The field service market is undergoing a paradigm shift in the service delivery process. New technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Mobile Computing, Robotics, Internet of Things, and Data Analytical capabilities have completely changed the way how field service management companies operate and engage with customers and employees.
While it is a welcoming change, the fact is the profit margin in service delivery largely depends on the volume of the client-base, and so often small field service companies show reluctance in technology adoption, fearing the cost of implementation. Here, small field service organizations need to change their perspective on technology implementation by analyzing the cost vs. benefits in the long run.
Today, there is no dearth of great field service CRM software, having in-built capabilities to manage customer information in one place, enable scheduling, dispatching, tracking, and monitoring of field service team activities, and analyze the individual, team, and business performance. And these are available at low cost as well. However, companies must analyze their business requirements instead of getting overwhelmed with the features, stressing on how the particular feature will help them in cost optimization.
Here take a look at how using technology in field service processes can help companies reduce the cost of service delivery, increase efficiency, and maximize customer satisfaction.
- Increase First-Visit Effectiveness
No one knows better than field service manager about the effects of poor scheduling. It reduces the productivity of field service teams and individuals. The problem is often the scheduling processes are manual, either performed using a paper or a spreadsheet. It does not provide the required visibility to the field service scheduling manager essential for making informed decisions.
When field service managers don’t know at what is the location their field service representative in real-time and how much time they are going to spend to resolve an issue, they won’t be able to schedule properly. Poor scheduling reduce first-visit effectiveness as chances the best field service rep has not been scheduling for the task or the rep lacks the key tools and technical skills to resolve the issues. Re-scheduling increase the cost of service delivery and reduce productivity.
Leveraging field service management app, companies can automate the scheduling process as they get visibility in the team activity. Using the app, the scheduling manager can match the proximity to the client-location, availability of tools, and skill set of the field service technicians to ensure that the problem is resolved in the first visit itself.
- Route Optimization
For any field service management company, the cost of travel expenses is huge. But little could be done if it is following paper-based processes for dispatching. Cloud computing, mobile computing and GIS technology can enhance the capabilities of field service managers to find the most cost-effective routes for multiple drivers and at multiple stops.
In many cases, companies simply do not give enough weightage to travel expenses, treating it as something inevitable. Not anymore, as with field service app, it is possible to reduce the cost of travelling for service delivery. The app considers several factors such as a number of turns or intersections, traffic congestion in the real-time, best approach to access the route, and left-hand turns.
- Inventory Management
The perfect strategy for inventory management requires attention to demand forecasting, inventory policy, and replenishment. Inventory managers must ensure that stock is up-to-date yet does not have massive capital tied to a warehouse. This is essential to control the cost.
Modern field service mobile app comes with inventory management modules with record-keeping capabilities and enables field service managers and teams to track stock, send stock-in and stock-out alerts, and read the pattern to recommend demand forecasting. These features help companies in inventory optimization and in line reduce the cost of inventory management.
The Key Takeaway
The business landscape throughout the globe and across the industries is changing. Technology has deeply ingrained in our lives and has impacted consumer behaviour. In order to survive and thrive in the new business landscape, field service management must use new technologies to enhance their operations capability and reduce service delivery cost.
Bhupendra Choudhary
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- How Technology Can Reduce Field Service Delivery Cost - July 4, 2022