What is field service management software and why it matters?

• Saranya
• 10min read
• 17 Nov 21

Adding to what you may already know,

Managing a team of field service professionals is the most operationally daunting duty. The efforts are enormous if one wants to streamline, manage and keep track of all the unexpected changes that could possibly occur at any time in the field servicing job, as there are plentiful variables that need to be logged, monitored and regulated by manual labour.

Oftentimes, firms have to tackle inadequate information, lags, and invalid or missing information in these instances and while some of it is handled by electronic databases, yet human error is non-negligible.

With the advancement in how we can stay connected with each other and the rest of the world via our mobile devices, all-the-time, it was obvious to come up with a technological solution that can help companies manage mobile workforces and field service operations seamlessly and efficiently.

This resulted in the development of advanced field service management (FSM) systems.

What is FSM software?

FSM systems use mobile equipment to automate and regulate field operations of service workers. The FSM market was worth more than $3.5 billion in 2019, and many bigger software firms such as Salesforce have since added FSM to their stack as one of their key offerings.

Due to the rise in consumer demands and the growing complexity of managing logistics, many business owners, as well as employees, stockholders and customers are seeking some sort of automation in their day-to-day jobs, thus seeing value in FSM software.

Industries that can/should leverage FSM

Since its inception, FSM software has entirely changed the way field service management has been done across a varied range of industries. For example:

• Courier companies are using FSM software to improve their processes by removing
  inefficiencies and thereby save cost and enhance driver efficiency.
• Telecom companies are using FSM’s intelligent scheduling and vehicle tracking
  capability to reduce missed appointments rate and consumer complaints.
• Construction companies are using FSM software to make tracking and maintaining pricey
  machinery easier. And with the help of access to real-time data the progress of each job
  can be closely monitored.
• In the healthcare industry FSM tools are used by doctors, nurses and paramedics to have
  accurate information on patient records.

In a nutshell, existing FSM software and the innovations in tools by new entrants are benefiting a wide range of SMB, Mid-market and enterprise companies across industries.

Importance of field service management software

Customers do not like service delays, miscommunications, and incoherent customer service. Hence it is essential for companies to have a defined coordination system between workers and the customers in order to offer the best customer service possible. With FSM software, companies can seamlessly keep track of customer requests and unprecedented internal changes in a more informed way.

What is the current role/impact of field service management?

The role and impact of an FSM software may vary based on the nature of the business, customer base, needs of the customers and employees, and other external parameters. So in order for a successful implementation of a FSM software what does it require?

In order to support the growing need of the work-from-home workforce, the nature of FSM software has been constantly evolving. Despite all the sudden shift in how people work and interact with the world, usage of software solutions has resulted in significant rise in productivity, reduction in cost and service betterment.

With the help of advanced FSM software consumers/customers can now have easy access to their service requests. And with no extra phone calls to the company, customers can receive information regarding service professional’s arrival time, status of their service request, so on and so forth.

Field service management uses

Field service management software don’t just aid companies with their customer service efforts, but also help them with cost control. Along with that, the FSM solution allows workers to be proactive and do their jobs on time and more swiftly.

Listed below are some of the benefits of Field Service Management software:

Defined workflows: FSM tools help workers adhere to a defined workflow from start to end, whether in the field or not, which directly impacts the efficiency of the work executed and service offered. It also helps workers organize their tasks, stay in sync with their fellow colleagues and also stay ahead of time. With this level of coordination, the service offered is always a hit.

Less/Zero-paperwork: By integrating FMS software with tools like EDMS (electronic document management system) companies can quickly cut down on the amount of paper and manual work done, and also eliminate the dependencies on old and outdated filing systems, altogether.

Seamless scheduling regime: FMS tool helps organizations/workers reduce service disagreements/conflicts, double down on offering better customer service, and save ample money and time. On the other hand customers are benefited with lesser wait time, service precision and overall a positive service experience.

Precise resource and task allotment: field service management software allows organizations to be on point with assigning the right person for service requests. Advanced FSM systems can identify workers’ strengths and match them with relevant service needs/activities, and also takes into account the job location, deadline and cost applied. This improves the overall quality of the service as well as employee morale, and lastly, the jobs are done efficiently.

Improved work quality: As all the real-time data points on employees, customers and software usage get fed into the FSM software, the team can leverage these insights and drive new process innovations. With multiple data points, the system can easily identify service gaps and predict possible breakdowns, time frame to finish a specific type of job, etc. which can aid organisations with workforce planning and much more.

In the closing…

For a company like yours a FSM software can help with automating critical processes like auto-filling work order forms, notifying clients with service status updates, dispatching workers, monitoring asset usage, regular maintenance of critical machinery, etc. But before opting for a Field service management (FSM) software it’s important to focus on the cost of the tool, customer experience with the product so far, process digitization capabilities offered, and mainly the scalability of the system to fit all your future business expansions.

Well, checkout how field service management software can amp up your field service management game!