Field Services Best Practices: Put Technology to Work for You
Ensuring your field service team has the right tools to effectively communicate and service customers can be a challenge. Technology has improved these processes by allowing teams to have real-time updates and accurate logistics information. In this article from Business2Community, having the right software across all departments and leveraging tools like GPS are just some of the ways technology has improved field service operations.
Deploying a field service team requires a well-oiled machine: Not only do you need to have your call center/customer service team linked up to the field service technicians, you need to ensure that technicians are able to procure the parts they need from your suppliers on time, often at short notice. Your dispatch team, logistics, and field team need to have clear paths of communication so that wires don’t get crossed, leaving your field technicians stranded in the field. Implementing best practices in field service is indeed tricky, but with the right technology, you can keep everyone linked up so that the main goal, servicing your customers, is met. Follow our checklist below to make sure your technology is up to the complicated task of employing successful customer service in the field.
Use the same software in all of the departments
There are myriad software systems designed to handle accounting, work orders, and logistics. Keep your systems simple by choosing one software package that can handle it all. Using the same software system ensures that everything is linked and speaking to each other. You want your work orders to seamlessly link to your accounting team, and your dispatch team to have easy access to work orders. A key component of implementing best practices for field service is to make sure everyone is on the same platform. If you have old systems on different software services, it’s worth paying for an update so that you can integrate all of your processes across-the-board.
Use sophisticated dispatching technology
If you’re looking for a way to get a return on your field service technology dollars, invest in sophisticated dispatching technology. Choose a program that allows you to pinpoint where field technicians are and that allows your dispatchers to get them to the next job efficiently. With today’s GPS dispatch technology, you can significantly shorten the down-time that your field service team spends waiting for job calls and driving to jobs. One of the biggest money losses in field service comes from technicians not being able to get to jobs quickly. Alleviate this problem with the right dispatching technology.
Know what’s happening in real time
Does your current field service technology give you real-time updates? Knowing what is going on, as it’s occurring, keeps your dispatch team in the loop, helps your supplies team, and ensures that the field team can always communicate with the home office. Use software that keeps data up-to-date, at all times.
Don’t forget that your customers need to use your technology, too
What’s the state of your customer-facing technology? Do you have a sophisticated website that allows your customers to make appointments online, know when field service technicians will be coming (in short windows of time), and a site that allows customers to seamlessly communicate with the customer service team regarding their issues or order status? Use a system that gives your customers the same powerful technology tools that your field service team has, and ensure that it’s a pleasant process for your customers, from the minute they log onto your website or call your customer service team.
Field services best practices are within reach
We are fortunate to live in an age of technology that gives us so many options and offers sophisticated programs designed to optimize field service. Invest in your field service technology and training protocols, and enhance your brand by delivering field service that is efficient, on-time, and that fixes the problem – the first time.
This article was written by Joanna Jones from Business2Community and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.
