Guest Post by Jorge  Soto -Acumatica Field Services Product Manager.

Defining Field Service Management and considering the benefits of implementing mobile field service software increases a business’ ability to meet customers’ high expectations and give them an edge over competitors. Adopting an all-encompassing ERP, such as Acumatica, integrates field service needs with financial and reporting procedures, streamlining your operation for optimum performance.

“ Our employees now easily save an average total of 10-20 minutes per customer, as all customer-related and job related information is integrated and in one place. The whole process, from sales to operation to finance, is much better, as this is now controlled and processed through Acumatica.”

This quote, from One Hygienic Managing Director Wong Tshun Peei, explains why service companies around the world are turning from a legacy system with end-of-life software to cloud-based field service dispatch software as a way to streamline their operations, save money, and provide the highest quality customer service possible.

A look at Field Service Management and its substantial benefits

Field Service Management (FSM) is defined as simply managing your company’s resources and work force – who are deployed in offsite locations or who do their job at the customer’s location – using mobile field service software. Examples of industries who utilize FSM are telecommunications and cable, in-home health care providers, utility, landscaping, home/office cleaning, and HVAC repair businesses. The technicians work directly with the consumer and may sometimes be the only direct contact between the customer and the company; their interaction is significant to the overall success of the operation. With this in mind, the intent behind implementing field service scheduling software is enabling companies to meet – and hopefully exceed – customer’s expectations in terms of efficiency, timeliness, cost, and satisfaction.

Because customer satisfaction is a cornerstone for every business’ success, Acumatica’s recently released Field Service Edition  focuses on meeting our customer’s needs through streamlining, dispatching, and reducing response times (among many other things) through our web-based, fully mobile applications.

Our mobile field service software is not an additional application but is integrated within Acumatica’s all-encompassing ERP. In other words, it’s not an afterthought, but rather an integral part of the end-to-end service we offer our customers.

Traditional service organizations may see the value in updating their field service methods but sometimes the tried-and-true measures are comfortable and safe; upgrading sounds like a challenging task. While this may be true, the numerous benefits of automating your field services operations make it all worthwhile. Here are a few reasons why:

  • Mobile Service Management: Field technicians and headquarters remain connected throughout every service; each technician has complete access to all service information and customer data whether on a phone, iPad, or laptop. The “field” aspect of field management has evolved from being “out-of-reach” to being “in constant contact” – the ability to autonomously handle every situation with access to easily available resources.
  • Scheduling: Efficiently dispatch the proper personnel with the appropriate skills to each unique worksite; service requests, customer information, product history, and required materials are instantly at the technician’s fingertips, equaling time saved for everyone. Schedules are created automatically or by using tools on the graphical dispatch board, identifying the status of service orders easily.
  • Route Planning and Map Integration: Dispatchers utilize web-based mapping applications to chart routes, using the real-time information to reduce driving time. Emergency service calls are no longer an emergency – add the unplanned appointment to the already planned routes with ease. Notify the technician instantly and send the new service order directly to their mobile device.
  • Equipment Maintenance and Inventory Management: Integration of sales, service stores, inventory, and purchasing means technicians manage their equipment and inventory of tools and repair parts efficiently and easily. Tracking records are updated and accessible for every job.
  • Dashboards and Business Intelligence: A personalized dashboard takes unfiltered data and transforms it into progress and trend reports.

Acumatica’s Field Service Edition provides all of these benefits and more. At this point, the idea of returning to spreadsheets, the work order paper trail, and communicating with calls or emails may sound time-consuming, inefficient, and not the best way to meet rising customer expectations – nor a way to beat the competition. The list above doesn’t even include the benefits of Service Contract and Warranty Management along with the ability to Track Project Costs through Acumatica’s FSM Suite..

Please contact us for more information.