4 Ways to Boost Customer Experience With FSM Software

Increasing competition and more demanding customers make companies listen to their needs thoroughly and apply a client-focused approach. Field service providers experience this influence even more intensively.

According to a recent study, conducted by Verizon Connect, the hardest challenge for field service companies is to meet customer expectations:

It’s no surprise though as without an elaborate management system, unscrupulous field service specialists may be late for orders, perform work poorly, be rude to customers, and so on.

Additionally, almost 90% of customers would like to see up-to-date technology applied to their technician scheduling, and nearly as many would be willing to pay more for it.

Therefore, the implementation of proper FSM software becomes a necessity in today’s digital world. This article overviews how a proper FSM system can optimize business processes and consequently raise customer satisfaction.

Optimize Routes and Speed up Response Time

Let’s look at a common problem for field service providers without technological solutions. As monitoring of the field workers isn’t available, they can spend time ineffectively, running their own errands instead of doing their job. Obviously, if a specialist is late, customers are going to be dissatisfied.

Moreover, it’s not easy to control how busy field workers are if the orders are written and disseminated manually. As a result, some field specialists may be overwhelmed with orders, while others are totally free.

These issues can be easily resolved with the help of FSM software. For instance, the system allows managers to track field workers’ locations and ensure they’re on time for an order. The process is clearly seen in the example of FSM software Planado:

A field specialist informs that he is on his way to a client via a mobile version of the software. Meanwhile, the system sends an SMS about the specialist’s departure to a client’s smartphone. GPS tracking shows the current location of the worker in real time.

Furthermore, to make sure everyone is engaged with work equally, managers can optimize the allocation of orders and routes. The application shows the daily workload and location of all clients, so managers will be able to choose the closest ones for workers and optimize their routes. As a result, traveling takes less time, while more tasks can be completed.

Make Sure the Work is Done Properly

The quality of work in the field is hard to oversee, so often managers find out that the result was unacceptable from clients’ negative feedback. FSM software offers an automatic reporting function, where a field specialist inputs data.

For example, managers create tasks and add subtasks. A worker has to tick all the boxes to finish the task. Thus, he won’t miss any steps.

However, several cases demonstrate that without automated solutions both clients and field workers aren’t legally protected. A carpet cleaner avoided legal claims worth $13,500 because a cleaner added «before and after» photos in the Planado app, proving that the carpet was damaged before the cleaning.

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Provide Access to Essential Data

Let’s imagine that a regular client ordered service again. In the best-case scenario, the information about clients’ equipment or materials in storage is available in a company’s system. Field workers on site have to find it again, which is time-consuming. The inconvenience caused is evident from examples in the telecom industry.

For instance, engineers often aren’t aware of communication line parameters. They ask dispatchers to check it in the communication line diagnostics system. It takes time and effort of two people when it’s obviously redundant.

Synchronization of the FSM app with communication line diagnostics software allows checking it by an engineer in the field without the engagement of dispatchers. Once the engineer presses the button, an automatic line quality check is running. The result will be displayed on the engineer’s smartphone.

Use Statistics to Identify Issues

Data-driven decisions are the most accurate ones. FSM software allows getting reports and timely statistics. Planado, for example, automatically generates statistics on the completed job quantity and average job completion time. This will help managers make descriptive reports and identify inefficient workers.

The required data can also be obtained through the API. FSM software can be integrated into a company’s infrastructure, so employees will be able to build reports and work with data in a company’s system.

In order to get ahead of your competitors in the field service market, you have to exploit the latest technologies and make sure you meet customer expectations by providing fast and efficient service. FSM solution can become the right option towards achieving these goals.