The post-pandemic crisis, the war in Ukraine, disruptions in the supply chain, lockdowns in China… These are certainly hard times. And all of these problems have a clear negative impact on business growth, including the field service area. Recession is already affecting the economy in many countries worldwide, so it’s time to take action. In this situation, the best you can do as a field service company manager is to trust a good, solid job scheduling software to help you manage your workload and navigate these dangerous waters.
With the current situation, many different companies are already facing really harsh decisions. Some of them have had to lay off part of their staff, even if it’s only temporarily. In this context of economic crisis, the natural reaction is to look for an optimized, more efficient way to work. And job scheduling software apps such as Synchroteam are the answer. Even better: they’ll help you not only be more effective, but also increase productivity.
So, how can field service companies remain competitive in the middle of recession? What’s more, is there a way they can even grow their business? With the support of job scheduling software, here’s three ways service businesses can thrive through difficult times like these.
Remote service and self service
Frontline service is one important area. During the pandemic, we witnessed how crucial field service technicians were. Besides that, the demand for touchless service sparked a rise both in self- and remote services – especially related to equipment maintenance.
Reduced travel times helped businesses become more efficient. Also, these schedules were a lot easier to manage with the right job scheduling software. Customers frequently appreciated quicker fixes—at least for minor issues—and everything was quickly managed through the field service management app. Even after the worst times of the pandemic, this transformation has continued in time. Now it can help businesses cut expenses while simultaneously improving repairing times.
Predictive maintenance
IoT (Internet of things) and AI (artificial intelligence) are key elements in this. Aside from the current economic pressure, automation is becoming more and more crucial because of the aging workforce and the change in customer expectations. And this is another area where job scheduling software works as a great companion.
Automation has reached a level of development where it begins to provide real advantages in field service maintenance jobs. Technology is enabling capabilities like predictive analysis, which can assess the current condition of machines and system installations in real-time.
With less travel time, more precise part ordering, less downtime for customers, and higher customer satisfaction, field technicians can manage workload more efficiently in their job scheduling software apps. Getting there needs two crucial elements, though: a change in workforce management mindset, and interconnected systems that can work with each other.
Actionable data
While data silos continue to be an issue in field service, some businesses have started to exchange data internally thanks to job scheduling software. Unfortunately, a lot of these companies still find it difficult to act on this data.That is, turn a bunch of figures and turn it into actionable tasks that improve daily workflows.
Companies attempting to use predictive analytics will find it difficult to solve this data quality issue. The problem is that many of these businesses are also struggling with outdated technology or overlapping fragmented solutions. The adoption of job scheduling software can help you detect inconsistencies, and streamline the company’s working system.
This is undoubtedly a time of many relevant challenges that need to be overcome. But luckily for us the job scheduling software apps available to field service teams are smarter than ever before. They give businesses the chance to not only weather any economic storm but to actually prosper in it.
Understanding productivity in both good and bad times is directly related to anticipating faults, failures, and customer requirements. And these are all areas in which Synchroteam can help. But don’t just take our word for granted! Download the free demo now and give it a try!
Image by Karolina Grabowska
