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Field Services: Choosing a Mobile Technology Solution

Posted on April 18, 2012 by admin

Evaluating software for purchase is never a simple process.   Generally there are several, or even many, options available that do (or at least claim to do) what you are looking for.  Even the most basic piece of consumer software requires at least some research, but if you are looking for a mobile technology solution that will be implemented throughout your organization, you have to be sure of a perfect fit. 

Occasionally you have sales people promising you that the solution is perfect for you, only to see a demo of it and find that it just doesn’t fit your existing business processes, or that it doesn’t work, for example, with your Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP.

Don’t waste your time.  Beyond basic questions about the size of your field staff and number of jobs per day, here are a few questions your sales person should be asking you up front:

  • What ERP system do you use?  Example:  FieldConnect’s solutions seamlessly integrate with Microsoft Dynamics AX, Microsoft Dynamics SL, and Microsoft Dynamics GP, as well as Sage Timberline.  You want a solution that works directly with your existing system and processes. 
  • How are your techs currently getting their work assignments?  Do they come in to the office?
  • How are time cards filled out and delivered to payroll?  How do you designate billable hours vs. travel time vs. shop time?
  • When does the tech request a customer signature?
  • What do your work orders and service reports look like?  What forms do you use?
  • How are work orders delivered?  Who gets a copy?
  • Tell me about your inventory tracking, including how you handle non-stock items.
  • How are invoices delivered and in what time frame?

Bottom line:  If the sales person doesn’t understand your business processes prior to giving you a demo, move on.

Posted in Mobile Solutions | Leave a comment

What Industries Benefit from Field Service Management Software

Posted on June 27, 2011 by admin

Field service management can be difficult to comprehend and hard to execute properly, but it is the cornerstone of many businesses.

For those not familiar with the term, field service management is an attempt to streamline crucial aspects of businesses that manage installations, repairs, or maintenance of equipment or systems, which involves sending technicians out “into the field” to perform said repairs, installations, and maintenance. Field service management attempts to optimize processes, facilitate the flow of information between the company and on-site technicians, and improve the overall performance of staff and technicians.

The primary concerns of field service management are customer management (including accounts, selling, tech support, and a customer portal or website), parts management, dispatch and workforce optimization, and integrated mobile enterprise applications.

Because of the complexity of field service management, a variety of software has been developed to aid businesses that use or provide these services. Basically any industry that performs field work will benefit from field service management software. Let’s take a look at how field service management software can aid some such businesses:

Building Maintenance and Property Management

Building maintenance and property management providers can benefit from field service management software. Field service management software for building maintenance and property management providers can help get maintenance engineers to tenants in need as quickly and efficiently as possible and make sure that tenants get information that they need right away.

All sorts of property management companies make use of field service software, from major companies managing properties in multiple areas to local building maintenance providers. Field service management software such as Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics SL, and Sage Timberline provide the following benefits:

  • The property management company can offer tenants better customer service and satisfaction:
    • Service call information can be stored and presented in a secure online portal for tenants to access as needed.
    • Tenants can see before and after pictures, work completed, and so on.
    • New service requests from tenants can be directly entered into the company’s accounting software.
  • Field service management software for property managers connects the company’s maintenance technicians, allowing for unparalleled communication and rapid response.
    • When a service call is created, the service call is instantly sent to the field.
    • When a maintenance technician updates the status of his job, the software at the main office instantly displays this update.

HVAC/Mechanical Contractors

Field service management software has been created specifically to aid workers in the field of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning). A few important features of this software were designed to streamline HVAC field service management, including:

  • Refrigerant capture software
  • Integrated HVAC equipment inspection forms
  • A facilities management portal designed for HVAC
  • Cause, resolution, history by equipment

Those are just the features newly designed with HVAC in mind. HVAC field service management software powered by Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics SL, and Sage Timberline already provides HVAC contractors with the following benefits:

  • Superior connection of technicians:
    • Just like with building maintenance and property management field service software, service calls are instantly sent to the field, as soon as they are created. You do not have to wait for the technician to get around to calling the company or any other delays – you get instantaneous results. Like with most field service management software, the software allows workers back at the office to instantly see when a technician has updated the status of his job.
  • Invoices can be sent out the same day:
    • Billing information can be submitted directly into the accounting software without re-typing or waiting for the paperwork to be returned from the field.
  • Efficient dispatch:
    • When a service call is created in the office, it is instantly displayed on a map alongside your technicians’ locations.
    • You can provide optimized routes for service calls scheduled within your accounting software.
  • Simplified payroll:
    • You may link payroll with billing by means of the HVAC field service management software.
    • Time cards can be sent and submitted electronically.
  • Provide important information to technicians
    • With field service management software, technicians can be instantly provided with the site history, equipment history, pictures, and diagrams

Those are just some of the numerous uses for field service management software. Any industry that sends workers or technicians out in to the field will be able to benefit from the software. Not only is field service management software highly versatile, many industries have service management software designed specifically for them.

Posted in Field Technicians, Industries Served | 1 Comment

5 Common Uses of Field Management Software for HVAC

Posted on June 24, 2011 by admin

While many people are unfamiliar with the term, field service management software is quickly becoming an indispensable tool for many industries, including building and property management services; emergency, fire, protection, and alarm services; mobile windshield, auto repair, and towing services; and cable, satellite, and Internet services.

Field service management software helps these types of businesses coordinate and manage projects requiring workers or technicians to go out “in the field” to respond to customer service calls. Service management software works to automate and streamline all aspects of a business that performs field service work, as well as coordinating schedules, service calls, and employees out in the field engaged in service work. These software programs also take care of many other aspects of these businesses, including tracking inventory items and needed parts, managing billing and accounts payable and receivable departments, prioritizing service orders, and reducing paper records and documents.

Recently, field service management programs have been created for use in the field of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) services. Keep reading for further information on service management software for HVAC, including five common uses for the software in this field.

First however, let’s take a quick look at some of the features that have been designed specifically for HVAC services:

  • Refrigerant capture software
  • Integrated HVAC inspection forms
  • Facilities management portal designed specifically for HVAC
  • Cause, resolution, history by equipment

Now let’s turn our attention to some of the common uses for field service management software for HVAC businesses. Using Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics SL, and Sage Timberline, field service management software offers HVAC service companies the following benefits:

Increased Connection to Technicians

Field service management software for HVAC can allow for unparalleled communication between workers out in the field and the main office.

  • When a worker at the office creates a service call, the service call is instantly delivered to field technicians.  Because the system is entirely electronic, the service calls do not even need to be sent from the office.  If the owner of the company takes service call directly to his home or cellular phone, he can send service calls from home directly to technicians in the field.
  • If a technician updates the status of the job he is working on or has just finished, it is instantly reflected on the software so that the employees at the office will know right away.  No longer will you have to wait for the technician to call in and inform the office workers of where he is and how far along he is on the job.

More Efficient Dispatch

With the aid of field service management software, your business can streamline the dispatch process, getting technicians out into the field as soon as a service call comes in, and onto the next jobsite as soon as the technician is finished with the one he is currently servicing.

  • As soon as a service call is created at the office, it will immediately be displayed on a map along with technicians’ locations. All the guesswork is conveniently taken out for you.
  • Optimized routes will be displayed for service calls scheduled within your company’s accounting software. This can greatly streamline your business, as the software will help you find the most efficient route. No longer will your technicians be stuck in traffic when they are already supposed to be at the service site.

Instant Invoices

Billing information can be sent directly into the accounting software, so invoices can be sent out immediately rather than having to wait for paperwork to come back from the field.

Keep Track of Vehicles

HVAC field service management software allows you to keep tabs on your fleet of vehicles in a manner that is impossible without the software.

  • The software displays exactly where each vehicle is and keeps track of where they have been. If your technician is going to be late getting to a job site because he is making a pit stop at Wienerschnitzel, you will know.
  • All addresses for service calls are displayed on the software system, so you will know if a technician is at the correct location or not.
  • If you suspect there is any sort of mistake with a technician’s pay, you can instantly check the location of the service call and vehicle, and compare it with the information listed on payroll.  Never worry about accidentally under or overpaying a technician again.

Provide Technicians with Useful Data

Technicians out in the field can be instantaneously sent important data that they might need for a job, including:

  • Site history
  • Equipment history
  • Pictures and diagrams

There you have it – field service management software simplifies many aspects of businesses that rely on sending technicians out into the field, and streamlines many other processes for maximum efficiency.

Posted in Field Technicians | Leave a comment

Why Dispatch Software Will Help Your Business

Posted on June 11, 2011 by admin

The world of field service management can be a bit convoluted and difficult to understand, but it is a crucial part of many businesses.

An In-Depth Look at Field Service Management

To begin with, field service management, which refers to companies that manage installations, repairs, or maintenance of equipment or systems, handles all aspects of business involving staff members or technicians sent to help customers away from the office (“in the field”). This includes:

  • Optimization of processes
  • Flow of information needed by the company and on-site technicians
  • The overall performance of staff and technicians

If, for example, a technician has come to your humble apartment and fixed the satellite dish for your television or taught your Internet router some manners, you have probably been a willing participant and hopefully happy product of field service management.

The four main areas of interest within field service management are

  • Customer management capabilities that include account, selling, tech support, and a customer portal
  • End-to-end parts management
  • Dispatching and workforce optimization
  • Integrated mobile enterprise applications

Hurdles within the Realm of Field Service

The main difficulty of field service is optimization. Understanding the system and the method is one thing, but optimizing that system is another story because it involves

  • Intelligent scheduling
  • Dispatching of multiple technicians to different locations every day
  • Minimization of costs
  • Maintaining good relations with clients and customers (i.e. keeping up with customer service)

Of course, customer service is tied to service management, which can, in good practice, reduce overall managing costs. Most importantly, enhanced customer service increases customer satisfaction.

Workforce management may also go into optimizing field service. Ensuring proper scheduling for technicians maximizes the amount of work done at any one time.

Field Service Solutions and Dispatch Software

With the advent of mobile technology, software has made field service much easier and more effective, building towards a fully optimized system. Most field service software combines wireless technologies, customer service data, dispatch, and work order management within a single mobile system.

Software can also carry easily accessible databases full of information regarding technicians’ equipment, access requirements, and an inventory of parts.

Dispatch software makes communication between the company and its on-field technicians much faster and more efficient.

  • With software, the technician or the dispatcher can create service calls immediately.
  • Service calls are instantly displayed on a map for all technicians.
  • The software allows for scheduling of service calls and optimized routes based on the location of the call and the location of technicians.
  • Because many individual jobs are based on skill, software allows for scheduling based on skill and availability.
  • Technicians will know exactly where jobs are in relation to each other, making it easier to organize optimal routes and coordinate with others on the field.

There are a lot of factors at work here. Essentially, dispatch software takes a bit of the load off of the main office and staff members in the field. Properly implementing software also creates smooth, instant communication between the dispatchers and technicians as well as amongst all the technicians on the field.

How Dispatch Software Will Help Your Business

This seems to be a fairly obvious matter, but let’s break it down.

Dispatch software makes things easier for dispatchers and the staff. The staff members in the field have to deal with the technical aspects of getting the job done. The dispatchers back at the office are in charge of managing communication between the customer and the technicians. Both dispatchers and technicians should be concerned with the customer.

This is, of course, a simplified version of the roles within field service, but you get the picture. The parties involved with a dispatch should not have to worry about the paperwork and administrative tasks surrounding the job. Their focus should ultimately be on customer satisfaction. Dispatch software cuts down on the labor necessary for those administrative tasks, increasing efficiency on the job, and thus increasing customer satisfaction.

Software also helps the flow of information during a dispatch. This increases customer satisfaction, but also ensures that no resources, whether it is equipment, supplies, or manual labor, are wasted on the job.

Posted in dispatch software | Leave a comment

How Can FieldConnect Help Roofing Contractors?

Posted on June 8, 2011 by admin

FieldConnect specializes in field service management software, keeping all parties (technicians, dispatchers, and customers) linked and in the know. The software is applicable in all fields where field service management could use a little boost, like with roofing contractors, for instance.

First, let’s take a look at the logistics of field service management and what it really entails.

Delving Into Field Service Management

Field service management, which mainly applies to companies that manage installations, repairs, or maintenance of equipment or systems, handles the optimization of all processes involved with sending staff members and technicians sent “into the field” (i.e. out of the office) to assist customers. This includes information needed by the company and the performance of staff members and on-field technicians.

Chances are, if a professional installed the satellite for your television, fixed your Internet router, or even patched your roof, you have had some interaction with field service management.

The four main areas of a field service management solution are:

  • Customer management capabilities that include account, selling, tech support, and a customer portal
  • Management of parts
  • Dispatching and workforce optimization
  • Integrated mobile enterprise applications

Common Problems with Field Service Management

Optimizing field service management can be a fairly difficult task, mainly because it involves communication between parties. Miscommunication is far too easy and can lead to all sorts of problems with the company and with customers.
Optimizing field service management to create a stream-lined system involves

  • Intelligent scheduling
  • Dispatching of multiple technicians to different locations every day
  • Minimization of costs
  • Maintaining good relations with clients and customers
  • Providing good customer service

Optimizing field service management is further complicated by the fact that it tends to branch into other areas of the company management system.

For example, the last item of the above list (providing customer service) relates to service management. Service management is the mediator between sales and the customer. In good practice, service management can reduce management costs while increasing customer satisfaction.

Workforce management also becomes a part of field service management. Making sure that each technician has the proper skill and is scheduled appropriately maximizes the amount of work done at any one time.

FieldConnect and Roofing Contractors

As stated earlier, FieldConnect specializes in all sorts of solutions to optimize field service management. Most of this field service software combines wireless technologies, customer service data, dispatch, and work order management within one mobile system. Software can also create simple databases full of information regarding technicians’ equipment, access requirements, and an inventory of parts.

FieldConnect allows on-site technicians the ability to view all of this information from netbook, smartphone, or iPad. This also speeds up communication between technicians.

Roofing contractors make use of dispatch and technicians like any other field service job. Let’s take a look at a few of the things FieldConnect’s software can do.

  • The software allows for easy and instant creation of service calls.
  • Service calls are instantly displayed on a map, accessible by the dispatchers and the roofers.
  • Dispatchers can schedule service calls with optimized routes, depending upon the location of the call and the location of the roofing contractors.
  • Software also allows for scheduling based on the roofing contractor’s skill, availability, and the skills needed for the job.
  • Each roofing contractor knows exactly where the jobs are in relation to each other, making it easier to organize routes and coordinate with other roofing contractors in the field.
  • Software also assists in keeping track of multi-visit and recurring jobs.

FieldConnect’s software takes quite the load off of roofing contractors. Consider the fact that roofing contractors are mainly focused on building, repairing, maintaining, or otherwise taking care of the clients’ roof and satisfying the customer’s needs. However, on-field services generally take quite a bit of paperwork and administrative duties, most of which is tedious and can slow down the rest of the job. Administrative tasks also take the focus off what matters.

Furthermore, FieldConnect’s software solutions help the flow of information with all parties involved. Miscommunication on the job can lead to all sorts of problems. For example, miscommunication can lead to a waste in resources and materials, which can be very costly when it comes to dealing with roofs.

Posted in Field Technicians, Industries Served | Leave a comment

What is Technician Software?

Posted on May 19, 2011 by admin

You may have heard of field technician software, or even had a business partner or friend suggest that you add it to your operations. But what does field technician software truly bring to your technicians, and what does implementing such a solution entail? Technician software is about more than managing products and company assets; it’s also about equipping the people who make up the building blocks of your business with tools to effectively manage their daily tasks.

Technician software provides technicians with a straightforward interface and intuitive workflow to help them efficiently gather, report, bill, and execute their field service requests.Technician software that integrates with options such as PDAs, iPhones, Androids, laptops, tablet PCs, Blackberry devices and desktop computers helps you choose from a virtually limitless range of technology. Quality fleet management software can help you equip your team with the most appropriate tools for their line of work so that your business can capitalize on the mobility of its workforce.

So why add new technology to your operation? Field technician software provides you and your team with the ability to:

  • Equip your employees with instant access to information, sent directly from your Microsoft Dynamics or Sage Timberline field service database.
  • Track the fleet, including location and activity and keep an eye on each individual’s whereabouts, time management, on-hand equipment, and nearest service call location.
  • Empower your customers with access to on-the-job technicians to help them interface directly with their service suppliers.
  • Manage real-time estimates of products on hand with each employee as well as equipment out in the field in the hands of the customers.
  • Encourage and implement employee fairness and cultivate preferred employee performance. Achieve accountability by giving your technicians the ability to maintain accurate records of their performance.
  • Keep abreast of preventive maintenance by knowing exactly where your employees are, where they’ve been, and how they are interfacing with the customers and the rest of the team.

The goal of technician software is to both elevate efficiencies and increase productivity. It is your path to airtight accountability, statistics tracking, customer information, service requests, and equipment access.Technician software helps your team by allowing them to see the status of work assigned to them and gain access to real-time information to help them do their jobs quickly and efficiently, even when they are away from their vehicles.

Eliminate Paperwork
Technician software also automates the time-consuming facets of the job; such as billing time, scheduling customer appointments, updating inventory, and capturing information. Streamlining information input increases the efficiency in and out of the office. This not only saves time for the technician but also the staff back at the office who must transcribe, re-key information or make multiple calls to people working in the field.

From a technician standpoint, he or she is free to work quickly and effectively without getting bogged down in piles of paperwork. The ability to record information at the vehicle or job site increases the accuracy of record-keeping, minimizing errors caused by after-the-fact record keeping. Technician software also allows your employees to pull up customer information at the touch of a button and eliminate lag-time between the technician and your field service database.

Optimize Efficiencies
Equipping your technician with mobile software solutions can help you track the whereabouts and service call times of each technician, resulting in automated and precise capture of billable time. This encourages technicians to work in the most effective manner and to save themselves extra time that doesn’t result inprofit.  When paired with fleet management software, optimized route planning and real-time dispatch can be conveyed directly to your technicians, helping them avoid extra time on the road. Your dispatchers can interface directly with field technicians, allowing them to assign service calls in the most direct order based on an up-to-date status of every technician’s current service call.

Increase Up-Selling and Cross-Selling Capabilities
Technician software gives your employees on-site access to inventory, customer history, and equipment costs to help them assess the customer’s needs and provide alternative and complementary services and products on location. With a handheld device, a technician can speak with a customer, consult their software, and offer a customized solution right there on the spot.

The ability to advise, track, and best appropriate a fleet starts with offering your team the ability to perform these actions on an individual basis for each vehicle, employee, and customer.  It also starts with equipping your employees with tools to help them best perform their duties and streamline their daily activities. Technician software is about more than simply tracking your employees and monitoring use of equipment in the field. It also provides your technicians with the ability to increase their statistics and take the pride and ownership in the duties that lead to their professional excellence.

Posted in Field Technicians, Solutions | Leave a comment

Benefits of Using a Customer Portal

Posted on May 18, 2011 by admin

Customers are the keystone of any business. They are the top priority and also the bottom line. But giving them access to services at their convenience can take more overhead than a business can muster while still turning a profit. Keeping doors open and ready to take a call at all hours of the day can become a pretty tall order for the average operation. So how do you stay available while also staying profitable?

A customer portal is a way for your customers to reach out to you, creating a two-way, time-independent conversation. New service requests from customers can be directly entered into your Microsoft Dynamics or Sage Timberline field service database with no need for additional steps. This allows your customers the freedom to access your business at their convenience, while allowing you the opportunity to serve customers you otherwise might not encounter.

A customer portal allows you to manage your customer relationships and build customer loyalty by providing them with a place to:

  • Place new service requests online, which are directly entered into your field service database
  • View service call information through an online portal and track their delivery or service
  • See the exact position of a truck while in transit
  • View the cost, approval status (if necessary), service call history, invoices, equipment allocated or in stock, and other customer-specific information
  • See equipment history, before and after pictures, work performed, etc.
  • Complete online customer surveys,feedback forms, and product reviews

All of these features can help you gain insight on your quality of service, increase customer satisfaction levels, increase profits and product sales, bolster referrals, harvest valuable feedback, and empower your customers with non-stop access to your business.
A customer portal can also help your side of the business by:

  • Serving as a sales tool to attract and retain large accounts
  • Lightening the load on your dispatchers
  • Automating service scheduling
  • Reducing or eliminating inbound calls
  • Increasing security and managing customer access to documents or sites
  • Helping you refine your business model and target key customers

Think of a customer portal as a technical support phone call. Knowing what number you are in the queue gives you, as the customer, a feeling of control. Information is power, and enlightening your customers with this knowledge takes the stress and the vulnerability out of every interaction. Peace of mind and a sense of security can make the difference between a single service call and a lifelong patron.

Product Visibility Increases Product Purchase

Customer portals are also a great way to get your products and services in front of your audience in a no-pressure atmosphere. Giving your customers the opportunity to review your new products and services on their pen time can help you increase your sales with little extra effort. A customer portal is the prime place to expand on the benefits of your products and services and list details that your technicians don’t have time to convey when they’re on-site with the customer.

Self-Service Serves Both the Customer and the Business

A customer portal puts self-service at the leading edge of your operation. Access to automated scheduling takes your employees off the phone, eliminating the phone-tag that dispatchers must contend with and the hold times customers must sufferthrough. Inbound calls are reduced, as a customer need only hop online to check the status of their service. Self-service also keeps your business scalable. New phone reps no longer have to be hired before service can be scheduled or products can be ordered, nor do you have to expand staff hours to handle calls after regular business hours or in varying time zones. A customer portal can provide your customers with access to information at their convenience at any time of the day, any day of the week.

With an online customer portal, you can gain all of the benefits of a customer-centric solution while simultaneously reducing your overhead and streamlining communication. A direct link from your customer’s requests to your field service database eliminates errors and captures data instantly. Giving your customer a place to schedule service, purchase products, rate your service and recommend referrals can do nothing but improve your customer satisfaction ratings. Giving your customers control can help give your business the freedom necessary to grow and thrive and aid in streamlining your business toward a more profitable future.

Posted in Customer Service, Solutions | Leave a comment

How Does GPS Fleet Tracking Work?

Posted on April 4, 2011 by admin

GPS fleet tracking provides transparency to the activities of your field technician fleet by using the power of GPS satellites to provide up-to-date position tracking throughout the country. The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally engineered by the U.S. Department of Defense, provides you with a real-time picture of the positioning of each service vehicle in your field technician fleet. This technology provides dispatchers with the ability to monitor vehicle use and assign the closest and best equipped field technician to each open service call. A GPS Fleet tracking device is installed into each fleet vehicle, and monitors the information that is passed back to dispatchers. Your dispatching team can then assign technicians based on location and current service call status.

GPS Fleet Tracking Devices are Installed

First, tracking devices must be installed to each vehicle in your fleet. This tracking device essentially becomes each vehicle’s “black box,” recording its movements 24/7 using satellite technology. Every few seconds, the tracking device transmits the vehicle’s record to one of 24 satellites orbiting the earth. These receivers then triangulate the exact location of each vehicle, and provide a comprehensive view of each vehicle in the fleet. Small and obscure, these vehicle tracking devices are resistant to outside theft or tampering. They also draw on power from the vehicle, making it essentially self-maintained.

Fleet Status is Monitored

The status of each vehicle is tracked around the clock, including the exact location of each vehicle on a map, whether that vehicle is in transit or there is field service work in progress, the speed of each vehicle, and even the duration of time that vehicle was out for a service call. Pre-set parameters can be set up so that email alerts are dispatched when those parameters are reached. Your dispatching team can then monitor the activity of the fleet by setting alerts for speeding, designated service zones, service time alerts and total driving time tracking. GPS fleet tracking can also help evaluate alternate routes to optimize gas consumption and response time.

The recorded vehicle metrics can also be used to validate when a technician is:

  • Unavailable for a call
  • Still at a previous service location
  • Choosing alternative routes or taking detours
  • Employing a vehicle for a non-sanctioned purpose
  • Entering time on billing reports that is unaccountable
  • Taking excessive breaks, or logging too much idle time

Information is Propagated to a Dashboard

The location and status of each vehicle is transmitted through a wireless network where it is then reported to a dashboard where you can view the status of your vehicles. Fleet tracking can be incorporated into your existing Microsoft Dynamics or Sage Timberline field service solution and your in-vehicle GPS systems. This allows you to see the real-time location of your vehicles and maintain an open line of updated communication between your database and your fleet. You can then assign field technicians to services calls based on their location and availability, and accurately dictate the sequence of service calls and the quickest route between sequential appointments. This fleet-tracking dashboard reduces the need for dispatchers to repeatedly call drivers and assess their location and status.

Supported by Microsoft MapPoint, the GPS fleet tracking solution provides an updated graphical view of local geography, and full integration with real-time traffic data also allows dispatchers to redirect field technicians away from traffic jams and redirect technicians on the fly, increasing timely service calls and freeing up the technician’s schedule, increasing daily service calls and boosting productivity.

Assets are Monitored

GPS fleet tracking also provides record-keeping and reporting for review, including: daily and weekly summaries, vehicle stops, a comprehensive vehicle history, and vehicle maintenance records to help reduce wear and tear. It can be used to reconcile the time claimed by field a technician against their vehicle’s concrete GPS time records. These records can also help in quick and accurate reporting of total technician driving time for federal Hours of Severance standards compliance as well as completion of your monthly or quarterly state fuel-tax reports.

In short, GPS fleet tracking implementation provides an accurate 24/7 answer to the most popular question encountered in vehicle fleet management:

”Where are you?”

Posted in Field Technicians, GPS Fleet Tracking, Solutions | 1 Comment

Improving Productivity of Field Technicians

Posted on April 4, 2011 by admin

It can be said that the most important factor in any venture is not the amount of time you spend, but how that time is spent. Although the numbers don’t lie, the amount of time reflected by those numbers doesn’t tell an accurate story when it comes to assessing productivity.  The inherent challenge of managing field technicians stems from the simple fact that they are out of sight. By implementing a few simple enhancements, the management process can drastically improve productivity while minimizing existing costs and introducing a higher level of accountability into the system. Using the right tools for the unique management of field technicians, you can revolutionize your bottom line by increasing visibility and maintaining updated lines of communication. Help your team remotely review what has happened in the past, what is happening at the moment, and how to accurately plan for what may happen in the future.

Real-time customer scheduling and dispatch

Knowing exactly what is happening at any moment is the backbone of successful field technician management. To accurately manage resources and requests, these components are a necessary part of productivity management:

  • Real-time communication between your customers, your field technicians and your dispatchers can help maintain an up-to-date status of all technicians and service calls.
  • Dispatch systems that allow you to schedule without prediction. The ability to see available appointments instantly removes “guesstimating” service call length, or overbooking appointments.
  • Prompt service request responses to increase customer satisfaction, promoting referrals and securing repeat customers.
  • The ability to respond to quick changes and keep the schedule fully booked, increasing the amount of service calls conducted daily and leveraging unused capacity.
  • Tools to modify assignments on the fly and assign the best technician for the job dynamically, based on the available pool and most recent service requests.

Technological solutions

With so many technologies at your fingertips to increase customer service, parts management, and record-keeping, there’s no reason not to incorporate technological solutions into your management.

  • Self-service portals are transforming the way companies interact with their customers. This new age of technology has led to a much lower customer patience threshold for long call times and inaccessible information.  Customers are looking for immediate answers so that they can move on with their lives. A customer service portal allows your customers the ability to view the status of their service call while reducing your customer service staffing costs.
  • Online inventory management reduces backorder and helps track the status of on-hand materials both in-house and in the field. This tracking can help anticipate needs and also study inventory trends.
  • On-site data capture eliminates lost records and reduces the time your field technicians spend filling out paperwork. Fewer items are forgotten, parts are better tracked, and technicians spend less time on after-the-fact documenting. Technicians can also access up-to date information about the current service call, and correctly create invoices and enter billable hours.
  • Cross-selling and service maintenance scheduling on-location increases the revenue potential of each service call.

Field technician tracking

They’re on your dime, so shouldn’t they be on your time? Tracking your technicians is the biggest positive change you can make to your process to increase the productivity of your team.

  • Know exactly where your field technicians are at any given time by the use of global positioning systems. GPS tracking allows you to eliminate the misuse of service vehicles by keeping tabs on every vehicle in your fleet.  Effortlessly track speeding, detours, and slow response times.
  • Improve resource allocation by assigning the closest technician to the call. Know where every one of your service vehicles is at any given time and cut down on the costs of unnecessary commuting.
  • Increase response time and increase customer satisfaction by outlining the fastest route to service calls on an easy-to-follow, interactive map.
  • Increase accountability by leveraging vehicle reports and checking historical records, thereby maintaining service consistency and reducing wear and tear on vehicles.

Keeping an open line of communication between dispatchers and field technicians allows for a streamlined and seamless allocation of resources based on the needs of your customers at any given time. Allowing your customers access to self-service tools reduces wait-time angst, and lowers your customer service staff requirements. Keeping a constantly updated inventory and service call record helps you anticipate future inventory needs and monitor trends. Field technicians can spend less time preoccupied with processes and more time focusing on the customer, inviting a platform for cross-selling and maintaining the current and future needs of each customer. Implementing these small but high-impact changes can create a world of difference when it comes to the productivity of your field technicians.

Posted in Field Technicians, Industries Served, Solutions | Leave a comment

Welcome to the Field Connect Blog

Posted on March 28, 2010 by admin

Welcome to the brand new blog of Field Connect – your solution for maximizing field service profitability. While you can find plenty of information about our products and services throughout our site, this blog will provide general tips, current events in the industry, company information, and updates on new technology.

Founded in 2002, we have spent the last decade perfecting new ways to manage real time service call issues for customers, technicians, and dispatchers. Our goal is to eliminate paper and manual errors, and empower on-site technicians with up-sell and cross-sell capabilities. Not only do we want to provide more accurate and efficient solutions, at Field Connect we give you and your team the ability to grow your business from the bottom up.

If you are looking for ways to connect with your dispatchers and technicians more easily, we can provide tips and advice, as well as unique ways to use our services and products, right here at our blog. Be sure to visit often as we will be updating it regularly! See you soon!

Posted in Company News | 1 Comment