Field force management, also referred to as field service management (FSM), is an aspect of workforce management that refers to managing resources that are used at locations outside of company property. This can include tracking vehicles, field sales, scheduling and dispatching workers, ensuring safety procedures are being followed, and managing the actual activity of field personnel. All of these aspects must then be incorporated with the management of other on-site aspects, such as billing, inventory control, and employee systems. If proper field force management is not enacted, it can lead to customer disappointments, low productivity, and dangerous situations.
Because field force management has so many variables, many organizations are turning to the cloud and field force management software to help track everything and ensure it runs smoothly. A typical field force management system will include back-end software that is accessible from both mobile apps and computing devices. Cloud services allow for large amounts of data collection and analysis, which makes managing field services easier. By analyzing data, organizations can anticipate how long a service call should take, identify recurring issues, and determine the best route for field personnel to take on their travels. Field force software can also incorporate tests and diagnostic software that can be run in real time to assist in troubleshooting in the field.
A cloud field service management solution can help organizations through:
- Intelligent scheduling: Through the use of data analysis, FSM software can analyze not only what field services need to be performed, but also the best route for the field agent to get there. This increases productivity and can help decrease time spent en route. It can also help identify which employees are taking longer than expected to complete field service operations so that proper training can be implemented to resolve the issue.
- Real time tracking: Organizations can use mobile apps to not only track where company vehicles go, but also what sales are being made by employees as they happen. Rather than having to return to the office to charge a customer, they can process payments immediately through the app. Tracking can also be used to identify widespread problems so that an investigation can quickly be launched.
- Increased customer satisfaction: By using detailed root-cause analytic software, organizations can quickly identify problems and reduce repeated service calls. This also allows organizations to implement guided resolution steps that can reduce the need for employees to go to a customer’s house for repairs.
- Improved communications: The integration of back-end services with easy-to-use software for field employees can allow organizations and employees to easily communicate about any issues that may happen in the field. This increased communication also applies to clients, as status updates can be set to automatically send when field staff are within a certain range of a client’s location so that they can easily know when someone will be arriving to provide a service, delivery, or information.
- Saving time and money: By combining multiple tools and software suites into one cloud platform, organizations can reduce their capital expenditures (CAPEX) and make it quick and easy for field staff to find the information or software that they need.