Last Updated on August 9, 2022 by
One of your key responsibilities for your company is to ensure that you adopt the right technology to improve field service efficiency and productivity. Although every company might have its own set factors to consider when making the buying decision of field service management software, these are some of the most common and basic criteria to hinge your selection on from a strategic point of view. They will allow you to maximize your investment. Read on—
Table of Contents
Investment on Field Service Software : 8 Things to Consider Before Choosing
1. Before thinking about the software, think about the vendor
It is important to spend time evaluating your software provider before you make a decision. Is the vendor able to fully understand your business goals and will they be available to assist you?
Do they have the expertise to show you how to use the software to accomplish your goals? It is essential that you understand the details of how the vendor will assist you with the implementation, training, after-sales and support. You should consider the capabilities, expertise, and willingness of the software provider before you make your final decision.
2. Is the software mobile-friendly?
Technology can help you have control over your field service communications. Real-time access is possible to all service requests, warranty details and invoicing with a good software. This can improve workflows as well as first time fix rates.
A field service app corresponding to the software that can be used on mobile devices will streamline communication between technicians in the field and dispatchers, which will reduce the technician’s administrative time. And that is why it’s important to note the offline capabilities of the mobile app if available. Although this may seem strange, offline capabilities are important when you consider the reality of field services. In various scenarios, technicians performing their job might not have access to the internet or might lose internet connectivity in the middle of the task.
A field management software with offline capabilities allows technicians to still access the work orders and fill out updates even if there is no internet connection. It is essential that your field service management software is accessible from anywhere, even without the internet.
3. The software should facilitate data-based decision making
Next, you need to evaluate the data insights provided by your field service software. Your field service management software must be able to show you the larger picture of your business. Imagine how difficult it will be for your team to input all of the service data into another application just to see the performance of your business.
Inbuilt analytical dashboards in a field service software can maximize the return on your investment. An easily customizable dashboard will allow you to evaluate your key performance indicators. You can then see which areas are working well and which ones need improvement.
How you approach field service software selection today will impact the long-term as well as short-term performance of your field business. By gaining a better understanding of the software’s capabilities, you will be able to choose the right software to meet your strategic goals.
4. User experience matters
Every software, especially software with a key commercial application, must provide a user-friendly experience. It directly impacts the performance and productivity of your employees. A poor user experience can mean frequent software crashes, slow instances of navigation, difficult communication, and an even more difficult UI.
Customers disappointed by a software will also feel frustrated. So, it’s important to evaluate the user experience by getting feedback from other users.
5. Customer portal
A customer portal provides customers with digital self-service options that allow them to choose and see what is happening. A customer portal can help you reduce costs, increase visibility, speed up cash flow, improve customer communications, and enhance customer experience and retention. A customer portal has been shown to increase a company’s revenue significantly.
6. Blending dispatching capabilities
FSM software should provide quality dispatching services. With proper dispatch capabilities, it becomes possible to accommodate a mixed workforce. This service will allow you to be more flexible in your delivery and increase profit margins.
7. You also need predictive maintenance capabilities
This era is all about instant gratification. Before customers even know they have a problem, you need to be able to tell them. Field service IoT solutions offer high-quality predictive maintenance, which can resolve appliance issues before they grow in proportion.
The data from connected devices can help identify potential failure conditions and facilitate predictive maintenance. Managers will be able to plan ahead and schedule a technician to repair any device when needed.
8. The quality of customer care
Perhaps you’re familiar with the unpleasant feeling of waiting on hold for hours just to be attended by a customer care representative. And if they are not available, you may have to contact them again and again to get your job done. It’s extremely irritating.
Avoid field service providers that promise exceptional pre-purchase experiences but fail to offer support at the time of or after implementation. You need to be aware of this aspect before you integrate an FSM software into your field service operations.
Final Note
So, the bottom-line is that you should do all possible research before you zero in on a field service management system. Your focus should be on finding a solution that can help your business achieve its goals.
