Out In The Field – How FSM Delivers

Featured article by Emma Hilton marketing manager and independent technology author

Today – at some point – you will probably encounter someone working ‘out in the field’. It could be a technician completing work outside of their company premises on-site, or even at home. It could be someone carrying out maintenance or repairs.

Regardless of industry, field service is all about getting the right employees, skillsets and equipment onto the job as quickly as possible.

Today, we’ll be putting field service under the microscope, examining the key challenges, talking to an industry expert about field service in the context of CRM, and discussing the benefits businesses could garner from investing in new supporting technologies.

Where can you find efficiencies? What can technology do to drive improvements? Let’s look first at the challenges field service is facing.

The Challenges of Traditional Field Service

As customers have grown more tech savvy and selective about the products and services they invest in, the quality of field service delivery has become increasingly important.

While ten years ago, field service was known for being paperwork-heavy and averse to adopting new tech, in the last five years the industry has experienced exponential growth and a dramatic digital transformation.

Today, a company’s ability and commitment to deliver efficient and quick solutions through a mobile workforce is the difference between them hotfooting it ahead of their competitors, or lagging behind.

Field Service Management (FSM) software isn’t some kind of cloak-and-dagger operation where only enterprises are in on the secret. All businesses of all sizes who send agents out into the field should be managing their field service operatives through some form of software.

“In a world where businesses are looking to cut costs and increase customer efficiencies, field service management becomes critical as it contributes directly to customer satisfaction”, says Warren Butler, Marketing Director at Preact. “However, with operations spread across vast areas and resources distributed over different locations, a range of challenges are presented and multiple levels of coordination are required in order for field service managers to hit their targets.”

Let’s explore some of the key challenges:

Challenge #1 – Scheduling

Whether service agents are working in shift patterns or have set hours, managing schedules and workloads takes time and coordination. The right management software however, could automate the process, assigning the right work orders to the appropriate technicians and engineers.

Challenge #2 Paperwork

Who likes paperwork? Well, no one really, but especially not those working out in the field. Customer details, contracts and signatures all make life that little bit more difficult and can often result in errors and a lack of documentation.

Challenge #3 Communication

With a mounting list of work requests, field service managers need to understand where their agents are at any given time so that they can understand and anticipate how work should be scheduled and completed.

“The good news is…”, states Butler, “… the challenges that typically came with traditional field service can now be overcome with the adoption of new solutions which coordinate operations through a mobile workforce”.

Field Service Digital Transformation

Going mobile …

While some businesses, particularly at enterprise level, have long since welcomed new field service tech, many smaller businesses are still operating paper-based FSM, unaware of the solutions available to them.

“Before you start comparing vendors, you need to have a clear understanding of what the software does, what kind of organisations use it and what the key benefits are,” explains Butler.

Solutions differ greatly and will be dependent on the industry and intent, but you can generally expect to see some or all of the following capabilities within a standard platform:

– Work order management
– Schedule board and dispatch
– Resource management
– Service locations and customer assets
– Preventative maintenance
– Inventory management
– Customer billing
– Mobile application

What’s more, FSM software doesn’t have to exist in a silo. Many companies are now adopting solutions with built-in access to other core systems such as CRM and accounting, so that the customer gets a true end-to-end service.

“In fact, if FSM does operate in a silo, you run the risk of duplication errors, crossed communications and customer experience issues. Integration isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s absolutely essential,” adds Butler.

Benefits of FSM

So the big question is, how can FSM software help? If you’re still on the fence, let’s revisit those challenges from earlier and see how FSM software can come into play.

Challenge #1 – Scheduling

With automated scheduling, work orders are created and sent remotely to the appropriate technician based on criteria such as availability, proximity, urgency and area of expertise. Through this functionality, companies can meet customer needs with both quality and speed, saving both parties time and expense.

Challenge #2 Paperwork
Paper-based reporting leaves room for error. An FSM supports cleaner accounts by allowing field service agents to record job data, log hours and complete proofs of service while still in the field. This is then synchronised so that the information is on the system and accessible to head office users.

Challenge #3 Communication

Real-time mobile tracking capabilities keep managers and reps up to date on vehicle locations and job statuses. Enabling better accountability and helping teams to manage unexpected delays or problems.

“When field service agents and head office are able to work efficiently together, there is a seismic shift towards increased productivity and a superior customer experience”, says Butler. “If they aren’t already, businesses should be looking at FSM software as a way to cement them together”.

Emma Hilton is a confident and experienced marketing manager with an extensive background in digital marketing and Search Engine Optimisation. I have a proven track record of devising strategies to acquire new customers and drive traffic to the company websites. When it comes to line management, I have a hands-on approach to working with my team to ensure a strong brand presence in the search engines and on social platforms.