Leveraging Latest Field Service Software to Increase Sales

Posted on February 21, 2021April 29, 2023 by Field Force Tracker

A great field service management solution can help you improve internal operations and communication and deliver better service. It has one key element – your customer data. This is your goldmine because you can use your customer data to grow your sales in many ways. Good modern field service software like Field Force Tracker can help you in selling more and not just delivering field services.

Only some high end software has full CRM capabilities built in. Our Award Winning Field Force Tracker software is an example of such software. With it, you can manage your customer data and use it to build long term relationships and upselling to customer your new services and products. This is what differentiates Field Force Tracker from other low end software that mainly focuses only on job dispatching.

A built in field service CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system can be highly effective tool to grow your business. Using a CRM system of an FSM (field service management) system like Field Force Tracker, you can have a 360-degree view of both your client and your field workforce. The system enables all the customer information to all the key stake holder be it technicians, managers, or finance people in your company. Also, when a CRM system is combined with sales management features, it can help you sell more new systems.

Delivering Customer Focused Service

Today’s customers expect you deliver high quality service. Any delay in delivering service or delivering non-professional service will result in unfavorable reviews on site like Yelp, Capterra, Software Advice and Google. Even a small number of bad reviews can deeply hurt your business. Many such problems can be avoided by following a customer-centric approach and anticipating customer issues when delivering the service.

The first benefit of a CRM and FSM system working together is improved customization in the delivery of service. With the built in CRM system, you can create and manage customer profiles. You can look at the historical service data and answer any queries. Moreover, a field technician can pull up past jobs history, add comments, track updates and easily find invoices.

Search Customer Job History in the Field

This allows them to have immediate access to reliable information on past issues that may be relevant to current work. Not only will customers appreciate a self-reliant field technician, but the comprehensive data makes it easy for technicians to talk to customers as if meeting them in person. For example, a technician will know how long a customer has been with your company and what specific problems the customer has encountered in the past. Another advantage of CRM is that individual customer profiles give technician’s quick access to preferred contact methods. For example, if a customer prefers to be contacted by text message, the technician will know that he should not call. CRM can also track both individual customers and businesses through multiple touch points. These field technicians work by reaching the wrong people within the company and improving the customer experience.

Improve Overall Business Productivity

In a competitive environment, being able to achieve high productivity is very important. A good field service software lets you better organize your teams and your operations. This will sure result in improved customer experience.

Within a good CRM system, field technician or sales persons can log comments into customer profiles with chronological notes and updates. This enables field technicians to better understand critical issues with a system and better prepare for customer visits

In addition, all customer-related data are conveniently stored in the customer profile for quick referencing. This makes a field technician’s job much easier, and it is also useful for the business.

Improve Service Reporting Accuracy

A CRM system within an FSM system can help you produce better business reports. You can produce better reports on customer balances, customer activities, forthcoming maintenance and other customer needs. Also, when CRM system is combined with sales management features, it can help you sell more new systems. A CRM within FSM system provides the accounting department and field technicians with a complete view of all jobs, estimates, and invoices. This helps prevent inaccurate invoicing and better track accounts receivable.

Field Force Tracker Excellence

If you’re looking for an easy way to automate operations and improve customer relationships, Field Force Tracker is a great solution. It provides the best of breed CRM system integrated with a full featured FSM system. Whether you are a large company or a small business, it is the right way to increase operational efficiency and grow your business

Improving Field Service with Better Scheduling

Posted on October 10, 2017January 17, 2022 by Field Force Tracker

Customers expect their problems to be resolved fast as the failure of a HVAC or Plumbing unit may come at a time when their life quality depends on it. On the other hand, in some situations, the problem may be such that it can wait for a day or two the repair. When an equipment breakdown occurs, customers have a hard time explaining their urgency. Everyone wants his or her service tasks to be handled fast and on priority.

This is where an Advanced scheduling software like Field Force Tracker shine. It can help you optimize your resource scheduling by separating high priority jobs from the low priority jobs. It can also help you optimize the use of your precious work force resources.

Poor customer experience is one of the biggest reasons for non-retention of customers, resulting in losses and lower revenue. On the other hand, statistics show that a company with good customer service policy can expect to have as high as 75% of its sales coming from returning customers. Since service industries are evolving themselves into customer centric from product centric business models, it is imperative that the customer be happy.

Field Service software for Computer Repair Service Business

Ensuring Optimum Field Technician Scheduling Efficiency

You start by picking the best-suited person for the job. You ensure that the representative you assign is capable, that he is in reasonable proximity to the job location, taking into account the commute time, among other things.

Assigning the right field service expert is crucial to good customer experience. No two jobs are exactly similar and neither are any two persons in their ability to solve an issue. The onus is on the field service manager to know the unique skills of each employee and discern the most suitable resource for the job. Of course, with increasing digital transformation tools for field service management, job scheduling can be automated largely.

Providing Right Tools to Field Technicians

A Field technician can only solve the problem using tools that he or she has access too. They not only need tools to do actual repair, but software tools that can facilitate them to diagnose and fix the problem faster and quicker. For example, in Field Force Tracker software, a technician can immediately check the customer history or past repair history.

Since face-to-face interaction with the customer is part of their job, a field service professional must have good manners to deal with customers. They also must know to value the customer’s time. To this end, a representative need to be equipped with complete knowledge of the issue and the required parts so that they can have a better chance of fixing the problem at the first go. In addition, customers will place more faith in a professional who appears to know what they are doing.

Avoiding Repeat Service Calls

First time fixes save the customer any further inconvenience, and they also save the company a great deal of time and money that could otherwise be used to attend to other jobs. A report by Aberdeen suggests that if the average first-time fix rates for a company is above 80%, the customer satisfaction goes up to around 90%. On the other hand, with a first time fix rate of below 50%, customer satisfaction nosedives to below 50%. Most often, it is due to poor customer experience that companies fail to retain customers. Fixing problems the first time helps build trust with the customer, promoting the idea of the company’s reliability and building its goodwill.

Despite the best of efforts, some problems are just not solved in one visit. In such instances, the field service manager would do well to assign the same person for the second and perhaps subsequent visits, as the first time. Customers tend to feel more comfortable around a representative that they have already met before and the problem is faster diagnosed and solved when the two communicate better with each other. Often, a customer will be less inclined to be difficult and demanding when they become familiar with the representative.

Managing Job Priority

The field service management software like Field Force Tracker facilitate a professional to schedule the work with a mix of both high and low priority jobs so that if an emergency service request comes in, they can reschedule a low priority service visit and attend to it. Prompt addressing of the customer’s complaint is a determining factor in customer satisfaction. Capital Equipment Manufacturers (CEMs), for example, will always require immediate attention in case of unexpected failures. In such a case, a technician will have to be swiftly assigned, prioritizing their skill set and previous history of first-time fix rates, and rescheduling other low priority jobs to allow availability.

Service visits are important. They are one of the few personal interactions between the customer and the company, and given the direct influence of customer satisfaction on the bottom line and the goodwill of the company, it is paramount that they be agreeable and pleasant to the customer.

About Field Force Tracker

Field 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). 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. (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).

Mobile Apps are changing the Field Service Landscape

Posted on September 16, 2017January 17, 2022 by Field Force Tracker

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cost Effective Latest Field Service Software For Field Employees

Posted on September 12, 2017April 29, 2023 by Field Force Tracker

In this age of universal mobility and smart phones, Field Service Industry is going through the big change. Field service software like Field Force Tracker are changing the software industry by their revolutionary features and with its low cost of implementation. Because it is a cloud based field service software software is based in the cloud, you have no infrastructure to maintain, and no servers to update. You need no IT person to maintain it.

However, if you are moving from paper or spreadsheet based scheduling, you will be making a big change in the process. To make sure that you get the most benefits, this article will explain that.

While all companies are benefiting from new technology and software that helps connect different departments and processes, organizations that rely on workers in the field reap some of the largest rewards from cloud-based software. When dispatching, collecting payments and monitoring daily activities, service management software that is provided as a service means technicians in the field are no longer removed from the companies they work for while performing their jobs.

Benefits of Software As a Service (SaaS) Field Service Software

Software as a service also allows field service companies to cut down on overhead costs such as new hardware, according to Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration News. According to their recent article, SaaS allows in-field workers to access field service software on nearly any device that has a Web browser. This opens the door to companies that want to save costs with BYOD (bring your own device) policies or use existing hardware.

BYOD is growing in popularity and since many workers already own a smart device, there is essentially no hardware cost and technicians will be able to navigate the field service software using a device that they are already familiar with, cutting down on training time.

Field service software impacts Customer Service

Customer service is also improved when workers in the field have better connectivity to the home base of the organization. They can provide customers with more accurate estimates on how long it will take to order a needed part and how much it will cost. Technicians can locate much of this information on their own, without speaking to an off-site employee who must search and report it back to them.

Repair service software can expedite the payment process and reduce the need for invoicing for some services. Technicians running late can also quickly communicate their situation to the company so that impact on other customers is reduced. This can help workers and customers adjust to possible, unforeseen interruptions in the schedule, which are common in industries such as HVAC.

With BYOD, contact is also made through a device that the technician is likely to have on their person at all times. This way, communication can continue even if the worker is at a site that does not have telephone, Internet access or is not near a radio in their fleet vehicle. The software will connect them to all of the information that may need when on the job.

The Cost of Not Deploying Field Service Software

A service company spends significant hours on service paperwork, emails and phone calls in your office. If those activities were replaced with something more high-value like customer care, business planning or marketing the company can greatly benefit from it.

And what if instead of mailing out invoices days after a job was completed and then waiting for payment to be mailed back, the invoice instantly arrived in your customer’s email box as soon as the task or project was completed?

Think of the revenue gain, if you could complete another job every day just from better scheduling and dispatch.

These are all missed opportunities that cost you money every day.

You may not be the only one waiting. You customers may be getting faster service from competitors who have shorter service windows and deploy the closest technician to their home or business. How much business will you lose if your competitors get there faster and more reliably?

Even if you already have a field service software solution, there are likely gains to be made from newer, mobile and cloud built solutions. If you’re using a premise-based solution for instance, there’s a good chance it’s costing you in IT and maintenance fees. Worse, field workers aren’t getting things done as efficiently as they could with native mobile apps designed specifically for use on a variety of devices. Inefficiency means less work gets done and that costs you.

About Field Force Tracker

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.