Few businesses have more use for mobile field solutions than field service providers. Technicians are on the road most of the time, and they need to be able to find customer locations, get to appointments on time, and make sure they have the right manuals, parts, and paperwork. Plus, they have to keep customers and managers up to date, let accounting know what to invoice, and alert sales about follow-up work. Mobile field solutions help them do all that while making it easier for technicians to do what they do best – helping your customers. 

Here are the five essential mobile field solutions you need to enhance your team’s productivity and should integrate with your field service management software: 

• Calendar 
• Camera 
• Maps 
• Email/messaging 
• PDF readers 

 

#1 Make the Most of Technicians’ Time with a Mobile Calendar Solution 

Field service schedulers have to strike a delicate balance. They need maximum billable hours from each technicians’ day, but they have to leave enough time for work to be done properly and for employees to travel to the next appointment on time, so customers are not waiting for late techs. 

Schedulers are very good at what they do, but they can’t see the future. When a job takes longer than expected, traffic snarls on the freeway, or emergency work comes in, they may need to adjust schedules on the fly. With mobile calendars, they can see the daily appointments for each technician and move them around if needed. In the field, engineers get instant updates so as they finish one job, they know exactly where to go next.   

Make the most of mobile calendars with a field service management solution (FSM) like BlueFolder. Each BlueFolder user has their own personal calendar with daily, weekly, monthly and other views. Users can also integrate and sync their BlueFolder calendar with personal applications like Outlook, Google Calendar, or iCal. 

 

#2 Support Work Orders, Invoices, and Reports with Camera Photos and Videos  

Most mobile phones come with cameras that are easy to use and work well in varied lighting conditions. Having the ability to snap photos of the work environment, completed repairs, and equipment condition helps technicians quickly capture complex details. Photos convey more information than written descriptions and take much less time to create. For very technical issues, techs can take videos and narrate what they see.  

Photos provide proof of work for invoices and customer communications. They also demonstrate why additional work might need to be done and record the status of equipment with time and date stamps for a repair history or maintenance records. With a field service management software like BlueFolder, you can easily upload photos and videos to the relevant work order record, so you never have to copy and paste them after the job. 

 

#3 Mobile Maps Help Technicians Find Their Way  

Your field team has to move as quickly as possible between appointments, but road construction, car wrecks, and traffic jams can ruin a day quickly. Plus, it’s easy to get lost when going to a new customer location. Phone and tablet-based map applications help keep technicians moving in the right direction and will even route them around wrecks and backups.   

These services typically announce directions out loud, allowing drivers to focus on the road instead of a small mobile screen. For extra efficiency, BlueFolder’s FSM integrates Google Maps so technicians can access directions right from the work order, and schedulers can locate techs by office location to find the closest one to a customer site. 

Mobile map applications also estimate time of arrival so if a technician is going to be a few minutes late, they can call the customer and let them know, which improves the customer experience. For technicians, the software points out nearby gas stations, convenience stores, and restaurants where they can take breaks or fuel up.  

 

#4 Keep Communication Going with Email and Text 

Messaging applications such as email and text are easy to access on any phone and most tablets. These are great ways to get in touch with field engineers to send updates, answer questions, or check on status. And they don’t interrupt employees while they’re working or driving like a phone call would.  

While text is the easiest way to send quick details, you can use emails for sharing in-depth conversations, recording customer approvals, or attaching relevant documents. BlueFolder’s FSM integrates email conversations with work order management, automatically attaching discussions to work orders. Emails won’t get lost in the noise and each communication becomes part of the record to reduce misunderstandings. 

 

#5 Make it Easy to Access Documents Anywhere with PDF Readers  

The machinery field technicians work on is complicated and varied. For any job, the engineer may need to refer to manufacturer’s documentation, electrical schematics, or parts lists. It’s not easy to carry these papers around and employees may find they need to access information they didn’t anticipate before they arrived on site.  

While most important documents for equipment maintenance and repair are available in PDF format, they can be hard to read with web browsers. But with mobile PDF readers on their phones or tablets, techs can easily access the information they’re looking for. PDF readers allow them to magnify the view, scroll through pages, and make notes on the text for reference. To make life even easier for techs, BlueFolder allows users to attach manuals, photos and other files to any asset or equipment record, so all the information engineers need is at their fingertips. 

 

BlueFolder’s User-Friendly Interface and Mobile Field Application Power Your Team 

Our customers love BlueFolder for its ease-of-use, and our mobile field application is no different. Employees find it intuitive and can start using it with almost no training. It’s designed to help engineers get to the right location with the right support documents and easily update work orders when the job is done. With the mobile app, techs can share real-time status with managers, customers, sales, and accounting in just a few clicks. And customers can approve the work by signing the phone or tablet directly, so you can generate invoices faster and speed cash flow. 

The mobile app works seamlessly with BlueFolder’s web-based FSM software. BlueFolder makes it easier to: 

• Schedule the right people for the right jobs 
• Ensure technicians have the support they need 
• Open lines to responsive customer communications 
• Kick off invoices faster 
• Easily manage contracts 
• Increase recurring revenue and follow-on work 

And BlueFolder is so simple to set up and use, most of our customers are up and running in a day or two. Schedule a demo today and see how BlueFolder can help you.

 

According to Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI), the HVAC industry grew 23.6% in 2021 and will continue on a similar pace this year. Healthy equipment sales are increasing demand for installations, repair, and servicing. For HVAC field service companies, 2022 is an excellent year to bring in more work and build a sustainable income stream for the future. If you’re ready to fatten up the bottom line, take a look at these five revenue-raising strategies. 

 

1. 1. Attract More Customers Through Marketing

 Many HVAC field service companies rely on referrals for increasing income, but if you want to expand faster, consider using advertising and marketing. With outreach, you can highlight your company’s unique strengths and differentiate yourself from competitors.  

As a first step, ensure your website represents the company well. Most people do online research before contacting a service provider. A professional, mobile-friendly site that instills confidence and shows up on the first or second page of a Google search attracts prospects and encourages them to make appointments. Emails also drive business. Stay in touch with current and past customers through an opt-in campaign that shares expert information and keeps them up to date on your latest services and offerings.  

If you haven’t done a lot of marketing or advertising before or you’re not sure where to start, take a look at the budget and determine how much you’re willing to invest, then work with a marketing specialist to help get the most return for your money. With every new customer, you’re not only adding revenue, but creating a new source of future referrals, which fuels growth even more. 

 

2. Improve Efficiency with a Field Service Management Software

 Getting the appointment is just the first step in growing revenue. Once you have a customer’s attention, you need to keep it with quality service. But bringing on new accounts stresses your operation. There’s more work to track, more bills to submit, and more customers to communicate with. Slow manual work order and billing management procedures can’t keep up, and your team will struggle to keep old and new customers happy. To increase your revenue without raising costs or sacrificing quality, invest in a field service management (FSM) platform that automates work order requests, technician scheduling, work updates, and billing.  

With field service management software, you can approve work orders, assign them to technicians, and schedule the job with a few clicks. The system provides a single source of all information associated with each work order so there’s no miscommunications and no appointments are overlooked. With an FSM software, technicians arrive on time and have what they need to complete the work.  

Management can track inventory, hours spent, expenses, and equipment in the field. Plus, you’ll have instant updated status when work is complete so you can bill immediately for faster cash flow. When the time comes to bring on more technicians and managers, an FSM software also helps you keep everyone accountable and provides oversight into all your operations.  

 

3. Offer Additional Services and Products

 Your team has expertise and experience in the HVAC field service industry which you can translate into revenue while helping customers improve their systems and reliability. For example, help clients save on energy costs with new solutions, such as packaged heating and air conditioning systems. Or offer a regular maintenance plan that keeps existing equipment operating more efficiently and cuts down on emergency service calls.  

 You can also upsell useful accessories, such as Wi-Fi thermostats, air purifiers, or humidifiers. Run specials for new accounts or bundle these products with upgraded services like annual maintenance contracts.  

 

4. Increase Your Pricing

 As your customer base and reputation grow with efficient operations, strong marketing, and high-value service, you can charge more for the work. If customers regularly refer you to others and have been with your company for a long time, they’re happy with your partnership and will likely pay more to keep it. Also, when your brand is well-known in the market and you have good online reviews, you can charge a little more.  

 If you’re not comfortable rising prices across the board, start by increasing charges for emergency or fast-response jobs. When you do make a change, let customers know what you’re doing and why. Try to stay in line with competitors, but don’t sell your brand short.  

 

5. Expand Your HVAC Field Service Team

 If you want to drum up new business, at some point, you’ll need more help. Job functions like sales, field technicians, and managers are essential to finding and serving additional customers. Take a look at your team and determine whether existing employees have the bandwidth and skills to cover these areas. If not, bring on new people. Start the hiring spree in sales. Then, once new accounts are signing on, bring in some technicians or a manager to handle the extra work.  

 Protect your investment in human capital by training new people well, giving them time to shadow experienced colleagues, and holding everyone accountable for productivity. Also, if you want to keep growth going long term, ensure there’s an FSM software in place before adding team members. Efficient, automated operations help new people become productive faster and minimize errors as they learn their jobs. 

 

Bonus Tip: See How BlueFolder Helps You Grow Revenue  

BlueFolder’s HVAC service dispatch software is designed to give your team the competitive edge in the market with a feature-rich application that’s simple for everyone to use. As you bring on more work, BlueFolder keeps all the details straight, streamlines work order management, and ensures the right technicians are assigned and scheduled. 

Most HVAC field service companies get BlueFolder set up and running in less than a day, and the interface is so easy to use, most employees need little or no training. In addition to assigning and tracking work orders, BlueFolder offers reports, management dashboards, equipment tracking, and a customer portal for high-touch communication and transparency. Integration with common business software such as Google Calendar and QuickBooks® further reduces your administrative overhead and helps you focus on keeping customers happy and the bottom line healthy. 

 

Check out how easy BlueFolder is to deploy and use. 

 

If you’re wondering whether your field service management (FSM) software should include a customer portal, consider that 88% of consumers in the United States expect a company to offer a customer portal. People like the convenience of easy access to their accounts and order status. But businesses realize benefits as well. In our experience, we’ve seen at least 7 positive outcomes from deploying field service portals. 

 

1. Save customer service costs. 

1. Reduce mistakes. 

1. Encourage customer engagement. 

1. Save customers money. 

1. Increase the value of your service. 

1. Become a partner with your customers. 

1. Grow your company faster. 

 

Save Service Costs by Keeping Customers Up to Date Automatically 

 

Once we place an order, we like to check its status. In fact, status checking was one of the first self-service features that companies offered decades ago when automation was a new thing and you had to get your information by pressing keys on a phone.  

 

Today, a field service portal in your FSM provides 24/7 visibility into customers’ work order status, requests, and history. It’s a “one-stop shop” where they can always find the information they need, day or night. It’s not only convenient; the portal’s transparency builds trust in your company and improves customer experience. Customers never feel ignored or overlooked, even when your team is incredibly busy and doesn’t have time to respond to phone calls or emails immediately.  

 

While users love the portal, it saves you money, too. Employees spend less time handling basic requests. They can focus on more productive work and devote energy to handling complex issues. As a result, customers get extra, personal attention when they need it, and your team can offer white glove service without stressing the budget. 

 

Reduce Mistakes by Keeping Everyone on the Same Field Service Portal 

 

If you don’t have customers using your FSM portal and you’re trading emails and copying information from one system to another, it’s easy to introduce errors that cause misunderstandings, confusion, and dissatisfaction. If customers expect a technician at 8 am, but the technician was accidentally told 9 am, everyone is going to be unhappy. Even after innocent mistakes, customers may come away with a bad impression that costs you time and money to recover from.  

 

Having customers, technicians, salespeople, and office staff communicate through one field service customer management system reduces mistakes. Nothing gets lost in the translation, because everyone is looking at the same details.  

 

Encourage Customer Engagement by Being Easy to Work With 

 

Your customers’ days are packed just as full as yours, and they may not have time to submit work orders until late in the evening. Or they may need to get it done before the sun rises. With the customer portal, your company is there for them when they need you. They can either login to the portal directly or submit requests via an embedded form on your website whenever its most convenient, even if they’re not in the office.  

 

Once the customer has submitted their request, you translate it into a work order in the system with a click of a button and assign a technician at the same time. The service portal also keeps your customers’ data protected because you have control over who can access which documents and each user has a password to help prevent fraud. By offering 24/7 secure, mobile access, the portal makes your company easy and safe to work with, which increases customer satisfaction, loyalty, and engagement. 

 

Save Customers Money by Helping Them Work Smarter 

 

If a customer is on the shop floor and equipment is failing, they can access the field service portal on a mobile phone and quickly see the maintenance and repair history. They instantly have the information they need to make a decision about whether to submit a work order or not. They no longer have to go back to the office, look up their own records, or place a call to you before they can act. The mobile access allows them to get more done faster, which saves time and money in the long run. 

 

Increase Your Value to Customers With Proactive Service 

 

With a field service portal, your team is notified whenever a customer interacts with the system. You’ll see each request right away, and if needed, you can reach out to provide proactive service. You can follow up with a personal phone call for high-value customers, confirm any questions about the work order, suggest additional work that could be done at the same time, or offer other services that complement the request.  

 

Having this data gives you real-time information about how best to serve each customer at any point. As a result, you grow your business by offering more value when customers need it most. 

 

Position Your Company as a Business Partner by Sharing Insightful Data 

 

With the field service portal, you can offer information that helps customers run their businesses more efficiently. They can run reports on their work orders, past equipment repairs, and maintenance schedule so they can identify trends, compare the performance of different machinery or systems, and ensure they’re budgeting properly for ongoing work. By making this information easy to access, your company acts as more than a service provider; you’re helping customers improve operations, and they start to see you as a partner in their success.  

 

Scale Your Business With Fewer Growing Pains 

 

Having a customer portal lowers the amount of work needed to onboard and service new customers. You can manage contracts in the portal and new customers will have the ability to submit orders and check status without adding work for your office staff.  You’ll be able to bring on more business and scale faster without stressing your team, which in turn keeps everyone happy. 

 

BlueFolder Helps You Keep Customers Loyal and Satisfied 

 

BlueFolder FSM software was built from the ground up with the user in mind. Our customer portal offers an intuitive interface, simple controls, and minimal clicks. Your customers get set up fast, and they can access all the features and data with ease. They’ll love it from the beginning. And you’ll start seeing cost and time savings right away. 

 

You can also customize the portal for your needs with configurable options, user management controls, and permission settings for security. Even add a custom logo to present a consistent, professional look and feel. 

 

And if your customers love the portal, you’ll love all the features of our FSM because we’ve brought the same attention to detail, usability, and flexibility to our entire offering.  

 

Find out how BlueFolder advances your cash flow, streamlines technician work, and delights your customers with a free trial today. 

 

 

 

Managing multiple field service technicians and equipment while keeping your business organized and accurate is quite the chore, especially without the right software. There are a few different options to consider when it comes to properly managing your teams and equipment efficiently. Writing everything down by hand just isn’t going to cut it anymore. To grow as a company you have to put systems in place that help you achieve your full potential. That means using software that can assist you with everything from customer management to work order management.

Most companies use either a field service software (or field service management software) or a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). However, many people don’t know the difference between the two or how each one can benefit their companies. While they share similar features and capabilities, a CMMS and an FSM solution both serve different purposes.

To determine which one is right for your company, let’s take a look at what both a CMMS and an FSM solution can offer your company and the key differences between them.

Field Service Software VS CMMS Software

What is CMMS Software?

A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is a software program used to manage information about the maintenance operations of a company.

It also allows companies to:

• Manage work orders
• Schedule and track preventive maintenance
• Track employee and equipment certifications
• Manage inventory
• Store crucial data about assets and equipment, such as manufacturer, model, serial number, installed location, warranties, user and repair manuals, tech specs, and more

A CMMS comes with benefits that can help your company be much more proactive and efficient about its maintenance operations.

Benefits of a CMMS

A CMMS can benefit your company in multiple ways, including:

• Reducing maintenance costs by organizing workflows
• Increasing team productivity
• Extending equipment lifespan and reducing unexpected breakdowns
• Improving the customer experience and customer service

Features of CMMS Software

The features of some of the top CMMS software programs include:

• Work Order Tracking
• Asset/Equipment Record Management
• Preventative Maintenance
• Service History Tracking
• Calibration Management
• Technician Management

What is Field Service Software?

Field service management (FSM) software is similar to CMMS software in that includes work order management and the ability to track and schedule equipment maintenance. But FSM software also helps collect field data and track client requests and personnel status, as well as improve operations visibility.

Benefits of Field Service Software

FSM software can help improve work order management and service delivery while enhancing customer service. It will improve your team’s overall efficiency by streamlining work orders between the fieldworker and the company office while making it easier for teams to communicate. FSM software also makes it easy to optimize maintenance routes and check your company’s key metrics and analytics anytime. But more than that, it helps with:

• Automation
• Resource optimization
• Efficiency
• Oversight and compliance
• Scalability
• Accuracy
• Flexibility
• Seamless payments
• Smart field inspections

An FSM allows for smart scheduling and for self-service (which makes your company more efficient and attractive to customers). FSM also increases mobility by bridging the gap between technicians in the field and employees in the office. Your teams can utilize messaging and notifications to stay in sync on open jobs and status.

Features of FSM Software

The best features of FSM software help make life easier for you and your employees. For instance, some of these features allow you to manage customer records, set up recurring jobs, track work orders, assign work orders to your technicians, manage service contracts, and more. With customization options, you can tailor your FSM to meet your needs.

Some of the other top features of FSM software programs include:

• Dashboards & Reports
• Quotes & Estimates
• Task Scheduling
• Forecasting
• Service History
• Billing & Invoicing
• Inventory Tracking
• Dispatch Management
• Fleet Management

Some FSM software programs also have digital signature capture, branded templates and PDFs, voice and search commands, and phone system integrations. Others offer features like intelligent scheduling at the point of booking, open API, a supplier database, and real-time suggestions optimization.

What are the Key Differences?

While they share similarities, there are key differences between field service software vs CMMS software. FSM software is primarily focused on serving external customers and includes tools to help you document and accelerate your service billings, get paid faster, and grow your business. CMMS solutions are typically more geared towards organizations that are performing asset and equipment maintenance for internal customers and don’t require robust customer management tools or billing features.

FSM can help improve communications with field service technicians, improve your response times, listen to customer feedback, use strategic scheduling, and analyze patterns to improve forecasting. FSM is robust enough to handle multiple aspects of your business, offering a customer portal, field service dispatch and scheduling, assignment and work tracking, field service dashboards, asset and equipment tracking, and customization and security capabilities. FSM software is kind of like a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) for a service company.

A CMMS can help you take better control of your maintenance processes, tracking preventive maintenance schedules, analyze equipment most likely to fail, etc. So if you’re a company that with a lot of internal maintenance and operational processes to manage, a CMMS could help.

Equipment-Centric Field Service Solutions

Some field service management solutions, like BlueFolder, are equipment-centric, meaning that they include some features that are typically only found in CMMS solutions. This equipment-centric type of FSM solution is a great fit for service businesses that perform work for external customers but still need many of the asset and equipment tracking and preventive maintenance features of a CMMS.

Managing Field Service Teams and Equipment More Efficiently

Now that you know the key differences between field service software vs CMMS software, you can make an informed decision about which is best for your company. As you’ve learned, a CMMS and an FSM are similar but are clearly not the same thing. If you’re ready to learn more about an equipment-centric FSM solution, schedule a free personalized demo of BlueFolder.

For service businesses or organizations that operate via work orders and in-person service calls, field service management software can offer game-changing solutions that boost overall company productivity and success. Whether the task is scheduling emergency maintenance calls or tracking company assets, field service management solutions cut back on both work time and labor efforts. Better yet, they streamline day-to-day operations in a way that a basic pen and paper or spreadsheet system cannot.

However, that’s not to say that all field service management solutions are made the same. When you’re looking to invest in field service management software, there are quite a few features you’ll want to be on the lookout for prior to making a purchase decision. Take a look at this detailed guide about field service management solutions, from why this software is integral to your business to which features must make the final cut. 

Why Do Companies Use Field Service Management Software?

While there is no sole reason as to why companies use field service management software, the answer typically boils down to efficiency. When complex tasks, such as tracking and managing field service activities, can be fine-tuned and facilitated by software, time and effort are freed for technicians and managing staff. Not to mention, field service management software acts as an excellent record-keeper, both financially and operationally. Whether it’s customer invoices or individual equipment warranty details, this software can act as an essential database for company operations.

To better understand what field service management software can do for you, let’s take a deeper dive into the functions you should be on the lookout for when deciding on a program.

What to Look for in Your Field Service Management Software Solution:

With countless industry types deploying field service management solutions regularly, numerous available features offered through this software help service businesses uphold efficient day-to-day operations. Though your exact needs may vary depending on your industry type, consider these key functions to remain on the lookout for while choosing your field service management solution. 

Is It User-Friendly?

First and foremost, your chosen solution must boast an incredible ease of use. Even if a field service management solution offers countless features to assist with your operations, the value of the software simply cannot impress if it’s not user-friendly. Regardless if the user is a beginner or expert, the solution should have a minimal learning curve that makes it easy to navigate the platform. 

Therefore, field service management software must supply an easy-to-access dashboard that can be quickly navigated, organized and updated to the user’s preferences. Any readily needed information, from customer records and service history to work order details or team schedules, should be accessible with ease from any of its users. Likewise, if you run a team, a user-friendly platform should provide all users with the details required to complete their job, no matter their location.

Does it Offer Automation?

Many service businesses tend to operate on routine workflows each day. While specific circumstances behind each work order can vary, common workflow processes such as dispatching job details to technicians and communicating with customers typically remain the same. Without automation, you’ll ultimately complete dozens of administrative tasks manually, costing significant time and manpower. 

To better streamline these processes, you’ll want to make sure you use a field service management software that offers in-depth automation. Automation will harness the ability of the software to complete those recurring tasks that you find yourself wasting time to accomplish manually each day. 

For example, consider what happens when a work order is updated by your technician and requires customer feedback. With automation, your software can facilitate sending a message to the client automatically with minimal effort from the technician. From there, automation processes can also facilitate the processing of a customer’s reply and notify the technician so they can continue working the project to completion with maximum efficiency.

Is it Customizable?

All too often, field service management solutions offer form-fields and process options that simply don’t apply to your industry and/or business. You may find yourself struggling with the default settings offered by your field service management software, attempting to match the workflow processes to the level you require. To match your company’s particular needs and preferences, be sure you are using a solution that’s customizable in the ways required for your business.

To tailor to your specific operational needs, multiple steps within your software’s workflow should be editable or able to be modified in some way. Customizable fields, user access controls and customer notifications are just some of the many options a system administrator should be able to change. Modifying these various options to fit your business’s needs can quickly save you and your team time and money by presenting only the valuable information in your user dashboard. 

Can You Record All Billable Expenses, and Track Job Costs and Profitability?

Maintaining accurate financial record keeping is a key success component of any business. With varying work orders, expenses and profit flows coming into your business each week, you require a field service management solution that can help keep these critical records organized.

Typically, your field service management solution should utilize automation to track three billable item types: labor, materials and expenses. Software automation should be able to track labor costs through job status updates, from when an employee begins a job to when they marked the job complete. Similarly, material costs or outside expenses should be able to be quickly uploaded using manual input or photo receipt upload to track any and all costs through your operating year. 

Furthermore, field service management solutions should offer invoicing capabilities or an integration with your existing accounting and invoicing software. Once a job is complete and it’s time to bill the customer, you’ll want a solution that makes it easy to see what you’re billing the customer for and the status of the invoice associated with each work order. 

What Type of Dispatch and Scheduling Capabilities Does it Offer?

What is a successful service business without an effective technician scheduling and dispatch system? No matter the size of your team, outdated methods of manually writing out daily technician schedules and phone call dispatching only increase the chances of overlooked work orders and disappointed clients. To maintain functional and productive daily operations, your field service management software must come equipped with extensive dispatch and scheduling capabilities. 

From preexisting work orders to recently received work orders, you need software that offers you daily, weekly and monthly calendar view options to help schedule out each of these worker tasks. Once all work order details have been inputted, the software should then allow you to assign these tasks to a specific worker or team. These capabilities will allow workers to review their daily expectations and duties in a personalized schedule that they can use to receive notifications and update the job status. 

Can You Track Assets and Equipment With It?

For service businesses whose work is equipment-centric, meaning they install and/or repair complex equipment for their customers, it’s essential you find a field service management software that can track these critical items. Your customers depend on you to keep their equipment operating at full capacity and maximum efficiency, so you need to be able to accurately track equipment details, warranty information, service history, and more.

User manuals, technical documents, warranty information and serial numbers are just some of the few details that are going to come along with these equipment assets. Rather than haphazardly throwing these details into a folder and calling it a day, opt for a software solution that allows you to capture, upload and organize them all into one system. Then, you can use the software to create a preventive maintenance plan.

In order to maintain company efficiency and productivity, assets must undergo routine maintenance and updates. Equipment-centric field service management solutions should offer maintenance scheduling to help you keep up with asset health and help prevent equipment failure. 

What Type of Team Collaboration or Communication Does It Offer?

When overseeing a large team, the last thing you want to worry about is the reliance of solely phone to phone communication. With email and text technology already engraved into our modern lives, why not use the same tools to boost company efficiency? When shopping for a field service management software, make sure the program offers team collaboration and communication functions. 

Field service management software can facilitate communications between team members on individual work orders and assigned tasks. Comments made back-and-forth can be tracked within the context of the specific job or task they are related, making it easy to see a full history of the conversations taking place.

See What Field Service Management Solutions Can Do for You

If old-school pen and paper methods are weighing down your daily operations, field service management software can be your solution. Regardless of the service industry you operate in, features ranging from system automation to team communication can boost company productivity, profitability, and overall customer satisfaction. 

Here at BlueFolder, we understand that the sheer amount of options on the market can be overwhelming. Now that you have a better understanding of what to shop for in an effective field service management solution, request a demo of BlueFolder’s Field Service Management Software today—we’re confident our features won’t disappoint.