Field Force Tracker is a leading solution for Field Service Management. In this article, we discuss how it can help different type of field service organization meet their challenges of optimum service. However, before we do that let us try to understand the results of study that tells how organizations can optimize their returns from field service software.

For field service organizations, automating manual processes using field service management (FSM) solutions is generally a good thing – but only as long as the solution actually addresses the inefficiencies the company is facing. Unsuccessful technology deployments often involve deploying solutions that don’t fix the Field Service Organizations (FSOs) actual problem, or that were built to solve problems they didn’t have in the first place.

Researchers at  cloud-based automation solution provider Field Force Tracker teamed up on a new report that outlines the types of FSM solutions available, their respective benefits, and what field service tasks they are were designed to improve.

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Field Service Organization Need Automation

FSOs need that guidance to ensure they get the most out of their investments. According to the report, 75 percent of organizations with more than 50 field technicians will own at least one field service solution by 2018, but they will miss 20 percent of the potential benefits because of “incomplete integration or deployment.”

In the report, researchers have helpfully broken down the field service automation market into six basic categories based on functionality in an effort to help guide field service organizations in their software selection efforts and “see where best to put their investment, based on the outcomes they need to achieve.”

Categorizing Field Service Software Requirements

There are lots of choices all around. You get software that is designed for mom-and-pop operation as well as that is designed for the big enterprise organization. Each software is unique. It is not a bad thing because service organizations themselves vary in terms of requirements.

The six main categories of field service software include:

Field Service Demand Management:

These field service software solutions allow FSOs to gather all work order demand in on place, including parts, tools, and skills, as well as demand signals generated by customers, connected assets, and field technicians themselves. These solutions tie demand to contract entitlements or preferences, SLAs, and warranty coverage.

These  step alone is enough for many organizations to meet their service obligations. This allows you to manage your work orders and service resources optimally.

Field Service Work Planning:

These systems simplify work order prioritization and automate scheduling optimization by using advanced algorithms and machine learning. The software can improve workforce optimization by predicting potential shortages caused by overtime cost, time off, traffic conditions and other constraints. It also takes into account customer preferences, SLA commitments, and regulatory requirements, along with ensuring the availability of required parts.

This software takes you to next stage of service delivery where you can control resources but also manage cost of delivery of your services.

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Field Service Technician Enablement:

This is software that can help technicians find equipment or other assets at a customer location, access repair histories, and view instructions for completing a repair. Technicians can also access support resources for diagnostics, source parts, initiate contract adjustments, and scope out new work orders. These solutions depend heavily on the use of mobile technologies, and require a much more active role for the technician in customer and work management.

By doing this, you are increasing the satisfaction of your employees. They are spending less time on fixing problems as they get all the information they need on their mobile devices.

Work Order  Management and Information Management:

This is probably the most familiar FSM solution, and combined with work planning makes up the heart of many work order/field service management solutions.

These systems reduce manual entry by replacing paper work orders and enabling technicians to capture work financials and next steps in real time. Technicians use a mobile device to record time, expenses, parts and tasks completed. In some cases, they can also collect customer signatures and payments, and take photos or videos to document their work.

Service Contract Management and Operations:

These solutions are more focused on back-office activities, and enable office staff to manage contracts, entitlements, billing and warranty. The software also manages the process of recording equipment maintenance histories and documenting coverages and planned maintenance tasks.

Service Analytics, Reporting and Integration:

Analysis is an increasingly important component, as it not only gives FSOs the ability to gauge the success of their technology deployments, but also helps identify and correct potential service problems, such as lagging productivity, parts ordering delays, or SLA compliance problems. Metrics typically include technician productivity (based on completed work orders), first-time fix rates, billable hours, mean time to repair, attach rate, SLA achievement rate, etc.

How Field Force Tracker Can Help

We believe the FFT will take care of the operational requirements of your field service business and we have made it very easy and affordable. We offer most of the key features that are essential to manage your business.

Field Force Tracker is a cloud based very comprehensive field service management software for all business types. It can take care of work-orders, customer management, scheduling, customer history, product history, invoicing, payments, inventory management, Timesheet, tracking, parts and assets electronic estimates, and service contracts, Warranty Service, customizable invoices with signatures, email notifications, recurring, Reports etc. It is a very feature rich system with many unique and advanced features for a business like yours. The Field Force Tracker offers many very powerful features to manage your employees. The program has capability of editing the work orders in the field. The program also has capability to upload pictures, documents and take signatures and notes on the mobile and web. Our solution has GPS integrated in it so you can monitor your technicians when they are in the field. This will allow you to see them live on your map. Each technician’s status will be updated automatically but the technician can update it manually too. We can also integrate your QuickBooks with the Field Force Tracker software (Sage/ MYOB Planned). The solution is supported by mobile apps that work on iPhone, Android and on all tablets.

Call us at support@fieldforcetracker.com

Understanding Requirements of Field Service Organizations

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