Arriving on-site without the proper tools, skills, or inventory can be detrimental to your field service business’s quality of customer service and is a waste of technicians and the customer’s time, costs associated with transportation, and other resources.
Even though some unexpected issues cannot be planned for, FSM technology has enabled organizations to improve their First-time fix rate, overall increasing customer satisfaction and the quality of service.
What is the first-time fix rate?
The first-time fix rate is simply the rate that a work order gets completed fully before leaving the customer’s site. Meaning that the right technician, with the right expertise, with the right tools, completed the job the first time. This is an essential metric for any service organization that seeks to improve profitability and quality of service.
How can I calculate the first-time fix rate?
Add the number of total work orders completed on the first trip and dividing that number by the number of total work orders completed.
What’s a good first time fix rate?
Abergreen group had done research that indicated the average FTF rate for mobile services companies is 77% while the top-performing companies have had the ability to maintain a high FTF rate around 98%. These statistics demonstrate that having a high FTFR is a key indicator of exceptional customer service.
How to improve first-time fix rate
Availability of resources
If you expect your team to maintain a high first-time fix rate, you need to provide the right tools and resources that make the outcome attainable. Field service management software provides your technicians with any information they may need such as customer history- their preferences on customizations and configurations, repair history, and any related notes or documentation.
Having the right asset and inventory count can improve management and reduce the chance of having to go back for repairs because they didn’t have a certain part. Technicians can refer to previous notes from other technicians to make informed decisions while increasing customer satisfaction.
Having reliable, relevant information at all times, even with unstable or no network connection with FSM software like ServiceEcho means technicians can always get the job done right, the first time.
Performance Management
Improving first time fix rates through performance management can prove to be effective if implemented with training for technicians. With tools like ServiceEcho, managing employees performance based on travel time, time to get the job done, customer satisfaction etc. is simple. This can then be used to oversee which employees may need support or training to meet performance standards. ServiceEcho can provide data in real time, so performance can be improved immediately.
Optimized scheduling
Getting the right technician with the right tools is a crucial aspect of maintaining a first time fix rate. When using FSM solutions like ServiceEcho, drag and drop calendars provide complete visibility over your team’s whereabouts and asset or inventory count. Although all technicians should be able to tackle any job, this is often not the case, especially with new hires. Technicians with the right skill set for the job can be sent over, depending on experience for example, so time and resources aren’t wasted.
Dispatchers can always make informed decisions about which technician to send on sight based on variables like distance, traffic, parts and customer preferences. This way, technicians have everything they need to get the job done right, and with customer details shared on all devices- no technician will ever have missing information.
When technicians are missing the right parts or have to travel from the other side of town for an emergency call, chances are, they may need a second visit to get the job done or the customer may be frustrated because of wait times. Either way, optimized scheduling empowers your technicians and leaves your customers with a pleasant experience.
Improved Communication
Communication between technicians and the back office, other technicians and customers is crucial to get the job done right the first time. Without clear communication technicians are set up for failure, from improper diagnosis, miscommunication with the office, poor network or multiple sources of information.
With software like ServiceEcho, everyone in the team has access to the same information that allows them to make informed decisions.
Overall, achieving a high first-time fix rate is important to keep up with the competition and maintain customer satisfaction. With robust field service management software like ServiceEcho, improving your first-time fix rate is easy. Book a demo today to see what ServiceEcho can do for you!