Introduction
There is no doubt that the field service industry is growing rapidly. In 2018, the field service market was valued at around $3.12 billion; this industry is expected to be valued at $10.81 billion by 2026.
To remain on this trajectory, field service business owners must adopt the latest trends. While paper data entry and manual processing may have sufficed in the past, the future will be dominated by software use.
Every fleet owner or manager should carefully evaluate whether a field service management system can provide a positive return on investment.
What is Field Service Management?
Field service management (FSM) is a system used to help coordinate field operations by utilizing a mobile workforce of contractors. These employees may take part in installing, repairing, or maintaining systems or equipment for industrial or commercial clients. A field service management system helps dispatch agents, schedule service orders, and track job status and vehicle locations.
Investing in the right FSM software will automate these tasks, allowing you to spend more time on improving systems, acquiring more customers, and enhancing your bottom line.
How Does a Field Service Management System Increase ROI?
If increasing profits is your priority, a field service management system can help. Managing the daily operations of a field service business can be an arduous and time-consuming task. Trying to complete these processes manually may make it difficult to scale your business.
Below are a few reasons why FSM systems provide a net-positive ROI:
Reduce Overtime Staffing Costs and Take on Urgent Tasks
Scheduling work orders and managing a large workforce can be incredibly complex and time-consuming. Dealing with frequent emergency jobs can cause chaos. An FSM software provides real-time scheduling, allowing you to consider multiple factors such as product information, route logistics, technician scheduling, and contractor qualifications. This software reduces scheduling errors and last-minute schedule changes, making it easier for hiring managers and business owners to keep only the staff they need and find extra contractors when necessary.
Improve Customer Satisfaction
Customers expect a modern, seamless experience. Technicians and field service companies are responsible for delivering the best possible outcomes.
Many field service platforms provide fully-brandable client portals that provide instant access to information such as appointment time, service options, technician details, real-time notifications, two-way communication with their assigned technician, warranty coverage, and more. With Azuga, customers can be assigned to technicians or specialists they already are familiar with and receive a database to view their full order history information. This can greatly improve customer experience, earning repeat business.
FSM software addresses some of the common problems that field service companies have regarding a seamless customer experience. This includes:
- Technicians arriving late due to long travel times when there is another nearby field technician available
- Technicians being unable to view customer information in real-time, causing them to be more reactive
- Inefficient and inaccurate paperwork processes
With the right field service management software, field technicians can access the information they need on the way to their next appointment.
Make Receiving Payments Easy
Haggling with customers over missed payments or calling them for reminders can hurt customer relationships. An FSM tool will allow technicians to take notes inside of a CRM, capture signatures onsite, and generate invoices without the need to submit paperwork or return to the office.
Companies that use FSM software experience faster invoicing, 90% less admin work, and a 35% boost in customer satisfaction.
Technicians can immediately submit information from the field, including photos of job results, client signatures, used parts and materials lists, and time tracking reports. FSM software will automatically calculate the completed work price by taking into account the work completed, discounts, special pricing conditions, and warranties.
Proper invoicing helps technicians get paid faster and helps maintain professionalism with customers.
Parts and Inventory Management
Field service companies need efficient inventory management systems. Technicians should be able to review inventory and parts in stock while in the field. If there are any shortages, companies can anticipate these needs and purchase everything in advance at discounted prices.
With FSM software, you can attach parts required to work orders, transfer parts to customer sites, receive notice when parts require maintenance, and forecast demand for specific parts based on seasonality, usage history, sales, and customer demands.
Route Optimization and Fuel Control
Fuel consumption is one of the most significant expenses for any fleet operation. Making the right changes to your routes can save you a great deal of money. In one instance, UPS saved 10 million gallons of fuel cost by eliminating left turns from their routes. They were able to analyze their fuel costs using a vehicle routing software and found that 10% of their routes were left turns, which caused wasted fuel since truck drivers are forced to wait long periods for gaps in traffic.
With FSM software such as Azuga, you can optimize your team’s routes, thereby saving fuel and decreasing overall cost. These tools can also track and monitor drivers; if they deviate from the original route or excessively idle, fleet managers can quickly correct the behavior.
Let Azuga Manage Field Service for Your Company
A field service management system helps simplify and automate the daily operations of a field service company, providing a positive return on investment. Technicians can better complete their duties and increase their output, while fleet managers can keep a better eye on their respective teams through proper scheduling and tracking tools. Customers are also happier with their experience, as they receive higher quality service and remain in-the-know with a client portal.
Reduce operational costs by optimizing scheduling routes, tracking jobs, and consolidating client history in one central solution. Check out Azuga’s field service management software.
