Field service automation software makes it easy to gather data, automate scheduling, monitor inventory, manage teams, and automate workflows—all from a single platform.
Automation solutions provide reliable reports to make informed decisions quickly and cut unnecessary costs. Some are also GPS-enabled to track technicians in the field and coordinate teams more efficiently.
This article dives deep into field automation software and its top seven advantages. You will understand how automation streamlines field service and how your company benefits from it.
What is Field Service Automation?
Managing work through Excel sheets, tracking time manually, and monitoring inventory on paper are old, time-intensive, and inefficient methods in modern field service organizations.
Today, operations managers want to know in real time what is being worked on, what tools and materials are being used, as well as the exact time it takes to complete a job. Old methods and manual processes just can’t keep up with these demands.
In fact, field service automation software handles all of these in a single platform. You automate every aspect of your field operations, from scheduling and tracking work to inspections and inventory control through no- or low-code workflows. The technology allows you to easily manage jobs through an intuitive dashboard.
Below, we explain in detail why you should automate field service:
7 Benefits of Field Service Automation Software
If your organization hasn’t invested in above-average field service automation software, here are the biggest benefits you are missing out on:
1. Quick Information Flow Between the Office and the Field
Field service automation software transforms how people work worldwide. The automation solutions use cloud technology and mobile apps so that information can flow quickly between the office and the field (and back to the office).
Workers don’t have to return to the office to be assigned work. Automation solutions allow administrators to send jobs directly to workers through mobile apps and monitor completed tasks through the software. This improves efficiency and boosts productivity.
2. Strengthen Customer Relationships
Delayed orders and late appointments paint your company in bad light from the customer’s perspective.
Field service automation software uses GPS and location intelligence to allow you to automate processes based on real-time data and prevent avoidable delays. For example, GPS and map technologies enable you to assign tasks to a worker nearest to the job. This ensures you serve customers as quickly as possible.
Moreover, GPS-tracking and location intelligence allow customers to track a technician’s location and estimate arrival to prepare appropriately. Such visibility improves customers’ experience.
Additionally, the software program enhances transparency between a field service organization and its customers. Through a mobile app, clients can tell what was worked on, when, by whom, and for how long. This openness can also increase the customer’s level of trust in the company.
3. Stay Connected with Workers—And Coordinate Them Better
Field automation software allows you to stay connected with your service team from the journey to the job site to when they complete the job.
For instance, geofencing technology creates a virtual boundary around a job location. The software records the information when a worker approaches or leaves the job site within the limit. Not only does this provide better evidence of service, but it also ensures employee safety by preventing wrong destinations.
The software also improves coordination by bringing all field-relation processes into central positions. Managing the entire field service life cycle becomes easier with contracts, work orders, schedules, warranties, and inventory in a single place. Data is easily accessible from a central platform.
4. Improved Collaboration
Field service automation software takes collaboration between field workers, team leaders, and operations managers to the next level.
Field workers can easily use iOS or Android apps to complete inspections and capture data by taking photos or with forms. On the other hand, team leaders can manage inspections remotely from anywhere. The software provides dashboards, reports, as well as maps for operations managers to track the real-time status of field inspections.
This advanced collaboration results in seamless from-field-to-desk management. Field service automation leverages the power of cloud computing, mobile technology, and social collaboration to take efficiency to the next level.
5. Reduce Errors
Tracking hundreds of technicians, monitoring thousands of parts, and managing dozens of schedules in the modern world is nearly impossible using manual methods. Not only is it cumbersome, but it also has more room for errors. In manual, repetitive workflows, mistakes will happen.
Automation ensures you schedule the right tasks for the right technicians to avoid double booking, delayed orders, and late appointments that hurt your business. Automating manual, repetitive workflows minimize chances for errors.
6. Improved Decision Making
Automation software does more than just improve collaboration and efficiency in field service companies. It enhances the quality of decisions a company makes.
When organizations use field service automation software to track field activities, operations managers stay on top of tasks and are informed of everything done. Additionally, workers use their mobile phones to collect inspection details through text, videos, photos, and audio, reducing the chances of data manipulation.
In short, automation software offers a wealth of information at every step of the way in the field service life cycle. This enables making well-informed decisions.
7. Proper Inventory Management
If tools used by technicians and materials are not managed well, field service companies can experience substantial losses. Because automation minimizes errors, organizations can ensure technicians get the right tools for the right job at the right time. It’s also easy to track inventory so you can restock technician equipment and tools before they are depleted, ensuring continuous productivity.
Automate Your Field Service Workflows With Gruntify
Gruntify is an easy-to-use technology made for all teams—small and big. Use it to automate workflows in your field service organization and enjoy the benefits of automation.
Our software has all the features you’d expect in a typical field service management software, plus more robust capabilities in advanced field service technology. Examples of advanced features in Gruntify include:
Get in touch today for more information about Gruntify.
