These are undoubtedly unprecedented times, which have caused important changes for field service companies and the way they manage work with their custom field service software, like Synchroteam.
Now that we’re already in mid-2020, it’s time to take a look back at the past six months and analyze the top trends in field service. A necessary time to take a break, reflect on what has happened so far and foresee possible effects on the remainder of 2020.
The impact of coronavirus in field service
Like it or not, COVID-19 is the main character in this year. The pandemic seems to be under control in some countries while some others are still facing a terrible battle against it. No matter what the current situation is in your area, the truth is that coronavirus is here to stay, at least for the time being – or until we have a reliable, safe medical treatment or vaccine.
The sanitary emergency has caused a huge impact across all industry sectors, of course and including field service. What’s more, the effects of these disruptions are expected to be deep-reach and long-term. It’s just something not even the most advanced custom field service software could have predicted.
We’ve already talked about how field service companies like yours can adapt to the new situation we’re living in 2020. In previous posts, we’ve covered important points such as keeping your technicians and customers safe, allowing working from home whenever possible, and making the most of the features included in your custom field service software to digitize all sorts of tasks.
The main takeaway of these articles, also considering the impact COVID-19 is having in the industry worldwide, is that now technology is more important than ever. While we’ve always defended the idea of a technology-based field service company, adopting the appropriate custom field service software right now can help your business communicate, operate and work through the coronavirus crisis without losing too much along the way.
Improving operations in field service
Another key element for field service companies in 2020 is optimization, especially when applied to daily tasks such as scheduling and team dispatching. Besides, these are precisely two areas in which the usage of a custom field service software can be more helpful.
When you rely on people’s memories (or just the good old pen and paper), you’re prone to mistakes. You don’t even need to be running a large company; a medium-sized team is already complicated enough to try to manage it on your own.
A proper custom field service software application can be the perfect ally in task scheduling and team dispatching. It helps you automate the whole process, thus making a better use of your time. And the more tasks you can fit in in your work hours, the more money you make – it’s as simple as that!
Investing in technology to improve results
It’s not just a question of using a custom field service software in your company. In general terms, technology can help you improve many aspects in your daily business. And with the coronavirus pandemic, it has become even more important.
The adoption of tech solutions in field service means also, for instance, using mobile devices to access necessary information about your customers anytime, anywhere. Or making use of GPS devices in your vans to plan the best route to the next job – saving both time and fuel.
And what about technology in COVID-19 times? Well, think about being able to assess a customer’s HVAC installation in a video call, or sending your invoices via email in order to maintain social distance. Little changes in our daily working routines that may as well save lives!