Field service is a kind of disconnected business because a major chunk of the field employees’ time gets spent in the field installing, repairing and servicing customers’ equipment. There are also in-office customer support teams who manage customer service requests, schedule jobs, manage finance and other reports, etc.
Due to the lack of proper communication with the in-office field service manager, there is a significant drop in the productivity of the remotely working field workers. This reduces the efficiency of the field service performance.
With robust real-time collaboration tools, the entire organization stays in sync eliminating miscommunication errors and service delays.
Here are the detailed benefits of real-time collaboration in field service business.
What is Real-time Collaboration?
Real-time collaboration refers to the ability of users to work together in real-time using collaborative software. This allows them to share documents, chat, and collaborate on projects at any time from anywhere around the world.
The main benefit of remote field service collaboration is that it saves money and time when compared to other forms of communication such as email and phone calls.
What is Real-Time Collaboration Software?
Real-time collaboration software enables teams to communicate and collaborate in real time. These tools enable team members to see what everyone else sees, hear what everyone else hears, and speak with anyone else in the room.
Team members can interact with each other simultaneously, allowing them to discuss issues and solve problems together. Some examples include Slack, JIRA, Asana and Unoservice.
What are the Benefits of Real-time Collaboration in Field Service Business?
As already said, remote field service collaboration removes the barriers between the teams irrespective of where they are working from. It doesn’t stop there, there are several benefits of real-time collaboration in field service business as listed below.
i) Work From Anywhere
Real-time updates allow you to work together on projects from anywhere in the world, regardless of where people are. The field workers need not be physically present in the office campus to receive job assignments.
The field service workers receive job assignment notifications on the go via real-time collaboration tools. It allows field employees to work remotely while still being able to access information and collaborate on projects. This enables field service companies to increase productivity and reduce costs.
For example with the use of real-time collaboration software, a field service technician instantly gets notified about his new assignment as soon as the field service manager assigns him the job. This helps the field technician plan his routine and route accordingly to deliver prompt services.
ii) Improved Field Employee Productivity
Real-time collaboration in field service business improves employee satisfaction. When field employees involve in business processes, they tend to make better decisions because they see things from multiple perspectives. In addition, there is less room for error. When you involve people early on, they become invested in the outcome with higher employee engagement.
As a result, employees get motivated to contribute to the success of their projects. They want to be part of the team and take ownership of their service. By allowing teams to communicate and coordinate activities in real time, these tools improve productivity and efficiency. These tools also help the field workers overcome the challenges in a field service business like knowledge gaps and service delays.
For instance, the field service technician gets access to customer data and service history instantly along with the dispatch notification. This helps them pick the right tools and inventories needed for the particular job before commuting to remote locations.
This saves technicians travel time commuting to the office to fetch the tools amidst the work and also saves fuel costs. Additionally, the customer feels happy when the technician comes fully prepared with all the necessary tools, data and knowledge base to complete the job quickly. This boosts customer satisfaction for your field service business.
Because employees don’t have to make frequent travels to the office, they can spend more time working on their projects. They can also focus on improving their skills and learning new technologies.
iii) Enhance Customer Experience
The benefits of real-time collaboration software go beyond just increasing productivity. There are many ways that it helps improve customer experience.
Real-time collaboration tools make it possible for companies to use the internet to connect with customers, partners, suppliers, and other stakeholders. This helps businesses build stronger relationships and better understand customer needs.
For example, as soon as a field technician gets assigned to the job, the customer gets notified with the technician’s details and the ETA. This keeps the customer informed about timely service delivery.
iv) Enhanced Coordination Between Field Service Teams
Service teams often work together to solve complex problems, whether it’s fixing a broken appliance or installing a spare part. But communication can be difficult when you don’t know what each person does every day, or where they do it. This lack of visibility makes it harder to collaborate intelligently.
With remote field service collaboration software, field service teams can easily find out what someone else is working on, without having to ask. They can also discover what questions other team members might have about their job, and provide guidance and remote assistance. Everyone involved can see exactly what’s happening, making it easier to collaborate and communicate.
For example, if the assigned technician is facing difficulty in repairing a customer’s equipment, he/she can quickly get remote assistance from his colleague remotely via real-time collaboration software. This eliminates the need for additional service visits or extended service times.
v) Improved Business Efficiency
Real-time collaboration tools reduce the time spent communicating via email and phone calls, saving field service businesses money. Additionally, real-time collaboration software enables field service professionals to access data and files from anywhere, anytime, which improves productivity and reduces downtime.
Unoservice collaborative software allows technicians to share documents, on-site work images and video and generate invoices right from their mobile devices. Field service management becomes easier with collaborative tools as it helps managers retrieve real-time data about the jobs.
These tools give field service organizations the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, which increases overall performance and efficiency.
Conclusion
Real-time collaboration tools allow field service professionals to collaborate effectively and efficiently while working remotely.
Field service management software comes integrated with a real-time collaboration tool that allows field service providers to manage their workforce remotely. This includes managing schedules, tracking expenses, and monitoring performance metrics.
Try Unoservice FSM software for free to see how to benefit from real-time collaboration in field service business.
Frequently Asked Questions about Real-time Collaboration in Field Service Business
How Do You Manage A Field Service Team?
To keep track of the field service tasks that need to be completed, field service managers rely heavily on field service software. Field service apps like Unoservice give managers access to reports and data that help them plan ahead, schedule repairs, and communicate effectively with their staff. Field service management software also provides tools that let field service managers monitor the status of jobs and track progress. By keeping tabs on the performance of individual workers, managers can quickly identify any problems and take action accordingly.
What Are Field Service Agents?
Field service agents are employees of a company who go out to clients’ locations to perform maintenance and repair tasks. These jobs may include anything from fixing air conditioners to installing security cameras. Field service agents are responsible for communicating with clients and coordinating repairs. They also keep track of client requests and communicate any changes to the job status. Field service agents are sometimes called technicians or engineers.
What is a real-time application?
A real-time application is any software program that enables two or more parties to communicate with each other in real time. A real-time application is different from a traditional email system because it doesn’t require a sender to wait until the recipient receives the message before sending it. Instead, both senders and receivers can see messages appear almost immediately.
Why is real-time collaboration helpful in field service business?
Real-time communication is especially useful for businesses that rely heavily on face-to-face interactions. These tools let us communicate instantly, regardless of location, without having to wait until everyone gets together physically. It is a great solution for field service teams that collaborate together on field service projects.