[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>
If you\u2019re shopping for mobile workforce management software for a field service company, you\u2019re not alone. Many organizations have realized that workforce management with paper and spreadsheets is no longer viable for a workforce that is out in the field and on the go. Some have already tried a digital solution, but it hasn\u2019t worked out. Either way, if you want a field service management (FSM) application that makes a difference for your productivity and bottom line, it\u2019s important to look for solutions that:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> \u00a0<\/span><\/p> The most important thing to look for in mobile workforce management software is usability. You may think usability is a second-tier consideration compared to a good feature list, but all the features in the world do you no good if your team can\u2019t figure out how to use them. And when employees are in the field trying to get work done, they don\u2019t have the time or patience to fumble their way through a confusing interface. They revert back to their previous inefficient but comfortable habits, and the software you\u2019re paying for isn\u2019t paying off for you.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> When you\u2019re researching solutions, look for a clean, simple design that prioritizes information most relevant to the user, such as today\u2019s appointments or past-due work orders. The system should allow users to customize their dashboards based on their preferences. Menu options should be easy to find with informative labels, and the most common tasks such as submitting a work order or updating status should follow a logical, intuitive process that makes sense to your team. Finally, if a user makes a mistake, they should get useful error messages, and they should have a way to delete or reverse any action.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> \u00a0<\/span><\/p> Mobile workforce management software should make your life easier by taking some of the work off your plate entirely. Look for features that automate manual tasks. For example, if you have preventive maintenance or repetitive jobs, the system should automatically create work orders for those based on a schedule you define.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> A typical workday is filled with tasks that could be automated to save you time and money. Workflow automation ensures notifications of status changes are sent to the people who need them. You can customize default values for forms and specific events, which saves entering the most common data. When your team makes comments, conducts chat conversations, or sends emails regarding a work order, the system should connect them all to the job record, so no decisions, instructions, or observations are lost in a chat history. And when employees snap a picture of work done or equipment in the field, a good FSM will automatically upload it and attach it to the record.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Other useful automation includes bulk editing, which allows managers to close work orders, change status, or add comments to multiple jobs at once. Import tools also automate the transfer of data into the system, which is especially helpful when you\u2019re setting the FSM up for the first time. And it should be easy to export the data in an FSM to a spreadsheet or text file if needed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> \u00a0<\/span><\/p> Many field service companies struggle with customer communications. Customers are happiest when they can get the status of a job anytime they want it. But they\u2019re not always on the job site to see what\u2019s been done, and techs are often too busy to fire off an email or make extensive notes on the work order. But an FSM with customer relationship management (CRM) features and a <\/span>customer access portal<\/span><\/a> make it much easier to keep clients in the loop.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Depending on what you want to share, an external portal will allow clients to look up service history, submit work requests, check status, download files, view contracts, and run reports. For an added bonus, look for the ability to customize and automate notifications so customers get proactive information about job status, appointments, and looming contract expiration dates. They should be able to access the portal from any connected device, and it should have security features, such as secure login and user permissions.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> The CRM features helps your team serve customers better by making it easy to find service history, contacts, addresses, communications, and assets for every customer. With CRM capabilities, your team gets a picture of what each customer needs from you, their preferences, and their service history. This detailed information helps you determine how to serve them better. For example, you might notice that some customers call once a quarter for equipment fixes and they could save money and reduce business disruptions if you put them on a regular preventive maintenance plan. Customer insights derived from your CRM increases loyalty, drives new business, and raises the lifetime value of the account.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> \u00a0<\/span><\/p> If it\u2019s going to be useful for a <\/span>field service business, mobile workforce management software has to provide asset management<\/span><\/a>. Your techs square off against a wide variety of equipment and each machine has its own serial number, model number, and service history. Asset management keeps information for every piece of equipment in your care in one easy-to-find place, so techs never have to guess, call back to the office, or get stuck with the wrong manuals. It keeps track of warranties, fault codes, and past work, which helps you know when to schedule preventive maintenance and helps techs troubleshoot machine failures. Good asset management improves first-time fix rate, decreases time on task, and reduces the number of emergency calls.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> \u00a0<\/span><\/p> Any good mobile workforce management solution helps you collect, order, and manage details about your jobs, customers, and assets. But your FSM should also help you put that information to work. A good system will help you crunch data into reports, trends, and dashboards that illustrate where your business excels, where you need improvement, and what opportunities you can go after.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Reports will instantly assess key metrics such as service billing, profitability by job, labor hours used, and average expenses. You should be able to customize them for any metric you want to track over any time period, geographical location, work order, customer, or technician. <\/span>Analytics and reporting capabilities<\/span><\/a> give you the insight to drive constant improvement in your business.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> \u00a0<\/span><\/p> BlueFolder\u2019s FSM solution prioritizes the most valuable and useful features for field service companies. Over the years, we\u2019ve listened to what our customers want and need, and we\u2019ve designed a platform that delivers maximum value through simple, clear, intuitive interactions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> With BlueFolder, your team gets work done faster with fewer errors. Customers are delighted and jobs run smoothly from request to billing.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Learn why BlueFolder\u2019s customers rave about our flexible, powerful FSM solution. <\/span>Book a demo today<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p> \u00a0<\/span><\/p> \u00a0<\/span><\/p> \u00a0<\/span><\/p> [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you\u2019re shopping for mobile workforce management software for a field service company, you\u2019re not alone. Many organizations have realized that workforce management with paper and spreadsheets is no longer viable for a workforce that is out in the field and on the go. Some have already tried a digital solution, but it hasn\u2019t worked […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5059,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\r\n 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\u00a0properly managing your teams and equipment efficiently<\/a>. 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\u00a0work order management<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A\u00a0computerized maintenance management system<\/a>\u00a0(CMMS) is a software program used to manage information about the maintenance operations of a company.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It also allows companies to:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A CMMS comes with benefits that can help your company be much more proactive and efficient about its maintenance operations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A CMMS can benefit your company in multiple ways, including:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The features of some of the top CMMS software programs include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Field service management<\/a>\u00a0(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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n FSM software can help improve\u00a0work order management<\/a>\u00a0and 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:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Some of the other top features of FSM software programs include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n While they share similarities, there are key differences between field service software vs CMMS software.\u00a0FSM 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
1 Usability Makes the Whole System More Effective<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>
2 Automation Frees Time for High-Value Tasks<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>
3 Customer Portal and CRM Help You Keep Customers Happy<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>
4 Asset Management Drives Efficiency in Each Job<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>
5 Analytics and Reporting Uncovers New Opportunities<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>
See the 5 Essential Features of Mobile Workforce Management Software in Action\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>
Field Service Software VS CMMS Software<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What is CMMS Software?<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Benefits of a CMMS<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Features of CMMS Software<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What is Field Service Software?<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Benefits of Field Service Software<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Features of FSM Software<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What are the Key Differences?<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n