The terms Field Service Management (GSM) or Field Services Management (FSM) are used to describe processes and strategies for performing services for customers in their homes or facilities. Suppliers deploy professionals to carry out these tasks outside their facilities. But we will see that there are several related applications.
Therefore, with the increasing demand for home services, where it is much more convenient for the customer to receive assistance, services or products at their place of work or home, it is essential to implement effective field service management.
Want to know more about how Field Services Management can differentiate your company from the competition? Check it out below, in our article!
Origins and evolution of Field Service Management (GSM)
The need to carry out services in the field (at the customer’s home or business) is not new. Telecom and utility companies have been doing this for decades.
What has been changing is consumer behavior and technology?
As the number of services and products is greater, and they are generally more technological and sophisticated, more assistance services are needed, even with the best quality of products. The consumer is also becoming increasingly demanding, with more options available, which makes it essential to manage technical assistance services with mastery.
Furthermore, the available technology has evolved a lot. This allows leading companies to deliver a sensational home service experience. It is a differentiating factor that can put many traditional businesses at risk.
With the commoditization of products and services, a wide range of options and ease of search, nowadays it is a matter of survival to deliver good services.
Examples of Field Service Management (FSM) applications?
A wide variety of companies employ a mobile workforce to successfully deliver onsite services:
- Manufacturing: manufacturers manage onsite maintenance of equipment or products;
- Utilities: companies providing telephone, internet, energy or gas respond to interruptions in supply by sending technicians to areas with problems;
- Medical Services: homecare companies serve customers in their homes, in scheduled or emergency appointments;
- Deliveries and Logistics: logistics companies need to create delivery routes and often schedule product delivery times;
- Maintenance: maintenance companies receive requests for equipment maintenance and need to prioritize and serve their customers according to the service level (SLA) defined in the contract. They often have dedicated teams at large clients or condominiums;
- Sales or Demonstrations: sales companies can organize the itinerary of visits and meetings, as well as available products;
- Test-Drives: automakers can allow online scheduling and manage the schedule and availability of vehicles for test drives. This is especially important for commercial vehicles, with lower availability;
- Provision of Services in the company itself: large companies have dedicated maintenance teams, either their own or outsourced. They can use field services management techniques to organize and optimize this workforce;
- Financial Services: it is common for insurance companies to provide some type of support service. Banks in general may also need to organize their managers’ schedules, especially those who visit customers;
- Government: the various spheres of government provide services to citizens, in the field or at their facilities. An effective digital government strategy must involve the management of field services. In other words, if your company provides services at your client’s home or premises, you already manage field services. What changes is how efficient this management is carried out.
The current state of Field Services Management technology
Current technology allows for new ways of interacting with the customer.
For example, a customer can access the company portal and chat with a chatbot, which will automatically create a work order and send a notification to the customer. The work order will be automatically routed to the best available resource. The customer will then be able to follow the technician’s journey and estimated arrival time in real time (like in Uber). If there is a problem, the technician can contact the customer, or the delay can be automatically notified.
When performing the work, the technician will be able to consult checklists, knowledge base and equipment telemetry on his mobile device. You can also request remote support, starting video calls or even using augmented reality devices. Finally, you must record the results of the service and possibly register materials used or that must be charged to the customer. With the aim of generating new business, the system will be able to identify the next best offer and suggest that the technician offer a new service or promotion to the customer. Finally, the field technician will be able to add images, record customer acceptance and completion of the service.
After the end of the service, workflows responsible for sending satisfaction surveys, billing and stock write-offs will be executed automatically.
Another increasingly common scenario is the remote monitoring of smart products or equipment (IoT). Real-time analysis of this data, which may involve artificial intelligence algorithms, can trigger proactive actions to avoid interruptions in operations.
How to improve Field Service Management?
Field service operations involve several aspects: customer service, inventory management, vehicle tracking, scheduling, service monitoring, collaboration or remote assistance to technicians, management of knowledge bases and service itineraries, issuing orders, billing and integration with other systems (ERP, CRM, BI, forecasting models and connected devices, …).
As the number of resources to be managed and the number of customers grows, management becomes more complicated.
Different skills, equipment availability, distance, importance of the client, type of contract,… can be considered to determine the best resource and time to perform the service. This is all seeking the best experience for customers and employees.
Check out some tips to improve your field service services.
Put the customer at the center of the process
Firstly, you need to put your customer first. Understand what they value and deliver a perfect experience.
Well-executed service management is one of the most effective loyalty-building actions.
For example, most manufacturers have indirect distribution channels. In other words, he does not have direct contact with the customer, unless he registers the product or needs support. This is when customer service and any field services make all the difference. In the era of the customer, where products have less and less differentiation, it is this experience that will make your customer an advocate for your brand. He will think twice before changing suppliers, knowing that he could count on you when he needed it. But for this to happen, it is essential that you digitally transform your business.
Also think about the experience of your employees
Design processes and systems that are simple to understand and use. If the process is confusing, leaves room for interpretation and has many manual processes, failures will certainly occur, causing frustration for your customers and employees.
Employee frustration increases turnover, which usually also worsens service indicators. An unmotivated and less experienced team will deliver lower quality services.
Automate processes
Try to automate everything possible, eliminating repetitive work and reducing failures. Employ your employees in activities with the greatest value, where the human touch is necessary, where interpersonal relationships make a difference.
Embrace mobile devices
Make mobile devices such as tablets or smartphones available. They are essential to integrate the entire process and facilitate communication. You can even adopt “bring your own device” or “bring your own device” (BYOD) strategies, improving the experience and reducing costs.
Integrate field services with other systems in your company
Use integrated software suites or integrate different systems. There’s nothing more frustrating than manually retyping information or importing spreadsheets. Not to mention that it is common for information not to match 100% across all systems when there is no integration. The most modern systems have APIs for integration or even low-code/no-code workflow features that facilitate this process. If traditional integration is not viable, RPA (Robotic Process Automation) solutions can be great solutions.
Monitor
Choose the most important performance indicators and monitor them carefully. Set goals and communicate to the team. Seek excellence.
Stay aware of current technologies
Over time, you can add more features to your field services operation, such as self-service portals, omnichannel service, chatbots, apps, smart products, connected to the internet, artificial intelligence and augmented reality devices (HoloLens).
Benefits of Efficient Field Service Management
There are several benefits to the efficient management of field service services. We quote some of them below:
- Increased customer satisfaction (for example, measured by NPS – Net Promoter Score);
- Greater satisfaction and lower team turnover;
- Shorter employee training time;
- Reduction of carbon emissions;
- Lower depreciation and wear on equipment used for customer support;
- Lower service or operational costs;
- Revenue generation (sales) during the service process;
- Better use of the team;
- Continuous improvement;
- Performance above the competition.
Conclusion – Field Service Management
In conclusion, efficient management of field services is essential for companies to offer sensational service experiences and build customer loyalty.
One of the key points is the use of technology in this process. Take advantage of our tips and promote the digital transformation of your customer service services.
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