Category: Blog

It doesn’t matter what business you’re in; customer retention is vital to your success. It leads to future business opportunities and is also much cheaper than attempting to bring in new customers. In fact, recent studies show that acquiring a new customer actually costs approximately five times more than retaining an existing one. The overall success rate of selling to a customer you’ve already done business with is approximately 60 to 70% as compared to attempting to sell to a new customer which results in a success rate between 5 and 20%. So, how can you improve your customer retention rates? Through the use of customer portals in the field service.

 

What are Customer Portals?

The customer portal is essentially a profile that your customer can use to do several different things, including:

  • Directly contact your customer service team
  • Review past services
  • Schedule future appointments, etc.

Having these customer portals in the field service industry is essential because they give your customers direct access to something that customers nowadays demand from all businesses they choose to work with. In fact, when it comes to customer service expectations, approximately 75% of all customers expect to receive a quick response when they put in a request or inquiry for something.

Now, these customer portals do more than just give customers access to your team members. They are also an excellent way to get to know more about your customers and their needs. That’s because most customer portals allow the individual to customize their profile with more than just their name but information such as personal preferences. Finally, once they’ve started doing business with you, both you and they have a full record of their past completed services, allowing you to gather important information about what your customers turn to you for the most.

So, aside from getting to know who your customers are and opening up a channel for direct communications, how can customer portals help improve customer retention in the field service industry?

 

Four Ways Customer Portals Help Improve Customer Retention in the Field Service Industry

Customer retention in the field service industry requires a brand to pay special attention to its customer’s needs. Why? Because success in the field service industry relies entirely on customer satisfaction. So, what are the benefits of customer retention in the field service industry?

1. Adds Convenience for Your Customers

Arguably one of the most beneficial aspects of having a customer portal is that It makes things convenient for your customers. Whether they need to set up an appointment or review cost breakdowns of a previous project, having a customer portal makes it easier to find what they need and complete various tasks in a matter of minutes and without having to go out of their way or spend hours on hold waiting for a customer service representative. Instead, they have everything they need at the tip of their fingertips.

Customers are willing to pay premium prices for convenience, especially when it comes to the field service industry. Approximately 43% of consumers have stated that they would pay more for greater convenience. Consumers want things done when they need them done, and having to sit around and wait just convinces them that they should turn their attention elsewhere.

This is where customer portals come in. By giving your customers direct access to various tasks, such as scheduling, they have the power to make decisions. Depending on the business, customers can choose not only the service they need help with but the time they need it done, and oftentimes they can choose to work with a previous technician or opt to work with a new one depending on who’s available when they need their service completed.

2. Provides Customers with Access to Important Information

Customer portals can also be a wealth of knowledge for your clients. Customer portals don’t have to be limited to just the client’s history with you. When it comes to customer retention in the field service industry, including relevant content within your customer portals such as FAQ or recent blog postings can prove extremely beneficial to your brand.

How? Your customers are bound to have plenty of questions that they’re going to need answers to. So, instead of making them search the internet for those answers, you could be providing your customers with those answers right in their portals. This shows that you care about the needs of your customers and that you are an authority figure within your industry.

Authority is crucial in customer retention and customer loyalty. The more authoritative your brand is within the industry, the more likely your current customers are to encourage others to seek out your services as well. That means having customer portals helps improve your customer loyalty in the field service industry and could very well lead to improved lead generation rates.

3. Provides Complete Transparency

Now, you already understand just how important it is to give your customers access to information they need. However, when it comes to customer retention in the field service industry, you also want to make sure that the information you’re providing them with is relevant to their needs and allows you to be completely transparent with them.

Transparency, in this case, means being open and honest with your customers about what’s going on with your brand, within the industry, etc.

Why is transparency important? Because customers not only expect that you attend to their needs but that you address things with them directly. If something comes up with your brand or within your industry, they want to know how it will affect them. Being transparent with them helps boost your authority. It will help them see you as an honest brand, one that isn’t afraid to be completely open and truthful about anything. This honesty will go a long way when it comes to customer retention, especially in the field service industry.

4. Improves Overall Customer Satisfaction Rates

Finally, with access to unlimited knowledge, brand transparency, and thanks to the convenience that customer portals provide, you’ll start to notice that your customer satisfaction rates also start to improve. This is because you’ve gone out of your way to give your clients access to everything they need.

The more satisfied your customers are, the more likely they are to do future business with you. Even better is the fact that they will be more likely to leave positive reviews on your website, social media platforms, and other service platforms, which will encourage others to seek out your business as well. In fact, research shows that approximately 79% of consumers trust online reviews just as much if not more than they do personal recommendations from a friend or family member.

Start Utilizing Customer Portals Today with FieldDirect

If you’re looking to improve your customer retention rates in the field service industry, then you want to consider utilizing customer portals. Not sure where to begin? Then consider FieldDirect from FieldConnect.

FieldDirect is a customer self-service portal that allows your customers to request services and track them. Not only that, but your customers will get direct access to their invoices, both past and present, and it gives them the convenience of scheduling services on their time.

Curious how FieldDirect could help improve your customer retention? Then contact us today for more information!

Technology is a wonderful thing—especially when it helps your bottom line. Technicians in various field service industries, at one point, used to have to visit a job site, take down project notes, and leave the customer waiting for days after their meeting to receive a project quote. This process was made even more challenging if the client decided to add extras throughout the project. Thanks to mobile quoting apps, technicians no longer have to deal with the back and forth between clients and the sales team.

How Do Mobile Quoting Apps Work?

Now, it’s important to note that not all mobile quoting apps are created equally. Some may have additional features or integrations that others do not. That said, many of these mobile quoting apps do work quite similarly. However, before we can jump into the mobile quoting process, it’s essential to review what a traditional quoting process looks like.

Traditional Project Quoting Process

A project quote is the breakdown of charges that will be involved in the completion of a project. This number should give your customers an idea of the total project costs and why the project costs what it does. This breakdown may include:

  • Estimated work hours
  • Cost of materials
  • Travel costs
  • Demolition costs, etc.

The process of drawing up a quote for your customer isn’t necessarily complicated. What made it challenging was the fact that it requires multiple parties to work together, and that meant it took several days for a quote to be created and then shared with the customer, who would then need to approve of it or request changes.

This was a time-consuming process because it required the field service technician to travel to the job site and speak with the customer about what they wanted. Once the technician had all their notes, they would need to travel back to the office and give the notes to the sales team, who would need time to assemble the necessary information to create the quote. Finally, once the quote was written up, it would need to be discussed with the client, and if they agreed, the project could begin. If they didn’t, then it was back to the drawing board—literally.

This process could become even more complicated if the customer decided to make changes partway through the project, as a new quote would need to be drawn up and agreed upon.

Digital Mobile Quoting Process

Thanks to technology, field service quoting has become much more streamlined. The digital mobile quoting process remains the same as the traditional process in that it requires:

  • Traveling/speaking to the client on the job site
  • Drawing together the project quote
  • The client agrees or asks for adjustments

Thanks to digital mobile quoting apps, this process is sped up significantly because technicians can access all relevant information via their app, allowing them to draw up a quote rather quickly. Even better, should they have questions, they can quickly contact someone in the sales department via the app and get the information they need.

This sped-up process allows the client to receive their project quote the same day and will enable them to ask questions about possible job add-ons as they go, since adding items to the quotes no longer requires having the sales team write up a totally new quote.

5 Ways Mobile Quoting Apps Can Help You Increase Your Sales

Sure, mobile quoting apps help you save time and money, but do they actually help you increase your overall sales? Absolutely.

For example, Tampa Bay Trane, a large Florida-based HVACR company, was able to grow its sales by using a mobile quoting app. While using this app over the span of two months, they increased their sales by approximately $25,000. Tim Barnes, General Manager of Tampa Bay Trane, stated that the results of implementing the mobile quoting app were rapid, and their team hasn’t looked back since.

So, what contributes to these sales increases? Here are five benefits of using a mobile quoting app that can help you increase your sales as well:

1. Draft/Approve Quotes from Anywhere

Unlike traditional quoting processes, utilizing a mobile quoting app allows your field technicians to draft up detailed quotes while on the job site and in the presence of customers. This allows the technician to show the client the initial quote, and should they not agree with it or want to ask about possible job add-ons, they can instantly make the changes.

Once the client is happy with the quote, most mobile quoting apps allow the client to approve the quote and sign off on it—all within a matter of hours (or less!).

2. All Required Information is Available on Your Device

Most mobile quoting apps often work in conjunction with other software. That allows your technician access to all the information they need to generate an accurate quote. This eliminates the need for waiting on other staff members to get technicians the answers or information they need, cutting down the time it takes to create a quote significantly—and in many cases, allowing the client to approve of the quote in the same day.

3. Improved Time Management with Instant Sales Quoting

With all the information needed to generate an accurate quote within your mobile quoting app, your technicians’ time management should also improve significantly. Since projects don’t begin same-day (in most cases), that means your technician can move from one customer to the next within a timely manner.

With device tracking available on most field service management apps, you can monitor how long it takes for a technician to complete a quote at each location, and should something come up and you’re noticing they are spending too much time in one location, you can ask them about it to see what is causing the holdup.

4. Close New Deals Faster

Working with an existing customer is often much simpler than trying to onboard a new one. When trying to close a new deal, your technicians not only need to be able to convince them that each step in the process is necessary, but that the cost is fair.

Mobile quoting apps allow you to break that information down for new clients quickly and easily, allowing them to make sense of the breakdown and approve of a quote once they are satisfied with the explanation.

5. Improved Customer Satisfaction

Speed and availability not only makes life easier for your technician, but helps you improve your customer’s overall satisfaction as well. For them, time is money, so the quicker the initial quoting process goes, the quicker the project can begin and be completed. When done swiftly and to the customer’s satisfaction, they’ll be more likely to return to your company for future projects and willing to recommend your brand to their friends and loved ones.

Make FieldConnect Your Go-To Mobile Quoting App

With FieldConnect’s FieldQuotes services, your technicians can quote add-on business while they are still on the job site. Even better, you can eliminate paper-based quotes while still ensuring that your technician’s quote complies with the pricing established in your ERP—minimizing back-office involvement and streamlining the entire quoting process.

Have questions about the many FieldConnect solutions available? Then contact us today for more information, or request your demo to experience it for yourself!

How Updated Technology Can Save Your Field Service Company Big

Within the field service industry, there are many moving parts. Technicians are out on calls, customers need quotes and invoices, and management has to keep track of it all. Paper methods of handling these pieces are becoming more and more outdated with new technological advances like AI and the Internet of Things, and industry leaders are taking advantage of some of the benefits.

Benefits extend beyond tracking moving pieces, covering such topics as risk management, sustainability, and customer self-service.

Sustainability

Sustainability is often confused with eco-friendly. While most sustainability solutions do help the planet, sustainability is defined as meeting our own societal needs while not comprising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Several factors go into sustainability, but some can be used by the field service industry.

Kindness for the Climate

Using such programs as route tracking can reduce the emissions from cars by cutting down driving time. This, in turn, reduces CO2 emissions and promotes a cleaner environment. Not only does route tracking reduce CO2, but it also reduces fuel consumption. This creates a smaller carbon footprint and improves the health of the environment as a whole.

Paper-Free Everything

The popularity of using online forms has skyrocketed with the use of tablets and smartphones. Gone are the days of using a punch card system to track hours for employees, thanks to software such as FieldAccess.

Customer invoices and orders are easily sent via email. Signatures for services are obtained on the spot and immediately uploaded to the appropriate server, and work orders are sent to and received by technicians with ease. All of these processes happen in minutes and are virtually hassle-free. Some services can even be performed offline, eliminating the worry of potentially unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

Less Asset Waste

With the development of the Internet of Things (more on that later!), predictive maintenance is becoming more and more common. In predictive maintenance, objects are equipped with smart sensors that recognize when they need maintenance. This leads to fewer trips by technicians into the field (incidentally also protecting the climate) and less waste from broken and non-repairable objects.

Cloud Capabilities

Instead of using a desktop that has a hard drive filled with files and a high energy bill, organizations are taking advantage of the Cloud, a wireless network where files can be stored and shared. This contributes to a paper-free environment, with forms and work orders able to be shared and sent by technicians right from the field. Techs can also access various work orders and send work records via the Cloud right to their superiors.

Portability

81% of Americans own some sort of smartphone.

The portability of these devices is part of their broad appeal, and industry leaders are capitalizing on it by using software like FieldGateway to send assignments to technicians—instead of having the techs come all the way back to the office for the details. Everything, including the address, services required, and quickest route to the call, is sent right to the technician’s phone or tablet.

Risk Management

Being in the field has its own risks, especially in more recent months during the spread of COVID-19. Trying to keep track of where technicians have been and who they have been in contact with is nearly impossible without the aid of technology. Not only can the pandemic be tracked, but technicians can also be warned ahead of time if they are heading into high-risk areas.

Risk Assessment

A huge part of risk management is prevention. Software companies will often offer a three-tier risk system (red, amber, and green), and using either basic or advanced assessment tools they will assign a color based on the level of danger in an area.

With a basic risk program, areas are only given a color rating. With a more advanced system, areas can be measured with various tools and given a more detailed safety rating.

COVID-19 Contact

Many companies offer COVID-19 tracking.  Technicians’ whereabouts are monitored, and if they fall sick, their superiors have a record of who they have been in contact with. This helps keep technicians out and working instead of stuck in quarantine.

Technicians can also see “hotspots”—areas where COVID has been more active—and prepare accordingly. Hotspots can be updated frequently in accordance with the numbers from the CDC.

Workers Compensation

Reporting injuries once required phone call after phone call, making sure your information was reported to the right person. Thanks to mobile apps, workers can almost immediately report when they’ve been hurt on a job site.

The birth of telemedicine also ushered in a whole new era of treatment and prevention. Being able to get on-site help from a nurse without needing to go to an in-person clinic is a great advantage, particularly for those constantly on the go in the field.

Your Bottom Line

The bottom line is the lifeblood of any company. Smart business leaders look for solutions to increase their bottom line and keep it there, but they don’t sacrifice customer or employee satisfaction. Technology is helping to keep everyone happy and coming back for business and work.

Faster Tools

Through the use of mobile applications developed specially for an organization, employees are able to access the tools and information they need for a job. Research has shown that 45% of field technicians say that their tools are just too slow, and 38% complain that they can’t access the right information. With the proper applications, devices, and software like FieldDirect, technicians have everything they might need right at their fingertips.

Fully Utilized Schedules (and More Jobs)

Mapping out the best routes to take to service calls not only helps the environment, but also the company’s profit. Thanks once again to mobile software, technicians can fill their days with jobs, leaving less themselves with less time in transit or sitting and waiting at an office.

Device tracking can also be used to find and notify technicians of nearby jobs, maximizing the tech’s workload while minimizing drive time. Less drive time means fewer repairs and lower fuel costs for company vehicles.

Customer Satisfaction

Communication is not only important between leaders and technicians, but also between organizations and customers. Using mobile software enables customers to see where their technician is, what services will be performed, and even a quote for the repairs or maintenance.

Some software programs allow customers to leave reviews or ratings for their technicians, boosting a company’s reputation and earning them possible new customers.

What Can We Learn from This?

While there are countless working pieces in a field service organization, advancing technologies have made it so much easier to track, predict, and solve issues within industries. Using the Cloud, going paperless, utilizing digital tools, and boosting sustainability is just the beginning of the advantages of using the newest technology.

Check out FieldConnect’s wide array of mobile software and help bring your industry to the future.

How to Extend your Instance of Vista by Viewpoint with FieldConnect

As a field service company, you already understand just how vital it is to have the right field service management software on hand to help you run your company efficiently.

While many field service management tools are available to choose from, finding a tool that integrates all your systems across multiple departments into a single, streamlined database can be quite challenging. If you’re on the lookout for a system that can do just that, then you’ll want to consider enhancing your current field service management system with Vista by Viewpoint.

What is Vista by Viewpoint?

Vista by Viewpoint is a well-known enterprise resource planning (ERP) software utilized in the construction industry and other related field service industries, such as landscaping, industrial cleaning, including those who sell and maintain a variety of home and building security systems.

An ERP software helps companies manage and integrate different parts of their business into a single software that is easily accessible by all who need it and often comes in the form of a mobile app. The Vista by Viewpoint ERP becomes your primary database where all your business’s current information is stored.

By integrating it with your current field service management app, it allows the synchronization of all your data, including your:

  • Work order management
  • PM contract management
  • Scheduling & dispatch processes
  • Field service mobility
  • Reports and analytics

These types of software are fundamental to those in the field service industry because it helps manage several different processes and streamlines them into a single process that can be completed while out on the job site.

8 Benefits of Utilizing an ERP System like Vista by Viewpoint

Deciding whether or not to invest in new software for your company can be a complicated process. Not only is learning how to use a new software time consuming, but it also can create frustrations amongst workers.

If you’re still on the fence about investing in an ERP system, such as Vista by Viewpoint, then you’ll want to review these eight benefits of integrating an ERP system with your current field service management setup:

1. Allows Your Technicians to Better Manage Their Time

One of the most frequently discussed benefits of ERP systems such as Vista by Viewpoint is that it allows your technicians to manage their time better and, therefore, increase their overall productivity. Instead of sitting idly by, your dispatch team can schedule your technicians in advance as your customers send job requests through their customer portal.

Once your technicians have their to-do list for the day, they’ll head to each job site and attend to the customer’s needs. Whether it’s an initial project quote or the completion of an ongoing job, your technicians will have access to all the necessary software for quickly putting a quote together and/or the necessary forms to be filled out after a project is completed. With direct access to this information, your workers will not be bogged down with unnecessary paperwork and can quickly and efficiently move from one project to the next.

2. Encourages the Automation of Common Workflows

As your field service business continues to grow, your operations are likely to become more complex. For example, the more in-demand your company becomes, the more technicians you’ll need to hire to meet those demands. With more technicians come more paperwork as they move through each of their necessary workflows.

To encourage your technicians’ productivity and keep them moving as efficiently as possible, they need their daily workflows optimized. To do this, you’ll want to invest in the automation of their most frequently used workflow, such as quoting and/or project completion reporting. Automation allows you to streamline these processes. When utilizing an ERP system, such as Vista by Viewpoint, these processes become 100% digital, removing the unnecessary complication of filling out, delivering, and organization of paperwork.

3. Speeds Up the Quoting Process with Mobile Quoting

One of the most time-consuming processes in the field service industry is the quoting process, especially if you have yet to upgrade from a traditional paper process to a digital quoting process.

What makes the traditional pen-and-paper quoting process so inefficient is that your technician must visit the job site, take note of all that needs to happen, and then deliver that information to your sales team. From there, the sales team must look up all the relevant information, price it all out, and return it to the technician, who then delivers the news to the customer. Typically, the client will then approve or disapprove of the breakdown. If they disapprove, the technician will need to revisit the sales team to have a new quote drawn out.

This entire process can last anywhere between a few days to an entire week, and that doesn’t include having to reevaluate a quote that your client disapproves of.

By switching over to an ERP system, all your technicians’ information is at the tip of their finger, literally. The right ERP integration will enable mobile quoting for your technician, allowing them to draft a quote for the customer without leaving the job site. It also enables your customer to sign off on any documentation required to get their project started, taking the quoting time from days to mere minutes.

4. Reduces Overall Operational Costs

With such an emphasis on automation and digitization of everyday tasks, field service companies utilizing an ERP system start to see significant savings regarding their overall operational costs. With less paperwork, there is less need for supplies to help complete said paperwork and then organize it.

During the past year, businesses witnessed a drastic need to cut costs wherever they could, and remote working options became more popular than ever before. With the right ERP system in place, you could effectively eliminate the need for your technicians and other staffers to come into the office, allowing them to work remotely and still get jobs accomplished on time.

5. Improved Customer Service and Satisfaction

While an ERP system can be extremely beneficial for your brand, it’s important to note that it can also prove beneficial to your customers, help you improve your overall customer service processes, and boost your customer satisfaction rates.

An ERP system that includes a customer portal allows your current customers instant access to you, allowing them to reach out to you as needed. This is important as consumers now expect timely, almost immediate responses from companies that they do business with. In fact, recent studies show that 75% of consumers expect a quick response time when they put in a request or have a question. Integrating an ERP system boosts customer experience.

With access to a customer portal that is directly tied to your ERP, customers can expect prompt responses from your team. In the case of field service, that means they’ll receive an acknowledgment of their request, followed up with either a technician response or confirmation that a technician’s visit has been scheduled to address their problem.

Thanks to these quick responses, customers will feel your company genuinely cares about their needs. This will boost their overall satisfaction and their likelihood of suggesting your company to their friends and family.

6. Reduces Your IT Costs and Improves IT Efficiency

Another benefit of integrating your current field management software with an ERP system such as Vista by Viewpoint is that it reduces your overall IT costs while maintaining (or improving) your IT efficiency.

Most businesses outsource their IT needs because they simply don’t have the staff required to properly maintain their software. If your IT team is unfamiliar with your field management software, you may not be getting your money’s worth.

ERP software can be quite an investment; however, many of them come with a fully staffed IT department capable of handling all IT issues that may arise and addressing them on time. Not only does that help you reduce your overall downtime in the case of an IT problem but having a team available to actively address these issues will ensure that your customers aren’t left waiting, which will improve your overall customer satisfaction rates.

7. Improved Data Security

Data is a vital part of any business, and ensuring that your data stays secure is an absolute must. So, how does investing in an ERP system help improve your data security efforts? It allows you to minimize the number of input systems that require access at any given point.

An ERP system allows you to merge all your systems into a single database. While this may seem like a rather risky move, these systems allow the administration to set very specific controls on who gets to access and/or edit the information stored on the database. For instance, while technicians may have access to end of project reporting templates, only administration officials may have access to edit the actual template. This means your company gets to run efficiently, with less need to worry about internal mistakes.

With more and more focus on digitizing workflows and these databases becoming increasingly popular, more brands are willing to spend on security to ensure that your systems aren’t being hacked. Remember – the safety of your information is their priority.

8. Improved Reporting and Analytics

Finally, with all your information being digitized and synced to your database, you’ll have access to improved analytics and reporting. When all your information is in one easily accessible location, ERP software can seamlessly gather information and import it into relevant reports for each department. This can help in various areas, including generating income and other financial reports and monitoring for operation strengths and weaknesses.

Extending Your FeildConnect Experience with Vista by Viewpoint

For those who currently utilize FieldConnect, the Vista by Viewpoint extension allows you to help your field technicians streamline their daily tasks, which saves time and allows them to visit multiple sites in a single day. So, how does the Vista by Viewpoint integration help extend your FieldConnect experience?

The process begins when your customer visits their customer portal and requests a service or a technician to come out to a site. From there, your digital dispatch team will assign your technicians to appropriate clients, depending on their availability and location. Once your technician receives the assignment, they can digitally review the assignment and make their way to the job site to complete the necessary work.

After your technician has completed the necessary work at the job site, the customer can provide their digital signature, indicating that work has been completed to their expectation. As the technician finalizes their work, they will update the final report with all necessary information. These include any necessary photos as proof of work/completion, all of which will be included on the final report that the customer will receive. Once all is said and done, the technician’s timesheet is automatically updated with all billable and unbillable project-related time, according to your company’s integration parameters.

Thanks to the digitization of the entire process, aside from the actual work that the technician completes, your company saves not only valuable time but resources as well. The latter is especially true since you will no longer require extra individuals to help you with complicated paperwork and organizational needs. This will also help you save money in the long run, increasing your overall revenue earned.

Who Would Benefit from the Vista by Viewpoint FieldConnect Integration?

This field service management software integration can be extremely beneficial for service providers across several industries, including:

  • Construction
  • Landscaping
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Facilities maintenance
  • Security/fire/alarm systems
  • HVAC
  • Mechanical
  • Restoration work
  • Industrial cleaning, and more

Empower Your Field Service Company with Vista by Viewpoint

The field service industry is a competitive one. To stay relative, you need to be implementing the best technology available that helps you communicate with your clientele and helps your staff complete their tasks in an efficient, timely manner.

That’s why here at FeildConnect, we encourage all of our customers to check out Vista by Viewpoint and see what it can help them optimize for their brand.

Curious how integrating Vista by Viewpoint could increase your field service company’s productivity? Then contact us today for more information!

Improve Technician Productivity With Mobile Field Solutions

Paper-intensive processes and manual data entries cause delays, errors, and duplicates – mostly as a direct result of overworked technicians. By taking a more digital approach to field service management, your workers can work smart instead of working hard. 

Nowadays, companies running field service operations can equip their workforce with digital tools that maximize efficiency and convenience. This includes artificial intelligence, real-time monitoring, and mobility across all communication platforms.

With integrated cloud-based software and remote tools, you can sync workflows and create more effective strategies based on real-time data. In this article, we’ll be giving you tips on how to improve technician productivity and customer experience with reliable mobile field solutions. 

Provide Dispatch And Scheduling With A Cloud-Based System

Without integrated field management software, you risk double-bookings, missed appointments, or late on-site visits – all of which negatively impact customer experience. For seamless scheduling and dispatching, your technicians need instant accessibility and data syncing. 

Through dispatch and schedule management tools, technicians can work at a faster pace without compromising accuracy and quality. Cloud-based integration allows you to track bookings as they come, assign them to the correct technicians, and monitor the progress of each job from start to finish. 

Technicians get real-time updates, ensuring that they’re working on the right tasks in the most efficient order. Companies that switched to a dynamic dispatch system saw an 80% increase in job completions per day and a 30% reduction in waiting time for customers. 

Enable Route Mapping And Planning With Device Tracking Capabilities

Without a device tracking system, you have no way of monitoring technicians and how much time they spend on the road. This could result in longer waiting times for customers, increased dissatisfaction, and higher gas and vehicle maintenance expenses.

Field service companies can keep up with time-sensitive jobs and cut down on costs by finding more efficient routes. With route mapping and planning, technicians can make on-site inspections in a timely manner – improving efficiency as well as the customer experience, while also reducing travel-related costs.

Technicians will be able to navigate through traffic and find faster alternative routes. If they’re servicing multiple clients in one area, route planning allows them to efficiently travel from one customer to the next. In addition to this, device tracking also logs your technicians’ every move – back-office staff get real-time updates, which allows them to assign tasks and schedule visits more effectively.

Digitize Inventory Management And Support With Remote Accessibility

Technicians who conduct on-site visits and inspections need reliable access to customer and company information at all times. Without mobile features, working remotely becomes stressful and disorganized – technicians have to wait for assistance if they encounter technical issues or require additional parts for a customer. This means more delays and more frustrated techs.

By digitizing inventory management and support systems, you empower your technicians to handle complicated situations from their mobile devices or tablets. An interconnected mobile network gives staff instant access to inventory, nearby technicians, and support documents – making it easier for your team to collaborate and solve problems. 

Automate Analytics To Monitor Technician Performance

Getting a clear picture of your daily operations takes more time when you have to manually analyze customer data, inventory, and technician productivity. And when there are delays in reporting, managers can’t provide accurate feedback or make data-driven decisions. 

Automated analytics can help you understand how efficient your operations are at a glance. If you notice that technicians are overloaded, you can quickly delegate responsibilities to staff with lighter workloads. With real-time data syncing, you’re always sure that you’re working with the latest figures and making the best decisions.

Making projections is also more convenient and more accurate when you have all of your information in a single dashboard. This gives you a better idea of which areas need the most improvement, which in turn makes it simpler to find solutions and improve customer experiences.

FieldConnect | Boost Productivity With Innovative Technology

Investing in cloud-based, end-to-end technology can improve your technicians’ productivity and help you monitor their progress. With FieldConnect, your field service staff will have all the tools they need to perform their jobs well and according to your business standards. 

Our platform simplifies scheduling, device tracking, accounting, reporting, and inventory management. You can even automate tasks, freeing up valuable company resources for other jobs.

Equip your team with the digital tools they need to increase efficiency, capacity, and profitability. Get in touch with us to request a demo of our software today.

REQUEST A DEMO

The Best Mobile Field Service Management Software For 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the global economy in more ways than we can imagine. But thanks to technological advancements and innovative touchless solutions, industries are beginning to recover and adapt to the new normal.

2020 has taught us that digital and remote field service management is the future. However, you need the right tools to be effective – that’s why it’s essential to have intelligent cloud-based software that streamlines your processes, automates routine tasks, and empowers your workers.

Read on to discover how FieldConnect’s mobile field service management software can improve your operations in 2021. 

Maintain Strict Safety Compliance With Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning 

Complying with workplace safety and social distancing guidelines is essential for operating in a post-pandemic society. With smart management software, you can service customers while ensuring safety standards are being met at all times. 

By 2021, field service is expected to shift towards AI programming and remote diagnostic tools. Intelligent field service management software has the ability to detect, diagnose, and resolve technical issues early on, even when technicians are unavailable. 

Predictive maintenance will be the key to reducing on-site visits, decreasing repair frequency, and improving the efficiency of regular maintenance checks. Techs will be alerted in advance of any potential technical errors, making it easier to prioritize job orders and address issues before they become a problem. This allows technicians to take on more urgent tasks and minimizes the risk of exposure.

Automate Analytics With A Centralized Cloud-Based System

Gathering data from multiple sources is a tedious task, especially when they have to be compiled and analyzed for essential business reports. Moreover, manual data entry is prone to human error. Automating analytics can also help managers and technicians work smarter and more efficiently. 

With a cloud-based platform, the software can detect data input from multiple sources in real-time – ensuring that all of your information is accurate and easily accessible no matter when you need it. 

Mobile field service management tools can also automatically create reports based on the data, highlighting potential opportunities for increased growth, productivity, and profit. This allows business owners to develop better, data-driven strategies.

Additionally, modernizing your data entry and analytics frees up company resources and manpower. These can instead be funneled into more urgent, customer-centered matters. 

Digitize Dispatch Scheduling, Inventory Management, And Accounting

Many companies overload responsibilities onto on-site workers. Between verifying customer information, receiving payables, and performing hands-on procedures, technicians can become easily overwhelmed. When technicians are preoccupied with too many unnecessary tasks, they could make mistakes and fail to meet customer expectations. 

To avoid overworking technicians, it’s important to provide tools that feature mobility, automation, and connectivity on-the-go. Your team of technicians can benefit from a field service management software that automatically handles dispatch scheduling, inventory management, and accounting on their behalf. By using end-to-end field management software to take care of repetitive tasks, technicians can focus on providing professional, quality service to your customers. 

Create A Virtual Platform For Remote Assistance

When you’re working with a remote workforce, you need to ensure that technicians can work smart without sacrificing the quality of their service. 

With the help of mobile devices and cloud-based networks, technicians can request for remote assistance or access vital instructions for each job. They can even contact nearby available technicians to assist with particularly challenging tasks. As a result, technicians in the field are better able to meet company standards and deliver consistent customer service. 

Remote assistance also allows technicians to help customers fix simple technical issues without having to visit their homes – decreasing customer response time and increasing customer satisfaction.

Field Connect | Create A Touchless Future With Today’s Technology

Although manual solutions have worked for the past few decades, old tools and processes are no longer effective in the new normal. Companies have to adapt to the demands of a touchless society if they want to provide quality service, satisfy customers, and ensure the safety of workers and clients.

A professional contactless customer experience will drive success, especially in today’s post-pandemic landscape. By combining mobility, cloud-based software, device tracking, remote assistance, and digital processing, you can operate according to safety guidelines while delivering real, consistent results in 2021 and beyond.

Going touchless is less intimidating with the right tools and software. If you want to be a leader in the field service industry, FieldConnect has you covered. Request a demo today, and experience our end-to-end management features for yourself!

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Transition To Touchless Operations With Modern Field Service Technologies

Many field service companies are now operating with a skeletal workforce because of COVID-19. Between reduced manpower and major safety concerns, on-site appointments are no longer the best method of servicing customers. 

To rise to the challenges of the “new normal”, industries are now transitioning into contact-free operating models. Cloud-based management software like FieldConnect allows field service operations to communicate with customers, manage processes remotely, and process job orders in real time – without face-to-face interaction. 

By taking advantage of automation, artificial intelligence, and mobility, technicians can provide customers with excellent service even with strict post-COVID safety protocols in place. In this article, we’ll discuss the five keys to adapting to a touchless society and how FieldConnect can help you succeed with our end-to-end field management software.

Adhere To Social Distancing With Assistance From Mobile Devices

Field service technicians who have to travel for on-location inspections are the most vulnerable to virus-related risks. This is especially true if they have to handle payments on top of installations and repairs. Transitioning into digital means help you comply with social distancing and safety protocols, protecting your technicians as they perform their daily tasks.

Go Paperless With Digital Processing

Exchanging physical documents increases the risk of spreading the virus. By going paperless, not only are you saving on costs and office waste, but you’ll also be reducing the chances of infection between workers and customers. Going paperless also enhances productivity by minimizing the time it takes to organize, compile, and access data. 

Integrate Automated Digital Reporting And Analytics

Digital scheduling, accounting, and inventory management are becoming the new norm because of pandemic protocols. By minimizing physical paperwork, transactions, and equipment handling, all operations can remain contactless and risk-free. 

A streamlined platform that combines your appointments, inventory, finances, and tasks can support both technicians and managers in their day-to-day responsibilities. Moreover, digitized accounting allows for real-time billing and processing no matter where you are. 

Establish Remote Customer And Technician Support

Through remote self-service tools, customers and technicians can get the support they need to solve problems on their own. This is achieved through strong customer communication channels and a centralized cloud-based field management system.

With online chat and video call capabilities, technicians can assess the urgency of each customer’s concerns before going for an on-site inspection. If it can be troubleshot remotely, then techs can save time (and money) by guiding customers over the phone.

Technicians will also have no issue collaborating on jobs that require extra manpower, thanks to mobile device tracking and a centralized field management dashboard. Workers can call nearby available techs when the job calls for it.

Lastly, remote assistance gives step-by-step instructions and other resources to in-field staff. Technicians don’t have to wait for back-office staff to respond to support requests, allowing them to focus on completing their tasks and building trust with customers. This means less idle time and higher job completion rates.

Operate In Compliance With Workplace Safety Regulations

It’s a challenge to remain contactless and follow pandemic regulations if your technicians are required to be physically present for most jobs. Providing safer channels for professional interactions can help you minimize risky in-person contact while still delivering consistent results.

With remote systems integrated into the workflow, your technicians can complete jobs from a safe distance. While not all tasks can be completed remotely, this will at least reduce on-site work as well as the risk of virus exposure. 

Smart monitoring software can help you monitor workplace safety compliance and ensure that no regulations are breached. This allows you to operate at full capacity without compromising worker health and well-being. 

FieldConnect: Go Touchless With Our All-In-One Field Management Software

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed how field service organizations interact with business partners, workers, and customers. Remote servicing is now on the rise, allowing for safer, more efficient, and more productive operations amidst the global crisis.

If you want to adapt to an increasingly touchless society, then integrating artificial intelligence, device tracking, and automation into your workflows is essential – you need a solution that offers all these and more while working with your existing field service software.

FieldConnect is an end-to-end field management software that assists technicians, managers, and business owners with touchless day-to-day operations. If you’re ready to improve your on-field processes, reduce the risk of virus exposure, and serve more customers, request a FieldConnect demo today!

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Manage Your Mobile Workforce With Cloud-Based Technology

According to a recent global study, businesses that use digital management tools experienced a 67% increase in their overall productivity. They also observed a 43% increase in revenue growth, proving that mobile flexibility is the key to better customer service, performance, and profits.

If you want to deliver consistent results, build customer trust, and improve employee retention, managing your workforce remotely is a must. In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of remote field service management and how you can use it to thrive during the pandemic and beyond.

Organize Schedules And Assign Tasks From Mobile Devices

Most field service workers use their own devices to keep track of schedules and accomplish job orders. But without an integrated and connected network, it can be difficult to monitor each dispatched technician and maximize your workforce’s productivity. If your team lacks organization, technicians risk booking duplicate timeslots, delaying dispatches, and losing track of their daily responsibilities.

An interconnected mobile system leaves less room for error. With an organized overview of schedules, you can make the most out of your workforce and deliver better customer experiences. Staff will also have instant access to job information at any given moment. 

With 24/7 mobility and connectivity, technicians don’t have to coordinate with back-office staff to verify customer information in the middle of a job. They can simply open up their app to check schedules, cancellations, special requests, and other important instructions.

Automate Billing And Payments With Intelligent Accounting Tool

Accounting is made simpler with intelligent billing and payment processing tools. Instead of manual data entry and physical bookkeeping, cloud-based systems record everything in a digital format, which allows for near-instant updates on invoices and sales. This also makes it easier for your accounting department to keep track of payments, follow up for unpaid invoices, and organize your important financial records.

Additionally, reducing paper usage in the office also makes checks and balances easier. With all the information visible through a single dashboard, every member of the team can keep track of job orders, billing statements, payments, and accomplished tasks. Managers will have no problem singling out discrepancies when they have a comprehensive overview of all the relevant accounting information.

Measure Technician Productivity With Daily Analytics And Device Tracking

Before you can improve technician productivity, you must have a way to measure and monitor how well your technicians are doing their job. This gives you insights into common delays, problems, and lapses in the company workflow.

With the help of automated analytics and device tracking, you can monitor the performance and productivity of each technician. This includes timestamps of when each job is assigned, in progress, or accomplished per technician. Each movement is recorded in a centralized database and displayed through easy-to-understand numbers and graphs. 

The dashboard gives you all the information you need to create and implement more effective customer service strategies. With everything available at a glance, managers can compare company metrics with the collected data. This helps you identify quick wins as well as the best opportunities for improvement. Based on these insights, you can simplify processes, adjust workflows, or add new protocols to ensure more cohesive, seamless operations.

Streamline Processes And Sync Data With A Centralized System

According to a survey, more than 90% of field service professionals claim that timely access to relevant data is essential for successful and efficient operations. However, only 34% of companies feel confident in their ability to enable wireless access on-the-go. 

It’s essential to give technicians the tools they need to diagnose and fix technical problems on their own, especially with time-sensitive jobs. Whether they’re working on repairs, maintenance, or installations, having mobile access to information helps technicians accomplish assignments quickly and up to standard. This also improves technicians’ successful first-time fix rate, which leads to increased customer satisfaction and retention.

FieldConnect: Manage Your Mobile Workforce Wherever You Go

Remote work is rapidly becoming a necessity among field service organizations worldwide, especially amidst the global pandemic. With the help of field service technology, you can manage your business from any mobile device while improving and monitoring processes. 

Our software handles everything from technician schedules and dispatches to automated accounting, reports, and analytics. FieldConnect has the power to sync all aspects of your business into one cohesive system – managing your mobile workforce is as easy as accessing your dashboard, whether you’re on the road or at home.

If you’re ready to future-proof your field service operations, FieldConnect is the all-in-one solution you’ve been looking for. Get in touch with us and request a demo today!

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How To Avoid The Most Common Mistakes Made By Field Service Operations

Field service organizations require clear, consistent, and cohesive coordination to function properly, especially since most jobs are time-sensitive. Unfortunately, manual management systems leave plenty of room for human error and delays – leading to unsatisfied customers and reduced client loyalty.

According to a report, 52% of field service respondents consider customer satisfaction as the most important area for improvement. Providing excellent customer service guarantees long-lasting business relationships built on trust and loyalty.

To help you conquer the daily struggles of on-demand field service, this brief guide will cover the most common mistakes field service companies make, how you can overcome them, and the role that field management software solutions play in satisfying your customers.

Mismanaged Dispatch And Assignment Schedules

Knowing your technicians’ availabilities is essential for efficient operations. Without proper tools and organization, you could accidentally double-book field service operatives, duplicate assignments, and make it difficult for your technicians to do their job satisfactorily. In turn, this affects the overall performance of your company and its reputation among customers.

A field service management software can help you organize timelines, set appointments, dispatch teams, and assign tasks to the right technicians. It also provides you with a complete overview of your daily jobs, so you can easily complete and monitor bookings.

Lapses In Real-Time Communication

Communication is the key to every field service organization’s success. When communication channels are reliable and easy to use, technicians can report on-site problems easily, get in touch with other agents, and contact customers directly.

Using mobile-driven solutions, workers can quickly update customers and Inform them of unexpected delays. This helps in building trust and improving customer relationships. Another great feature is device tracking, which provides management with the locations of each technician based on device usage – allowing your dispatches to be monitored from start to finish..

Manual Billing and Invoices

Manual accounting makes it difficult to keep track of billing statements, leading to accounting or bookkeeping discrepancies. With automated invoicing, you can offer your customers convenient options when it matters most. You’ll even have a daily report of your income to track growth and predict sales trends.

Since everything is online and automated, technicians no longer need to handle manual paperwork. This minimizes face-to-face interactions and reduces exposure to contaminants – which is essential in a post-pandemic world.

No Built-In Device Tracking for Dispatched Technicians

Technicians spend lots of valuable time on the road for on-site visits and inspections, so it’s important to find the most cost-efficient way of getting to a customer. Device Tracking integration and virtual mapping give technicians the best routes to cut down on travel time. This helps in reducing expenditure on gas and vehicle maintenance which, for a field service organization, can lead to major cost savings. By transitioning to a digital system with Device tracking capabilities, you can cut down on expenses without compromising on the quality and speed of your services.

Disconnected and Scattered Workflow

Gathering information from different sources can be tedious and time-consuming. A digital workflow can streamline your workflow, help your technicians process job orders, and allow you to monitor their status every step of the way.

Integrating a field management software centralizes customer and company data to give you visual insights into your team’s efficiency. By measuring how productive your workers are, you can implement strategies to develop their skills and give them the support they need to do their job well.

Lack of Customer Data Analytics

Manual systems make it difficult to streamline information, which means that it’s easy to miss strategic opportunities for growth and profitability. With an integrated end-to-end system, you can measure customer satisfaction and company performance to make intelligent, data-driven decisions.

Security and Privacy Threats

Protecting your customers’ sensitive information is paramount, but traditional printed documents and paperwork may compromise your customer’s right to privacy. If you upgrade to a secure cloud-based system, you can prevent data theft and fraud with end-to-end encryption.

Risks of Face-To-Face Contact

Running a successful field service company in the time of COVID-19 involves taking steps towards touchless transactions. Paperless processes, digital communications, and remote support minimize the risk of coronavirus exposure or transmission. Using cloud-based services also helps you comply with local safety guidelines, keeping workers and customers protected.

FieldConnect: An All-In-One Solution for Your Field Service Needs

The pandemic continues to test each field service organization’s ability to adapt. But with modern cloud-based solutions, you can manage your company with minimal effort.

FieldConnect eliminates the common challenges faced by many field service companies in their daily operations. Our integrated, cloud-based software gives you the power to handle all aspects of the business from any device or computer. Request a demo today, and experience the difference yourself!

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Running a Field Service Operation from a Mobile Device

More than 62% of field service organizations are using mobile phones to support their technicians and customers with a BYOD (bring your own device) approach to business. Transitioning from traditional offline management systems to an interconnected cloud-based network with limitless mobility increases your capabilities. This results in maximized productivity, accuracy, and safety. 

Plus, leading FSOs are discovering that they no longer need a fully-staffed office to run a field service business, especially when everyone has 24/7 access to a mobile phone. This has never been more apparent than now, with the coronavirus pandemic demonstrating that you can handle your operations and meet your customers’ needs while also complying with recent health and safety guidelines on social distancing.

Mobile devices are creating new avenues for growth and efficiency as the economy recovers from the effects of COVID-19. There’s no better time than now to prioritize mobility. Not only will it help you save on operational expenses, but it will also improve the consistency and reliability of your service – leading to better customer experience and higher satisfaction. 

If you’re ready to go mobile, read on to learn more about running a field service operation from a mobile device.

Elevate Customer And User Experience With Paperless Digital Tools

Digital communication channels are crucial for providing real-time virtual assistance. Technicians will also have the capacity to troubleshoot and chat with customers via video chat or other diagnostic apps. 

Additionally, workers will have the ability to quickly submit reports and request live support from the headquarters or other nearby co-technicians. With seamless integration, collaboration empowers technicians working on large-scale industrial projects.

Schedule Dispatches And Monitor Technicians Using Live Device Tracking

Connecting on-field agents via mobile phones helps everyone communicate and coordinate with each other seamlessly. This means technicians can access the support they need to meet the time-sensitive demands of on-site work.

With a mobile-driven system, you can also monitor the efficiency of your team and prepare schedules ahead of time based on the provided data. It’s easy to check the availability of technicians on a mobile dashboard (which shows up-to-date information about each service operative’s workload) and assign tasks accordingly.

By adding live device tracking to the equation, you free your technicians from the responsibility of updating your customers. Managers will have access to the tech’s real-time location as well as accurate estimations of departures and arrivals. 

Mobile tech also gives technicians the best possible routes, helping them make on-site visits and reach customers at a faster rate. This means less waiting time for your customers and better service from every angle.

Keep Track Of Daily Operations With Automated Reports And Analytics

Handheld devices make it easy to feed live information into a cloud-based system. Since your dashboard acts as a hub for all your business data, you can monitor expenses and earnings with daily reports, or view opportunities for growth and improvement at a glance. As you gain new insights about your business, you can create process improvements, operational strategies, and better opportunities for customer retention.

Use Cloud-Based Technologies To Manage Inventory And Client Information

Unlike manual systems, cloud-based software allows you to view field service history, records, and notes for each client or project in one workspace. Technicians become more self-sufficient as they can get accurate mobile info on clients and available inventory on their own, without having to coordinate with office staff.

Mobile devices are also perfect for providing company-wide access to documents, guidelines, and operational processes to help techs perform their tasks up to standard. This allows you to provide high-quality service on-demand, with little waiting time for clients.

FieldConnect: Mobile Operations Made Easy

Mobile management systems are revolutionizing every industry, but it’s especially transformative for those that provide on-site services for customers. Almost half of all leading field service organizations believe that the full implementation of IoT and mobile-first strategies contribute to an increase in customer retention by 41%. 

Going mobile gives technicians and business owners the power to manage operations anytime, anywhere. With the right systems integrated into a workforce’s handheld devices, field organizations can provide consistent results and maximize efficiency. 

Whether you need dispatch scheduling, automated accounting, inventory management, or customer assistance, FieldConnect has you covered. We integrate all your departments into a cloud-based system that supports end-to-end processes and management. 

If you’re ready for personalized business and integration solutions, it’s time to give FieldConnect a try. Request a demo today, and start expanding your field service success with the latest innovative solutions!

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