How Field Service Apps Helps Embrace Digital Transformation For Field Service Organizations
Field Service Organizations (FSOs) offer services at a customer’s site where the company products are installed or fitted or to be installed. Digital transformation is a comprehensive term to describe the implementation of new technologies, processes and systems to improve operations and meet customer expectations. The need for digital transformation intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic. It can be defined as the use of digital capabilities to improve productivity, increase customer value, control risk, and unearth new monetization opportunities in processes, goods, and assets.
By using apps like field service management (FSM), digital transformation can assist and help FSOs ensure that their field technicians carry out their daily activities like schedule planning, time and asset tracking, and communication within the organization & with customers easily without compromising on the quality of service.
Field services are crucial functions of many businesses and historically companies have been using old systems and practices like manual paperwork, reporting and labor for years. Manual tasks are prone to human error and are costly to correct. Companies are increasingly recognizing the need for digital transformation, as consumers’ expectations regarding services, and response time increase. Field service organizations are turning to digital transformation to help them attain lean and efficient operations while remaining competitive. Digital transformation allows companies to gather more data, which provides more and better insights into the needs of the customers while attaining better operational efficiency at the same time. Field services include activities like installation, maintenance, adoption services, and optimizing customer experience with the Internet of Things (IoT). Companies engaged in businesses like plumbing, HVAC, home cleaning, gardening, electrical services, roof cleaning, landscaping, and garbage disposal provide field-based services to their customers.
A field service app is essentially a mobile application that gives service technicians real-time access to information, communication and tools on the go. They are built to enable them to streamline and carry out day-to-day activities easily. They create systems that help complete daily tasks with ease. Since FSO’s workplace is on the field, the service apps are a key tool for businesses like original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), building technologies companies, companies offering delivery and installation services, construction companies, etc.
Some of the benefits showcase how field service apps can help FSOs accept and embrace digital transformation.
● Realtime tracking: Using the GPS capabilities of smartphones, FSO apps can keep a track of teams and resources in real-time. This helps in efficient deployment and the need for monitoring is eliminated. The location and progress can be viewed at a glance using the Field Management Software (FSM). It also helps in providing access to the field agents by providing them with real-time updates, customer insights etc.
● Communication: Using mobile apps, field staff can have updated feedback on work to be undertaken or completed and don’t have to keep connecting with the dispatchers continuously. This helps eliminate miscommunication and errors. Similarly, dispatchers using FSM can have consistent job updates.
● Increasing and improving team efficiency: Manual record-keeping and reporting are inefficient and prone to human error. It also leads to compliance and a less efficient workforce and asset utilization. With the help of mobile apps, both the field and dispatcher teams can keep in touch with real-time updates. This leads to higher team efficiency, simplifying operations, and also increasing the overall accuracy of data resulting in better analytics. Field service management apps (FSM) can optimize workflows across the workforce. Access to real-time data and route optimization enables dispatchers to manage the field workforce to focus on delivering efficient high-quality services.
● Data sync: One of the advantages of digital transformation is the movement of data to the cloud. This leads to efficient use of data in the field with real-time updates and data sync. The data is always available and leads to better communication between the field and office teams.
● Access to information: Field data is constantly changing and getting updated. Jobs allotted may get canceled, revised and added. Emergency jobs may get allotted. With digital transformation and the use of apps, such information is accessible to the field staff in real time and can be used in the best possible way. Data is also available offline when internet access is not available. By providing up-to-date critical updates to the field workforce, and helps FSOs remain competitive by providing enhanced service to customers.
● Customer experience: Digital transformation for FSOs and the use of mobile apps leads to better customer interaction and experience. Customers can also use apps to update appointments and these are immediately available to both the dispatch and field teams. Using apps customers get real-time information on the status of their requirements which leads to a better experience.
Field service operations are integral to any field service organization and Field service app development is a key component for any FSO to become proactive in field services, enabling them to provide quality services while remaining competitive.
