Why Does Your Waste Management Business Need FSM Software?

Waste management is becoming very challenging with time. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought hygiene and cleanliness to the center stage. The quantum of bio-hazardous and micro-fiber waste has increased during the pandemic. Studies in 2021 estimate the COVID-19 pandemic generating about 7,200 tons of medical waste daily. Disposable masks make up the bulk of such waste. Even conventional food and plastic waste have increased as people work from home and order food online. Side-by-side, digitization leads to the proliferation of the already burdensome e-waste.

Waste management field service software benefits all stakeholders associated with waste collection. It helps the service provider, contractors, managers, supervisors, waste collectors, and customers access information and perform tasks well.

This blog will walk you through the benefits an FSM software brings to each party involved in the waste management business.

Waste contractors

Waste contractors have to ensure timely waste collection.

The scheduling capabilities with the FSM suite ensure timely waste pickup and dispatch of the waste to the processing center. Field crews must schedule waste collection tasks for managers, supervisors, and office engineers. Manual scheduling is a complex task, as it involves grappling with many variables that change frequently. The open work orders change as customers make additional requests and bins become full. Scheduling with the waste management software is easy. The algorithm allocates work orders based on the availability of crew and equipment. It considers factors such as

• The proximity of the unit to the location.
• The working hours and holidays.
• Availability of equipment with the work crew, such as PPE kits to handle the bio-hazardous waste.

Waste contractors may manage quotes and project-related documents from a central cloud repository. They may access these crucial documents when needed.

A spin-off benefit of waste-management software is the ability to estimate the budget. The suite offers the cost breakdown and activity information of previous projects, making it easy to predict costs for a new project. Waste contractors may rely on the data to make realistic and competitive costs. Advanced analytics also make planning easy and enable devising strategies to grow the business.

Managers and Supervisors

Managers and supervisors must ensure timely waste collection.

A critical task is route planning and optimization.

• Configurable workflows make the waste collection work according to a predetermined schedule. Managers get complete control over remote activities. Field processes become easy to control and fix accountability.
• Location tracking features help managers track the waste collection vans in real time. The field FSM suite uses the GPS in the waste collection van or the waste collector’s smartphone for real-time tracking. Managers may intervene in real-time to set right any delays. Visibility into the process removes the bottlenecks and ensures swift operations. Accountability and compliance improve.

The field service management suite makes it easy to classify waste. Different waste, such as hazardous waste, biodegradable waste, and e-waste, need different processing. Managers may set knowledge depositories, accessible by waste collectors through their mobile apps. Waste collectors may segregate waste based on the description, properties of the waste, and different codes. Separate bins make the task easier. Through color codes or other tracking methods, the suite may identify the waste bins to empty. The software app guides the waste collection van to the disposal site, depending on the type of waste.

Another critical task is coordination. Waste collection software makes coordinating with stakeholders effortless. The smooth coordination eliminates service delivery delays and prevents waste pile-ups. The suite integrates with inventory to track supplies. Managers may make timely reorders to manage stocks of equipment and tools.

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

Waste collection agents

The field service management suite helps the waste collection workers get live support when on the field.

The field service management suite offers them access to

• Notifications and alerts on their following and upcoming point of waste collection
• Integrated maps to guide them through their assigned routes
• Structured forms with email client integration to ensure timely reporting
• Geo-tagged check-in and checkout, which automates timesheets.

Digital data collection makes work completion and compliance reports easy. The executives may upload images and capture electronic signatures as proof of work completion.

Customers

The field service management app ensures timely service delivery with high quality.

Customers may access their component of the FSM software through dedicated apps or the web browser. Customers may create service requests through their app. The app also enables

• Prompt scheduling of a waste collection agent, who would collect the waste within the quickest possible time.
• Real-time Uber-like tracking of waste collection truck
• Contactless, automated invoice with multiple payment options.

Accountant

Waste collection management software helps automate accounts.

Accountants no longer have to perform tedious manual data entry. Payments, invoicing, and reimbursement management takes place at a centralized location. High levels of automation improve accuracy and ensure the timely completion of tasks.

On collecting waste, or at the month-end, the waste collection executive triggers an invoice. The software collects relevant data from various databases. It collects:

• The promised rate and any special offers from the quote management software.
• Any consumables used from the inventory database,
• The timesheet from GPS and employee smartphone data,
• Configured email clients dispatch the invoice to the customers’ email. Customers get multiple payment options through integrated payment collection portals such as PayPal. They may pay through digital or cash to the field executive.

Integration with popular accounting suites, such as QuickBooks and Xero, makes data transfers easy. The accounts and payroll are updated as soon as field executives generate invoices and when the customer makes the payment.

Read more: The Ultimate Guide to Invoicing for Field Service

ReachOut Suite offers an integrated solution to manage all facets of waste management. The suite provides state-of-the-art features to schedule waste collection and streamline waste collection. The provider may track field activity, conduct inspections, generate invoices, and collect payment. The customizable software allows the waste collection teams to work per the set schedule.

Digital forms enable field teams to transfer their manual checklists and forms to digital mode on an as-is basis. Work teams do not have to adjust workflows to suit the software’s structure. The end-to-end visibility, native integration, and custom APIs make the software resilient. The robust data protection and real-time always-on support are icing on the cake.

Learn more about how ReachOut Suite can enhance your business capabilities. Connect with us today!