Drive efficiency, revenue, and customer satisfaction with a field service management solution
In their quest for revenue growth, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction, field service companies firms performing field repair, preventive maintenance, installation, and inspection services share many operational challenges. Luckily, there’s a common solution for these common challenges.
Read on to discover the top 10 challenges facing field service management organizations today and how to solve them with a field service solution.
Challenge 1: Slow billing
Perhaps no issue is as frustrating for field service providers than a slow billing process which delays cash collection. When it takes multiple manual steps to record time and material work orders in the field, deliver them to the office, and enter into an accounting system before producing an accurate, approved invoice, it is no surprise many firms have a 2-3 week or longer billing cycles. With Service Pro by MSI Data, all billing line items and customer approval are captured by the technician’s mobile app and transferred to the office and ERP with no further need of data entry, enabling same day or next day billing.
Challenge 2: Duplicate data entry
If your company is not careful with communication between field service operators and the office, it is very easy to end up with duplicate data entries. This practice can lead to a major lack of efficiency and an unnecessary use of paper. Service Pro by MSI Data requires no data entry in the office. This cloud serviced software ensures time and money will never be wasted on duplicate data entry, leading to increased efficiency.
Challenge 3: Miscommunication between the office and the field
One major challenge is keeping up communication between field service technicians and the office. This challenge can lead to mix-ups, miscommunication, and frustration for your customer and your company. To optimize communication, Service Pro and Service Pro Mobile automatically connects the office and field to eliminate phone calls and unnecessary waiting.
Challenge 4: Long ETA windows for customers
A common cause for customer frustration is long ETA windows. This frustration can be avoided, however, with Service Pro’s optimized scheduling. It rapidly and accurately schedules the closest qualified technician. On top of that, customers are given real time tech status, location and availability, keeping them informed and at ease. This feature is the perfect way to assure work is done efficiently, all while providing customer satisfaction.
Challenge 5: Customer experience
In today’s world of instant gratification, consumers have much higher expectations of their experience from their chosen field service provider. Fortunately, customer-friendly tools such as automated text messages and email confirmations can help field service firms of any size provide customers with a fast and convenient experience. With Service Pro’s Tech Tracker feature, customers can view live technician location and ETA, so both customer and technician are fully in-the-know and, the customer’s time is respected.
For service industry offices, it can seem almost impossible to track where your employees are and what they are doing. This inconvenience can cause difficulties for schedulers and can lead to a loss in efficiency and a loss in potential revenue. With Service Pro’s real-time technician location and work status, dispatchers are ensured that your company is working efficiently and effectively.
Challenge 7: Lost revenue
No company wants to experience lost revenue. With the proper tools your company can avoid this major setback. Service Pro allows your company to:
- Track performance against goals, KPIs, and other branches or divisions
- Enforce consistency with mobile in the field for parts sales, billable tasks, inspections, and follow up work
- Identify potential problems soon enough to solve them
Challenge 8: Blind spots
Frustration while planning can come from the blind spot many companies experience. This blind spot can inhibit you from identifying potential problems before they arise due to the disconnect your office will face by using paper tracking methods. However, Service Pro allows users to track, visualize, and analyze performance for the entire company throughout the workday with near real-time adjustments. This type of efficient practice will aide in tracking revenue successfully.
Challenge 9: Data silos
Avoidance of data silos is vital to attaining a complete picture of your service operation’s health and performance, as well as avoiding the time-consuming headache of reconciling data from disparate systems. From calls, work orders, assets and service contracts, to scheduling, inspections, labor time, parts and integration with cloud-based ERPs such as Oracle NetSuite, Service Pro breaks through the data silos which hold service teams back.
Challenge 10: Return trips
A big hindrance in customer satisfaction is dealing with the necessity of a return trip. Service Pro enables your company to have call details, notes, service history, and documents available at all times so the technician is prepared pre-arrival. This way, return trips are lessened, easing the customer’s satisfaction and the field technician’s success.
Conclusion
While these challenges were once just a ‘cost of doing business’ in field service, they no longer need to hinder your company. Learn more about how Service Pro can boost your success by solving these revenue, efficiency, and customer satisfaction challenges. See for yourself by requesting a free demo.
