Mobile technology and cloud based services can change the way you do business. Using mobile technology will not only save you time and money, but it will allow you and your employees more time to invest in sales, marketing and customer service. Business owners are continuously looking for new technology solutions. Consider the five tools listed below to help you drive your Field Service Business forward.
1. Smartphones
Smartphones can help your Field Service Business by:
- Easily downloading and uploading important business files
- Giving employees easy access to the entire client base
- Automatically updating customer information to multiple devices
- Giving immediate access to important documents and apps that can be read or edited in the office or on the road
- Offering GPS navigation and mapping apps to assist with service calls
- Offering synchronizing options to save time
- Offering mobile banking and accounting options
- Showing job details available in the field in real-time
- Showing customer history information
- Keeping accurate statistics when services are delivered by employees
2. Tablets
Storing data in the cloud and using tablets is another great option for your Field Service Business. Tablets can help your Field Service Business by:
- Allowing invoices to be sent directly from the job site
- Offering the ability to use a cloud based electronic calendar
- Helping employees manage appointments from anywhere
- Offering employees the ability to read and edit documents directly from the tablet
- Offering synchronizing options to save you time managing customer information
- Providing a long battery life for doing business
- Offering a light and portable device for employees to use on the go
- Offering employees a way to share videos, websites and presentations with fellow colleagues, business partners and customers
3. Payment Processing
Mobile payments and banking are becoming more and more popular with consumers and small business owners. Now you can send invoices, make estimates, manage sales and expenses with mobile technology. It’s all about convenience for customers and reducing your costs. Mobile payment processes can help your Field Service Business by:
- Offering credit and debit card payments to your customers by using a mobile device
- Creating invoices and doing estimates for customers with ease
- Offering assistance to your employees managing sales and expenses
- Making it convenient for customers to pay for services by phone, tablet or laptop
- Distributing coupons through the payment process for repeat business
- Creating loyalty perks for those customers who have an on-going business relationship with your company
4. Field Service Software
As a small business owner, you’re always looking for ways to improve your business processes and get rid of paper forms. Field Service Software can help you operate your business more efficiently and help you automate time consuming processes. It’s a powerful solution to helping you manage your entire field service operations. Field Service Software can help you by:
- Improving the efficiencies of your field processes
- Increasing productivity of your field workers by saving time
- Offering customers and employees real-time reporting options
- Providing easy schedule management for your employees
- Managing service calls with ease
- Managing equipment costs, invoicing and dispatching
- Improving customer communication
- Helping generate and manage new customer leads
- Handling repair records and parts ordering
5. Mobile Printers
You have a mobile work force, why not provide a mobile printer for you field service employees? It may be time to give your employees a portable office on the road. It will help them save time, money and increase productivity. This portable option will give them freedom to make calls, deliver services, offer contracts and deliver receipts. Below are some benefits of using mobile printing for your small field service business.
- Mobile printers can be connected with Bluetooth to GPS units for your business vehicles
- Easy and convenient mobile printing for invoices, receipts, contracts and important documents
- On-demand printing from anywhere your employees may be working
- An easy way for employees to edit and revise documents on the go
- Allows printing from multiple devices
- Mobile printers are durable and can withstand being carted from place to place
- Mobile printers are easy to operate, portable and self-powered
Technologies are evolving fast, some of which can drastically improve your business. If you haven't tried out some of these options, start doing some research and see if one or more of these technologies can boost your field service business.
