A Comprehensive Guide to Using Field Service Software
As technologies such as mobile and IoT impact customer service, field service software is changing. Learn what you need to know.
There is a lot of interest in field service software right now, and the industry is only going to get hotter as companies realize the importance of providing good customer service.
Approximately 20 million people use field service management (FSM) globally, including 6 million Americans, according to Aberdeen Group.
If you continue to operate your business as you have in the past, you will lose revenue, customers will find another service provider, and your business will eventually cease to exist.
Historically, punctuality was a major factor in success, but now that is not the case. Today, the most common customer service complaint involves a technician not resolving a problem on the first visit. With field service software, this challenge is being addressed.
Several companies, including Oracle and Salesforce, have conducted surveys to support this.
Salesforce reports that 92 percent of service executives believe their service models must change to meet customer expectations. According to Oracle research, 47 percent of companies making excellent progress in customer service are using FSM software. Real-time scheduling and dispatching of field technicians is a common practice among most companies.
In this guide, we answer the following questions:
Field Service Software: What’s Driving Interest?
Consumers have become accustomed to sophisticated mobile applications. We are now entering the era of business apps, with field service management software at the forefront.
A strong interest in field service software is driven by both the Uberization of the workforce and the “everything as a service” economy.
Field service management solutions traditionally emphasize records management. Today’s technology is based on intuitive contextual apps that offer real-time access to information that may be stored in many different systems, instead of putting customers at the center.
According to Paulo Arnaldo, director of product management at Kony, “the new battleground for FSM is service margins and customer retention due to eroding product margins and increased competition”. With the millennial generation replacing the previous generation of technicians, mobile apps are in high demand.
Field service workers are heading towards an era in which they’ll have access to so much information.
According to Sarah Patterson, SVP of Marketing at Salesforce Service Cloud, companies must provide seamless customer experiences in today’s hyper-connected world while increasing internal efficiency.
What are the Best Ways to Evaluate Field Service Software?
You can evaluate and select field service software by following these tips:
- Understand the technology stack behind each provider’s offering
- Learn how the field service software app integrates with the back end
- Considering the rapid changes in mobile technology, ask about long-term app support
- Consider your organization’s field service challenges and goals when selecting field service applications
- Select a field service management tool that aligns with your organization’s mobile strategy
- Consider using off-the-shelf field service applications or plug-ins that can easily provide what you need to avoid high development and implementation costs
- Collaborate with external and internal parties
- For updates across platforms, look for mobile apps that don’t rely solely on WiFi, and have a central mobile management console
- If you are considering cloud, SaaS, private cloud, or other deployment models, Kresch recommends “looking for a flexible approach that can accommodate changing needs at an affordable price.”
Support related to field service management
A well-managed field service management ensures that your customers receive great service without costing you a fortune. In other words, it helps you make the most of your resources by optimizing your service delivery.
ExterNetworks is part of a team of critical network operations field engineers who consistently keep telecommunications, networks, and IT facilities running and the country connected despite contamination risks. Despite not being celebrated, they are the nation’s unsung heroes.