The burden of meeting sales/revenue targets is unavoidable in any field service-based industry; however, much can be done to make it more manageable. Field Service CRM software is a technological boom that provides automated solutions for effectively managing the various sales attributes of field service business.
These software programs are designed to be all-in-one solutions that, once implemented, benefit all stakeholders, whether they are service managers, sales executives, data validators, or customers. Effective and affordable field service CRM Software is the solution to consider if you want to make your field services more organized, simple, manageable, and measurable. Continue reading to learn how it can help your business.
Seven essential field service management CRM features
Scheduling and dispatch
Field services require automation in scheduling and dispatching to ensure certain types of scheduling accuracy, such as:
- To avoid scheduling conflicts such as duplicate, overlapped, missed schedules, etc.
- To ensure that work is distributed evenly so that no one is overburdened and no resource is underutilized.
- To ensure skill-based job distribution in order to achieve maximum first-visit effectiveness.
- To ensure territory management in job distribution so that technicians or workers do not suffer productivity losses due to extensive travel or detours.
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As a result, your chosen field service management CRM should be capable of automating the assessment of the technician’s availability, proximity to the job site, and skillsets. As a result, the software should automatically assign a job to the closest available appropriately skilled technician or worker.
Route planning & tracking
Because technicians must travel to various job sites, the CRM for field service for businesses with service operations should provide field technicians with real-time route planning to avoid traffic jams and detours. In addition, the software must allow for real-time tracking of field technicians’ locations to track their performance and productivity.
Work order management
Work order management requires a proper communication set up to ensure that everyone on the team is doing what needs to be done within the appropriate time frame. There should be no breakdown in communication between stakeholders. As a result, for standardizing communication, select a field service management CRM with an automated setup. When a schedule is created, for example, the software must automatically notify the technician. Similarly, it must send location information, service information, client information, and so on in an automated format. It should also update job statuses such as technician check-in and check-out times automatically.
Time-tracking & timesheet
A field service management CRM must support time stamping and remote timesheet filling to enable easy and convenient real-time tracking of mobile workforce performance and productivity.
Data management
Always choose cloud-based field service management CRM so that data collaboration can be done in real-time via remote access. Whether accessing enterprise data such as contract and warranty reports, uploading data such as pre/post inspection reports, or downloading invoices, the software must support real-time data collaboration as well as online and offline support.
Inventory management
Inventory management is essential in field services, so it is critical that you select software that assists you with this. For example, technicians should be able to check the availability of parts and tools in the inventory directly. They should be able to make real-time inventory requirement requests. The inventory management feature in the software ensures that your inventory is not clogged with unnecessary stock, thereby limiting your capital. It also ensures that it has an adequate supply of project-specific items, tools, parts, equipment, and other materials.
Reporting & analytics
Data analytics is at the heart of modern business systems. Without it, it is impossible to understand business metrics and make the best decisions for your company. As a result, choose a field service management CRM that includes analytics and reporting modules that can automatically pull field data captured at various touchpoints and generate visually appealing reports about your business.
Applicability and benefits of field Service CRM for the sales manager
Keeping records
The manager requires a centralized database to store all data to access it from anywhere at any time and keep the data easily accessible to his mobile team.
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Customer account information is massive and frequently duplicated. Duplicate records are removed by the software.
Job Scheduling
Another time-consuming task is scheduling meetings between sales executives and customers. Sometimes the sales executive is unavailable, and other times the customer is unavailable. Sometimes the sales executive is late for an appointment because he has traveled a long distance. All of these minor but significant business challenges can be resolved with the automated scheduling feature of field service CRM software.
Monitoring and reporting
The service manager can monitor the field executives from anywhere by tracking their real-time location. The software’s systematic reporting format makes it simple for managers to analyze service tickets, sales, profit, and strategy formulation reports.
Benefits and applicability for field service workforce or sales executives
The software functions as a centralized digital database, allowing field executives to have real-time access to it and retrieve complete details about prospective customers to better understand and study them and design effective selling pitches.
Route mapping enables them to reach customers in less time and thus optimize their time to attend as many appointments as possible in a day.
- Executives can use the software to keep records and set task reminders.
- Throughout the service or sales process, the software assists in tracking the customer’s documentation and details, allowing for timely verification.
- Customers have a better service experience because deliveries are faster, transactions are mostly paperless and online, and communication is more transparent.
Conclusion
With field service CRM, field executives and managers eliminate manual work in areas such as customer account management, employee scheduling, invoicing, and analytics. and thus operates effectively in a paperless culture
Field Service CRM software not only keeps your company competitive in the present but also prepares it for the future. It enhances your sales team’s selling efforts, field workforce productivity, and manager’s management competency. The team becomes more efficient in handling field jobs by adopting a targeted approach to selling.
