Your Guide to Implementing Field Service Software

Finding and implementing the right field service management (FSM) software can be a challenge. There are many players in the industry, all targeting different types of businesses and offering different features. Of course, once you choose the solution that’s right for you, implementing it properly is essential, so that’s precisely what we’re exploring below!

What is Field Service Software?

Before we dive into the guide, let’s break down what field service software is and then explore the benefits that a successful digital tool can offer! 

Field service software is a digital tool that can help you manage operations in the field, office, warehouse, and beyond. If you’re hoping to improve inventory management, increase route efficiency, or foster stronger customer relationships – field service software could be the perfect solution for your growing business. 

What are the Benefits of Field Service Software?

Off the top of your head, what are the first things that come to mind when someone asks you what you struggle with when it comes to managing your business? Chances are, it’s probably got to do with either making evermore demanding customers happy OR actually managing the day-to-day. 

There are a handful of great benefits that come from using the right software. Read on to learn more about how to increase efficiency, improve customer service, manage work orders, enhance analytics, and grow your profitability by implementing field service software that works for your business. 

Increased Efficiency

Let’s say you’re doing 100 jobs per week with 25 technicians and 5 office admin staff. Imagine doing 150 jobs without having to hire anyone else. That’s the kind of efficiency that good software can bring to your business, by simply automating repetitive tasks and helping you better understand where your profits actually come from.

Streamlining everyday processes and automating time-consuming tasks is a quick way to see positive changes in technician and office efficiency. Taking advantage of field service software and other digital tools can reduce manual errors, save time, and improve overall productivity across all departments. 

Improved Customer Experience

If your customers are unhappy with any aspect of your product or services, you can run the risk of damaging your business reputation. Everyone reads reviews these days and negative ones can really drag you down in the long-term. 

But what exactly is a great customer experience?

A lot goes into creating a great experience and it’s often the result of the customer feeling in control and getting the result they want quickly. With automated service reminders and self-service opportunities – they can always be in the loop and have access to the information they need! 

Field service software can help field technicians respond to customer requests accurately and in real-time. Giving them peace of mind when it comes to service status or appointment times is another great way to improve the customer experience. 

Better Asset Management

Inventory constantly moving to and from the warehouse can quickly get disorganized or even worse… lost. That’s a lot of money to simply misplace, especially if mistakes keep happening. Software can help field workers track and manage assets more effectively. Managing inventory, tracking maintenance schedules, and monitoring equipment performance all from one screen keeps technicians organized and allows them to complete more jobs in a day. 

Enhanced Data and Analytics

Things can often seem chaotic and out of control when you’re in charge of a business or responsible for multiple departments. The first step in fixing this is being able to actually see what’s going on. 

Tracking and analyzing the results of your efforts will help you and your team make informed decisions about the business. There is no limit to the number or type of Key Performance Indicators you can use and the more data you collect on technicians, customers, payments, and operations the easier it will be to make worthwhile improvements across all your operations. 

Increased Revenue 

All the benefits listed above will help you grow your business and increase revenue over time. Identifying new revenue opportunities is simple when the data you need is automatically organized and reported. 

Having instant access to customer data and service history will make sure you take advantage of every service reminder opportunity and chance to grow a customer relationship. On the other hand, field service software will help find areas where you can reduce your current costs – increasing all revenue streams. 

Check out this comprehensive checklist that covers
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Choosing the Best Field Service Software

When it comes to picking the best software for your business – you’ll be presented with what feels like a never-ending number of options. It can feel overwhelming but starting by identifying your goals will make sure you are only looking at software that meets all of your company’s needs.

Identifying Your Needs and Goals

If you aren’t sure what your new goals should be, you can start by looking at the current processes and workflows that you have in place. If you’re already using software – maybe you’re stuck in a contract with technologies that don’t meet your needs. Or you could be using outdated software that doesn’t have updated features. 

Contracts

The software you look at seems perfect for your business, but only then do you discover that the software is missing a key functionality you didn’t know you needed, or it doesn’t work as advertised. Now you’re trapped in a long-term service contract with software that doesn’t work the way you need it to. 

Even worse, their customer service seems to evaporate when you have a complaint, because they know they have you locked in no matter what. 

On a Commusoft plan, you don’t have to deal with being stuck in a contract – as we offer a variety of license types to fit your business, including monthly billing based on the number of days used! 

New Features

Most devices and software tools that you use on a daily basis get regular updates. Just think of social media platforms constantly having some new features added or how hardware tools have developed to help you in your work (you’re unlikely to be using the same devices you did two decades ago, after all!) 

It’s no surprise that technology is rapidly advancing and field service business software is right alongside it. Whenever you’re looking for new management software, check how often they release updates and how long it took to come up with their latest features.

If you’re finding that the digital tools you currently use are no longer getting the updates and new features they need – you could lose out on revenue opportunities. 

Certificates

Need a particular type of certificate for your business, like gas, electrical, oil, fire & security, or renewable energy certificates? Most field service small businesses do. We hear them complain when their current software doesn’t offer the certificates they need. 

Even if the software does offer the right forms, they sometimes lack key features—like customization, digital signature capture, or checklists. So don’t implement software and then say ‘I wish I knew…’ Instead, ask lots of questions about the type of customizations that are included and make sure you can fill, sign, and send them digitally.

Learn more: Easily personalize your forms!

Enables Business Growth

You have ten technicians, so you sign on for a field service management software that allows up to ten technicians. That makes sense, right? That has everything you need for a business of your size. But then you start growing and that same software becomes an obstacle. 

Buyer’s remorse and stalled growth are double trouble for your company. It’s hard to predict the future of a growing business and you can’t always see the future when it comes to pain points and areas of improvement. 

Having software that is designed for functionality, to manage business growth, and with features that benefit your company the most will make finding and overseeing new revenue opportunities trouble-free. 

Features that Accommodate Both Your Team and Clients

As a director, you’ll need to consider who on your team will be using the field service management software the most. This is probably your technicians in the field and department managers – making sure they have all the features they need will make their life on the job stress-free. 

With the right software, you’ll also be able to provide customers with self-service opportunities which increase customer satisfaction and ease of scheduling. 

Mobile App and Interface for Your Field Force

When in the field, technicians will have to interact with the software via a mobile device! Software may look great on a desktop but mobile applications can sometimes be overlooked when it comes to finalizing the deal.

When you’re judging the functionality of a mobile app, keep in mind that it shouldn’t be just a smaller version of the desktop software. Good field service management software is a complex tool that requires quite a bit of processing power, so it’s the same on mobile, you’re either getting a slow, near impossible-to-use tool OR the new software wasn’t all that complex to begin with. 

What you’re looking for is a “designed-for-mobile” app that targets technicians and the features relevant to them, whilst leaving the admin tools to the desktop users. 

Choose the Latest Technology

Don’t be afraid to ask these questions to the software company or developers: 

• “What separates your field service software from the rest? What key features does it have that will benefit my company?”
  
• “How often does the application get updated with new features and how can my team and I learn about them?”
  
• “Does the software integrate with our current technology? Our accounting software is important to our organization and success!” 

If you’re not using the latest technology, the competition will be and you’ll lose out on opportunities that they’re able to see before you. Compare and contrast the different field service management software you’re interested in using for your business. There could be one with specific features that are best suited for your operations. 

What to Know Before Implementing the Software

Integration with Your Existing Systems

Not only does the software need to work with your accounting software, but also your digital communication tools, payment portals, and popular customer applications. You’ll have to run a couple of tests to make sure it operates with your existing workflows – making the transfer much more effortless! 

Training and Adoption

While it’s true that most people can pick up a skill through trial and error, very few account for how much time it takes to do it this way. Imagine if you were starting a completely new job and no one would show you how things worked but expected you to know everything already.

Read more: Why Job Management Software Training is Good for Your Business

It can be a bit of a shake-up implementing a new system – but we know how to avoid common pitfalls during the adoption process and are confident we can help you avoid them! 

Commusoft has personalized training and strategies for ensuring the effective training of your team. It’s crucial that everyone in the company that will be using the software is on the same page for a successful implementation. 

Security and Data Protection

Protecting your customer’s data and personal information will give them additional comfort when working with your business. They’ll be more likely to come back and reuse your services if they know they can trust you with their info. 

Knowing that the software your company relies on is secure from potential outside breaches can give you peace of mind! This allows you to operate daily and not worry about someone that should not have access to your documents and company information. 

Maintenance and Support

You should always look for a responsive support team when deciding on FSM software. If they don’t perform regular maintenance on their application and answer all of your questions thoroughly, there’s a good chance you won’t get the customer service you need to successfully use the software. 

The Commusoft Knowledge Base is a resource we have that can quickly answer software questions that you have. If you can’t find the solution you need – our support team will always be there to answer the call and help you problem-solve in real time. We’re always working to grow our strategy which ensures the longevity of your investment. 

Other Field Service Software Best Practices

Test the Software Before Implementation

Testing helps to identify any issues or bugs in the software, allowing for fixes to be made before the software is used in a live environment. There’s no limit to the number of tests you can run before making the switch – practice makes perfect. 

This is what free trials are for. However, keep in mind that management software is complex and has a lot of features, so simply checking out the trial without having any of the training we mentioned previously might be somewhat overwhelming. 

Continuously Monitor and Analyze Performance

After implementation, it’s important to regularly monitor and analyze the software’s performance to identify areas for improvement and optimize its use. Having a few people on your team who can become experts with the software will allow for clean and concise reports.

Ensure that data entered into the software is accurate and up-to-date to avoid errors and optimize decision-making. The more data you collect, the easier it will be to find new ways to improve productivity, customer service, and profitability. 

Provide Ongoing Support

Provide ongoing support to your team to address any issues that may arise while using the software. Having a point of contact that can help technicians or other departments answer real-time questions about the software can make life on the job site comfortable as techs are learning the new program. 

Customization to Fit Your Business Processes and Workflows

Being able to customize the software to fit your processes and workflows will allow you to maximize its benefits. If the program isn’t adaptable for your company, then it could cause more harm than good. Don’t hesitate to ask about what customization options the software has before you sign a service contract! 

Grow Your Service Business Today with Field Service Software

Growing and improving your maintenance business is simple with the right software program! The benefits of implementing an FSM software solution can include:

• Increased efficiency across all departments
• Improved customer experience and satisfaction
• Organized asset and inventory management
• Enhanced data points and analytics
• Additional revenue opportunities and profitability 

Picking the best software for your company can be a tricky process if you aren’t prepared. Understanding what training, features, integrations, and analytics you need is where we can help. Don’t fall behind the competition – contact us and learn about how Commusoft can elevate your business to new heights. 

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