also introduce new hazards. For instance, smartphones lighting pillows on fire, or electric scooters on fire, no longer raise eyebrows. Adopting alternative energy sources, especially batteries, has outpaced the understanding of the associated hazards.

Conventional methods such as pouring water no longer suffice, as it is not possible to get water to the source of the fire in an electric vehicle. The gases continue to come out and reignite. The inability to isolate the electric vehicle on fire poses a fire hazard to nearby vehicles. Worse, hydrogen, a byproduct of a burning battery, poses an explosion hazard. Fire safety professionals need to adopt new approaches to manage such risks.

Read more: How Mobility helps Field Service Businesses Overcome Serious Challenges in 2022

1. Mobility improves workflows

Technology is always a great enabler for improving efficiencies and unlocking potential. For example, mobility-based field management suites make fire management services resilient and more responsive.

A cloud-based field management suite, delivered through the smartphone app, improves workflows. The mobility app improves scheduling, dispatching, work execution, inspections, and invoicing.

Most fire and safety operators have trouble coordinating their work orders. Fire service requests are often emergency works. Even for routine annual maintenance, any delay may cause the inability to control a sudden fire incident.

A field service suite streamlines quotes and scheduling. It converts incoming job requests to tickets, making it easy to track each request to its logical end. An automated suite uses algorithms to rank jobs on priority and assign the nearest qualified team to the task. The field agents, equipped with the smartphone version of the app, get instant alerts and information about the client and the task. The app guides the technicians end-to-end. Technicians may use the app to reach the worksite fast and get ready access to information.

Mobility also helps supervisors track the technicians in real-time. The smartphone’s geolocation capabilities reveal the location of the technician. As a result, supervisors may make sure work gets executed as planned, without hold-ups. In the eventuality of hold-ups, they may intervene to pre-empt delays.

2. Mobility enables better knowledge management

Another important use of mobility in fire safety is in knowledge management. The traditional fire safety and management paradigms are not always relevant in today’s changing world. Instead, technicians may use the app to access knowledge repositories and get the latest, authentic information.

At work, the technicians may refer to instruction manuals using the smartphone. For instance, they may refer online to deal with smoke coming out of a server room. In addition, they may use the smartphone app to collaborate with remote expert technicians. This spares delays and revisits, improving efficiency manifold.

3. Mobility delivers enhanced reporting

Reporting is a time-consuming task in field services. Technicians with a mobile field service app may automate reporting. They may put the smartphone camera to work and enrich the quality of their reports. Also, the app auto-populates reporting field as much as possible and sets ranges for different form entries. All these improve the accuracy of the forms and the integrity of the workflows. Automating clerical functions allows technicians to focus their energies on their core tasks.

Read more: Mobile Field Inspection Software

How ReachOut extends these benefits

ReachOut offers a robust, state-of-the-art cloud-based field service suite. The suite extends the benefits of a mobility-based field service management suite.

Schedulers and dispatchers may use their mobile devices to access the various features through the app or browser. Easy drag-and-drop interfaces and calendar views make scheduling easy.

Intuitive smartphone apps offer field technicians the information they need in a neat interface. They get the complete list of upcoming job assignments with timely reminders. They also receive prompt notifications for any changes. Technicians may make leave requests, shift change requests, and more through the smartphone app.

Integrated maps help field technicians reach their work location through the best routes. In addition, the map considers traffic blocks and other issues to make sure the technicians reach the worksite quickly.

ReachOut forms marketplace offers hundreds of ready-made forms. Both paid and free forms suit all fire safety and management work situations. Several checklist-based forms make audits and inspections easy. There is also the option to upload stylized forms. These customized forms may mimic the enterprise’s existing pen and paper forms and may also include branding elements. Technicians may use the Apple Stylus pen to replicate their pen and paper experience.

ReachOut’s app leverages the smartphone’s voice and camera to co-opt images and videos into reports. Images serve as proof of work execution. Technicians may also collect the client’s electronic signature in reports.

The app also generates automated invoicing when the technician marks the work as complete. ReachOut’s native integration capabilities link to external databases seamlessly. The app accesses work orders, CRM, and other details to generate accurate invoices. Field technicians email the invoice to the customer and collect payments before they leave the worksite. The enterprise cash flow improves, and payroll and accounts functions get automated.

Read more: How BYOD Impacts Mobile Field Service Management

ReachOut supports BYOD. Field technicians may download the smartphone app on any Android or iOS device. They may even access the ReachOut suite on a web browser. ReachOut leverages mobility and BYOD to offer anytime, anywhere capabilities. Enabling the app on a smartphone already familiar with the technician further improves productivity. The suite makes the enterprise agile, resilient, and capable of responding to customer needs instantly.

Talk to our team to know more about the ReachOut field management suite and how it can assist your business.

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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Ashmitha Chatterjee

Ashmitha aspires to enhance the efficiency of service technicians. With a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities within field service management, Ashmitha frequently shares her knowledge through industry blogs, articles and workshops.

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