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Posts Tagged: field service management

How the Right Software Can Help You Earn Repeat Customers

Posted by & filed under Field Service Management.

How the Right Software Can Help You Earn Repeat Customers

Did you know it costs up to five times more to reach out to new customers than retain your existing customer base? Customers who have made purchases from your brand are more familiar with it and are thus easier to market to. 

With this in mind, you’ll want to make sure that your business runs smoothly for clients to have a perfect experience the first time around. If they get poor service, their first impression of your business will push them away to your competitors. 

Implementing the right management software for your business will streamline both internal and external processes to create the best service experience for your customers without having to overwork your employees.

Here are some of the things software can do for your business.

1. E-Commerce Automation

When a client requests a price quote, you’ve succeeded in getting them through the various stages of the sales funnel. You now enter the quote to cash process(QTC), which clients expect to be fast. They usually opt for vendors who reply fast with accurate quotes.

Outdated versions of the process usually require sales representatives to scour product databases to get a proper quote. Other businesses have complex pricing structures, which include discounts, add-ons, and bundles that only increase the risk of misquoting or slow responses.

Automating this process will allow the system to provide quick, accurate quotes in real-time, thus reducing order errors and improving future data analysis. The system will also handle all other independent actions from that point onwards to expedite the sales process.

For instance, it will craft error-free, dynamic proposals and agreements for the client to review. If they give the green light, the system then kickstarts the financial end of the process. 

When the sales rep follows up by cross-selling other products, the system will also generate updated invoices, giving the client a view of the business as highly efficient. The chances of them opting for your services in the future automatically shoot up because of this.

2. Fleet Tracking 

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when managing a fleet of vehicles for your business, especially a service-related business which heavily relies on mobility. That sector needs maintenance scheduling, tracking, managing drivers, and gauging operational costs, just to name a few. 

With the fleet management tool that comes with field management software(FMS), you can pin which fleet vehicle to assign to the day’s jobs based on the client’s location and their set deadline. 

It assures that all clients receive consistent, fast service. And we all know that the faster you can deliver a product or a service, the more likely it is for a client to put you on a pedestal.

The tool also allows you to set when regularly scheduled services for the vehicles to avoid random breakdowns as your employees deliver services or products.

3. Contactless Payment 

Due to the pandemic, sanitation has become a prime concern for clients and employees alike. Adopting field management software that allows customers to pay without surrendering their sensitive information or making contact with your employees will go a long way in gaining their trust. 

You’ll become their go-to whenever they need a service in your industry, and this relationship will have high chances of lasting post-covid.

Employees will also feel safer and more comfortable as their job requires them to interact with many people per day, leading them to perform their duties more effectively. 

The software will record transactions in real-time and integrate them with the inventory management tool. This will make it easier to track assets and generate reports, thus keeping the business streamlined.

4. Real-Time Communication

Clients like being kept in the loop during every stage of the process. This can be a hassle, especially if you have a large volume of customers, each with unique needs. Adopting management software like ServiceDemand can help you automate messages in terms of emails or texts.

For example, customers can forget about appointments since they also have fast-paced lives. You can configure the system to send reminders a day before the appointment and as your field workers are on their way there. 

It’ll make customers feel like they are a priority since you keep them updated even if you’d agreed on an appointment already.

You can also assign jobs via text for field workers or even get them to check in with you as they progress with their tasks. It’s easier than having to log onto the app. 

Alternatively, you could set automatic push notifications to ensure that no worker gets so carried away with their task that they are late for other appointments.

5. Contractor Management

FMS like ServiceDemand can allow you to look for highly ranked contractors at rates of your choice and keep track of their progress in real-time. On your dashboard, you’ll get to see how many tasks they’ve completed and those that are in progress.

The navigation page will allow you to create teams and assign specific customer projects to each group. The team structure you choose will dictate who can create and manage project details to prevent unnecessary or redundant information from being keyed in.

Such efficiency will shine through on the customer’s end since you’ll provide them with the best people for the task who’ll work on it solely without mixing it up with other projects. 

6. Asset Management

The one thing that can be an instant deal-breaker for a client is downtime. Downtime results in delays in service or product delivery which isn’t so great in this age where clients want instant services. 

Making use of asset management software will let you keep track of all your assets before something causes a bottleneck. You’ll know the exact location of each asset and how it’s being put to use. This will help you pin when they need repairs and routine maintenance.

Your financial statements will also stay updated by the system as it regularly checks assets, and you’ll no longer have ghost inventory. This means that you won’t provide false information to your clients, thus encouraging them to work with your business again.

7. Parts Management

It is essential to keep track of your existing parts so that your team always has the right tools for the job. You need to monitor everything from parts you manufacture to spare parts and parts you service.

ServiceDemand has a parts management system that can let you store pictures, service manuals, and the parts’ model numbers. You can include links to vendors who you source parts from and alternative to the parts. 

Alternates will help workers find appropriate replacements for faulty parts without wasting the client’s time. They’ll have everything they need to get new ones in one collective place, allowing them to order whatever they require to get a certain task out of the way hassle-free.

A system like this boosts productivity, thus encouraging clients to rely on your services more than the competitors. 

9. Optimized Schedules and Checklists

You can upgrade how fast clients are served by simply integrating service software with a schedule tab that indicates all pending work events. The software is perfect for letting employees be more time-conscious without you having to follow up every time.

The software can also provide checklists for any products that are being shipped or flown out. It makes clearance go along much smoother, and your clients will receive exactly what they order.

Conclusion

To always stay ahead of the competition, you have to offer quick and quality service to clients. This will become increasingly harder as your client base grows. 

Getting service software like ServiceDemand to do most of the heavy-lifting will allow you to expand your business without compromising on quality.

Our system will ensure that data flows without a hitch and that everyone has a high-efficiency rate. Your clients will look nowhere else. Get in touch today to get a free demo!

Must-Have Features in Your Field Service Management (FSM) Software

Posted by & filed under Field Service Management.

Running a business in the field service industry is challenging. Especially since you have workers, equipment, and customers in need 24/7. Regardless of your business model’s complexity, you have to meet customer requests efficiently to maximize profitability. Let’s face it; manual methods are tedious and ineffective in allocating tasks and tracking mobile workforces.

Therefore, modern organizations employ field management software. This software allows workers to access essential resources, receive schedules and updates on time, and communicate smoothly. Field service software has benefits for business owners and managers as well. Managers can easily track fleet vehicles and inventory all in one easy-to-use interface. If you’re looking to take your service business to the next level, make sure you prioritize these features:

Scheduling and Dispatch

Running an organization with multiple employees requires multitasking. Managers in the field service industry have to stay on top of schedules to ensure that employees handle service requests quickly. Having software that supports scheduling and dispatch takes a considerable load off your shoulders.

Some FSM software, like ServiceDemand, can track the labor proficiency of employees and their location to help determine which technician should handle which job. 

Parts Inventory Management

Different jobs require different parts. Some more than others. Your employees need to keep track of inventory. The last thing you need is for a technician to realize they are out of parts when they arrive at a job.

Your field service management solution should offer real-time inventory tracking to show the quantities of all parts at all times. If an item is unavailable, managers and employees can access suppliers’ catalogs, place orders, and track delivery on the system. Some software tools issue notifications when inventory for a given part reaches a prescribed level to prevent running out of stock.

Contractor Management

When working with contractors and third-party vendors, a work order management feature eliminates confusion and streamlines processes. Additionally, workers can document their progress on a given project through voice, video, pictures, and notes, keeping all parties accountable. 

After completing a job, technicians can update their work orders, and managers can view project statuses at a glance. Your field service management software should also send electronic invoices and support mobile, contactless payment.

Fleet Vehicle Tracking

Fleet vehicle tracking is an essential feature of any FSM software. Integrating your business with software like ServiceDemand allows you to acquire detailed reports about driver behaviors like speeding. Live GPS tracking will assist in route optimization to save fuel. The vehicle tracking feature also keeps you up to date on any maintenance requirements and will allow you to locate vehicles in the case of theft.

Real-Time Communication

There should be effective communication channels to allow office-based employees to connect seamlessly with field workers. As previously mentioned, field workers should also have seamless access to spare part inventory, back-end systems, trade tools, and knowledge resources.

These items play a central role in facilitating prompt job completion and better customer service. For instance, instructional resources can guide technicians in diagnosing and resolving problems, especially when dealing with sophisticated equipment.

A mobile-first interface can enable real-time communication via mobile devices. Your field employees can access their work schedules and dispatches right on their phones. They can also mark work orders, fill log hours, and process payments without reporting back to the office.

Mobile Asset Management

Field service companies have a variety of mobile assets. These can be expensive tools and equipment, reusable and returnable transportation containers, personnel operating in high-risk sites, etc. If you don’t know who has what, you might keep repairing and replacing neglected, misused, misplaced, and stolen things.

Mobile asset management is an essential field management aspect that increases the visibility of all your assets throughout the supply chain. With barcoding, you can access equipment service records instantly. The aim is to ensure all your critical tools are available and functional when needed.

A system with radio-frequency identification (RFID) monitoring can bolster your mobile asset management if you deal with high-value assets. RFID can give you insights into when to service an apparatus by reporting its health while in use. Coupled with GPS, you can tell the status and location of an asset remotely.

Video & Voice Collaboration

Whether you work in the field or manage field service operations from the office, collaborating with your team is sometimes challenging. Hiccups include ineffective real-time communication, hindering smooth interaction between field workers and office employees. It often causes information gaps about clients and projects, hurting productivity and customer service.

Fortunately, field management software can enhance collaboration through voice and video by leveraging your smartphone features. When field technicians run into problems, they can share them with experts through video calls instead of describing them over the phone.

Real-time video calls improve troubleshooting, enabling quicker problem-solving. It makes life easier for everyone – managers understand the difficulties in the field better, and field service agents don’t feel neglected.

Send Text Message Notifications

Another must-have for field service management software is a built-in messaging system as virtually everyone uses mobile phones. When a noteworthy event occurs, you can update everyone in your team with a text message notification. 

Push notifications take text messaging a notch higher. Your messaging software can quickly notify technicians about new assignments and schedule adjustments or remind employees to update their work orders, etc.

Some messaging systems maintain communication within your corporate system for accountability reasons. Managers can tag a technician in a specific work order and know when they see the alert. Furthermore, field workers can send a question to the entire team to get quick answers and diverse opinions.

Reporting and Analytics

Businesses collect so much data when interacting with customers, vendors, and partners. You can exploit your enterprise data to gain insightful information for informed business decisions. Strive to find a field service management software with built-in reporting and analytics capabilities.

Reporting and analytics help you analyze data to identify trends and patterns that you can use to enhance efficiency and performance. For instance, you can see your job scheduling effectiveness, every technician’s output, and how these factors relate to ROI and customer satisfaction.

Integrating analytics with your inventory software can help in demand forecasting. You will know the most fast-moving parts so you can plan timely replenishments.

Customer Management

Regardless of the industry, your organization should strive to satisfy its clients. Even if you invest in the latest equipment and the most qualified talent, you won’t succeed if your customers aren’t happy. For this reason, you need to manage your customer base efficiently.

Your field service management software should include a database for storing customer data. It should organize clients’ contact information, how you have served them, and save remarks for each project. For instance, did you face any challenges completing the job, and was the customer happy?

Reviewing your job histories can provide insights into your customer service levels. You can identify your inefficiencies and find solutions to enhance service delivery and customer satisfaction.

It’s also in your best interest to find a field management tool with a client portal. Clients can book or adjust appointments, provide their contact information, and participate in surveys. When you offer your clients a portal to access the information they need, they know they’re being cared for.

Revamp Your Field Management with ServiceDemand

Does managing projects in your organization feel like too much work? Are you losing opportunities due to inefficiencies in scheduling and tracking your team and assets? Make the witch to ServiceDemand, the next-generation project management tool.

ServiceDemand has all the tools necessary to improve productivity and maximize profit in your business. Once you adopt this software, you will realize an immediate decline in the expenses related to service delivery. With customizable dashboards, measuring success is a breeze.

Contact us to learn how ServiceDemand can enhance your business performance.

An In-Depth Look at Modern Service Software

Posted by & filed under Field Service Management.

Field service software has come a long way in the past few years. The right platform can help even small businesses improve and optimize their activities on a daily basis, managing field staff while tracking performance, and even improving customer relations.

Historically, non-enterprise businesses have been hesitant to leverage this type of software for fear of complexity and cost. Modern service software, though, can be just as beneficial for even the smallest operations as it would be for major companies with 100+ employees.

Put differently, field service management software may just be what puts your HVAC, plumbing, roofing, electrical, or appliance repair business over the top. That’s especially true in the current environment, which has caused many businesses to revamp their daily practices to remain safe while providing excellent field service. Join us for an in-depth look at what modern software has to offer, and how you can benefit from it.

What, Exactly, is Field Service Management Software?

The basic definition is simple: field service management (FSM) software describes any platform that helps this type of business optimize their business activities. That might include scheduling, quoting and billing, customer relationship management, and even performance monitoring. 

At its best, this type of software offers significant benefits in the field service industry, ranging from increased efficiency to reduced operating costs and more. There’s even a case to be made that every business needs field service software.

4 Timely Benefits of Modern Service Software

As mentioned above, we’ve discussed the general benefits of modern service software in previous articles in this space. So let’s dive deeper into the four advantages that remain true regardless of the time, but have become especially beneficial during the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting change in business operations.

1) Transition to Paperless Operations

The field service business traditionally relies heavily on the paper trail. Fliers and postcards can promote its offerings and promotions, while quotes, invoices, bills, and other printed materials drive the functional side of customer communications. The right platform, though, moves these communications to a digital alternative.

Through field service software, you can launch email-based communication plans to promote your business and reach your customers. Meanwhile, you can integrate paperless billing and scheduling that further reduces paper-based touchpoints. Through the right apps and programs, you can effectively stay in touch with your customers and send important notes without relying on printing and mailing.

That’s especially relevant in light of current COVID-19 research, which suggests that the virus may survive for a limited time on paper surfaces. Moreover, going paperless can be a significant cost-saver in a time when budgets in the service industry are becoming tighter. With the right FSM software, you can minimize risks while improving your balance sheet.

2) Engage in Contactless Payments

Naturally, service businesses have taken pains in recent months to avoid close-proximity contacts with their customers to reduce the possibility of infection on either side. Contactless payments can play a major role in reducing these close contracts and increasing safety.

Traditionally, most field service operations have accepted payment in one of two ways;

  • In-person, with cash, a check, or a credit card handed from customer to employee. This poses a major potential safety risk.
  • Remotely, with the customer providing credit card numbers that an employee on the other side of the line can add to the computer. This poses a major data security risk.

FSM software offers a third alternative: the ability to pay via email or text, keeping both information and people safe. The payment occurs and is logged in real-time, without engaging in any of the above risks.

3) Leverage Modern Collaboration Tools

The close contact conundrum mentioned above also comes into play when service personnel has to work in a customer’s house or apartment. In that case, it’s almost impossible to avoid close contact with someone else’s property, leading to significant health risks.

Now, imagine a platform in which you can use modern collaboration tools to avoid some of these concerns, without losing on your business’s customer service or efficiency. With the right FSM software, you can use platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams to communicate with customers without having to share a room.

These collaboration tools, of course, offer significant benefits beyond the current pandemic as well. Being able to video chat with your customers means potentially reducing the need for an in-person visit, solving simple problems remotely and reserving physical appointments for more dire situations.

4) Integrate Safety Checks

As mentioned above, a necessary part of the modern service business has become ensuring the safety of operations on the still-necessary visits. Even with collaboration tools like video chats, some of these visits will remain essential. Modern service software, though, allows for a more protected operation thanks to safety check opportunities.

The communication in this case is internal. Platform operators can build reminders into individual service events, reminding their technicians to stock and wear PPE gear. Other reminders can mention the need for social distancing, as well as following other best practices that the pandemic has made necessary.

How to Find the Right Field Service Management Software

All four of the above benefits are both timely and lasting. While they undeniably apply in the current conditions, they also have long-term value in a variety of situations. Of course, that’s only the case if you can find field service management software that’s optimized for your business.

Finding that software depends on your situation. You can ease the process, however, by asking a few questions that narrow down the selection:

  • What’s your budget, and can you find software within your budget range?
  • How experienced are you with running software for your service business, and how complex could the software be for an easy implementation?
  • What features are necessary, or at least desired, to improve your operations? Some research on typical features can go a long way towards answering this question.

With these three variables in mind, you can find FSM software specifically designed to improve your business, both now and in the long-term future. You’ll reap the rewards of finding a platform that helps you both modernize and optimize your operations.

How to Grow Your Business as a Service Provider

Posted by & filed under Field Service Management.

If there’s one universal truth about entrepreneurship, it’s that no success tip or strategy applies equally for all businesses. Unfortunately, most are geared towards companies that deal with tangible products. As a service-based business owner, you are likely aware that even when such ideas apply to your company, it’s somewhat different.

When it comes to generating steady revenue, the rules are different for product-based and service-based companies. A business that sells a physical product can focus on quality, branding, and aggressive marketing. However, for service businesses, that alone is not sufficient. Whereas a product-based company can easily target a global market and thrive on one-off sales, service companies rely on repeat business.

As such, developing a rapport with customers is essential. Do you run a service-based business such as an HVAC, appliance repair, or plumbing company? Read on for some insightful strategies that will help grow your business.

1. Establish Credibility

One of the key elements of scaling a business is building credibility with your audience. However, with the uniqueness of the service industry, startups often find themselves in a tough position. Compared to products where one can buy to test, it’s not the same with services.

For someone to hire a plumbing company, they want to know that the company is qualified and reliable. Therefore, it is essential to start building credibility from the onset. Here are some of the ways you can establish credibility to grow your business: 

  • Demonstrate integrity. As a service company, experience greatly influences how much people are willing to hire you. However, the easiest way to show you are reliable despite lacking experience is by being transparent. Do not shy away from your experience and be open about how your company is run and what it stands for.
  • Demonstrate your capacity. It’s one thing to say you are good at what you do, and it’s a totally different thing when your customers endorse you. As you start, focus on going above and beyond to satisfy your customers. With each client, request them to do a video testimonial recommending your business. If need be, offer them a discount on your next service. This will not only earn you a good review but also a second chance of making a good impression on them.

2.  Capitalize on Word-of-Mouth Marketing

In order to increase your customer base, you must develop a marketing strategy that reaches and appeals to your target audience. Today, technology-based platforms account for the largest proportion of marketing efforts. As a startup or small business, you may not have enough funds to run a comprehensive online marketing campaign.

This, however, is not to say that you cannot market your company. You can grow your client list with good old-fashioned word-of-mouth marketing, which is especially effective for service-based companies. Prepare both physical and digital business cards and brochures. Armed with these, make it a point to attend events where your ideal customers will be. These could be industry-related networking events or even community events. Interact with people and let them know the services that you offer. This is a long-term yet effective way to grow your business.

Depending on your budget, try supporting a local cause and organizing an event around it. This will be a subtle yet effective way of announcing your brand. The good thing with word-of-mouth marketing is that your happy clients and prospects who like your pitch will automatically become your marketers.

Word-of-mouth marketing may seem a little bit outdated, but the results it offers are unquestionable. According to a Nielsen report, suggestions from family and friends are more believable than adverts. With word-of-mouth marketing, all you need to do is sharpen your PR skills and take the initiative to go where your clients are.

Social media platforms can also serve as an excellent platform to cultivate high-quality referrals. As you use your pages to engage with your customers, be sure to post helpful content. If you are in the HVAC sector, you can post content highlighting some of the causes of HVAC problems. This way, your audience will slowly identify you as an industry leader.

3. Use Employee Tracking Tools

Critical to your company’s success is the productivity of your employees, which goes down to engagement levels and process efficiency. According to a Gallup report, American organizations lose up to $7 trillion annually due to productivity deficiencies. 

As a service business, your personnel will be required to travel to different locations to handle client needs. Dispatchers must assign projects in a way that enhances productivity. A task that is easier said than done when relying on manual processes.

Fortunately, there are employee tracking tools that you can rely on to help grow your business. With such tools, dispatchers will know the location of each of the teams on the ground. This will make it easier to assign tasks more efficiently, enabling on-ground personnel to serve more clients.

Other benefits of employee tracking software include:

  • Helps reduce unethical behavior
  • Easy to track employee attendance
  • Easier to issue assignments based on proficiency

Field service management software vary in capabilities. It is, therefore, essential to choose one that can adequately meet your needs. Some of the factors to consider include:

  • Tracking capabilities that also alert customers which of your staff is coming and at what time
  • Automated reminders via text and email for scheduled checkups
  • Built-in email templates for sending bulk emails
  • Ability to connect directly to technicians via call instead of going through dispatchers

4. Use Mobile Payment Technology

As other industries transition to offering remote solutions, some processes must be carried out manually in the service industry. This, however, is no excuse for not embracing technological innovations in other areas of the business. One of the solutions that your customers will appreciate is the ability to make payments digitally.

The digital payments industry is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12% till 2023 when it will be worth $6.7 trillion.  As such, offering digital payment options will soon, if not already, be a bare minimum expectation from clients. Along with the convenience you offer customers, you will also benefit from easier accounting.

Other benefits of digital payments include:

  • Saves time
  • It’s more hygienic
  • Easily traceable

5. Create a Unique Brand Personality

As a business grows, it needs to have a distinct persona that clients can relate to and is easily identifiable. It increases familiarity and demonstrates growth and reliability, boosting loyalty among your existing customers while attracting new ones. Unfortunately, this is one of the areas where businesses fail.

By presenting your brand consistently on all platforms, you can see revenue spikes of up to 23%. The key to creating a strong brand is determining what your company stands for and how you want to be perceived. Do you want your brand to be a beacon of strength and reliability or one that’s jovial and casual yet dependable? These are some of the things to consider when creating your brand, and getting them right will give you a boost as you aim to grow your business.

Your persona and the values you represent should be similar to the values your ideal customers hold. Data suggests that 89% of consumers in the US remain loyal to companies with values similar to theirs. Some of the elements that make a brand strong include uniqueness, a solid philosophy, quality, and a clear message. As you choose your brand persona, consider an appropriate color as it will play a significant role in recognition. 

Some of the benefits of a strong brand include:

  • Makes you easily recognizable even in saturated markets
  • Increases your credibility
  • Makes it easy to introduce new services
  • Increases customer loyalty
  • Attracts talent

6. Step Up Your Digital Marketing Efforts

Even with the best services in the industry, customers will not just walk in. It’s important to develop a marketing strategy that will create awareness of your services. Fortunately, with the internet, you can reach just about anyone you want.

There are different ways to promote your service business online. You can use a website, blog, social media posts, and even online ads. Each has its own unique benefits. The good thing with online marketing is that costs can be low to nonexistent, and you can increase your budget as your business grows. Additional benefits include:

  • Easy to track performance
  • Allows you to target ideal customers
  • High conversion rates with the right strategy
  • Cheaper in comparison to traditional forms of marketing

Though blogs take time before bringing tangible results, they’re arguably the most effective and reliable tools in the long run. This is because 70% of internet users prefer learning about services and products via content. As your blog grows, you can try other online marketing strategies that can bring immediate results. Good examples include:

  • Pay per click (PPC) ads
  • Paid adverts on social media

Do Not Compromise on Efficiency. Start Growing Your Business Today!

Managing (and growing) a service-based business requires a lot of work as there are many moving parts. Fortunately, there are many tools you can use to simplify such processes and allow you to focus on growth strategies. Key among them is field service management software.

ServiceDemand is a company that offers field management solutions suitable for service-based businesses. Contact us today to find out how our tools can help grow your business.

Why Your Business Needs Field Management Software

Posted by & filed under Field Service Management.

What do you want when your service professionals—full-time, part-time, preferred contractor, general contractor—go into the field to serve a customer? Here at ServiceDemand, we have devoted a lot of hours to build a top-of-the-line field management software that addresses your answers to that question. We think that your answers might be something like this:

  • To be confident that our customer, from the first contact to invoice payment, will feel the job is completely under control—and that the results show it.
  • To be confident that our service professionals have the best job planning, tools, and support every time they go out, and the entire time they are out.
  • To be confident that we are not only on top of each service visit but aware of our whole team and operation all day.
  • To deliver the best service and meet our highest standards, even while we reduce costs through efficient management of everything from scheduling, to project planning, to on-the-job back-up, to parts management.

These are some cardinal goals and functional targets that have driven our creation of a state-of-the-art field management platform. This cloud-based system enables business owners or managers to plan, schedule, and execute the delivery of services to clients. The goal is the delivery of services that are uniform, repeatable, and professional while driving cost benefits through better labor management.

It can be useful to view ServiceDemand as a platform technology, which has been called the fourth computer revolution. Platform technology is not conceived in terms of performing specific functions, however many, complex, and useful they may be. Platform technology mediates an end-to-end process that empowers and improves the experiences of customers, employees, contractors, and managers. Data intake, machine learning, and an analytical engine are just a few core tools that are integrated to achieve the goals of management empowerment, productivity, and satisfaction of all users. Platform technology is an entirely new operating model for business that catalyzes a changing mindset, organization, and operating methodology. 

Features of ServiceDemand Field Management Software 

Our field management software enables service organizations of every kind and size to integrate these core interconnected tasks in real-time:

Customer Management

From the first contact to sales follow-up, ServiceDemand supports the management of your relationship with every customer through invoicing, a follow-up to monitor satisfaction, and a repeat customer relationship. 

Whether you’re in HVAC, plumbing, or other service business, you are on top of every job as it develops and moves through to completion. You can complete and send job estimates in minutes with products and services already line items on the form. And then, the job estimate becomes the initial outline of the job itself. 

And how about managing your workforce, scheduling service visits, and assigning jobs with estimated compensation, if appropriate? For your customer seeking an estimate to compare several options, or to compare repair with replacement, you can usually generate an estimate with a few clicks, including options within these estimates. Our field management software also allows you to recreate or store options, apply options to one or more jobs, and help to create custom proposals, even multi-document proposals.

Schedule & Dispatch

Customer management is supported by schedule and dispatch on ServiceDemand to make the most efficient use of every service professional’s day and manage your across-the-company logistics. The customer gets the service when promised and workers’ travel time is reduced for the greatest productivity. You can view the schedule of your full-time and part-time workers as well as that of preferred and general contractors over all relevant periods.

Real-Time Communication

The support that you want your workers on the job to enjoy—so that problems are solved on the spot—is facilitated by real-time communication among employees across the organization. Our field management software comes with all necessary apps to link your system with every mobile device out in the field all day long. The expertise of all your employees is potentially available to empower every individual employee so your organization can deliver the best service uniformly, repeatably, and reliably. Our field service management software enables service professionals to receive and manage jobs on their smartphones or tablets wherever they are. This reduces paperwork and also minimizes the need for field works to visit the home office.

Job Planning

Job planning features that call upon ServiceDemand’s analytical capabilities are available to set up major jobs for success by defining required time, steps and stages, personnel, and other assets. Problems are anticipated and the entire team is informed. Then, you stay on top of the job—and every job—in real-time. When it comes to single or consolidated multiple jobs that need to be converted to invoices and translated into check, cash, or credit card payment, a single click handles it with your built-in payment gateway.

Parts Management

Just as you want the required plans and personnel on the job when scheduled, you want no delays caused by missing parts or waiting for parts delivery—needs that workforce management software helps you to anticipate with order control, delivery control, and inventory control. Like every feature of ServiceDemand, parts management brings it all together to reduce waste and boost productivity. Costs and pricing are recorded as part of the across-the-board monitoring of your operation that ServiceDemand enables.

Contractor Management

The contractors you use, including suppliers, have what they need through ServiceDemand to fit seamlessly in your company’s project design plans, scheduling, project timetables, quality control procedures, reporting, and billing—to name just a few. Contractors are used with optimal efficiency where they are needed and when they are needed. You track their time on the job, billing, and performance record.

A platform for the life of every company

The power and potential for increased profitability of these features are available to your company whatever your industry and your field service management challenges. ServiceDemand is ready out-of-box to begin to bring your entire field operation under enhanced control. Because ServiceDemand is completely scalable, it works with any size company from a small local service outfit seeking maximum productivity to a nationwide multi-site operation with hundreds of employees, contractors, and customers that is ready for the next gains in efficiency, cost control and profits, customer satisfaction, and staff motivation and performance. There is no such thing as a service company too small to benefit from ServiceDemand—but as you grow, the platform readily scales up with you.

Because ServiceDemand is hosted by the Heroku cloud platform as a service (PaaS) with scalability supported by Amazon Web Services (AWS), your company needs no special servers or other hardware. If you have internet access, ServiceDemand is ready to get online right now.

For example, you don’t have to integrate our software with CRMs, ERPs, or ticketing platforms because ServiceDemand is a web-hosted SaaS platform. You do have the option of integrating with other systems, but ServiceDemand is fully functional on its own.

Why? Consider a few additional capabilities of ServiceDemand:

  • Job Photo Upload right from your job site using any mobile device connected with ServiceDemand. And then archive these photos from the job site to be available to customers or your own technicians as needed.   
  • Fleet Tracking around the clock on ServiceDemand shows you where your vehicles are at all times. Monitoring can even help to influence better driving by your employees and make a record of trip history. The GPS feature of ServiceDamand makes it all obvious on your screen.  
  • Payment Processing is efficient and easy on ServiceDemand with an all-in-one payment platform designed specifically for service contractors. It enables you to manage your finances and cash flow, for example, in a unified system. The same functionality can handle monitoring of daily office activity, the hours your staff has worked, and, of course, your workforce in the field. Checking in and out and filling out time-based payroll reports is automatic.  
  • Programming your email makes effective communication with customers possible. Send the emails needed at the right time by the right people. You can segment your email list to reach customers who need the same communication at the same time.  
  • Uploading, sharing, and organizing your paperwork (documents) combines the functionality of your files and cloud content to let your team upload, share, and organize documents and folders relevant to their needs.

See Our Field Management Software in Action

Some of the world’s most successful companies use ServiceDemand to manage their thriving, active field services. Our staff would be pleased to demonstrate our field service management software’s features, ease of use, and exciting potential at any time. Just get in touch with us to schedule your free personal demonstration of the proven capabilities of ServiceDemand. We guarantee you an eye-opening experience in the innovative application of our platform to meet the challenging demands of a service company like yours. The first step is to reach out. So let our team give you a detailed tutorial of ServiceDemand’s features and capabilities.

Be sure to check back here on the ServicesDemand blog regularly for information, insights, and updates on the challenges of field management. We’ll also keep you posted on new features of our software to keep supporting our customers and future customers.

5 Reasons Why You Need Field Service Software

Posted by & filed under Field Service Management.

From the earliest days of business computing, software has made the way we work more efficient. Companies who adopt these new software tools gain a competitive advantage over those who don’t. We are far removed from the days when simple spreadsheets revolutionized the way we work, but software is still giving early adopters an advantage over the competition. Today’s field service environment is no exception. Businesses in the field service industry now have powerful software at their disposal that will allow their entire operation to run more transparently and efficiently than before. Adopting a field service management solution will allow your business to remain competitive as such software becomes more commonplace. Let’s take a look at what field service software is and what it can do for you.

What Does Field Service Software Do?

There are many moving parts to a modern field service operation. From creating the initial estimates to assigning workers and tracking their progress, through to invoicing the customer and accepting payment, field service management software takes control of these moving parts. By becoming an all-in-one solution for the unique needs of the field service industry, and by combining modern technologies and algorithms, field service software can improve the efficiency of your operation and provide you with actionable insights about how your business functions.

In the same way that accounting software became like an extra employee, helping to automate and make sense of a business’s finances, field service management (FSM) software is like an extra employee doing all the hard work of managing your field service operations. It automates complex decisions and unifies all the relevant information about your business into one convenient platform. Good FSM software will also integrate nicely with existing CRMS, ERPs, or other software tools a business may use in order to make further automation possible.

5 Reasons Your Business Needs Field Service Software

Now that you have a general overview of FSM software is, let’s take a look at some reasons you need to incorporate it into the technology stack at your business. 

1. Optimize workforce utilization

The traveling salesman problem is a well-known optimization question designed to find the quickest route between a set of cities. When calculated by humans, it serves little purpose in the field service industry. Unlike the cities in the traveling salesman problem, you don’t know the places your workforce will need to travel to ahead of time. Instead, you must adapt on the fly and dispatch your workforce to incoming jobs as best you can. Just as computers can calculate the traveling salesman problem nearly instantly, FSM software can find the optimal workforce scheduling and dispatch orders so your employees spend more time helping customers and less time traveling. These workforce optimizations mean more money in your business’s bank account at the end of the day.

2. Increase bottom line

A more properly utilized workforce isn’t the only way FSM software will help keep money in your bank account. Managing a field service company spans across a wide range of disciplines, and FSM tools are there to help with all of them. With a quality FSM solution, you’ll be able to more effectively manage inventory on parts, keep your assets properly maintained and running at peak performance, recommend high-performing upsells to customers, and benefit from automation across every aspect of your company that will lead to a more productive workforce.

Aside from problems that are specific to field service, good FSM solutions also cover state-of-the-art business intelligence tools that will make it easier for your management team to understand how the business is operating and which areas need to be improved.

3. Standardize the customer experience

For branding purposes, it is best if every customer has the same experience, or close to the same experience as possible. You don’t want some reviews praising you for doing one thing and others complaining that you didn’t do that thing. With every field service agent drawing from the same mobile software, driven by the powerful analytics of an FSM system, they’ll know exactly which products should be recommended, which maintenance plans are available for each customer, and which procedures should be followed when talking to the customer. Field service software takes the guesswork out of being a field service worker so your employees can focus on what they do best: solving customer problems.

4. Provide contactless customer care

Contactless care is a requirement during a pandemic, but even beyond that, it is a more efficient way to work with customers. When everyone can deal with paperwork on their own time, nobody is inconvenienced. With contactless customer care powered by your FSM software, you’ll be able to send quotes to a customer’s device. From there, they’ll be able to accept the quote and even sign off on completed work and complete a post-job survey all without having to deal with an in-person employee. Perhaps more importantly to the customer experience, the tools will tell them exactly what to expect when their field service worker arrives and who that worker will be. This is of great benefit to both the customer and your workers, as everyone will be on the same page when it is time for the work to begin.

5. Centralize information

Having a single software solution that brings together previously disparate parts of your operation has the added benefit of bringing all your information into one centralized location. This means more information for data-hungry machine learning algorithms that power today’s business software. It also means that you’ll be able to generate reports with more information and do so much quicker than you could before. Perhaps the greatest benefit of having all your information in one place is that it makes getting an overview of your operation much easier. The dashboards of your field service management software will give you information on all aspects of your business, aiding in greater transparency and more informed business decisions. 

The software will also let you know how long each employee takes to perform a given task and give you other meaningful analytics that will provide transparency into your business. To give one example, you may discover that one employee routinely takes two hours to do something that everyone else finishes in one. This could mean that the employee needs further training on that task. Getting them that training will help improve their efficiency and increase the productivity of your team as a whole.

ServiceDemand’s Field Service Solution

As an exploding industry, there are now many field service management solutions on the market. As industries around the world adapt to the fourth industrial revolution, brought about by the power of big data and machine learning, field service professionals are looking to do the same. ServiceDemand is a high-quality FSM solution that will give you the powerful features you need to streamline your field service business and increase revenue. Let’s take at just a few of the things ServiceDemand can do for you:

Customer management — Customer relations are a big part of a business’s success. ServiceDemand will be there from the initial contact to the payment of the invoice. You’ll always be able to see at a glance where in the process a customer is and have complete control over everything you need to ensure that customer’s satisfaction right from within the dashboard.

Contractor management — Part of running an efficient operation that keeps customers happy is dealing with contractors. ServiceDemand provides the same level of management for dealing with contractors that it does for dealing with customers. You can find everything you need to build and maintain successful relationships with your contractors is all in one place. 

Parts and asset management — Your field workers can’t be effective without the parts and tools they need to do their jobs. ServiceDemand keeps the parts you need in stock, without the needless expense of overstocking, with automated control over orders, inventory, and deliveries. Any tools or assets that need servicing are tracked, and reminders are sent so there’s no avoidable downtime. 

Automated scheduling and dispatch — With field workers traveling around your area on jobs that take various amounts of time, it isn’t always easy to know the best employee to dispatch to a job. ServiceDemand will use advanced algorithms to maximize the efficiency of each of your field workers on an individual level and better manage logistics company-wide.

Complex job planning — From creating the first proposal to receiving the final invoice, a lot of planning goes into doing a job right. Regardless of how complex a job is, ServiceDemand will help you break it down into manageable chunks and then track it as each stage progresses. Throughout the job, powerful analytics will aid you in making decisions and automate tedious processes for you so you can spend more time wowing your customers.

Mobile device support — With all your employees connected to the system and able to interact with it through mobile devices while they are out in the field, you’ll cut down on paperwork and give everyone in the company the ability to instantly communicate needs and problems with anyone else. All this in real-time using a platform that empowers you to meet those needs and solve those problems.

6 Key Benefits of Field Service Management Software

Posted by & filed under Field Service Management.

Let’s face it. 

Only a few companies can remain competitive in today’s field service environment without proper management of costs, resources, and time.

Despite this fact, a whopping 52% of service-centric companies still coordinate tasks and manage functions manually. 

Up until this moment, your business might have survived with manual paperwork, processes, and calling every other on-site employee when you need a task done ASAP. However, today’s picky and tech-savvy customers want more—they expect their jobs done quicker and with minimal hassle.

A field service management software (aka workforce management tool) can help automate your business for superior customer service, greater operation efficiency, and of course, more profitability.

But First… What Is Field Service Management Software?

Field service management (FSM) software is, by definition, a tool that makes it easy for service-centric enterprises to supercharge their productivity and achieve their project goals.

It does this by delivering exceptional on-site service through personnel management, request tracking, and enabling total visibility of the service delivery cycle.

Typical features of a workforce management tool include:

  • Work order management
  • Smart routing
  • Inventory control
  • Real-time analytics and reporting
  • Scheduling and dispatch
  • Fleet tracking

Are you still lost in the maze of FSM? Picture this… 

Every morning your technicians report to work and collect the day’s schedule. They check the inventory for the tools and parts needed, receive them, and fill the necessary paperwork before getting on the road. This, of course, translates to hours of manual coordination.

What about the data they need when they are on-site? Are they still carrying around bulky files for each customer they serve? Your technicians are also liable for most of the tools being used—and you want to keep track of them as well. You want total oversight on what job is being handled, how long it takes, where it is happening, and the materials being utilized. 

Juggling all this through countless spreadsheets, ticking off the inventory, and updating time logs can be incredibly painstaking. 

Luckily, field service management software comes in to streamline things—from invoicing and inventory control to routing and scheduling—all on one, multifaceted platform.

By adopting this software, SMBs (HVAC, roofers, locksmiths, electricians, appliance repair, etc.) can reap multiple benefits. Below are six of the most important benefits of a workforce management tool.

Outstanding Benefits of Using Field Service Management Software

1. Faster Completion of Tasks

As a stakeholder in the field service industry, you know that every minute counts. For instance, the less time your technicians spend looking for optimal routes, the more invoiceable hours they’ll have on hand to complete more jobs. 

Just how long does it take your business to schedule operations or map out preferred routes? A lot of time, right? Field management software like ServiceDemand modernizes your administrative tasks so your team can complete tasks quicker and more efficiently. 

The best part? When all of your business data is connected and housed in one location, the time it takes to fulfill jobs involving that data is lowered significantly. This translates to improved efficiency, as customers will have their needs sorted out promptly. 

2. Reduces Operating Costs

From reducing hardcopy paperwork to managing work orders and optimizing routes, FSM software like ServiceDemand can help you save money across the board. 

Think about all the cash your on-field workers spend on paper and printing along with scanning, storage, and filing—all things related to document organization. Simply shifting to a fully automated system for your field service operations can help save you a good chunk of change. 

On top of that, a workforce management tool helps cut down on travel expenses. With well-defined routes and fewer return trips to the head office as a result of smart scheduling, you’ll save on fuel and servicing for your fleet.

Outreach and sales expenses will also be trimmed since technicians will find it easier to communicate with clients, typically while still on-site, regarding things such as satisfaction, billing, and appointments. 

3. Remote Operation of the System

Like any other management solution, FSM software can be operated remotely. This means employees, contractors, partners, and admins can operate it anywhere and in real-time. 

Gone are the days when field days were characterized by repeat trips to the HQ, canceled appointments, and unsatisfied customers. With an FSM solution, your technicians will have easy and timely access to vital data regarding customers and tasks wherever they are. Plus, they can operate the software from any mobile device. 

ServiceDemand takes things a notch higher in this regard; all stakeholders in the service cycle will have their work cut out for them. They will be able to operate the system quite easily, using the browser as if they were in the office. They’ll no longer need to access it through a private network or a VPN. They’ll only need their browser—on whichever device—and an internet connection. Talk about convenience!

4. Brings Teams, Customer, and the Project Together

In any field service business, employees and customers are both parts of a common project. Though both exist independently, they contribute to the same organization goal—that of growing the bottom-line. In our case, the FSM software is the glue that holds them together.

It isn’t easy to succeed in any service project without meeting customer expectations fully. In the same vein, it is difficult for teams to meet customer expectations without the right tools. 

Thankfully, a field management software like ServiceDemand brings every aspect of the project under one location. This allows teams to harness only the information they need to fulfill service appointments on the get-go. Fast turnaround times, in turn, ensures that customers are satisfied at every stage of the project. As you well know, happy clients translate to a happy team and a successful project in the long haul.

5. Allows a Deeper Understanding of the Business

Up to this moment, you might still be in the dark on what is happening in every phase of your service delivery. 

How many tasks were scheduled for the day? How many were fulfilled? Are there open times? Are there any return appointments? How much time was spent on moving from one location to the other? 

Understanding loopholes allows you to respond quickly, solve the weaknesses, and improve the service process.

Decisions like these can only be made right and on a timely basis if you have a holistic view of the business, and that is exactly what an FSM software enables you to do.

6. Makes the Most of GPS Tracking

Many FSM tools can track your technicians’ routes through cutting-edge GPS signals. This is particularly beneficial if you have a technician who is en route to a customer, is not where they ought to be, or simply lost. This technology can alert the HQ when a technician has arrived at or left a job site.

Moreover, if you have an emergency request and need a technician to re-route, your workforce management system can display the locations of all your technicians, so it’s easy to choose the most convenient technician for the new request.

Rethinking Field Service Management

The FSM market is growing at a dizzying rate. It is currently worth around $3.5 billion and is expected to hit the $5.9 billion mark by 2024. 

It’s pretty clear why there’s a sudden and widespread interest in Field Service Management solutions. After all, technology is advancing, and field service businesses are scrambling to gain a foothold on this incredible software. Which entrepreneur doesn’t love the idea of optimizing the available resources while ensuring customer satisfaction and generating profits? None.

The truth is, modern field service apps eliminate the bottlenecks that often derail businesses. They unleash new communications and management capabilities that business owners have long yearned for. Now more than ever, technology breaks down data and operational barriers between teams, all while improving customer service and general efficiency. So, it makes perfect sense why the field service management sector is growing at breakneck speed.

Perhaps it’s time to automate your field service business? We all know that there are so many software solutions to help with service automation—whether partial or full. 

A brilliant example is ServiceDemand, which helps manage your technicians, partners, and contractors seamlessly. From a computer or the palm of your hand, you can gain complete oversight over your entire service cycle. Not only does ServiceDemand help you streamline end-to-end work order management but it also provides options for one-touch routing and scheduling, all in an easy to use dashboard. 

The Key Takeaway

It’s becoming increasingly important for SMBs to adopt workforce management software. With every sector pivoting towards automation, your business cannot afford to rest on its laurels.

Data-driven and efficient service delivery through an FSM solution can prove the difference between you and your competitors.

The field service management software is no longer an optional add-on but a must-have tool for you to thrive in the fiercely competitive market. 

Want to learn how your business can reap these benefits? Contact us today, and let us be part of your success story!