According to a report by the World Economic Forum, only about 7% of Americans worked remotely prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. Safer-at-home orders and shutdowns transformed the way businesses operated during the height of the virus. It will likely continue to affect operations after the spread of the virus slows. As businesses scrambled to mobilize processes and procedures, some industries proved more apt to thrive than others.
Fortunately for many field service organizations, those government orders largely deemed their employees essential. Fleet technicians could stay on the road and at the job site. But support staffers like schedulers, dispatchers, and admins would become teleworkers. Field service companies quickly learned that the key to managing employees in disparate locations was to create universal access. The most efficient way to do that was through field service software. Here’s a look at how using field service software to coordinate teams in unusual situations can benefit your company.
Field service companies who utilize paper-based processes for work order management are particularly vulnerable in times of crisis. It’s easy to see how writing up a work order, physically passing it to a technician, and waiting for that technician to return with verification of job completion simply isn’t feasible with remote working.
Now, consider the alternative if a company was utilizing field service software. An employee creates a work order within the system from the comfort of their home office. As part of the process, the employee assigns the job to the appropriate technician. That tech will receive an alert via their company-issued mobile device. When a job is completed, the technician marks off the task on his or her mobile device. They also have the ability to instantly generate a digital invoice for their customer.
Regardless of how unusual the situation or conditions, this seamless coordination is a realistic possibility. But only with the help of a cloud-based field service software solution.
In certain conditions, like the aftermath of a storm, it’s not unusual for road closures to occur. Flooding can wash out entire stretches of roads, while tornadoes can damage overpasses and bridges. Despite these temporary setbacks, businesses must continue to operate. For field service companies, that usually requires the use of fleet vehicles.
Company-owned cars and trucks are a significant operating expense. Finding ways to reduce mileage and keep vehicles in top condition is imperative. Field service software provides drivers with the most updated and efficient routes, including closed roads and those that are experiencing heavy traffic. That intelligence not only gets drivers to their jobs faster, but it reduces mileage, gas consumption, and wear and tear on the vehicle.
If fleet management is a significant expense, human capital (their employees) is a monumental expense. “Punching a clock” is a lot more challenging than it used to be since most companies’ hours have expanded. Employees are so frequently in and out of the office. Especially during times of crisis. With field service software, employees have access to the time clock at all times via their mobile device or desktop computer.
Whether it’s a technician or support staff, entering time and submitting a timesheet has never been easier than it is with field service software. Many of these solutions also allow employees to submit expense paperwork as well. And because the software is at their fingertips and intuitive to use, error-prone and incomplete timesheets become a thing of the past. That ease of use and convenience also translates to supervisors who approve time and expense requests within the same system.
The EnSight Plus field service software solution includes each of these features and much more. If you’re interested in learning what our solution can do for your field service company, book a free demo today.
All monitored by you, in real time. Are you ready to take control?