A comprehensive field service management software system is what businesses need to help optimize their business, customer support, and many other things. This guide explores key attributes you want to consider when choosing field service management software to power your business, including whether to go with a SaaS or on-premise solution, how it can automate service scheduling and build forecasting capability, and how your organization will touch points fit into the support process.
Ensure Organizational Readiness
Before choosing a field service management software system, ensure that your organization is ready for it. This means they should be willing to embrace change and use the new technology, and they must also be prepared to adopt new processes and procedures to maximize this software’s benefits.
Field service management software is a powerful tool for managing field service operations. The software helps companies manage their field teams’ workflow, organize and track customer service activities, improve customer satisfaction and increase productivity.
Good field service management software can help businesses in many ways. It can automate processes and save time, increase efficiency and productivity, reduce costs by reducing errors, provide visibility into every aspect of field operations, improve customer satisfaction through better compliance with SLAs, boost sales by delivering timely services, and more.
1. Understand Business Needs
The first step in choosing the right field service management software is understanding your business needs. You may need advanced features like integrated scheduling and mobile capabilities if you’re an established company with a complex field service operation. On the other hand, if you’re just starting, consider a more straightforward solution that offers basic functionality at an affordable price.
2. SaaS or On Premise
The type of software you choose can significantly impact your bottom line. Cloud-based solutions are popular because they’re easier to set up and maintain and less expensive than on-premise FSM software. However, sometimes there’s no substitute for always having the latest features available with no downtime or privacy concerns.
3. Organize Field Teams and Service Groups
A sound field service management system should allow businesses to organize their teams into groups based on skills, experience, and location. Some programs also include tracking specific equipment pieces so that technicians know which tools need replacing when an item is damaged during a visit. This helps them avoid missing appointments due to a lack of equipment or supplies.
4. Omnichannel Customer Support
Omnichannel customer support is a key feature that allows you to provide your customers with the best experience possible. It lets you offer them the option to communicate with you through different channels, including email, phone calls, and social media. This way, you can easily support customers who prefer to use email or those who like to call their service provider.
5. Service Tracking for Field Technician Visits
Tracking field visits is essential for managing your business efficiently. You can use the software’s tracking feature to monitor the real-time status of a technician’s location, activity, and equipment in real-time. This way, if any changes in the scheduled work order or a technician needs help with an issue, you will be notified immediately to take appropriate action.
6. One-Tap Scheduling and Appointments Based on Availability
One-click scheduling allows customers to schedule an appointment and lets you see precisely when they want to be serviced. This will ensure no conflicts with other appointments or services being provided by other employees simultaneously. It also allows you to determine which staff member best suits each client based on availability, skill set, experience, and other factors. Schedule appointments based on availability helps eliminate double booking, leading to unhappy customers and lost revenue.
7. Integration with a CRM
Integration with a CRM is a must. You need to be able to track all your customer information in one place, and the field service management software you choose should be able to integrate seamlessly with your existing CRM system.
8. Automation and Forecasting
Automation and forecasting are two key features that every good field service management software should have. Workflow automation helps you eliminate redundant tasks, while forecasting makes it easier to predict future workloads so that you can plan accordingly.
9. Self-Service Options
The self-service options provided by your field service management software should include mobile apps, allowing technicians to access their schedules and customer information while on the go. This will ensure they don’t waste any time when they’re out in the field servicing customers’ needs — which means more time is available for them to work on other tasks!
10. Returns Management
Returns management capabilities are another feature handy for businesses offering maintenance contracts or warranties on products they sell or install for their customers. These systems make it easy for technicians to return products to their respective manufacturers — as long as there aren’t any issues with them first!
11. Mobile Field Service App
The mobile field service management app is one of the most important features when buying field service management software. Accessing your business from anywhere and at any time makes it easier for you to manage your employees and customers and track their activities.
The mobile field service app allows you to check on a particular task or job’s progress, so you don’t have to wait until the end of the day for any technician feedback. This can be especially helpful if someone calls in sick or if another emergency requires immediate attention. Plus, you’re able to track where your technicians are on the job site, amongst a lot of other very useful information too.
Top Priorities for an FSM Software Solution
Enterprises have many choices when it comes to choosing a field service software solution. There is no one size fits all solution. What are your priorities? Start with your top three priorities and proceed from there. In the meantime, your business should consider looking into Zuper and request to demo their field service software to see how it can best help your business and/or be customized for your unique business needs too.
