Field service management software is a super versatile program that is used by companies who provide field services. It offers a ton of different features that help save time and money, and is also a great organization tool.
Field service management software helps digitize processes to make them move from start to finish more quickly, and are not only beneficial to the company, but also present well with customers who receive significantly better customer service.
This software gives companies an edge over the competition. It is the future of field service work, and will continue to develop and grow as time passes.
1. Identifying needs
The first thing a company must do before they can start hunting for a field service management software is to have a good understanding of their needs. Because this software is versatile, often customizable, and varies greatly from software to software, it is really important that the company is self aware and confident in what they want.
That’s not to say that they may not discover some other neat features that will further assist them along the way, but knowing what the most important features for them are is the first step.
2. Compare
Many field service management software are available, but not all of them are equal. That’s not to say that one is the best and all the rest are terrible, it’s just that no single field service management software can do it all. Companies can compare the different software available to find the one that best handles the features which are most important for them.
There may be a cost difference to take into account, the number of users that can be connected may be a factor, or there may be a difference in the number of features available that the company could find useful, for example.
3. Price package
Often, field service management software will have at least two, if not more, price packages. The lower price packages offer fewer features, but are good for small businesses or companies that don’t require anything too fancy.
Meanwhile, the higher-priced packages will have more features, and will likely also have more complex features. These are for the companies that plan on using the software to its full potential, and who will really find value in the added features.
4. Get the staff involved
A big mistake that companies make is not finding out what the field agents are really going to find useful. Sometimes, if management or other employees are in charge of deciding which software to choose, they may misinterpret what the company’s needs are.
Field employees are the ones who will be using the software firsthand, and they are the ones that are going to be the most likely to recognize whether a feature is truly going to be helpful to them, or whether it just sounds good in theory. Involving field staff in the decision-making process will ensure a smooth implementation of the software, and will ensure that the whole team – both field and office employees – are on the same page.
5. Free trial
Companies can usually test out a field service management software using a free trial. This allows them to try out the software, see if it has the necessary features and if it will be a good fit for the work that the company does.
If they don’t like it, there are no obligations and they can move on to find another software that will better suit their needs. This is also a great opportunity to test out features that sound good on paper to find out whether they really hold up in the field.
