When I was running my irrigation business, I knew there were things I could change to be more efficient. I could have updated my equipment on a more regular basis to ensure the guys were given the best tools to do the best work. I could have also delegated tasks more appropriately so that I was not trying to take on more tasks than I could handle to run my business efficiently. The point is, in hindsight, there are always things you could have done differently to be more efficient or profitable and there are some things you may not have even known you needed.
We find this to be very true when it comes to service scheduling software. A lot of field service business owners do not usually realize that they can benefit greatly from a software solution. Since it is not always apparent when a company will need service scheduling software, we have compiled a list of signs that your company may be ready to install a scheduling system into your daily work flow.
- Paper Overload – Are the desks in your office overrun by papers? Is it a paper shuffling mess when a customer calls in? Does it take longer than a few minutes to answer a customer’s questions and get them scheduled? This is your very first sign it is time for service scheduling software.
When paper overruns your system, you are not being efficient. Paper takes time away from your office staff serving customers and from your technicians completing jobs in an efficient manner. - Frustrated Customers – Do you or your office staff receive calls from customers wondering where their technician is or why no one showed up to their property the other day? Frustrated customers should be another sign it may be time to invest in service scheduling software. When your customers start to complain or have issues with how your company is run, you will want to act quickly.
Installing a system to manage every tech’s schedule, as well as any notes that may have been made about the specific customer, can help immensely when that frustrated customer calls in. With field service software, once the information is entered in once, it stays in the system forever. No more double entry. The office is able to see every tech’s schedule easily, and determine who is the best to service the customer based on schedules and the service required. - Frustrated Employees – Do you have both office and staff frustrations coming up weekly? Are techs unsure of important, specific details when they arrive at a customer’s property? Is the office struggling to keep up and frustrated with the lack of organization? This may be another sign your company is ready to implement service scheduling software.
With service scheduling software, all employees are able to see the same information. If the office enters a note along with the appointment that the customer has a large dog, the field will be aware of this fact as well. If the technician’s earlier job is running into the time for the next appointment, the field can notify the office so they may contact the customer. Service scheduling software allows the entire company to be on the same page, decreasing the amount of frustration occurring due to lack of communication. - Lack of Profit Increase – While insufficient profit growth could be due to a number of factors, one reason can be to the lack of an efficient and effective system.
We recently released the results to our Green Industry Benchmark Report, containing valuable information for green industry professionals. Among other things, it was found that those with field service software, saw a greater increase in profit than those who did not. Download the Green Industry Benchmark Report for more information.
There are many other signs that can tell you your company is in need of service scheduling software, these are just a few of the more prominent reasons companies choose to use this solution. Even if your company is not experiencing any of the above mentioned signs, your company may still be in need of scheduling software. We hear our customers say all the time, “We didn’t even know we needed this until we didn’t have it.” For more information about HindSite’s service scheduling software, click here.