Four Benefits of Automating Your Field Service Operations

June 10th 2015 16:41:31 PM

How Mobile Field Service Apps Improve Field Service Management

Last week we discussed the importance of real-time inventory tracking on your company’s service trucks. This week, we’d like to discuss the benefits full automation could bring to your field service operation. In addition to automating inventory tracking on your truck, mobile field service applications can help you manage your entire field service operation in the palm of your hand.

Our Sage 100 field service app can help you achieve full field service automation, making your field workers and service technicians more efficient and more productive. With the capability to perform truck counts, track jobs, perform item inquiries, and track drivers using GPS, mobile field service management solutions can provide companies with everything they need to maintain a well-run service operation. By having direct access to work orders, customer data and parts inventory from the convenience of their smartphone or tablet, your field service workers have the tools they need to get more done every day.

Field service automation should be one of your top priorities this year as it can help you save money, increase productivity and improve customer relationships. Here are four benefits of using mobile field service applications to achieve full automation out in the field:

1. Increased customer satisfaction. When a field worker or service technician has complete access to a customer’s complete service history and customer information, he or she can make valuable service suggestions and get the job done faster. This is a win-win for all parties. Your customers receive personalized and expedient service while your service technicians come across as proactive and professional, all factors that add up to a positive customer experience.
2. Interactive scheduling. Managing field service schedules can get confusing. With mobile field service apps, back-office dispatchers have full access to every service technician’s schedule so they can make adjustments and assign time slots as needed. This allows all parties to react quickly to changing schedules, without the need to pick up the phone or come back into the office to check whiteboards. Every new job or existing job can be updated on the fly and communicated to service technicians directly on their mobile device.
3. Collect payment faster. Like mobile sales solutions, mobile field service solutions have the capability to collect payment out in the field. With mobile field service apps, technicians have the ability to quote, invoice and accept payment for any work completed. Because the solution is integrated with the company’s ERP system, the entire transaction is updated instantly in the accounting system, eliminating the need to shuffle paperwork back and forth and participate in time-wasting data entry. With mobile field service transactions occur in real-time, allowing you to collect and receive payment faster.
4. Guaranteed accuracy. In the field of customer service, accuracy is key. Your customers want to know when you will arrive at their location, what you did, how much they will be charged and when you will be back to service their product. Through the automation mobile field service solutions provide, your technicians can answer all of these questions confidently and accurately. Whether they are providing a quote, performing the job or accepting payment, your technicians can give your customers accurate information so they can trust you.

Could your field service operation use some automation? Contact us today to learn how Sage Operations Management’s field service can provide your company with the tools you need to better serve your customers and keep track of your technicians out in the field.