Real-time mobile notifications
Instead of constantly having to check their email, text messages, voicemails, and other communication apps for updates, field workers need tools that enable real-time notifications. A mobile field service app gives deskless employees the information they need when and how they need it in a single, centralized location.
Some platforms even enable field workers to choose their notification delivery method (e.g. SMS, push notification, etc.) based on their individual preferences, so they can easily receive updates without disruption. Workers can share schedules, detailed instructions, and status updates, as well as location data for seamless visibility and routing.
Customers benefit from these real-time communications, too. For instance, an internet service installation provider that uses a mobile field service management solution can provide clients with a specific appointment time, rather than an estimated service window. They can send customers up-to-date, accurate arrival times to prevent frustration and build brand loyalty.
Platforms that enable real-time mobile updates also increase an organization’s workforce visibility. When a field service technician finishes a job and marks it as complete in the system, the platform can instantly flag other customers in the area that want to book an appointment. This, in turn, improves productivity, reduces worker travel time, and increases the number of customers each employee can serve in a given day.
Optimized routing
Travel is a huge part of field service work, so deskless workers need tools that support them as they move from one job to the next. Powerful mobile tools instantly optimize travel routes within the platform, so field workers don’t have to toggle between navigation and work apps while on the road. They account for outside factors, too, like traffic, road construction, and detours, so employees spend less time traveling and more time focusing on the task at hand.
Mobile data collection
Data is king when it comes to understanding and improving your field service operation, so the ability to seamlessly capture it in the field is a must. Your entire business hinges upon your field workers capturing customer information—including signatures, approvals, surveys, customer feedback, and other key details.
With a tool that offers mobile data collection (even in areas without cell service), organizations can reduce paper waste, ensure everyone on the team has the most up-to-date, accurate information, and increase safety and security. Rather than having to gather field data while on a job, then spend time re-entering that data into a separate system of record, deskless workers can instantly sync information back to home base. This also eliminates potential manual mistakes in the field, which can negatively impact the customer experience and cause issues in productivity.
Operations teams gain holistic insights into their workforce, which helps them drive strategic decisions. Instead of spending time trying to connect data from disparate sources, the platform does the heavy lifting. It unifies field data with information from other critical existing systems, so teams can easily monitor deskless work and create robust reports. This enables them to uncover inefficiencies and make meaningful improvements that increase both worker compliance and profitability.
On-boarding and training support
Mobile field service management solutions reduce manual operational and administrative tasks, which can support more efficient workforce training. As organizations seek to replace their retired workforce and attract new talent, they need simplified tools and processes that make knowledge transfer as seamless as possible.
Some mobile tools are built to empower field workers with real-time communication and instant access to relevant information. Technicians can easily share ideas and updates, ask questions, and find specific documentation for each job in a single, centralized place. New employees can quickly access step-by-step job instructions and checklists, so they’re always prepared to finish the job correctly the first time.
If a field service tech encounters a job they’ve never completed before, for instance, they can instantly communicate with a supervisor or mentor via their mobile device. They can also find training documentation, customer and job history, and other relevant details on the spot, so they’re never left wondering what to do next. The result is a better prepared, more confident workforce that’s ready to meet customer expectations, even if they’re new to the organization.
Powerful Mobile Technology for an Efficient Field Service Operation
Operational efficiency is crucial for field service organizations looking to remain productive and competitive. In order to scale in a sustainable way, field service teams need tools and processes that eliminate the challenges unique to deskless work—and that requires mobile-first technology.
Skedulo’s field service management software is built with the mobile workforce in mind. With mobile-first tools for automated scheduling and dispatching, optimized routing, seamless communication, easy field data collection, and more, Skedulo helps businesses optimize their operations to boost efficiency, customer and employee satisfaction, and revenue.
Learn more about how you can equip your deskless workforce to succeed in the digital era, or book a demo today.
