Transforming the Field Service Business Model with Field Force Management Software

Transforming the Field Service Business Model with Field Force Management Software

Your website and products may offer better customer service, but the real service test happens when your personnel is on-field. The first personal interaction with a consumer happens when they purchase your product. Businesses must maximize this touchpoint to boost client retention and foster brand loyalty in today’s world of growing impatience.

Field executives are starting to understand this. According to Gartner, customer satisfaction will increase from about 50% today to 70% of firms by 2020 as the main advantage of integrating field service management. However, they must modify their current service models to please clients and remain responsive to their needs. The field service business model should be appealing enough and is essential for enhancing client loyalty and trust in all areas, from repairs to preventative maintenance. 80% of decision-makers believe that field service is essential to their entire strategy, and 75% believe it drives revenue. Although there are some effective measures, using technology can be long-term, especially with the arrival of AI, IoT, geolocation, and others.

This article presents you with practices adopted by the field service industry as a part of the modern field service business model.

Top New Technology Adoption for Field Service Business Model

Adopting AI and VR Technologies

Today, remote service is a successful business strategy. Over the years, two things have contributed to this: the growth of high-speed internet. The introduction of 5G networks will further simplify remote service. Second, the development of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies.

The client and the company both benefit from remote service and self-service. It decreases downtime, saves money, and eliminates the inconveniences and delays associated with an agent traveling to the client’s location. Remote working makes it possible to provide contactless service during pandemics. Integrating AR, VR, and CRM suites with the field service software are best for remote service to function.

Improved Inventory and Field Visibility

Select a software program that enables real-time communication between your technicians’ mobile devices and your CRM, ERP, and inventories. These are already present in the workplace knowledge base. Let them help your field service effectively address the client and provide service without taking too long. The mobile devices of the technicians can also record services in real time. They may quickly complete orders through digital signatures and get to their next task.

Using Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance is one service widely used in the service business, improving customer experience and retention rates. But the question here is: where does the data come from?

IoT is the answer to this. By using an IoT tool, you can monitor the equipment. These IoT-connected gadgets and sensors continuously gather data about the machinery and can notify the field service company when maintenance or repairs are required. Field service companies can reduce unplanned downtime or service delays while the device or equipment system is still functional by proactively monitoring their clients’ equipment through IoT.

IoT technology implementation can boost revenue for field service companies. An IoT gadget, for instance, can transmit vital real-time data to field workers so they can accurately determine what is required. It enhances workflow, preparation, and efficiency.

Involving Digital Transformation in the Field Service Industry

Technology is constantly changing. Digital transformation is driven by forward-thinking field service businesses to provide business continuity and lower risks. The pandemic has expedited such plans. Paper inspection forms and digital whiteboards for scheduling are outdated manual processes. Mobile-integrated field service platforms are already the norm. Businesses yet to adopt mobility and the cloud will soon go out of business.

Savvy businesses have already embraced the newest generation of technology. They use machine learning algorithms to automate dispatching, scheduling, and other crucial activities. As rivals catch up and technology becomes standard, clever businesses prepare to innovate. Such innovation aims to stand out and give customers better value.

Transforming Field Service into Responsive Enterprise

In the demanding field service industry, only a responsive organization succeeds. Growing customer awareness and intense rivalry tip the scales in their favor. As a part of the field service business model, companies must always put the consumer first if they want to survive. They must be proactive in soliciting client input to achieve this. Smart businesses incorporate customer feedback into their primary company processes and strategies. They start gathering feedback and suggestions shortly after the work is finished. Through social listening and other methods, they also get feedback from customers.

Effective managers adjust operations and take other proactive measures based on reliable input. Additionally, they alter the structure as necessary, considering the consumer’s comfort, tastes, and desires. Customer expectations are made obvious when feedback is recorded in the CRM, which boosts engagement.

Training and Listening to Field Service Team

Your field service business shouldn’t limit digitization but should go beyond technological advancements. All employees should participate in the process, representing a significant shift in business culture that focuses entirely on the client in all tasks. Their participation in the initiative is crucial to its success. Employees should have a voice in meetings and project work committees, receive comprehensive training on the new tools, and have their suggestions for improvement is essential.

Changing Priorities

Besides digital transformation, field service companies’ top goal is to shift with time. Enterprises during 2020 were majorly concentrated on enabling reliable communications. They also tried giving field agents the appropriate digital tools to do their work without going to the office. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has made safety a priority. Businesses use technology to manage their field forces safely and securely. For instance, biosecurity guidelines are included in inspection forms.

Businesses that do not adopt biosecurity measures risk losing both clients and staff. Similar to this, contactless services that reduce physical closeness include those that provide customer support via video calls and phone support.

Analyzing and Collecting Customer Feedback

As a part of the field service business model, considering your customers’ ideas and input is essential if you want to provide them with the highest quality service possible. The ability to record customer feedback on the service received from the same mobile device is now possible, thanks to technology. This information is beneficial and can be researched thoroughly to help the service be improved over time.

The more contemporary CRM solutions, which gather comments about your business on social networks from customers and the general public and utilize cutting-edge social listening technology and emotional analysis to analyze them, are additional tools of interest for monitoring customer feedback.

Personalization of the Service

Customer happiness is directly related to the profit of service businesses. Providing a personalized experience is one of the key factors influencing consumer happiness. Smart organizations use analytics to discover client preferences and promote personalization. Personalization, however, extends beyond giving specialized advice and assistance. Field agents deal directly with clients; therefore, training technicians in soft skills will improve their ability. The professionals are still in the best position to determine the demands and preferences of customers.

The best solution is to integrate field service data with customer requirements, which will help to obtain real-time, current information on client engagement and sentiments.

Conclusion

MIMOIQ, with its Field Force Management Software, makes it easier for service companies like yours to become digitally enabled. Get in touch with us to Scale up your field service business model. Our experts will examine your situation and demonstrate how to succeed in this transformation process. We work closely with the organization to customer field service operations for better field service.

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Ways to boost your business with Field Force Automation.

Ways to boost your business with Field Force Automation.

August 22, 2022
6:38 am
Field Force Automation Software, field officer, mobile workforce, Software

There are many prospects for improving the performance of the mobile field service workforce, thanks to the introduction of field force automation software. Many organizations that invest more in advancement concentrate more on the in-house workforce. However, a sizable portion of the workforce directly contributes to the organization’s revenue, like the technicians and inspectors, and remains reliant on phones or laptops.

Even if the world is becoming digitized, many organizations still need people with boots on the ground to interact with suppliers and clients.

Field Force Automation Software: A Boon to Organizations

Before the advent of field service management software, there was a massive gap between technicians and customers, with technicians having little knowledge of customer problems.

According to the report by Gallup, American businesses spend more than $500 billion due to low employee engagement. Additionally, they face a massive loss due to low employee engagement. Customers may not be aware of the severity of the problem and complain about it as part of routine service.

The mobile workforce’s inconsistency can also harm overall morale and productivity and lower customer satisfaction. This is why more and more businesses are investing more money in retraining and onboarding new hires. With the help of the field service management software, clients may now take a picture of the issue and submit the report as needed. It provides the technicians with a clear understanding of the issue and helps them prepare.

What is Field Force Automation Software?

Designed for an organization with more manpower like field technicians working remotely, field service and mobile workforce management is a system that streamlines the onboarding of customers and vendors and field sales operations, increasing the efficiency of field sales agents and remote workers. Your field force, such as sales representatives, service technicians, or agents, can always travel with the mobile field force management software (app). It enables you to monitor their development in real-time, offer support, and schedule further activities. Consequently, you can accomplish the following goals:

Make field agent schedules that are optimum.
Real-time communication with remote employees.
To avoid fraudulent reports, track agents and geofence their locations.
Analyze the performance of your staff.
To assign new jobs to field technicians.

Let us now check how this Field Force Automation Software can boost the field service

Help in providing quick access to the data

With the use of the software, one can do efficient location tracking. The mobile device may automatically recognize and display only the information that the user needs to see to complete his work when he is close to the location of the equipment.

This feature eliminates the need for manual searches or filtering through several pieces of equipment necessary for the oil and gas business, where specialists visit different locations of wellheads and meters each day. This technologically assisted coaching can hasten employee training while reducing human error caused by erroneous data analysis and bad decisions.

The field service management tool enhances employee visibility and openness. When the field technician is at the customer’s location, he should not be concerned about the history of the prior client or wait for the task manager to inform him. The cloud contains all of the necessary data.

Meeting Customer Expectations

Businesses run on customer expectation fulfillment

Fulfilling client expectations is essential for business success. However, without the assistance of their employers, mobile workers may find it difficult to meet client needs. Some issues that could arise as officials work on the ground include the following.

Sometimes field representatives would falsely claim that a meeting had ended when they did not attend or organize it.

How can I ensure that each agent or salesperson gets an equal number of meetings? Does an agent have too many tasks and lose out on consumers? Do the field representatives comprehend the clients’ wants and offer suitable remedies?

Organizations can overcome these challenges through field service and mobile workforce management solutions. Companies can provide more significant information on customer behavior, wants, and needs and give up-selling and cross-selling signals when appropriate if they have enough customer information.

The system offers Field Data Instantly

Workers in the field can now enter data directly into a tablet or smartphone. Utility workers using this system can save a lot of time by scanning meters to extract alphanumeric data and reporting any other problems, including maintenance requests. A better option would be to read meter dials that they can convert into text, add location data to this data, and then send the entire thing to the business systems.

This technologically advanced process is quicker and less prone to human input error than looking for and typing in a designated entry space for meter data. Additionally, organizations can now access more real-time information about what is occurring in the field instead of relying on daily summaries with each new entry.

Help with Team Workflow

In industrial jobs, several team members work across several locations, each of which only owns a small fraction of the bigger workflows. The amount of time wasted over excessive phone and email communication to coordinate work execution on such tasks results in nonproductive time.

Digital mobile tool ecosystems may now promote teamwork by keeping everyone updated on the progress of a task and displaying customized to-do lists.

For instance, if a valve fails and an engine malfunctions, a technician can request the part replacement, which the procurement office will queue up. It will help in finishing up the job quickly

Strong Employee Engagement

Customer loyalty, profitability, and productivity are the three driving essences of the engaged mobile workforce. Better engagement will help with:

Boost Satisfaction among Employees

It’s pretty common among mobile workers to look forward to receiving appreciation for their excellent work. They are happy to assist clients in return. Customers won't receive the best experience from them that day if their employer rejects their request for a raise.
Motivate Mobile Workers

Employees need to get the desired reward for their successes. They will have more motivation to put in hard work and support the company's overall success as a result of this. When employees are motivated, they are more productive, which increases client satisfaction with their services.
Gaining Confidence

Discouraged workers may doubt their capacity to handle pressure-filled circumstances. Mobile workers are confident to work in challenging situations under high confidence.

Things to Consider Before You Invest in Field Force Automation Software

To ensure your investment in a workforce management and field service solution has a good return, you should consider the following factors:

Satisfying Customers

Thanks to the advancement in automation software, customers expect brands to offer faster responses due to the growing volume of information and ease of access to data.

Stay Competent

There is a huge competition out there, and you must stay ahead and active in customer satisfaction. As a result, you will also require technologies to speed up onboarding.

Faster Deployment

Most management teams frequently begin with the premise that implementing mobile solutions will be expensive upfront. Rapid deployment times, low costs, and the ability to scale up or down as the business develops are typical features of custom field service software.

Wrapping it up

The best way to increase business efficiency is to provide the mobile workforce with highly functional and improved digital tools. By investing in technology advancement, companies can work towards improving both employees and customers. Not just field technicians, the use of field automation can benefit in the long run. Since more and more field service companies are investing in automation software, things are becoming accessible for field technicians. As the number of field service organizations is increasing daily, keeping ahead of the competition to survive becomes crucial. MIMOIQ is the leading company that offers field force automation services for all industries to help the diverse workforce.