As an employee in a field service organization, there’s no doubt you’ve heard about the growth of mobile in the workplace and the numerous benefits of using mobile field service software in the field. Mobile increases first-time fix rates. Mobile makes technicians more efficient. Mobile improves customer satisfaction…Mobile, mobile, mobile!
We get it; mobile’s great for technicians and the overall effectiveness of the company. But what about me? How does mobile help me, as an office worker, do my job?
Well, office worker, with the integration of mobile apps into everyday field service processes, there are reasons you should be celebrating too. Here’s why:
1. Less mind-numbing busy work
Nobody likes doing busy work, especially when there are so many other things you could be doing. Mobile field service apps eliminate paper-based manual work and let you focus on the more complex tasks that help your company grow, like data analysis and customer acquisition.2. It’s impossible to interpret your technicians’ handwriting
Remember all those times your technicians came back to the office with papers full of detailed notes, only you couldn’t make out a single word? Well, with mobile field service applications, you’ll never have to decipher their scribbles again. Techs can type or use Siri voice recognition to capture notes in the field. And with customized forms that prompt techs to answer preconfigured questions, they often don’t even have to write anything at all. You get results back instantly, and the best part…they’re legible!3. Be prepared for the unexpected boss visit
When you’re working at your desk, nothing is more dreaded than an unexpected boss visit to check on a document or assignment you were supposed to have finished. With an automated mobile field service app, you’ll always be ready for the boss. Just log into the system and the information you need will be at the touch of your fingers.4. Connect with technicians anytime, anywhere
With technicians using mobile devices and apps designed with ease of communication in mind, you’ll never have to worry about reaching your techs again. Every scheduling or inventory update you make in the system can send automatic alerts to the appropriate techs, and all of their status updates are automatically communicated to you. Call, text, and automated alert functionality between the two systems means that, unless the mobile device got run over by a truck, you’ll be able to reach your technicians at any time.
5. Sit back and let automated alerts work for you
Along the lines of continual connection between you and your team of technicians, other aspects of the organization can be connected and automated so you can “set it and forget it.” Set up alerts, escalations, and workflows to automate processes throughout the organization like scheduling, inventory, and service contracts.6. Turn service calls into work orders with the click of a button
Once you receive the initial call for a quote or service request and take some preliminary notes, you just need to click one button to turn the call into a work order, which then syncs all customer and asset information for that contact. This information is instantly accessible to the scheduler and technician so schedulers can schedule the most qualified tech for the job and techs are completely informed about the situation when they get to the job site.7. Watch your service levels rise right before your eyes
Everyone likes to win, especially in business. With a mobile field service app, you can watch your service levels rise based on technician data collection and improved performance in the field. It’s fun to sit back and watch your stats improve as you integrate more mobile features!8. Figure out whether techs are meeting service levels
In the field, technicians are able to document their hours, success rates, and customer information. This material is relevant to determine where you stand as an organization based on past performance. Don’t guess how well you’re doing; use actual data collected in the field to gain concrete evidence to start improvement plans in the right areas.9. Capture data in the field beyond work-order basics
Before mobile, you had to use all your resources to perform necessary tasks like clocking hours, scheduling technicians, and filling out paper forms. Mobile field service apps let you move into phase 2 of the data collection process; collecting information that will improve business intelligence and overall company productivity. Moving beyond work-order basics, techs can now collect data like customer satisfaction surveys and competitor information in the field, so you have more information on which to base business decisions, making your organization smarter and your job that much easier.
10. Work with performance data before it becomes obsolete
How often have you received data, but by the time it lands on your desk, it’s out-of-date? With a mobile field service app you can be sure that data collected in the field is instantly accessible and you can act on it immediately. With timely information in your hands, you can get a jump start on the competition and make business decisions that are in your company’s best interest at that moment.11. Let your data measure ROI
With an investment like mobile, it’s useful to see exact numbers calculating your ROI in order to justify what you’re spending for the service. Well, with a mobile field service app, you can use the product you invested in to measure the success of the investment. Using data collected in the field, like billed hours and invoice totals, you can calculate exactly how much you’re making versus how much you’re spending…and I bet you’ll be pleased with the results.12. Monitor where techs are and what they’re doing in the field
Let’s be real, does it really take three hours to eat a donut? No. GPS and fleet management solutions built into mobile devices gives you visibility into tech location to see if they’re really where they say they are. This feature can be tricky because you don’t want you techs to think they’re on Big Brother, but it’s useful to monitor their location to schedule efficiently and check in on that occasional instance of suspiciously wasted time.13. Gain visibility into tech status
With mobile software, not only do you know where your technicians are, but you can also see what they’re working on, what they’re up to, etc. As they’re working in the field, techs are continually updating the status, from “job accepted, to “in route,” to “working,” to “closed,” etc. Any job status techs update in the field is instantly visible to the back office. This visibility helps you determine how your techs’ time is spent and gives you greater visibility into how well your processes in the field are actually performing.14. Prevent inventory from collecting dust
Mobile field service software lets you see what parts each technician has on his service van. With this information, you can make sure that you only order parts you’ll actually use. Parts don’t get lost in the mix because techs and inventory personnel are prompted to update the parts they’ve used, automatically subtracting that number from the total. With this detailed inventory information, you know how much inventory to buy because you have a better idea of your consumption patterns. With visibility into van inventories, schedulers can also make sure that they only schedule techs that have the parts required to resolve the customer’s problem.
15. Send customer invoices quicker; get paid faster
Mobile field service apps help you manage work orders more efficiently and with that functionality comes quicker turnaround from quote, to invoice, to getting paid. As you accelerate and automate the lifecycle a work order takes within your organization, you’ll have more time for more customers and with more customers comes more cash. It’s a beautiful cycle.Don’t Worry; Be Happy!
With all of these ways mobile field service apps can make your office a happier place, it seems downright depressing to wait to invest. Make everyone’s jobs easier and improve the efficiency of your organization as a whole by investing in a mobile field service app that can be customized to work for you. There’s no need to look at technicians with envy as they tout their new fancy gadgets…mobile apps can make the office a happy place too!7 Best Practices for Choosing a New Field Service App
There are plenty of reasons that service organizations review, purchase and implement new field service management software. Regardless of what situations force your service organization to that tipping point, there are several tried and true methods you can use to organize the buying process, eliminate the unexpected and significantly increase your chances of success with your new software.
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