Why do you need Field Service Management software?

Whether for service, sales or other external services - field service is a crucial element for many businesses to make or break customer relationships, create new connections, and get insightful information. What does a field service software offer to support and elevate experiences both for your employees and your customers?

Field service describes activities that happen outside of offices or factories and therefore necessitate different tools and materials to work "on the go". With the increase of cloud-based solutions, field service can be much more "connected" than it was only 5-10 years ago. However, without the necessary software and devices, the best field service agent can't fulfill their potential.

Advantages of field service  applications

Scheduling meetings & calendar organization

Setting up meetings is much easier if the employee has a full overview of their calendar while they are on the road and can send invites immediately. That way, they can check all their appointments before a journey or on the go and they are able to make follow-up meetings while they're on location with customers, prospects, and other stakeholders.

Route optimization

Some solutions offer support in the travel management and provide users with optimized routes and meeting options to make the best out of any journey. For example, a sales rep might get the information that on their way to a prospect meeting, they will also pass the offices of a current client who they could check up on.

Documentation of customer visits 

One of the most time-consuming tasks of past (and current) field services is the full documentation of everything that happened during the meeting, including follow-up options. However, a properly set up field service software usually offers checklists and documentation templates that can be easily filled out.

Some follow-up actions can be immediately activated:

• meeting-invite for a second appointment
• further information via email
• activating the delivery of a product (e.g., a new router)
• billing
• forwarding of the issue to a specialist
• etc.

Data synchronization in real-time

A connection to any necessary systems (CRM, ERP, etc.) to gain and send all necessary information in real-time is one of the main reasons why cloud-based field service is such a blessing for field agents. Important information can immediately be shared with other colleagues, and the agent have access to a big data library to help the customer, prospect, etc. with their problems.

Offline capabilities

I am from Germany and can tell you that seamless internet connections are - in fact - not a given depending on where you are and how you travel. It's therefore important for any field service agent to be able to do their work even if the internet is not working. They need all the tools, information, and functionalities to do their job. Yes, without a network connection, the real-time synchronization or connection to special data libraries might not be fully possible but the tool still offers everything needed for the job/task at hand.

Order & contract management

A tool that can easily set up contracts and orders can speed up any sales cycle and also support customers. It is much easier to go over all requirements, services, and offers together and basically build an order or contract on location. The customer can then either sign immediately or get some time to look everything over - in any case, it will create a more smooth and efficient experience for everyone involved.

Sign-ups & registrations

Whether at conferences, in-house visits or other occasions - a proper field service software for sales usually includes easy registration options for newsletters, further communication or even relevant events. This can help get the necessary double-opt-in immediately because the person is right there to identify their email and opt-in actively with a digital signature.

Customer information

Knowing about the customer, their previous interactions with your company, as well as possible issues or relevant information is key for a successful meeting. If a sales rep sees that a customer has a current service issue, they can approach any meeting differently and maybe even provide support or updates. This way, customers get a truly personalized experience and the field service agent can be much more efficient in achieving their goals.

Diagnostic tools

Specifically for service purposes, diagnostic tools can help speed up any field service visits and provide answers to issues during the visit. Whether for a regular maintenance check or a current problem, the service personnel has a much higher chance at solving a problem immediately or define next steps on location which in turn means less stress and admin effort from the customer.

Automation

Last but not least, automating manual tasks can reduce workloads and make it easier for the field service agent to concentrate on tasks that are more complex, need a personal touch or involve specific expertise. From automatic emails to reports and billing - with the right setup, any field service job can be more efficient.

Salesforce has a wide range of field service solutions and even offers clienteling apps to support your sales personnel in your stationary stores. Take a look and see how you can enable your employees and seamlessly connect your data and processes.