Best Field Service App Features

Best Field Service App Features for HVAC Technicians

Posted on by Dr. Sam Martin

Running an HVAC business takes more than knowing how to fix or install a unit. Schedules need to be managed, parts have to be tracked accurately, quotes must go out before the customer loses interest, and service history should be available the moment a technician walks through the door.

A well-built field service app handles these operational details in the background, so technicians can spend their time on the actual work rather than paperwork.

A surprising number of HVAC companies still rely on phone calls, handwritten notes, and spreadsheets to keep things running. It gets the job done, for a while. But this approach eventually leads to missed appointments, lost business, and technicians showing up without the information they need on site.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects HVAC technician employment to grow nearly 9% through 2032, a faster pace than most other skilled trades. With the kind of demand on the horizon, having a reliable, organized system in place stops being optional and starts being necessary.

This blog covers the features that genuinely matter for HVAC technicians and teams responsible for managing them.

Why HVAC Businesses Need a Field Service App

HVAC work involves a lot of moving pieces on any given day. Technicians travel between job sites, often carrying different tools and parts depending on what each visit calls for. Meanwhile, the office needs to know where every technician is, what job they’re on, and whether the customer’s service agreement is still valid.

Without proper software, keeping track of all this becomes a challenge. Calls get missed, technicians arrive without the right information, and invoices sit unsent longer than they should.

A dedicated HVAC field service app brings all of this together in one place, so the office and the field are always working from the same accurate data.

Must-Have Features in an HVAC Field Service App

Here’s what actually matters when you’re picking software for HVAC technicians and dispatch teams. Have a look at them for a better understanding:

1. Smart Scheduling and Dispatching

Getting the right technician to the right job, at the right time, is harder than it sounds. A solid app should let dispatchers drag jobs onto a calendar and assign them based on technician skill and location, not just whoever’s free.

  • Drag and drop scheduling cuts down planning time compared to doing it manually.
  • Technicians receive job alerts instantly on their phones.
  • Dispatchers can switch between daily, weekly, and monthly views.
  • Built-in map support helps cut down on wasted travel time.

2. Mobile Apps for Technicians

Technicians are rarely sitting at a desk, so a mobile app isn’t really optional anymore. It needs to show job details, pull up customer history, and let techs snap photos or grab signatures without going back to the truck for paperwork.

A mobile app worth using should let technicians:

  • See dispatched jobs and estimate assignments as they come in.
  • Pull up driving directions to the next stop.
  • Take photos and jot notes during the visit.
  • Capture signatures before and after the job.
  • Send invoices the moment the work wraps up.

3. Customer and Equipment History

Repeat customers and recurring service calls are common in HVAC, so having past records on hand saves real time. Knowing what unit was installed during the last visit, or what issue came up before, means technicians stop asking the same questions over and over.

It also builds trust. Customers notice when a company remembers its history instead of starting from scratch every single time.

4. Quoting and Estimating Tools

Winning a new installation job often comes down to how fast and professional your quote looks. Technicians should be able to put together estimates on the spot, with product and service details already filled in.

  • Estimates with pre-populated line items, no typing from scratch.
  • Good, better, best pricing tiers for new system installs.
  • One-click conversion from estimate to job.
  • Quotes sent by email straight from the field.

5. Inventory and Parts Management

Running out of a part halfway through a job is one of the more annoying things that can happen to a technician. The right app tracks parts across trucks and warehouses, whether they’re serialized or not.

This kind of visibility means technicians always know what they’ve got on hand, and the business avoids both over-ordering and running short during busy months. Poor inventory tracking is often pointed to as one of the biggest reasons service calls get delayed in this industry.

6. Service Agreements and Maintenance Plans

A good chunk of steady income in HVAC comes from service contracts and maintenance plans. Software should make it easy to set these up, check coverage, and bill automatically when payments are due.

Look for these capabilities:

  • Setting up different types of service agreements.
  • Checking customer entitlements before a job even starts.
  • Automated recurring billing for active contracts.
  • Renewal tracking so nothing gets missed.

7. Invoicing and Payment Collection

Doing good work doesn’t mean much if payment takes weeks to come through. Technicians should be able to generate an invoice right after finishing the job and collect payment on the spot through their phone.

Syncing with accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, or Sage also saves hours of manual entry, which matters more than people think once the job volume picks up.

8. Reports and Performance Tracking

Owners need to know what’s actually happening across the business, not just guess at it. A useful app should show technician productivity, job profitability, and parts usage in one dashboard.

This kind of reporting catches problems early, whether that’s a technician falling behind or a part that keeps running low week after week.

How These Features Help HVAC Businesses Grow

Put all these pieces together, and the result is fewer missed appointments, faster billing, and customers who stick around.

Technicians spend less time buried in paperwork and more time actually fixing units. The office spends less time chasing updates and more time growing the business.

Where Field Force Tracker Fits In

Field Force Tracker is built around exactly the needs covered above. It brings scheduling, dispatching, mobile job management, quoting, inventory tracking, service agreements, invoicing, and reporting together into one system instead of forcing teams to juggle separate tools.

A few things worth knowing about the platform:

  • It is used by HVAC and refrigeration companies across more than 30 countries.
  • Mobile apps are available for both iOS and Android, and stay synced with the office in real time.
  • Technicians can pull up customer history on the spot and build good, better, best quotes for new installations.
  • Payments can be collected directly in the field through the mobile app.
  • The software connects with QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Online, and Sage, so accounting workflows don’t need to change.

Several HVAC business owners using the platform have reported sales growth of 80 percent or more after switching away from paper systems or software that just didn’t fit how they worked.

For anyone running an HVAC business and weighing their options, Field Force Tracker offers a free trial or live demo, which is usually the easiest way to see if it actually fits before committing to anything.

Final Thoughts

Picking the right field service app isn’t about chasing the longer feature list. It’s about finding the features that solve these problems your technicians deal with every day, scheduling, mobile access, quoting, inventory, and billing, all working together without forcing your team to bounce between five different tools.

Field Force Tracker brings all of this into one platform built specifically for HVAC businesses, making it a practical choice for teams looking to simplify how they work.

Field Service app

8 Benefits of a Mobile Field Service App for Field Technicians

Posted on by Ashutosh Singh

Field technicians are always on the move. One job ends, and another begins, sometimes in a completely different part of town. Carrying paperwork orders, calling the office for customer details, or waiting for updates slows everything down.

A mobile field service app puts all the important information right on a technician’s phone or tablet. No more back-and-forth calls. No more guesswork. Just the job details, history, and tools needed to get the work done properly. Here are 8 benefits that make a real difference in daily field work.

1. One-Click Access to Full Job Details

The moment a job is assigned, the technician gets a notification. Opening the job makes everything visible instantly, from the customer’s name to address, job description, and previous service history.

Available for technicians to review:

  • Full job details
  • Customer information and contact numbers
  • Job history and asset information
  • Calendars and daily schedules

No phone calls required. Everything is there in one place.

2. Full Customer and Equipment Repair History

Before arriving at a job site, a technician can already know what was done there last time. The app shows the complete service and repair history for every customer and every piece of equipment.

This helps technicians:

  • Ensure that all previous work is checked before beginning any new job.
  • Check the specification sheets, warranties, and other records related to each machine.
  • Include additional diagnostic comments while performing the present service.
  • Speak to the clients with confidence, based on actual information rather than guessing.

3. Real-Time Updates Between Field and Office

When something changes at the office, the technician finds out right away by email or text. When a technician updates a work order on site, the office sees it immediately, too.

This two-way update system cuts out most of the unnecessary calls during the day. Schedule changes, job notes, and status updates all move back and forth without delay. The office and the field always stay in sync.

4. Quotes and Invoices Created Right at the Job Site

There is no need to get back to the office or wait until the next day to send a quote. The app lets technicians build estimates on the spot using actual inventory, service, and labor data.

From the field, technicians can:

  • Quotes with detailed information can be built from images, parts numbers, and prices.
  • An estimate can be generated and submitted to customers within a few seconds.
  • Generate an official invoice for the work right after finishing the service.
  • Take the payment directly from customers via credit cards, bank transfer, cash, checks, etc.

5. Photos, Signatures & Inspection Forms

It is difficult to trace paper documents. Technicians have everything they need to document their work using a single mobile field service application: capturing images of the equipment, writing diagnostic and completion notes, and signing a document right from a phone.

Custom checklists and inspection forms will allow technicians to document equipment state systematically. Over time, a reliable service record is accumulated.

6. Manage Inventory and Access Parts Remotely

Technicians can check in advance whether required parts are already in the warehouse. In case of necessity, a technician will be able to order additional parts remotely before performing a service.

Using the app, technicians will be able to:

  • Document materials and parts used in a particular job
  • Capture information about time and materials on-site
  • Maintain inventory without any extra paperwork

7. Timesheets and Auto-Invoicing

The clock-in and clock-out details are managed within the application. Technicians will manage clocking themselves right from their smartphones, eliminating the use of paper timesheets and reducing billing mistakes.

Once a job is marked as complete, the automatic sending of an invoice becomes possible. This ensures faster billing and minimizes chances of misunderstandings regarding what work was completed and how much time was spent.

8. Works Even Without an Internet Connection

The locations that have poor internet connectivity, such as remote regions and basements, create difficulties for field technicians. The mobile app can assist in helping the technicians view information about the work schedule even without an internet connection.

There are some aspects that require an internet connection; however, work-related information can still be viewed despite the lack of internet connectivity.

Why Field Force Tracker Stands Out

Field Force Tracker is an enterprise-grade field service software that has been in development for over 15 years. It is used by thousands of businesses in 30+ countries and supports industries including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, security, fire alarms, elevator and lift repairs, copiers, office automation, medical equipment, industrial equipment repair, and more.

Key Things to Know About Field Force Tracker

  • Native mobile apps available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
  • Works on any iPhone, Android phone, or tablet.
  • Supports multiple time zones and currencies for international teams.
  • Covers scheduling and dispatch, work order management, inventory, invoicing, contracts, timesheets, sales CRM, reports, and more.
  • Offers personalized onboarding, unlimited online support, and help with data migration from old systems.
  • Integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, and other tools via API.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

  1. How do technicians download the Field Force Tracker app?

The app is available on the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPad and on the Google Play Store for Android phones and tablets.

  1. Can a field tech create a new work order from the app?

Yes, a technician can create or schedule a work order directly from the mobile app. Admin controls allow businesses to set how this works based on their own workflow.

  1. Can technicians reschedule jobs from the mobile app?

Yes, a technician can pause a job and push it to a later date or time. The app gives technicians several controls to manage their jobs throughout the day.

  1. Can quotes and estimates be built from the mobile app?

Yes, Quotes can be generated by technicians from the field through the use of information related to products in inventory, work, and services. Pictures, product numbers, and prices can all be viewed within the application to develop estimates.

  1. Can invoices be created and payments collected in the field?

Yes, a technician can generate a professional invoice after finishing a job and take payment on the spot by credit card, ACH, cash, check, or digital payment.

  1. Can technicians add diagnostic notes for equipment they service?

Yes, the app allows technicians to add diagnostic notes to each piece of equipment during a service visit, which builds a complete and searchable maintenance history over time.

Get Started with Field Force Tracker

Field Force Tracker is trusted by field service businesses across 30+ countries. The mobile app works on both iPhone and Android and is built to be fast and easy to pick up, even for technicians who are not very tech-savvy.

A free trial is available at fieldforcetracker.com.

Comparing field Service software

8 Best Field Service Dispatch Apps to Streamline Service Operations and Improve Profitability

Posted on by Dr. Sam Martin

App Store: iOS  Google Play: Android

Field Force Tracker’s cloud-based all-in-one field service management software offers advanced scheduling and dispatching features alongside appointment booking, job management, and technician dispatch more. Our advanced dispatching and scheduling software gives field service businesses (like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, fire alarm and security) the tools they need to keep field service teams flexible and proactive all day long.  By better utilizing their workforce and maintaining higher level of service, they can maintain high level of profitability. This article shows the best FSM software and compares their main functionality.

Field Service Software can be divided into three main categories or groups:

A. Small Team Software : These software are typically designed for handyman and very small teams of 1-5 users. They offer very basic feature but lack more advanced features such inventory, contracts management, billing statements, job automation, third party integrations and advanced financial reporting to run a more organized service business. They are typically used by mom-and-pop businesses or a very small business as they often lack ability to scale for larger teams of 4 or 5 persons. They are often unable support more than ten technicians at the same time or not suitable for bigger teams and lack other industry specific features. Bulk of FSM software marketed falls in this category. Examples are: Jobber, Housecall Pro, Service M8, RazorSync, Workiz etc,

B. Small and Medium Business (SMB) Software : These software are primarily geared for small and medium business (SMB) market with 5+ users. They offer more advanced feature to manage multiple warehouses, inventory management, recurring billing support and large third party integrations. More importantly, they can support larger teams, and sometimes multiple branch offices too. Some software are designed only for a certain business types like HVAc/Plumbing, while others like Field Force Tracker, can offer much more wider features, support for multiple branch offices and departments, and special customization for wider industry types. Examples are: Field Force Tracker, Service Titan, Service Pulse

C.Advanced Enterprise Software: These are purely designed for large enterprises with turnover in billions of dollars and thousands of employees. Large telecom operator or manufacturers may have them as extended module of their ERP systems. They can support 1000+ users and vast geographical areas. They offer vast customization and are very expensive to deploy for most small businesses. Examples are: SAP, Oracle, ServiceCEO, ServiceMax/ SalesForce.

Below we compare the best 8 field service software and describe their features.

1. Field Force Tracker

Field Force Tracker is an advanced Service “CRM” software for a service businesses – maintains customer database, repair history of customer installed equipment, manages service job scheduling to technicians, past invoices, payments and service agreements, track Maintenance Schedule etc. As an all-in-one FSM, it supports wide range of features and service businesses.

Software supports all kind of service businesses and leads in many sectors such as — Elevator Service Companies (that maintain and install elevators and lifts), “Video Surveillance, Security and Fire Alarm” Companies (companies that maintain, install and monitor fire alarms or security alarms in commercial and residential buildings), HVAC companies (hvac is a short form for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning), Plumbing Companies (that provide plumbing services or install plumbing equipment like Water Heaters etc), Electrical Contractors, occasionally on Fitness Equipment and Medical Equipment Repair business (there are not too many businesses in this space), and (commercial) Photocopier Equipment Businesses (it is quite strong here). Field Force Tracker offers specialized software for Photocopier businesses for meter management and recurring billing.

Here’s a summary of our All-in-one Field Service software, Field Force Tracker’s features:

also available to techs via our Mobile App when they’re out on service calls.

 1.1 Smart Scheduling to Improve Efficiency & Profitability

When it’s time to schedule an appointment, dispatch managers can easily see available time slots in the upcoming weeks without leaving the original screen. It makes it easier to schedule jobs that best suits the team.  Smart Scheduling can improve job efficiency and improve productivity for any service business. 

Our Smart job scheduling functionality, which is unique to Field Force Tracker, allows business owners to define, automate, and implement a capacity planning strategy, which optimizes their schedules for profitability.

For example, you can set rules to reduce or exclude annual maintenance appointment slots from a busy holiday week and increase the capacity for high-priority, urgent service calls. Or you can choose to increase capacity for maintenance appointments during slow times. You can auto schedule jobs or in advanced version use AI to help you in scheduling better employee.

This is a game-changer because the work of office employees is greatly facilitated. Office employees don’t need to spend a lot of time to efficiently execute job bookings according to your preset business needs. 

Our field service software further automates the booking process by ensuring that only techs with the skill set required for a given job can be assigned to that task. That way, field service companies can be sure that the right tech is dispatched to the right job every time. 

Once a job is booked and scheduled, automated job confirmations, text or email notifications are sent to the customer to confirm appointment requests. All scheduled appointments are updated and automatically reflected in the dispatch board and the assigned tech’s personal schedule (which they can view via our mobile app).

1.2 AI Powered Schedule Assistant to Book Jobs Faster

Field Service Dispatch App Dashboard

With many software tools (and certainly manual methods), job scheduling requires jumping between different screens to view technician schedules, going back and forth with customers to check their availability, and trying to account for various factors such as technician skills and routing. This is difficult, even for the most experienced dispatch planners. 

Field Force Tracker’s new AI Powered Schedule Assistant can be used directly from the call booking screen to solve these issues and improve margins by suggesting an optimal date, time, and technician that minimizes drive time.

It can also be used from the Job Dispatch Board, job record, and on recurring service work. Technician skills, zones, and non-job events are factored into Schedule Assistant’s recommendations—so you can have peace of mind that the right technicians will be sent to the right jobs.

1.3 Dispatch Board for Easy Field Service Coordination

Field Service Dispatch App Dashboard Calendar for Job Scheduling

Field Force Tracker’s user-friendly dispatch board allows dispatchers to perform most of their work order management tasks without needing to leave the board. This includes being able to see which jobs are unassigned, unconfirmed, dispatched, working, and more. 

From the dispatch board, users have access to:

  • Drag-and-drop functionality: Dispatchers can easily assign or reassign a tech; confirm or reschedule a job; view job location data; and more. 
  • Live activity feed: A feed to see real-time job status (Arrived, Paused, Complete) and to direct-message and communicate with techs (individually or en masse). 
  • Notifications: Alerts that notify the dispatcher of unusual activity or problems that need to be addressed.
  • GPS tracking: With technician GPS tracking, dispatchers (and customers, if enabled) can track the location of field service team members as they’re on their way to a job. Dispatchers can also view techs’ downtime.
  • Schedule and route optimization: Options that help dispatchers coordinate appointments and route planning in an efficient way, including identifying jobs in locations where a tech is already working and rerouting techs when necessary to save on travel time.

Note: Field Force Tracker also offers an add-on product,  Smart Dispatch Pro, with more advanced dispatching features. Using machine learning, Dispatch Pro’s algorithm runs thousands of scenarios to find the best technician for every job. This, plus its intuitive dispatch board automations, saves your dispatchers time, improves customer service, and maximizes profit. 

1.4 Advanced Inventory Management to Manage Costs

Inventory management is very important to track expenses and sales and the profitability. Most low end FSM software lack inventory management or have very rudimentory inventory management. Field Force Tracker is an advanced FSM and its inventory management is very comprehensive. It offers the following features:

  • Parts Inventory with cost and profit margins
  • Multiple Warehouse Support
  • Mobile Integrated Inventory Management
  • Parts Purchases and Purchase Orders Management
  • Serialized Parts Support
  • Accounts Payable Support
  • Inventory Audits
  • Data imports
  • Bulk Price Changes for Dealers
  • Dynamic Inventory Management
  • Truck Inventory Levels
  • and Many more Inventory Features

Track High-Value Equipment from Warehouse to Job Site

With Field Force Tracker, you can track high-value items using serial numbers linked to jobs, techs, and invoices. This helps you avoid losses, prove service history, and maintain warranty coverage.

  • Serialized Tracking System: Assign unique IDs by SKU and track individual inventory units from the warehouse to installation.
  • Job and Technician-Level Tracking: See when and where each serialized item was used, by job or technician.
  • Warranty Data Visibility: Track warranty details to simplify repairs, replacements, and documentation.
  • Barcode Scanning On-Site: Scan barcodes on the materials to update stock location in real time.
  • Create Purchase Orders on the Go: Build and send POs right from the job site when parts run low.

1.5 Mobile App to Ensure Your Techs Stay Agile

Technicians using our powerful field service Mobile Apps (via Android and iOS mobile devices) enjoy mobile access to their appointments and job details for the day, and a wide range of functionality. 

Techs can manually dispatch themselves to each new job, and provide the office with status updates (such as “arrived” when they’ve reached a job site).

As new appointments are scheduled, or existing ones rescheduled, changes are reflected in real time within the technician’s dashboard.

Crucially, like dispatchers, techs can send and receive messages from their mobile device, so they keep on top of schedule changes, and communicate with the office about jobs. This also allows them to answer questions from the office without interrupting their workflow to take a call. 

From their home screen dashboard, techs can access real-time data and:

  • Listen to call recordings between customers and dispatch manager 
  • View a customer’s service history
  • Send text notifications to customers to confirm and revise arrival times or follow up 
  • Take and upload pictures
  • Create estimates
  • Provide customers with Good Better Best presentations
  • Order parts
  • Collect signatures on work orders
  • Help customers apply for financing
  • Take check and credit card payments
  • And more

1.6 Web Scheduler for Direct Online Bookings

For customers who prefer to book their appointments online, our user-friendly website widget allows them to make online bookings without ever having to talk to anyone on the phone. 

The web widget syncs with Field Force Tracker’s dispatch board and shows real-time availability, so jobs are immediately confirmed. Appointments can also be canceled or rescheduled through a link that is sent out by email or text message.

Because our widget is fully integrated, you don’t need to wrestle with APIs or pay an additional fee for a third-party online call-booking tool that you have to manage separately.

1.7 Integrated Scheduling & Dispatching with Other Business Operations

Field Force Tracker software does much more than scheduling and dispatching. Our dispatching features are integrated with the entire workflow, which hugely increases efficiency and scalability. Dispatchers, techs and management can see all customer information, job details, invoices, materials pricing, inventory management, and more, in one place. 

Field Force Tracker offers: 

  • Payment Processing of Jobs and Contracts
  • Recurring Payment, Customer Balance Reports Generation
  • Parts and Inventory Management Integrated with Work Orders and Mobile Apps
  • Payroll features that decrease payroll prep time by automatically providing time tracking and timesheets (while syncing with the dispatch board); calculating overtime, commissions and bonuses; and helping you track and monitor crucial job-costing data in real time.
  • Accounting software integration with Viewpoint Vista, QuickBooks®, and Intacct.
  • Customer relationship management (CRM) tools that help improve office organization and workflow (in addition to improving the customer experience).
  • Service Agreement Software that helps you grow and manage preventative maintenance contracts.   
  • Field Reporting Software that helps you monitor key financial performance indicators (KPIs), such as: CSR and technician metrics, revenue trends, and more.

To see why Field Force Tracker is trusted by 100,000+ field service businesses, schedule a call to get a free, live, one-on-one walk-through of how our field service software can help you schedule and dispatch more efficiently, work smarter, and grow revenue.

1.8 Call Booking That Optimizes Customer Experience

Field Force Tracker’s optional  call booking feature helps your CSRs efficiently book calls from the moment a customer calls your company with a service request. 

Using drop-down menus and custom prompts, CSRs can simply enter the customer information directly into their system, including job type, start date, priority, and more. 

If the call is from an existing customer, Field Force Tracker will tell the CSR exactly who is calling before they even answer the phone, so CSRs can greet them by name, boosting customer satisfaction from the get-go. They can also pull up their complete service history (estimates, work orders, invoices, etc.), property data, and more from the very same screen, providing valuable efficiency gains and ensuring that they’re prepared to answer questions and swiftly book new jobs.

With Field Force Tracker, there’s no need for the CSR to juggle a pen, paper and spreadsheet, put customers on hold, or call them back while they pull paperwork from a filing cabinet or spreadsheet. 

We even provide examples of call center script templates that can be used in your own specific business. And, in the event that anything does go wrong, our Call Recording feature allows supervisors to replay a CSR’s conversation with a customer to verify the facts.

Note: Recordings are

2. FieldEdge

FieldEdge is a field service management software with scheduling tools for service businesses. As well as scheduling and dispatching, FieldEdge offers a wide range of features in a basic system.including functionality for quotes and invoicing, service agreements, and more. It lacks the advanced Inventory management, contracts management, Meter based billing and many other features available in Field Force Tracker.

Learn more about how Field Force Tracker compares to FieldEdge here.

3. Service Fusion

Service Fusion describes itself as a simple field service Software.” Like Field Force Tracker, Service Fusion offers a wide range of key features in addition to scheduling and dispatching, including estimates, invoices, customer management, and more.  It lacks the advanced Inventory management, contracts management, Meter based billing and many other features available in Field Force Tracker.

Learn more about how Field Force Tracker compares to Service Fusion here. 

4. Housecall Pro

Housecall Pro is a field service management software that includes scheduling and dispatching features among other tools for managing field service businesses. Unlike Field Force Tracker, it is rather a low end software for small teams or freelancer operations. It lacks the advanced Inventory management, contracts management, Meter based billing and many other features available in Field Force Tracker.

This solution supports all aspects of the workflow, including scheduling jobs, assigning technicians, managing customer information, invoicing (including QuickBooks Online), and payment processing.

Learn more about how Field Force Tracker compares to HouseCall pro here. 

5. Jobber

Jobber is an all-in-one field service management software that’s widely regarded as user-friendly.  Unlike more advanced Field Force Tracker, it is meant for small teams with very simple needs. It is an handyman type software instead of a more advanced software like Field Force Tracker. It lacks the advanced Inventory management, contracts management, Meter based billing and many other features available in Field Force Tracker.

Jobber is customizable to fit your process, so you can schedule jobs, optimize routes, send quotes and invoices by text, and get paid on-site via the software’s mobile app. 

Jobber is popular with small businesses that want a simple, easy-to-use solution. 

Check out our comparison article: Jobber vs. Field Force Tracker

6. FieldPulse

FieldPulse is an all-in-one field service management software for field service teams. FieldPulse offers scheduling and dispatching features, estimating, advanced CRM, and a customer portal. It has many features common to a small team field service software. It lacks the advanced Inventory management, contracts management, Meter based billing and many other features available in Field Force Tracker.

FieldPulse is considered to be more suited to small- and medium-sized contractors rather than commercial businesses.

Learn more about how Field Force Tracker compares to Field Pulse here. 

7. ServiceM8

ServiceM8 is a simple field service management software designed for small teams and small contractors. It is simple to use and similar to jobber software popular with handymans and small business. It lacks the advanced Inventory management, contracts management, Meter based billing and many other features available in Field Force Tracker.

Learn more about how Field Force Tracker compares to HouseCall pro here. 

8. SeviceTitan

ServiceTitan  is a field service management primarily focused on large Hvac contractors. It is a complex software and starts at a very high price point. Despite their costs, they have been marketed very successfully to a large number of contractors. Like Field Force Tracker, it offers many features for large business such as the advanced Inventory management, contracts management etc. However, it is primarily focused on residential HVAC and Plumbing businesses systems and lacks many other features available in Field Force Tracker.

Learn more about how Field Force Tracker compares to Service Titan  here. 

Field Force Tracker Software:

Field Force Trackeris a comprehensive all-in-one Field Service software solution built specifically to help service companies streamline their operations, boost revenue, and substantially elevate the trajectory of their business. Our comprehensive, cloud-based Field service software platform is used by thousands of electrical, HVAC, plumbing, Alarm and Security, and Elevator across the country—and has increased their revenue by an average of 30% in just their first year with us.

7 Things A Good Service Job Dispatch Software Should Do for You

Posted on by Dr. Sam Martin

A good Field Service Management software or job service dispatch software is an enabler for the success of your service business.  The right software is built around customer service at its heart, giving you good insights on how to best serve customers. 

Here are the six things that your field service platform should provide you besides the basic job dispatch, inventory management, quotes management and billing functions.  These are the six important data and information that your field service platform should provide. A good Field Service Software, like Field Force Tracker,  provides all these core reports.

1. Tracking Source or Origination of Business Leads

Digging for data has never been fun. Put the proverbial shovel away and take a fresh approach to your back-of-house service management. Customer service and operations alike need to know where business is coming from, so lean into technology to find out. 

Track Referral Sources

Where are prospects calling from? Caller ID can only tell you so much, but you can get deeper insights by investing in the right tools. For instance, why not buy toll-free phone numbers? This unlocks the door to see where new customer calls are coming from because you can link each unique line to specific referral sources to track leads and conversions.

Track Call Sources to Understand Effectiveness of your Advertising

Is a caller brand new to you or a current customer? Marketing tracking can show if someone’s finding you because of an ad or another source. If the caller is a customer, the best service dispatch software should populate details regarding estimates, jobs, and work history. 

2.   Manage Inventory Costs and Levels

Parts and Inventory in a business can cost a lot, and a Powerful Inventory Management Software like field force tracker can provide powerful inventory management functionality built in a Field Service Software.   Inventory reports provide real-time data on stock levels, turnover, and valuation. They are essential for preventing stockouts and overstocking, reducing holding costs, and boosting order fulfillment. By tracking sales trends, businesses optimize cash flow and make informed, data-driven procurement decisions.

These reports are critical tools for daily operations, financial control, and long-term strategy.

Core Benefits

  • Cost Optimization: Identifies slow-moving or obsolete items, preventing capital from being tied up in excess stock and lowering warehouse storage fees.
  • Financial Clarity: Calculates the exact monetary value of on-hand assets for budget planning, audits, and accurate tax reporting.
  • Demand Forecasting: Utilizes historical data to identify seasonal fluctuations and predict future consumer demand, enabling proactive purchasing.
  • Loss Prevention: Highlights discrepancies between recorded and actual stock to pinpoint issues like theft, damage, or administrative errors.
  • Improved Customer Satisfaction: Ensures that top-selling items are always in stock, minimizing delays and maintaining brand trust.

Key Reports to Utilize

  • Stock on Hand: Shows exact quantities and values across all warehouse or store locations at any given time.
  • Low Inventory: Flags products that have fallen below your preset reorder threshold, ensuring timely reordering.
  • Inventory Turnover: Measures how often a product is sold and replaced over a specific period, helping you apply the 80/20 rule to focus on your most profitable items.

3.  Help Create Professional Quotes and Estimates

Estimates and proposals are critical parts of any contract-based business. The ability to accurately estimate a job and present that information to clients can make the difference between winning bids and losing to the competition. 

An effective estimate should be accurate, professional, persuasive, and prepared quickly. But that’s easier said than done, as preparing estimates can involve a lot of manual effort.

A good field service software can help you prepare and present this software to your customers and win new business.

Preparing professional quotes and estimates requires a clear scope of work, itemized costs, and an accurate timeline. Distinguish between an estimate (an educated prediction of costs that can fluctuate) and a quote (a fixed, legally binding price for the defined project).

A professional document helps build client trust and wins more jobs. Ensure you incorporate the following core components into your documents:

1. The Anatomy of a Winning Estimate or Quote

  • Professional Branding: Include your company name, logo, contact info, and website.
  • Client Details: List the client’s name, property address, and billing information.
  • Detailed Scope of Work: Define exactly what you will deliver, the materials you will use, and—just as importantly—what is excluded to prevent scope creep.
  • Itemized Costs: Avoid lumping all services into one line item. Detail labor hours, material quantities, and unit prices.
  • Project Timeline: Provide estimated start and end dates, along with any key project milestones.
  • Terms & Conditions: Outline your payment schedule (e.g., 50% upfront, 50% on completion), late fees, and the document’s expiry date.

2. Best Practices for Delivery

  • Use Clear Terminology: Never use “quote” and “estimate” interchangeably. Label the document clearly so the client knows whether the price is fixed or subject to change.
  • Present Options: To make your bid stand out, offer three tiers of service (e.g., Basic, Standard, and Pro).
  • Get Written Sign-Off: Require the client to sign and date the document before you begin work to ensure everyone is on the same page.
  • Leverage Software: Save time by using invoicing and quoting tools like Field Force Tracker to generate professional quotes

4 Make it Easy to Generate Invoices and Collect Payment

A business needs ability to generate invoices and then collect payment in the field. A Field Service software like Field Force Tracker can make it very easy to invoice and collect payment. It keeps all the financial information together and syncs with Quickbooks.  It integrates with Stripe, which is a payment processor. It makes it easy to collect payment.

Generating invoices and collecting payments efficiently requires a straightforward, step-by-step workflow: create the invoice, define payment terms, send it to the client, and track the payment. Using integrated software like Field Force Tracker ensures seamless tracking and faster processing.

Step-by-Step Invoicing and Payment Workflow

1. Create the Invoice

  • Include essential details: Add your business information, the client’s name/address, a unique invoice number, the issue date, and the due date.
  • Itemize services/products: Clearly describe the work done, hours worked or units sold, and the corresponding rates.
  • Calculate totals: Include subtotal, taxes, and any discounts applied to determine the absolute final total.

2. Set Payment Terms

  • Specify when the payment is due (e.g., Net 15, Net 30, or Due on Receipt) to avoid confusion.
  • State your accepted payment methods clearly (e.g., Credit Card, ACH bank transfer, check, or digital wallets).

3. Deliver the Invoice

  • Send the invoice securely via email, text message, or client portal. Many platforms allow you to send a secure, trackable link.

4. Track and Collect Payment

  • Enable an automated “Pay Now” feature in your invoicing software to allow clients to pay directly online with a single click.
  • Use accounting software to automate follow-ups, set payment reminders, and record payments as they are deposited.

5 Include Powerful Job Dispatch and Service Management

Job and dispatch software streamlines field service operations by automating scheduling, optimizing routes, and connecting the back office with mobile workers. Essential capabilities include drag-and-drop calendars, real-time GPS tracking, automated customer notifications, and mobile apps for technicians.

Core features are categorized by their function in the dispatch workflow:

Scheduling & Dispatching

  • Visual Dispatch Boards: Drag-and-drop interfaces to easily assign, reassign, and view schedules by day, week, or month.
  • Smart Auto-Assignment: Automatically match technicians to jobs based on their availability, specific skill sets, and geographic location.
  • Recurring Job Management: Easily set up, track, and automate preventive maintenance contracts and recurring service schedules.

 Routing & Fleet Management

  • Route Optimization: AI-driven mapping that calculates the most fuel-efficient and time-saving routes, factoring in real-time traffic and multiple stops.]
  • Live GPS Tracking: Command center dashboards that allow managers to see the exact location and status of all vehicles and field workers.
  • Geofencing: Triggers automatic status updates or customer alerts when a technician enters or leaves a specific service radius.

Mobile Technician App

  • Job Details & History: Field workers receive full access to work orders, client history, and equipment blueprints on their devices.
  • Electronic Proof of Delivery (ePOD): Capture customer signatures, take before-and-after photos, and fill out digital checklists while on-site.
  • Time & Inventory Tracking: Technicians can clock in/out of shifts and log materials used straight from the field to keep inventory updated.

 Customer Experience

  • Automated Alerts: Send SMS or email updates with appointment confirmations, technician tracking links, and “On My Way” notices.
  • Client Portal: Give customers a dedicated space to book jobs online, view past invoices, and approve quotes.

6.  Provide Comprehensive Reporting Data on a Dashboard

Imagine: This information is in this physical file folder, but these details are shared inside the service dispatch software. Talk about disorganization. There’s value in keeping your business data in one place, from easy access to statistics tracking that’ll help you improve. 

Performance Details 

Even the best field service businesses aren’t perfect. You’re always looking for ways to improve and make better decisions, right? With a customizable dashboard inside your field dispatch software, you can see how well various efforts are working, such as scheduling (and opportunities to improve it), training, and marketing.

Everything in One Central Location

Speaking of customization, when your service dispatch software allows you to configure your dashboards to your business needs, you can make it your all-in-one hub. Monitor the most important details in one place. And if your service software is mobile-ready—and even includes an application—you can retrieve what you need across devices without being tethered to a desktop.

7.  Maintain Comprehensive Customer History

Your field service operations not only need to be on top of their game but also maintain a level of consistency. One of the best ways to do this—and provide information across the organization—is to maintain excellent customer history.

Excellent customer history allows you to serve your customer better. You maintain repair history of their equipment, their past payments and their warranty information.

You can also know all the past correspondence and events on the customer account.

Filed Force Tracker – A Service Dispatch Software That Beats the Competition Hands-Down

We could describe in length about what the top field service software should do for your business. But your customers deserve the best services and value for their money—so a good job and service dispatch software can help you in this. It can also help you improve in your profitability. Capabilities such as tracking, support, all-in-one dashboards, and quality control can help you get there. 

Field Force Tracker is customer-focused. That’s why our software goes above and beyond, from customer service functions to technician deployment. The proof is in the pudding—check out our comparison infographic to learn how we stack up to the competition.

Empowering Field Service Teams with the Power of Mobile Apps

Posted on by Dr. Sam Martin

Mobile apps can add tremendous value to any field service operation. They can help optimize all areas of field service delivery. A good field service software must have a powerful app with features that can be customized and used in your business.

Empowering Field Service Teams with the Power of Mobile Apps

Field Service Management Software can greatly change how you deliver service to your customers.  Today, Field Service Software has become a necessary tool to deliver field service industry. While it is possible for companies to operate field service management without using modern field service software like Field Force Tracker, it will results in them not reaching their potential efficiency. As company grows and has a need to scale up the operation, they feel handicapped due to lack of tools.  This can easily result into lost opportunities and business.

In a business, ERP systems manage supply chain and finance operations. However, these system lack capabilities to manage field service operations. Your field service technician operations can only be delivered with good field service management software that comes with a  dynamic, flexible, and easy-to-use mobile application. A field service mobile app can make your tech do more jobs in less time. It becomes the focal point of their daily operations, providing access to vital project information and forms that they can utilize and alter in real-time. Their mobile application takes center stage as the primary form of communication between them and the office.

Top field service software d
Power of field service software

Best Reasons to Use Field Force Tracker Field Service Software? 

Read below to learn top reasons your organization should utilize Field Force Tracker and its integrated, made-for-mobile application for field service.

Easy to Complete Jobs for Field Technicians

The Field Force Tracker mobile application will be the single most valuable tool that they carry with them into the field. It houses access to past and present project information, their schedule, photos, schematics, and anything else they might need. They can replace all paperwork with a single tablet or mobile device, providing easy real-time access to information relevant to every facet of their role. This is what we call field technician enablement, as it enables them to do their job to the best of their ability.

Increases Data Sharing and up to date information

You might be a field service company, but your business runs on information. The communication and dissemination of project information, schedules, invoices, and work orders are essential, and you need it handled quickly and accurately. When your technicians make updates through the mobile app, they upload information in real-time that is visible to anyone in the office. Furthermore, when your technicians submit vital project documents via the mobile app, that information is accessible to your entire team. This eliminates the need for duplicating data and reduces the risk of errors.

Powerful Reporting And Time Tracking Capabilities

Too much of your field technician’s time is spent on tasks that are not increasing profitability for your business. When your technicians facilitate their work through the mobile app, they’ll spend less time on tedious tasks like reporting and time tracking. Time tracking is easy through the Field Force Tracker mobile app, and thanks to the flexible and dynamic forms that can be customized through Field Force Tracker, inputting project data has never been easier. Your technicians will be able to spend more time doing what you hired them to do.

Greater Transparency for The Office Dispatch Managers 

Reporting and time tracking aren’t just easier through the Field Force Tracker mobile app; they’re more accurate too. Field Force Tracker offers reporting and insight capabilities that provide a more accurate and more detailed picture of the current state of your organization’s operations. Our analytics engine is capable of countless custom reports, all of which are built on the information that your technicians provide through their mobile apps.

Supports Growth and Better Customer Service

Field Force Tracker and its mobile app will grow with you as your business grows. Field Force Tracker provides extremely capable infrastructure for businesses while remaining flexible enough to grow with you. As your company grows, or the industry changes, Field Force Tracker’s dynamic mobile app can be customized to meet your needs.

Field Force Tracker software and its integrated mobile app equip service providers with the comprehensive suite of capabilities they need to perfect their field service offerings and achieve sustainable growth. To learn more about Field Force Tracker and its field service management capabilities, schedule a demo today.

 

Mobile Apps are changing the Field Service Landscape

Posted on by Dr. Sam Martin

Arrival of 4G networks and smart phones has changed the field service landscape. Many technicians are carrying mobile devices and using powerful Field Force Tracker mobile applications to provide web services. In this article, we discuss how mobile apps can help you manage your service work force better.

Just a few years back, the logistics of remotely managing a field service business would’ve seemed impossible. However, the advent of smartphones and tablets has made this a reality. Now, it is easier than ever to connect your branch office(s) and field techs with the use of mobile apps and best of the breed cloud based software like Field Force Tracker.

In previous article, we have explained the benefits of cloud based software as opposed to the software that runs on your on servers. Moving your operation to a cloud based system may seem daunting, especially if you’re accustomed to managing the business manually. Read on to discover five major benefits of using a mobile app for managing your field service business.

Improved Technician Productivity

Mobile apps let the service managers or job dispatchers manage with better scheduling and dispatching. With instant access to daily appointments and critical account information, all technicians will arrive at every job site prepared and ready to go. They can easily and precisely track materials used add photos and documents to customer accounts and track time on the job using their powerful Field Force Tracker Mobile app.

That is not all. With this additional control, you’ll save time in the field and office. Unnecessary calls between office staff and field techs are eliminated, saving valuable time for more important matters. Reporting is also simplified, as techs can generate and email customer invoices directly in the app, before ever leaving the job site.

electrician dispatch software

Streamlined Service Operations

Field service mobile apps greatly improve communications between the main office and field technicians are vastly improved. All necessary completion information is captured at the job site and transmitted to the office in real time, greatly reducing the risk of incorrect billing and potential errors due to illegible handwriting.

Office dispatcher  will always know where techs are in their day, as well as the status of current jobs. Making adjustments to work schedules in real time is easier than ever, as availability and proximity are updated automatically. Technicians are immediately updated regarding schedule changes, job details and new locations.

Improved Customer Experience

Mobile apps can help in improving customer experience and satisfaction. The popularity of mobile devices has changed customer expectations forever. When access to information and services is just a single tap away, the expectation of instant gratification is set. Naturally, smart businesses need to be ready for this. They need make changes to these expectations to keep customers satisfied. A recent study showed that 75% of businesses using mobile apps in the field have seen an increase in overall customer satisfaction. Real time text updates informing customers of upcoming service visits and appointment changes will provide a positive experience for new and returning customers.

System Data For Better Marketing

Software helps you in maintaining accurate records of your business activities. While state regulations may require you to keep paper records for your business, the process of manually collecting data in the field is notoriously inaccurate and inefficient. Capturing data with pen and paper is prone to errors, not to mention that documents can easily get lost before being filed away at the office.

Mobile apps make your business stand apart from competition. They allow your business to go paperless and improve efficiency. Office staff no longer have to worry about inputting data following appointments, freeing up time for other tasks. Filling out paperwork in the field is burdensome and leads to frustration for the customer and technician alike. Securely capture payments and customer signatures while giving techs complete access to customer information.

Best Security Alarm Dispatch Software

Technology for Better Profits

The use of technology helps a company market its services better. The customer perception is  very important. Field Service companies that are using the latest technology are seen as innovative and progressive by customers. Enabling your technicians with the latest and greatest in mobile technology gives your company more credibility and builds trust among customers.

Using a mobile app, like Field Force Tracker, that is industry leading provides all above advantages. We make use of amazon cloud to ensure that all customer data is secure, preventing unauthorized access and giving customers’ peace of mind.

Field Force Tracker, a mobile enabled web-based field service management software, streamlines technician scheduling, dispatch, customer management, vendor and employee management, work orders, equipment maintenance, inventory tracking, contracts, estimates, invoices, payments and accounting. It is considered one of the most feature rich software of its kind.

Best Employee Tracking Software

About Field Force Tracker

Force Tracker (http://www.fieldforcetracker.com) is a leading global provider of its award winning mobile workforce solutions for service-based businesses of all sizes delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS). Its solutions enable businesses of all sizes (from 1 user to 10,000 users) to meet the challenges associated with managing and running complex service operations. It helps in improving the productivity of their mobile workforce.

With Field Force Tracker customers can create service schedule and route quickly, dispatch sooner, collect correct information at once in the field and invoice faster. The field service software makes it easy for users to eliminate waste, get more done in less time and be more profitable.

Field Force Tracker is a wholly owned unit of Rapidsoft Systems Inc. (http://www.rapidsoftsystems.com). Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. has its main office in Princeton, NJ, USA, a US R&D Center in Mercerville NJ, and sales, support and development offices in Palo Alto, CA, USA, Singapore, Dubai (UAE), Bombay, and Noida (India).

Evolutionary Trends in Field Service Scheduling Software

Posted on by Dr. Sam Martin

There was a time when field service companies relied on paper and pen scheduling methods. Then with the time, the service scheduling process became a bit more complex. To help them in the process, paper pad and printed calendar gave way to spreadsheet based scheduling.  These minor improvements helped were not sufficient in resolving  the problems and complexity of service management.

Today, new generation of field service software like Field Force Tracker are revolutionizing the field service industry.  Field Force Tracker efficiently manages scheduling of work force. It is very easy to move around schedules and re-assign resources as needed.  This leads to better utilization of resources.

Changing Field Service Needs

Across industries, modern-day customers demand new levels of real-time communication and visibility when it comes to field service. Unfortunately, legacy solutions and approaches limit organizations from satisfying these growing expectations. The good news is that field service scheduling software is evolving to help deliver exceptional service without compromising profitability. As technology changes the very nature of software, your organization should look for opportunities to take advantage of new capabilities that improve your bottom line and customer satisfaction ratings.

plumbing company software

Improving Customer Communication

Outdated processes and technology once forced customers to “start from scratch” each time they interacted with a company or service rep. When it comes to scheduling services, customers increasingly want streamlined communication – and they want it via the channel of their choice.

Today, your service organization can pick up where it left off with customers, no matter the channel. Whether a customer sent an email, used online chat, or spoke to a rep on the phone, the latest field service scheduling software can log these interactions. That means anyone in your company interfacing with the customer has all relevant knowledge at their disposal. And this directly translates into a personalized interaction, leaving customers beaming with pleasure instead of fuming in frustration.

Making Dispatch and Work Order Management More Efficient

There will come a day when customers expect on-demand service. Until that time arrives, your field service organization can at least make the manual dispatch process more automated. Calling upon the algorithms and automation enabled by today’s technology, you can bring dispatch into the modern era.

The likes of emergency protocols, traffic protocols, and real-time updates are enabling dispatch models and modules that allow dispatch professionals to maintain a level of efficiency never before thought possible.

Imagine having access to real-time route information, tech activity while on-site, and notices when jobs are completed. Such insights make it possible for your dispatch manager to keep track of field technicians and job status with ease. And what about being able to predict travel issues (such as traffic congestion and seasonal weather disruptions) to reduce idle time, better plan travel time, and allow for backup resources to step in quickly when necessary?

Field Force Tracker Can Do This All Today

Smart field service scheduling software can also map service technicians’ schedules against customer needs to identify opportunities for greater efficiency. As a result, your organization can assign a mix of high and low priority jobs to technicians, reserving capacity for emergency work without impacting the overall flow of assignments. Moreover, today’s software can deliver alerts and real-time updates so your leadership team is aware of scheduling concerns – and improvements.

Hand in hand with this, relational databases and predictive intelligence are unlocking greater personalization. Picture using predictive software to analyze data gathered across all company systems and get insights that enable proactive work order management. This same technology can be used, for example, to identify the percentage of customers experiencing the same issue, pinpoint when they are likely to experience the issue, and understand the average amount of technician time required to address the issue. By proactively scheduling time to replace or update parts or products before an issue occurs, your field service organization can ensure customers don’t experience disruption – and do it as efficiently as possible.

Telecom Maintenance Software

Delivering Seamless Experience to Customers

We all know that the modern businesses have revolutionized customer interactions. When it comes to field service, the demand for better experiences is real. Specifically, customers crave a way to understand technician location and exact arrival time. Fortunately, field service scheduling software and other advanced technology is evolving to enable more personalized, real-time interactions.

Waiting for a field service visit – or dealing with a tardy or no-show technician – all can be detrimental to the overall customer experience. Combine this with the fact that most field service organizations still rely on phone calls to communicate with customers, and it’s easy to see why customers feel exasperated.

Streamlining the appointment booking process can go a long way to improving the customer experience. Customers hate feeling they are wasting valuable time waiting for a technician to arrive. Your organization can use scheduling software that empowers them to book a day and time of their choice – through their preferred channel, whether that be mobile, web, or via phone.

Utilizing Mobile Solutions

Another way to enter the modern era is to outfit your field service dispatch center and technicians with real-time mobile tracking and, social media channels such as social media and SMS texts. Mobile tracking enabled via your website or custom app empowers your customers to keep tabs on the technician’s location. At the same time, communicating with customers via social media or text brings them the real-time interaction that eases their worries about when and if a technician will show up.

Sometimes the resolution to a customer issue requires a repair away from the customer’s location, such as repairing a downed telecommunications line. These scenarios can be especially frustrating for customers who feel blind to the repair process. In addition, answer the call by outfitting your technicians with wearables such as smartwatches. Using these, they can transmit service data and job updates via voice recognition back to headquarters. By bringing your techs online while on the job, you are empowered to deliver real-time updates to customers across all channels.

Delivering consistently good customer service and keeping pace with ever-evolving customer demands is no small feat. However, by taking advantage of the latest field service scheduling software powered by advanced technologies, your organization can satisfy expectations efficiently. That means you grow your competitive advantage and your profits.

field service software for enterprise

About Field Force Tracker

Field Force Tracker (https://www.fieldforcetracker.com) is a leading global provider of its award winning mobile workforce solutions for service-based businesses of all sizes delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS). Our solutions enable businesses of all sizes (from 1 user to 10,000 users) to meet the challenges associated with managing and running complex service operations. It helps in improving the productivity of their mobile workforce.

With Field Force Tracker, customers can create service schedule and route quickly, dispatch sooner, collect correct information at once in the field and invoice faster. The field service software makes it easy for users to eliminate waste, get more done in less time and be more profitable.

Field Force Tracker is a wholly owned unit of Rapidsoft Systems Inc. (https://www.rapidsoftsystems.com). Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. has its main office in Princeton, NJ, USA, a US R&D Center in Mercerville NJ, and sales, support and development offices in Palo Alto, CA, USA, Singapore, Dubai (UAE), Bombay, and Noida (India).

Making Use of Field Service Reports – Part 1

Posted on by Dr. Sam Martin

Service managers need to understand the quality and effectiveness of their service delivery. The lack of service measurements is one such area that lacks in paper base or simple home grown systems. This article describes how field service software can help you better understand the effectiveness of your service delivery.  Using extensive analytics information of Field Force Tracker’s reporting module, you can measure the effectiveness for field services  in your organization.

Service  companies are trying to move to electronic model of providing services. Paper based operation is too slow to address customer concerns and cannot provide suitable data analysis. Field Force Tracker is the most comprehensive software for field service management.  It takes care of everything from customer management to the payment collection for a service company. By using this software, our clients can see major improvement in their productivity and the customer satisfaction.

Field service management technology gives you greater visibility into your field service operations. With that visibility comes a lot of data which is useful to the business, but the amount of data can often feel overwhelming in where to start or how to analyse what is needed. It can sometimes feel so overwhelming that data then sits unused.

work dispatch software 02

Surveys into field service delivery find that performance management and visibility continue to top the list of the key business concerns that managers have. For you to track the performance of your service operations and understand your business, you’ll need visibility of the right information, when you need it and in a way that is meaningful to you. Without this visibility you may be basing decisions on gut feel or doing things the way they have always been done.

Field Force Tracker leads the way in simplifying field service management and here we look at why simple can also mean effective when it comes to technology, which helps organizations get the information they need for their business success. You don’t want to be overwhelmed by data or have the time to wade through masses of numbers, so let your field service management solution organize the key information for you to identify the crucial stuff you need at any time to make decisions.

Business intelligence (BI) dashboards do just that and organize key metrics about your company’s service operation so that you can make fully informed business decisions.

With this view into your field operations, you will be able to answer questions like:

  • Which services are most profitable?
  • Which Technician is more effective?
  • Which contract is most profitable and which one is losing money?
  • Which are the most productive crews and technicians?
  • How are changes affecting specific operations?

The visual presentation of data in BI dashboards needs to be easy to understand and should be easy to filter by service type, individual, crew or any other data point collected. Week-to-week or month-to-month comparisons can surface meaningful trends that can help fine-tune a service organization to run at maximum productivity – while maximizing profit.

plumbing scheduling software 01

Make Decision-Making Easy

A day in field service operations can often change and be unpredictable as even the best laid plans are affected if emergency work comes in or jobs overrun. On the spot decisions need to be made to keep up with and manage those changes and get the day back on track.

Lack of visibility into what is happening out in the field may mean poor decisions are made, which can have further impact on the day’s work. Having access to information can mean that better decisions can be made then and there, keeping the most effective plan for the work. The impact of making changes can be seen immediately and decisions can be based on that, taking into account this impact and any potential outcome on service performance, cost and the rest of the day’s work.

Essential Reporting

While day-to-day access to data is critical to the management of daily performance, business intelligence dashboards are also vital in the longer-term view. This information will feed into the more strategic business planning around budgets, resources, targets and areas to focus on driving performance in the future.

Identifying business trends is critical to growing revenue, retaining customers and increasing the productivity of field workers.  It’s important as a means of discovering problems before they can impact the business. Reporting is an essential component of any field service solution and being able to access the relevant information easily and quickly is fundamental.

There is a saying that goes ‘you can’t manage what you don’t measure’, so to understand your business, you need to know what is going on from your performance reports. For the best results, you need a solution that meets these business needs.

Field Force Tracker helps field service companies simplify their performance reporting to get the information that is needed for better decision making and business success.

plumbing job management software 01

Mobile enabled, cloud-based field service software was designed to provide ease of use with incredible flexibility. Along with the ease – and speed – of our implementation and the ongoing support service that we provide we enable companies to take full advantage of today’s mobile field service.

Field Force Tracker’s power mobile apps for iPhone and Android are available to all new and existing Field Force Tracker customers. They can extend the feature set with the enhanced mobile forms capabilities, and better system integration.  Field Force Tracker, a mobile enabled web-based field service management software, streamlines technician scheduling, dispatch, customer management, vendor and employee management, work orders, equipment maintenance, inventory tracking, contracts, estimates, invoices, payments and accounting. It is considered one of the most feature rich software of its kind.

About Field Force Tracker

Force Tracker (https://www.fieldforcetracker.com) is a leading global provider of its award winning mobile workforce solutions for service-based businesses of all sizes delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS). Its solutions enable businesses of all sizes (from 1 user to 10,000 users) to meet the challenges associated with managing and running complex service operations. It helps in improving the productivity of their mobile workforce.

With Field Force Tracker customers can create service schedule and route quickly, dispatch sooner, collect correct information at once in the field and invoice faster. The field service software makes it easy for users to eliminate waste, get more done in less time and be more profitable.

Field Force Tracker is a wholly owned unit of Rapidsoft Systems Inc. (https://www.rapidsoftsystems.com). Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. has its main office in Princeton, NJ, USA, a US R&D Center in Mercerville NJ, and sales, support and development offices in Palo Alto, CA, USA, Singapore, Dubai (UAE), Bombay, and Noida (India).

 

Best Hvac Service Software

Posted on by Dr. Sam Martin

Field Force Tracker is the most comprehensive software for field service management.  It takes care of everything from customer management to the payment collection for a service company. By using this software, our clients can see major improvement in their productivity and the customer satisfaction.

hvac company challenges

HVAC companies face some unique challenges in field service.

For many, some or all of their work can be emergency calls which come in that day. These then need to be prioritized and worked into the day’s schedule as soon as possible, but this then means changes to the planned work and it is understandably difficult to make on the spot decisions about what should give.

work dispatch software 04

Many HVAC companies we speak to are still relying on paper-based processes to some extent in managing their workflow. This brings additional difficulty to making changes to schedules and allocating work to technicians as those in the office may not be working with all the information they need.

HVAC companies often also cover a lot of different areas of work. These are highly complex and require the right skills, parts or tools for the individual tasks. Workflows may have a number of dependencies which need to be stuck to, to complete the job. Many companies cover everything from design to install, renovation and service work, meaning each day is different to the last.

The use of paper-based processes can mean that up to date information is not available until a few days after the work has been completed, so delays occur in checking stock, re-ordering parts and getting out invoices.

A further issue that HVAC companies face is how fast the industry is evolving. Equipment is becoming smarter with HVAC units becoming much more complex and more connected and intelligent buildings are growing in their popularity. Customer expectations increase alongside this technological evolution and service delivery must keep pace with these advancements.

Here we look at how some of our Field Force Tracker HVAC customers overcame the issues they faced in their evolving businesses and see the benefits and results they achieved.

employee tracking software 02

Eliminating Paperwork

One of our customers had a paper-based work order system they’d been using for decades that was inefficient and expensive. Technicians had to visit the office every day, so travel costs were high and technicians had less time for jobs. Processing the paperwork meant significant administrative overhead and time as it took 7-10 days to invoice customers from the job completion.

Field Force Tracker solved the paper problem. All work orders are now generated and submitted electronically. As a result, the company:

  • Significantly reduced the number of office trips by technicians, cutting travel costs and increasing revenue-producing hours.
  • Eliminated the need for administrative overhead dedicated invoicing.
  • Decreased the time from service completion to invoice from days to minutes.

More Efficient Service Calls and Improved Cash Flow

Another HVAC company realized that cloud-based technology was the best way to make their business processes more efficient, and maximize profits. They have both residential and commercial customers, so wanted a solution that could handle both. Through using Field Force Tracker they now can connect with a specific technician or multiple technicians to assign jobs or alert them of a new/changed job, which they can see on the mobile app. The dispatch capabilities provide alerts, location tracking and GPS routing. It also works as a time sheet to ensure that work is being recorded. The price book in the app means that an estimate can be emailed, which the customer can sign off, saving time as well as keeping an accurate account of what has been done.

They estimate saving 40-60 hours a week.  “No time is wasted, the technicians get jobs faster, and we can track the job status so they can immediately go to the next job. Jobs are completed more quickly, so we can schedule more jobs per day with the saved time.”

The highest praise comes for the accounting features. “The easy sync with QuickBooks eliminates double entry of invoices in our accounting system and we can simply e-mail invoices to customers.”

Better Customer Service

One of our HVAC customer was looking for ways to reduce paperwork and increase the profitability of their business as well as deliver even better service to customers.  Prior to Field Force Tracker the dispatcher would receive calls and dispatch jobs to the technicians through manual text messages. Technicians would write out paper estimates on site and then return completed work orders to the office at the end of day, causing extra drive time and lag time.

Now, the dispatcher can quickly review each technician’s status using the scheduler and assign new jobs to the next available technician. On site, technicians can collect more information with the mobile app. For instance, the tech can record the model and serial number of each piece of equipment. “With this type of information stored in the customer’s record, we can easily determine what parts are needed to complete the job.”

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They also use Field Force Tracker reports to predict customer needs. “If I see that 20 of our customers have the same furnace model, it makes sense to start carrying replacement parts for that model.” That means faster service since they no longer have to order parts through their distributor when the need arises. Instead the trucks are fully-stocked with the proper parts.

Field Force Tracker leads the way in simplifying field service for HVAC companies. Our solutions let you automate your field work – from dispatching work to updating job info on site and instantly sending electronic invoices – all from our easy to use mobile app.

Best Cloud Based Filed Service Software

Mobile enabled, cloud-based field service software was designed to provide ease of use with incredible flexibility. Along with the ease – and speed – of our implementation and the ongoing support service that we provide we enable companies to take full advantage of today’s mobile field service.

Field Force Tracker’s power mobile apps for iPhone and Android are available to all new and existing Field Force Tracker customers. They can extend the feature set with the enhanced mobile forms capabilities, and better system integration.  Field Force Tracker, a mobile enabled web-based field service management software, streamlines technician scheduling, dispatch, customer management, vendor and employee management, work orders, equipment maintenance, inventory tracking, contracts, estimates, invoices, payments and accounting. It is considered one of the most feature rich software of its kind.

About Field Force Tracker

Force Tracker (https://www.fieldforcetracker.com) is a leading global provider of its award winning mobile workforce solutions for service-based businesses of all sizes delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS). Its solutions enable businesses of all sizes (from 1 user to 10,000 users) to meet the challenges associated with managing and running complex service operations. It helps in improving the productivity of their mobile workforce.

With Field Force Tracker customers can create service schedule and route quickly, dispatch sooner, collect correct information at once in the field and invoice faster. The field service software makes it easy for users to eliminate waste, get more done in less time and be more profitable.

Field Force Tracker is a wholly owned unit of Rapidsoft Systems Inc. (https://www.rapidsoftsystems.com). Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. has its main office in Princeton, NJ, USA, a US R&D Center in Mercerville NJ, and sales, support and development offices in Palo Alto, CA, USA, Singapore, Dubai (UAE), Bombay, and Noida (India).

Benefits of Using Integrated Field Service Software

Posted on by Dr. Sam Martin

Service managers are working to improve the quality and effectiveness of their service delivery.  However, using improper field service software can hinder their ability to provide better management of their resources.  This article describes the benefits of integrated field service software which can help  everyone in the company to better manage the effectiveness of your service delivery.  Using extensive capabilities of Field Force Tracker’s software, you can improve the effectiveness for field services in your organization.

Service  companies are trying to move to electronic model of providing services. Paper based operation is too slow to address customer concerns and cannot provide suitable data analysis. Field Force Tracker is the most comprehensive software for field service management.  It takes care of everything from customer management to the payment collection for a service company. By using this software, our clients can see major improvement in their productivity and the customer satisfaction.

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Organizations often work with a mix of  different solutions for their day to day field service operations. This might be because the organization has outgrown original systems so other solutions have been brought in or have been bolted on or that the workflow is so specific to them, that they can’t find one solution that fits all their needs.

Whatever the reason the result can often mean that systems are used in isolation and data from one system doesn’t always work with others.

This can be frustrating and costly to a business as it can mean that data has to be entered into each system individually, taking time to do. If this input is needed multiple times there is also the risk of mistakes being made or data missed.

The Business Benefits of Integrated Field Service Software

The ultimate of any field service solution is quite simply a better workflow to and from the field. Ease of integration is a key part of any new solution as there is no need to upgrade the entire end-to-end system to simply allow this better workflow. There will have been significant investment into existing systems and extending the life of these systems is important.

For a business an integrated field service solution means that the two-way flow of data and information is captured just once and in a consistent and efficient way. It means that no data is left unused or delayed while waiting on paperwork to be finished or for collected information to be downloaded and an audit trail is in place reducing the chance of any lost or missing information.

The Business Owner/Manager or CEO

For the business owner or manager reports can be easily accessed on any criteria as systems are linked and ‘speak’ to each other. The health of the business can be easily monitored and customizable reports can be run on jobs, revenue, inventory, employee hours, customer surveys, invoices and customer data. Profitability can be reviewed by customer, service or product allowing focus on driving higher overall revenue and increased margins.

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The Service Manager or  Service Director

The service manager can see real-time status updates of all jobs (scheduled, started, paused, completed) across the teams and also assess the productivity of individual staff members across jobs and tasks. Workflow can become automated reducing paperwork and eliminating lost or delayed time through scheduling improvements and job completion rates. The team in the office can assign jobs faster with the improved scheduling and eliminate paper work with distribution of electronic work orders

The Field Technician or Your Field Employees

For a field worker an integrated mobile solution means they can do their job in the best possible way. Critical information can be accessed and shared in real time in the office and the field. Through integration with other back office systems, the field worker has access to the job history and customer records allowing for a more detailed understanding of not only the job they are going to but also what has happened before and why. Turning up to site and having this information on the job detail to hand or having access to it, means there is better chance of job resolution on this first visit and all the benefits this brings to an organization, the technician and the customer.

Finance and Accounting Department

For those in the finance team invoices can be automated immediately upon job completion. A work order for example can be issued, then on job completion the customer can be invoiced immediately, achieving a quicker payment cycle through this order to cash automation. Data can be transferred electronically between systems, making accounting and payroll tasks more efficient and accurate. Financial reporting becomes more straightforward as customizable reports include all the relevant information on revenue, costs and employees.

Good integration of field service management solutions improves efficiencies, from the first call to the final invoice, by providing visibility throughout the business. This can feel like it is going to be an overwhelming task, but it doesn’t have to be.

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Why Field Force Tracker

Mobile enabled, cloud-based field service software was designed to provide ease of use with incredible flexibility. Along with the ease – and speed – of our implementation and the ongoing support service that we provide we enable companies to take full advantage of today’s mobile field service.

Field Force Tracker’s power mobile apps for iPhone and Android are available to all new and existing Field Force Tracker customers. They can extend the feature set with the enhanced mobile forms capabilities, and better system integration.  Field Force Tracker, a mobile enabled web-based field service management software, streamlines technician scheduling, dispatch, customer management, vendor and employee management, work orders, equipment maintenance, inventory tracking, contracts, estimates, invoices, payments and accounting. It is considered one of the most feature rich software of its kind.

Best Field Service Software

About Field Force Tracker

Force Tracker (https://www.fieldforcetracker.com/) is a leading global provider of its award winning mobile workforce solutions for service-based businesses of all sizes delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS). Its solutions enable businesses of all sizes (from 1 user to 10,000 users) to meet the challenges associated with managing and running complex service operations. It helps in improving the productivity of their mobile workforce.

With Field Force Tracker customers can create service schedule and route quickly, dispatch sooner, collect correct information at once in the field and invoice faster. The field service software makes it easy for users to eliminate waste, get more done in less time and be more profitable.

Field Force Tracker is a wholly owned unit of Rapidsoft Systems Inc. (https://www.rapidsoftsystems.com). Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. has its main office in Princeton, NJ, USA, a US R&D Center in Mercerville NJ, and sales, support and development offices in Palo Alto, CA, USA, Singapore, Dubai (UAE), Bombay, and Noida (India).