With the advent of modern technology, paperless digital tools have taken the driver’s seat in field service management. Thanks to automation, you can now take care of your business operations with just a few clicks on your computer. But with the competition moving at a breakneck pace, you might want to look at some more advanced tools to keep up with the race, as the challenges in the field keep evolving at the same time.
As a service business owner, you frequently have to deal with information and communication gaps between the office and the field. When you’re out in the field managing the business, it’s difficult to get anything done at the office. Furthermore, if you are using traditional paper-based methods to run your business, you won’t be able to retrieve critical work data or service information at any time or place. This might require you to toggle between emails, texts, and phone calls, or worse, take a trip to the office in person to gather the information you need. This increases the likelihood of things falling through the cracks. So, you will want something that will allow you to work smarter rather than harder, something that must be simple to operate in the field. This is where field service mobile applications come into the picture.
In this article, we will tell you about this cutting edge technology. Find out how field service mobile applications work and how they can benefit your service business and yield more results.
What is a Field Service Mobile Application?
If you are operating in the field service industry, you must have heard of field service management software by now.
Essentially, it is a software solution that automates and streamlines field service business processes using an array of digital tools. As such, it automates the scheduling and dispatching of field technicians, processes work orders, helps create estimates, tracks technicians in real time, facilitates routing and inventory management, keeps track of service, installation, and repair tasks, manages customer service, supports SLA management/ service contracts, creates invoices, collects payments, provides business analytics, and much more.
Field service mobile apps can do all of these things for you, only better!
As the name suggests, the digital tool in question is a mobile application. This means you can perform all these tasks from your smartphone or tablet. Essentially, the field service mobile app is nothing but a field service management system optimized for mobile devices. But this is not all! It also provides support for your field technicians by giving them access to necessary data, enabling them to report time, and staying connected with the office for improved remote collaboration.
Clearly, employing a field service mobile app can help you perform a large number of tasks in your day-to-day operation. Using the app, you can get almost every backend task done from the palm of your hand. But the plethora of benefits doesn’t just end here. Here are some more benefits of using field service mobile applications that can give you the perfect competitive edge your business requires.
- Remove Data Silos
Data silos are a major challenge for any business, no matter how large or small. They emerge when certain departments of an organization have problems obtaining data that other departments have. This might happen for a variety of reasons, but it usually boils down to mismatched software or hardware systems. When data silos exist, it is difficult to make informed judgments since you do not have all of the information you require in one place.
The field service mobile app eliminates data silos by integrating all of your systems and software into a single, unified platform. This allows everyone in your organization to access the same information in real time. This way, managers can easily track job progress and operational efficiency, whereas technicians can seamlessly access important information and render an improved service in the field. Together, this improves your organization’s productivity and service quality, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction.
- Improved Communication and Transparency
While there is no alternative to an empathetic, cooperative leadership style, mobile apps can help boost communication between management and field team members. When utilized correctly, mobile field service apps can assist in keeping everyone informed and on the same page. This can help prevent problems from snowballing into larger ones and, in turn, enhance customer satisfaction.
- Integrated Database Management
A field service mobile app is a platform that converts any paper file, spreadsheet, whiteboard, or calendar into a simple digital format. This means you may access critical task or service data from any location at any time. All of your field workers’ information is centralized and easily accessible to anyone in your organization. This also helps organizations save money by eliminating the need for several software solutions. You only need one platform to handle your whole field service operation.
- Increased Mobility
Having a field service business requires you to get out in the field on a regular basis. Mobility must be a primary consideration for whatever system you use. A cloud-based mobile app allows you to run your business from anywhere. This also helps you save valuable time and money.
Final Thoughts
Mobile field service apps will only get more efficient and versatile in the future. It is looking quite promising with the introduction of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
The ongoing expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) puts more and more devices online, which will require management by teams that install and support them. This will pave the way for increasingly sophisticated programs that can not only manage but also troubleshoot and fix equipment and sensors.
All of this is to imply that if you’re considering using a mobile field service system, don’t put it off any longer. The time has come.
