Field Service CRM

Field Service Management software is increasingly becoming part of a centralized CRM platform in all companies, rather than being in use as a standalone app, keeping to the spirit of a customer-centric business application.

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Enhance On-Site Operations and Customer Experience

The best field service CRM software combines the operational needs of conducting service on-site in an easy to use app, accessing important business information (finance and inventory for example) and the ability to share customer information throughout the business and companies to help customer service & satisfaction, sales and marketing teams get the full picture of that customer’s experience.

A business such as product manufacturing, utilities, healthcare, construction, property maintenance, and telecoms will benefit from extending their CRM software to include field service management capabilities.

Empowering maintenance engineers and schedulers with CRM that shares information with inventory, skills, customer and finance areas is key. A best-in-class field service CRM software will support predictive maintenance by connecting to products after sale.

What are the specific benefits of field service CRM software?

Improve first-time fix rate – good for customers and great for operational efficiency in companies
Complete more service calls per technician per week from improved scheduling and having on-hand customer and inventory data
Manage follow-up work with easy creation on-site of work orders and (spare) parts ordering
Reduce travel time, mileage, vehicle wear and tear meaning better control of overheads and margins
Provide management with a centralized way to track resolution of customer issues
Provide customers with improved service visibility, convenience and communication of service visits, including arrival times and follow up calls
Empower field service technicians with accurate customer and inventory history
Avoid equipment downtime through preventative maintenance by moving from a reactive service model to a proactive model

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Intelligent scheduling and resources management in field service CRM

Ease of use and automation is key for your scheduling team, as they try and manage the needs of the customer for better satisfaction (parts and availability), business priorities and margins, technician availability and skills – often needed quickly. Modern field service CRM software optimizes this important step, with the addition of route optimization for the engineer and scheduling agent, meaning less time in traffic and more ETA accuracy for the customer.

Look for “drag and drop” scheduling calendar screens that allow your service team to set up or move job orders in seconds – all connected to the engineer’s mobile device for instant updates. This means if a customer has to move or cancel a field service visit, an engineer can maintain productivity with a new work order slotted in according to their availability, location and skill set. Scheduling can also be used with automated suggestions or scheduling based on algorithms.

First-time fix rates are crucial for field service operations. Empowering engineers to manage their work can significantly boost business efficiency.

Field service engineers need access to all necessary data-customer history, product inventory, parts, and repair instructions-on a user-friendly mobile screen. Ensure your CRM includes these features and guides technicians through schedule changes and work orders.

Consider online and offline data syncing for mobile applications, especially in remote areas with poor coverage. Engineers must update work orders, upload photos, complete compliance forms, take customer signatures, organize follow-up visits, and place part orders, regardless of connectivity.

First-time fix rates improve with accessible knowledge. Providing engineers with a mobile Knowledge Base of step-by-step instructions with visuals or connecting them to colleagues via remote assistance speeds up visits and reduces the need for follow-ups on complex cases.

Mobile field service CRM app for technicians

Asset and inventory management in field service CRM

The best field service tools include asset management features to keep track of installed equipment and customer service history and SLA contracts. Visibility is important for the scheduling and technician teams, but also the ability to manage the resources and parts in stock, handling purchasing to keep vans stocked up and manage returns with the warehouse. Therefore, a seamless integration with finance and warehouse management is important for operational efficiency.

Choose a CRM that supports current and future field service operations. Start with essentials, but ensure the software can grow with your business and customer needs, like shifting from reactive to preventative maintenance.

Your CRM should automate recurring maintenance appointments based on customer SLAs, product use, and part behavior. This reduces unnecessary or urgent service calls that disrupt customer operations. Make the schedule visible to customers through a self-service portal where they can request changes, see technician ETAs, view work order status, or access the Knowledge Base. Automation can also send real-time alerts via SMS or email to keep customers informed.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has enhanced field service CRM capabilities. By connecting products and parts to the internet, your business can analyze performance and detect issues before they affect customers. The CRM can send alerts to the scheduling team and automatically create work orders in the engineer’s mobile app.

Moving to a preventative maintenance approach in field service with CRM

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Field Service Management in CRM features

In summary, when reviewing CRM for field service management, your shortlist of criteria should specifically address: 

Automatic work order creation and updates with automated workflows 
Integration with product inventory and customer assets 
Intelligent scheduling and dispatch; the ability to match resources, technician skill, availability and location to improve first time fix rates 
Easy to use drag and drop scheduling tool with interactive maps 
Full CRM mobile access for engineers syncing with work order, inventory, customer billing and scheduling management 
Support for remote management and preventative maintenance through IoT technology to detect anomalies and trends  
Online and offline syncing for sites out of range 
Look out for innovations such as remote assistance, mixed reality, augmented reality, AI image recognition for spare parts to support in technical resolutions and engineer training

AI and CRM for field service

AI-powered CRM systems are refining field service like never before. With scheduling and predictive maintenance, they ensure technicians are always on top to reduce delays thus boosting satisfaction. Information like status updates, work order details, or parts inventory can be leveraged in seconds now. This tech anticipates problems, keeping customers happy and services uninterrupted. It’s not just about responding to issues; it’s about foreseeing them, securing every visit is spot-on.