The Field Service Management Software has picked up rapidly with managers looking to optimize operations. Field Service Management Softwares are popular in every industry with Salesforce being its biggest user. The managing director of One Hygienic, Wong Tshun Peei, stated that implementing FSM software cut down the time of operation for employees by at least 10 minutes. He remarked that the firm’s entire system was eased across the board.
The rise of the Field Service Management Software stemmed from the development of connectivity between devices, IoT. Software developers realized that an FSM software would optimize traditional roles. There are hundreds of FSM softwares which offer benefits to firm owners, employees and shareholders.
What is Field Service Management Software?
These are software applications that automate management of employees, resources and operations executable in offsite regions. An FSM software’s basic role is to offer field operators the option to manage schedules, account details, invoices, inventories and work orders. FSM’s primary component of operation is cloud computing. Data is stored on cloud solutions to allow field officers the option to customize input on a mobile phone. Technicians manage input into the software and can keep clients in the loop with regular updates.
What are the features of FSM?
An excellent Field Service Management software will undergo a series of upgrades to meet the evolving needs of various industries. Some firms contract software developers to customize their program for specific roles. All FSM software share a couple of common attributes:
- Employee management
Management of work orders and jobs for a varied genre of scenarios such as installations, repairs, surveys and planned maintenance. Customers are serviced on the go when technicians receive notifications for a new work order. - Real time customization
Manage contract renewals and agreements. A technician receives a job update with the completion of another. Real time data also updates the inventory when the resource is in use in another task. - On-site billing
Real time analytics report back to the management on the execution of a job and tasks completed. The data translates to onsite billing which undergoes full procession in a day. - Route Optimization
Industries that operate multiple resources for a single task such as telecommunication benefit from the GPS-enabled feature which keeps tracks of tools. These include vehicles and construction materials. Another benefit of the route optimization feature is the instant update of appointments to technicians and mapping of routes to reduce driving time.
How the FSM software reduces field service costs and maximizes efficiency
- Eliminate the need to hire a data entry employee
Once a task is completed, the invoice, reports and signatures from all sites are automatically summed up in the ERP system. Traditional systems required field officers to report back to the office after work for the data entry officer to input the data into the ERP system. - Reduce work distribution tasks
The FSM dispatches technicians to sites automatically, eliminating the need for a dispatcher. The time that could have otherwise been used waiting in queue for a dispatcher's instruction is cut down by the fixed software programming that automates job distribution. - Save transport money
GPS optimizations select the most convenient routes hence save gas from wastage on long routes.
How FMS increases operational efficiency
- Push notifications alert technicians when there is a new job post. Delays are easily communicated to supervisors and emergencies receive immediate attention.
- The Internet of Things alerts administrators on the status of a resource and eliminates time wastage when an old device is about to break down.
- Technicians at task easily communicate with nearby colleagues for assistance with resources or directions.
- Technicians execute tasks faster with the availability of useful information such as distance, fuel consumption, weather updates and traffic.
Many companies are lavish in their praises for the FSM software. Data entry is no longer a mentally and physically draining task that takes up hours to complete. The increased transparency has improved customer experiences. Analytics indicate that FSM had a growth rate of $1.97 billion in 2015 and will level up to $3.5 billion by 2019.