Many field service businesses still complete their every day administrative tasks manually, and this time spent on admin tasks ultimately results in a decrease in productivity. Scheduling, organizing and filing documents, inventory management, and many other tasks can consume a fair amount of time. Increased dedication to non-billable activities also reduces potential profits from servicing more customers within a given work week. A field service management software is a solution worth considering as it automates operations and reduces time spent on tedious tasks. Scheduling and documentation are streamlined and are simpler to maintain, opening up more time for field technicians to spend on billable work.

In this blog we will cover what may happen if you do not implement field service management software into your current business operations.

Scheduling errors

When there are large numbers of field technicians to assign to jobs and work orders, scheduling can sometimes only be done a week in advance. The task of scheduling field technicians may also take hours to complete. Without high-level visibility provided by a field service management software, you are left the challenge of manually entering field technician names in job timeslots. Field service management softwares also provide easy to use tools, such as a drag and drop feature, that makes scheduling a more efficient and less-stressful process.  

Lost and scattered information

If you are a field service business that is still using paper processes or multiple applications to document work orders and manage inventory, it is likely that you have lost or misplaced important information. This is particularly concerning when a field technician is servicing a customer without being able to locate updated and accurate information about the work order or customer history. Without a cloud-based field service management software that allows you to upload all important documents in one single database in real time, losing information becomes a regular occurrence.

Increased downtime and wait times

With more time spent on administrative tasks, field technicians are sometimes left waiting for information to be relayed to them. This downtime can cost your business; field technicians left waiting are not servicing as many customers as they could be. Many of these administrative tasks can be automated or streamlined to make processes more efficient, including information transfer. With a field service management software, field technicians and office staff can communicate in real-time, and provide each other with updated and accurate information. 

The solution

In a field service business, administrative tasks can eat up valuable time. Scheduling, documentation, and information transfer can be challenging if manual processes are used. Additionally, continuing to use manual processes or managing tasks through multiple separate applications can cost your business. A field service management software, such as ServiceEcho, provides higher levels of visibility during the scheduling process and allows efficient information transfer between office and field staff. ServiceEcho has helped many field service businesses reduce their time spent on administrative tasks and increase productivity. If you would like to implement a field service management solution and streamline your operations, book a demo below to learn more about ServiceEcho.