Written by The world is changing; it’s becoming more mobile. Once upon a time, it would have been nearly impossible to run a field service business while on vacation. Now that mobile devices and tablets are so widely used and many applications are cloud-based, field service operations can be seamless while the boss or administrative staff are out of town or in the field themselves.
How has field service changed with the advent of internet-enabled mobility, and how can your business thrive in this new world?
Get the right hardware
Your customers are mobile and expect mobility in all aspects of their lives, so it’s best if your field staff is mobile-enabled too. Depending on your business and what you’re trying to accomplish, that can mean smartphones or tablets for each team or team member. If they’re able to access wifi or get cell phone reception, they can generally access the software or applications they need to submit work order details, update appointment notes, or even take customer payment.
Get the right software
Here at mHelpDesk, we’re partially to, well, mHelpDesk. The mHelpDesk mobile app will give your field team access to many of the operations they need to communicate with headquarters, receive scheduling updates, and update job details.
Why am I doing this again?
Staying relevant in field service businesses, be it lawn service or HVAC or carpet cleaning, is important if you want to keep your current customers or expand and grow your customer base. Here is why it’s important:
You need to keep customers happy
Customers are the lifeblood of your business. A happy customer returns to you again and again, and refers others to your business. Mobility is “table stakes” for many customers, who expect to be able to sign invoices on a smartphone and receive text appointment reminders.
You want to make the most of your time
Digital data is simply more efficient, because it’s stored in the cloud and can be accessed by different applications for different uses. Paper invoices and scheduling that’s done on a whiteboard just results in duplication of effort and increased time for every action.
You need to keep costs low
Double data entry and missed appointments result in additional costs to your business. When data auto-populates in all of the places it’s needed and techs can get a schedule update in the field, your company can lower their costs.
Your field techs expect and deserve seamless communication
Mobile devices have become the way that we operate our day-to-day personal lives, so it’s what we’re comfortable with at work. Your techs will be faster and more efficient if they’re using devices they know.
By truly embracing tablets and smartphones you can take your field service business to the next level, improving customer satisfaction, saving time and reducing costs.
Last Updated By: Rochelle Sanchirico
Field Service Automation
Service Solutions
Last modified: January 17, 2018
