December 15, 2020
Monitoring and contacting field service workers is challenging. Without the right tools, doing so can get costly and inefficient in the long run.
If you’re struggling to support and manage your remote teams, it is high time to start looking into the various field service management solutions (FSM) for your business. These are software solutions that allow you to oversee operations remotely. Some of its features include work orders management, inventory, dispatches, fleet tracking, and scheduling.
With that, here are some tips on how you can support your remote workers with field management software.
Provide contactless support
Field workers are always on-the-go. Their jobs take them far away from the office, making it difficult for them to access support. This can be an issue when a problem arises, and they are cut off from the rest of the company. It would be too costly and inefficient for them to go back to the office just to report it and ask for backup.
You can avoid this scenario using your best field service management software. It will provide contactless and real-time support for all your field workers regardless of where they might be. This way, they can perform their tasks remotely with the proper support backing them up.
Manage and connect all your devices
Your mobile devices play a critical role in supporting remote workers. This includes smartphones, tablets, and even wearable devices. However, managing several devices all at once can be challenging, especially if these devices aren’t connected. Just imagine having to update all tasks and orders per device manually. It might take you ages! It can affect your workers’ productivity and efficiency in the long run.
Your field service management app can ensure your workers can smoothly go through their duties without worrying about outdated assignments and details. Through it, you can easily handle multiple devices all at once. A single click can alert all your workers about the changes in their tasks, routes, and orders. It ensures that everyone is connected to the main office regardless of their location.
Centralize your data for easy access
Since field workers spend most of their time outside the office, they often have trouble accessing crucial files or documents onsite. If they forget something, they have to contact the office and have it sent to them. Worse, they would have no choice but to travel back to the office and then back again to the site. Both of which can stunt their productivity and efficiency.
Avoid such scenarios by centralizing your data into your system. Upload all necessary files and documents into your FSM software so that your workers can easily access it no matter where they are. This also makes information sharing and reporting faster and more convenient than ever.
Take advantage of real-time collaboration
Aside from data, your FSM software can also centralize certain operations and processes. This allows for real-time collaborations with your workers despite being in different locations. The reduced waiting time for communications means field agents can get the job done faster. Just make sure to look for a field service management software that matches your organization for better results.
Through this feature, your remote workers can access more support directly from the company. They can easily ask for backups in case they encounter critical issues onsite. And when new orders come up, they are immediately notified without needing to go back to the main office. This reduces potential downtimes and applies your resources more efficiently.
Automate where you can
According to the McKinsey Global Institute, 60% of jobs have at least 30% of activities that can be automated. This also applies to field service management. And while most field agents deal with manual labor and work, some tasks and processes can benefit from automation.
For one, your FSM software can sync work order management with scheduling. Meaning, it could automatically organize your field agents’ schedule with each new work order. Another example would be automating your inventory management. This can seamlessly restock consumed items or supplies before it can entirely run out. This way, your workers have lesser things to worry about while they’re in the field.
The future of remote work with FSM software
FSM software can optimize the way you manage a field service team. Its tools and features are geared towards streamlining field services operations and supporting your onsite field agents. As a result, you can cut down on operation costs and make work easier for your remote workers.
With the rise of cloud technology, FSM software is becoming more accessible and streamlined than ever. And with the latest innovations on mobile devices, this makes it the best time to start exploring what FSM software has to offer to your business.