How to run a service company online?
Running a company operating in the field requires proper organization of work at various stages of service. If you want to provide your employees with appropriate support and preparation, and to ensure a professional approach to customers, it is worth using the online service programs available on the market. Of course, you can try to organize the same tasks "on paper", but it will be much more time-consuming, and often also simply problematic.
Basics of field service management
There are two most important things in field service management. The first one is proper preparation for the task. Here we are talking about the appointment of a particular person for its implementation, as well as completing the relevant tools or other materials. Constant access to information is also very important here. What kind of information? These are details about this specific task, information about the serviced device, as well as complete service history and documentation. The goal is one hundred percent digitization and integration of all service processes in every area, procedure, and function and providing online access to all data to each of the process participants, i.e. the head of the service department, coordinators, field employees, but also subcontractors and clients.
What are the components of the service online?
The service online basically comes down to using various technologies that give each participant of the ongoing process access to information about all aspects of the service operation. An online service can be understood as a service containing the following elements:
An online knowledge base that is accessible to field workers. This means access to all necessary historical information about the customer, location, order, equipment, documentation etc. from anywhere. This is a very important function because any information can become important at a given moment of the service provided. Thanks to it, it is also possible to collect data that may become useful in the future.
Online team management - access to current information about each employee (what he is doing or where he is currently located), the ordered task (status, completion date, documentation, etc.), equipment (reading device parameters) as well as the ability to transfer information and commands. It is also very important to use dedicated application solutions. Communication via e-mail, telephone, or text messages is not online management. The flow of information, notifications, reminders, etc. should be automatic and occur as the various stages of different situational scenarios are carried out (e.g., change of status of a field order).
Online communication with subcontractors - means direct contact with subcontractors and service partners using online channels - preferably integrated with team management processes and field orders. Usually, tools such as mobile applications, web portals supported by automatic SMS notifications or e-mail are useful.
Communication with clients - we are currently slowly moving away from using the telephones and e-mails in favor of dedicated channels, in which the client can create a ticket and then follow the process of its handling and, possibly, the implementation of fieldwork. Additional functions appreciated by customers include access to the database of their devices, work history, reminders about the end of the warranty, service contract, or access to device and work documentation - service protocols, photo documentation, invoices, etc.
The most important advantages of implementing an online service
The lack of a coherent system for managing the execution of orders most often causes information chaos. Special software for the service center helps to organize so many processes quickly and easily. The most important benefits that can be obtained from the implementation of the online service are:
Reducing the cost of customer service, which is connected with the increase of their satisfaction. As we know, the satisfaction of our customers is the basic factor deciding whether they will recommend the company to their friends. This is why it is so important to be able to offer the highest possible level of customer service while keeping costs down.
Increasing the efficiency of coordination (simpler and better management plans) and in the area of execution (orders executed more efficiently, more quickly, according to appropriate priorities, by suitable and prepared people, fewer trips, less repeated/unsuccessful visits). It is possible thanks to a flexible schedule, which is developed on an ongoing basis by the coordinator. All thanks to centralized and up-to-date data, allowing to distribute incoming orders and transfer them to service technicians who will be able to carry them out at a given moment.
Reducing administrative costs, e.g. by automating the flow of information and standard functions (for example, automatic generation and sending of an invoice). Filling out paper documents increases the time and hinders the performance of the service. Thanks to the automation of such elements of the service team's work as reporting, working time accounting, or cost accounting, this time is reduced and administrative costs are lower.
The possibility of further improvement of processes thanks to their transparency and the possibility of tracking automatically measured key performance indicators. This is a significant advantage because every entrepreneur who wants to develop his company should focus on modern solutions and tools. They will allow the changes, which will improve the everyday work of the entire team.
In order to ensure the harmonious development of your company, guarantee customer satisfaction, as well as high efficiency of employees, it is necessary to implement changes and improve the work of each department. Only modern tools, such as online service software, allow the understanding and constant optimization of processes. It will give you the time you spend on customer acquisition and the improvement and development of new products.