If your business relies on having employees in the field, you know that communication and oversight can be challenging. Field service teams are constantly on the move, making it difficult to provide support, ensure accountability, and gain visibility into their work. Fortunately, with the right field management software, it's now easier than ever to manage your mobile employees.
Next-Generation Solutions for Field Force Management
Modern field force management software goes beyond old-school solutions like paper forms and checklists. Today's tools provide two-way communication, automated scheduling and dispatching, GPS-tracking of field assets, and mobile access from virtually any device. Leading solutions like ServiceMax, Astea, and Resco are cloud-based to enable access from anywhere at any time. Data is integrated in real-time across the entire business, ensuring field teams have the right information to complete their work efficiently while managers maintain visibility from the office.
The Power to Optimize Scheduling Dispatching
Effective route planning and scheduling of field resources makes the difference between profit and loss. Field management software automates complex scheduling based on capacity, inventory levels, response times, and employee skills. Last-minute jobs or emergencies can be dispatched to the nearest available field rep based on GPS location data instead of manual radio calls. Some solutions even use AI to optimize daily plans and schedules as conditions change. This enables field operations leaders to maximize productivity and customer satisfaction.
Two-Way Communication with Mobile Employees
Outdated solutions require field staff to call into the office to provide updates, ask questions, or seek support for issues. Modern tools offer instant messaging, email, and chat right on mobile devices so employees can communicate with managers, other field staff, inventory control, etc. without leaving their current job site. Some solutions even provide video/photo capabilities so field staff can send images back to HQ to diagnose problems or document work. This real-time, ongoing communication keeps everyone aligned.
Collect Critical Data from the Frontlines
Mobile field service management software eliminates reliance on manual data tracking like paper forms or information staff fill out from memory once they return to the office. Electronic forms standardize data collection so staff in the field can provide updates on work order status, report progress towards goals, log material/parts usage, and more. GPS tracking provides time and location stamping so there’s validation around employee activities. This data flows back to business systems in real time, ensuring metrics around SLAs, work order status, inventory consumption, and productivity goals are accurate and drive operational insights versus just being recorded on paper.
Reap the Benefits Across Your Business
Bringing your field operations into the digital world pays dividends across departments like inventory, procurement, CX, and finance that rely on accuracy around field data. Plus, managers gain peace of mind knowing they have visibility into field employee tasks without needing to be onsite. This allows them to be more strategic around planning, process improvements, and foreseeing issues before they arise. For field staff, automated scheduling, dispatching, and access to real-time information empowers them to be more efficient and provide better customer experiences.
Take your field operations to the next level with software built for a mobile workforce. Contact us to learn more!
