Easily Shortlist & Compare Field Service Management Software That Meets Your Job Scheduling & Tracking Needs.

What Is Field Service Management Software?

Field Service Management Software is an end-to-end solution that tracks and manages all field service tasks and operations from customer requests to service delivery.

FSM Software enables field service managers to improve their decision-making based on data when it comes to tracking, managing, scheduling, and dispatching technicians, engineers, and other field staff. It provides capabilities to:

• Record details about the field assets, jobs, technicians, contractors, spare parts, quotes, and logistics
• Log jobs against field assets
• Plan and schedule jobs in real-time
• Provide frameworks and checklists to complete jobs
• Ensure jobs are taken and completed safely meeting SLAs
• Provide a framework to comply with health and safety standards
• Ensure spare parts can be ordered and made available for the jobs
• Quote on jobs
• Take orders for jobs
• Manage field service technicians via an iOS or Android mobile app

By tracking and analysing operational data from one dashboard, field service managers and back-office staff can better report on:

• An engineer's first time fix rates
• Jobs completed per engineer
• The number of jobs that are currently open
• Warranty information related to spare parts and labour
• Replacement parts purchased in the last month
• Team KPIs and target progress

Our expert’s view on Field Service Management Software

"Without software, I don’t think you would see half of the delivery that you see in the UK now… software will quite often predict what can happen. Now, we’re moving into a world with AI. It’s becoming even better, because AI would look at it and go, “We know the M42 ran by Birmingham Airport is gridlocked between three and six normally.” So that engineer might look like he’s only five minutes away. But truth be known, he’s going to be two hours. Without [software], I think we will probably be needing four or five times the amount of people, which means costs go up for the customers."

Adam Neale, Head of Advanced Field Services

Core Features of Field Service Management Software

Dynamic Scheduling and Dispatch

Automated and dynamic job scheduling capabilities enable field service managers to assign field staff more efficiently. When a work order or customer request is created, scheduling can be set on triggered events or pre-defined calendars.

This ensures that the technician with the matching skills, qualifications, and experience required for the job is assigned. While also taking into account factors such as:

• Worker availability
• Contractor or sub-contractor agreements
• SLA agreements
• Availability of spare or replacement parts
• Job and worker location/route planning

Video: Estates & Assets Director at Serco Health, Greg Markham, talks about the future possibilities of using tech such as HoloLens and VR to have real-time 3D walkthroughs with engineers across multiple sites.

Vehicle and Engineer Tracking

Real-time tracking is a key feature of any field service management solution. It allows managers to track their mobile workforce and vehicles with GPS capabilities, showing their location on a live map. By doing so, engineers closest to a job can be assigned, reducing customer wait times.

Tracking features are also used to plan and optimise driving routes. By seeing real-time traffic updates, workers can gauge an estimated time of arrival and pre-warn customers of any delays via text or email.

Digital Billing & Invoicing

Digital invoicing and billing features enable engineers to create invoices and receipts as soon as a job is complete. By using mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, field workers can produce customer, professional-looking invoice templates and take payments via Stripe.

This capability reduces the chances of non-payments once a job is complete, as well as reducing the effort taken to follow up with customers over unpaid invoices.

Digitise Job Sheets

Field Service Management Software provides the tools that allow managers to store all job information on digital job sheets. This allows information such as job type, location, expected completion time, and parts needed to be shown on an engineer's mobile device. As opposed to having to travel to the office to get a paper job sheet or work from whiteboards.

Mobile App

Using mobile apps allows office-based staff to easily connect with workers in the field. Mobile access allows workers to have access to data anywhere at any time. Meaning they don’t have to travel back to the on-site office. Engineers can remotely access calendars, inventory, and resources. All of which can assist them in completing a job without delays.

Effectively improving first-time fix rates and delivering good service to customers. Having mobile access enables field staff to:

• See job information on tablets, mobiles, and laptops
• Access job checklists
• Update job progress and status
• Track spare parts and inventory
• Take customer payment and send digital invoices

Work Order Management Alerts

Managers can track jobs from planning to completion with the right service management tools. They can gain visibility of each job and work order from a centralised dashboard. This lets them know when a job is complete or if a job will be delayed. Work can be updated by an engineer on the job on a mobile app. Resulting in a live job status update for managers.

Contract and SLA Management

Contract management tools provide easy access for office-based staff to have an overview of each customer contract. This ensures service level agreements (SLAs) are being tracked and met during each job.

Inventory & Spare Parts Management

Real-time inventory management lets field workers know what spare parts are available. Making sure they have the equipment required to complete a job. If a part is not available, workers can place an order and track its delivery.

Reporting and Data Analytics

Service teams use Field Service Management Software as a central place for information. They set it up to capture and relay data effectively. Using that data to draw insights and identify trends. Ultimately making transformational service level decisions based on data. Reports can be generated for serval tasks, including:

• Service incidents and status by customers
• Job completion metrics by technicians
• Profitable service jobs
• Loss-making service calls
• Adherence to SLAs
• Threshold ordering for parts
• Spare parts management
• Vehicle servicing management

Best Field Service Solutions For SMBs and Enterprises

For Small Businesses

Small field service companies will have certain requirements that are unique to their operations;

• Recording jobs, quoting for jobs, and completing jobs
• There is less emphasis on complex planning and scheduling of jobs
• Van stock, insurance, and completing jobs on time and for a profit quite often are the priorities
• Basic reporting

Clockwork IT Service Management Software

Clockwork IT offers a service management solution with powerful tools. Helping businesses to take control of their service quotes, stock, and billing processes. Clockwork provides strong mobile capabilities. Designed for field-based operatives to complete all ‘paperwork’ and compliance processes whilst on the job.

FaultFixers

FaultFixers is designed for field service teams who want to move away from spreadsheets and paper. It is a simple mobile-app based product designed for simple field jobs. Simplicity, Ease of Use and SMB focussed pricing are the key reasons it is one of the best products for the SMB Market.

pro-Forms

pro-Forms combines field assets tracking along with personalised forms so that SMB field service teams get a system which works for them. pro-Forms has a very experienced team who are adept at providing SMB field management systems hence are one of the best options for SMB teams

For Midsized and Medium Businesses

Field service management systems for medium businesses focuses mainly on:

• Providing common visibility and clarity about field service jobs to office based teams and field technicians
• Moderate planning and scheduling based on skills, availability, and cost
• Quotation creation and approval processes
• Time, labour, and parts invoicing
• Fleet availability
• Van stock
• Notes and messages management between field and office based teams
• Reporting on quotes to jobs, first time fix rates, Spare parts, Invoicing, Productivity by teams, and KPIs set by the field service teams

INFRASPEAK

INFRASPEAK uses field service asset data and your field service goals to deliver an intelligent field maintenance product that is light on data input. It takes a platform oriented approach which means it can address complex field service requirements and is yet fully scalable.

IFS Field Service Management Software

IFS Field Service Software offers a best-in-class service management system. Capabilities include spare parts management and service contract management. IFS is a true end-to-end solution that improves business efficiency. Ensuring fast response times and real-time reactivity.

Totalmobile

Totalmobile’s service management solution aims to drive improvement. As well as increase control across all aspects related to the delivery of field-based services. It enables companies to manage upcoming tasks, schedule work, and collect data. Totalmobile aims to deliver a tool that improves cloud-based management.

For Large Businesses and Enterprises

Field service management for enterprise business is often complex. Evolution of ENT businesses, acquisition assets, legacy systems, a ‘we have always done it that way’-approach, and high volume jobs often require Field Service Management Software that can be configured and reconfigured as the business changes. When searching the market, enterprise organisations focus on:

• Relevant and contextual information about the field assets, jobs, technicians, contractors, spare parts, quotes ,and logistics based on a role
• Log jobs against the field assets
• Recommend solutions to jobs after they are logged
• Self-service solution to jobs
• Manual, algorithmic, automated and dynamic planning, and scheduling of jobs
• Fleet assignment
• Fleet tracking
• Fleet maintenance
• Spare parts management
• Provide a simple framework to complete jobs
• Use of augmented reality for skilled technicians to assist new technicians on jobs
• Use of Machine Learning/Artificial intelligence to offer predictive service management
• Integration with sensors
• Ensure jobs are taken and completed safely
• Provide a framework to comply with health and safety standards
• Ensure spare parts can be ordered and made available for the jobs
• Quote on jobs
• Take orders for jobs
• Provide an iOS or Android mobile App for technicians
• Issue certificates
• Report on, first time fix rates, jobs completed per technicians, jobs open, warranty information, replacement parts, and KPI’s and parameters decided by the field service management team
• Analytics on improving first time fix rates, identifying service jobs before they are logged, improving remote fixes, reducing cost per service, improving technicians to jobs assignment, integration, and data collection from sensors

IFS Field Service Management Software

IFS Field Service Software offers a best-in-class service management system. Capabilities include spare parts management and service contract management. IFS is a true end-to-end solution that improves business efficiency. Ensuring fast response times and real-time reactivity.

SERVICEMAX.

ServiceMax is for asset-centric service providers. It can automate complete service supply chain. It comes with pre-built service workflows and a 'No-Code' service workflow designer. ServiceMax is built by field service engineers so from the ground up is designed to deliver on field service goals.

Hitachi's Lumada

Lumada from Hitachi is an enterprise field service management product for servicing critical field assets. It is hardware-agnostic and built to manage high value critical field assets and service processes. It integrates with legacy systems and is implemented by Industry experts.

Benefits of Field Service Management Software

End-to-end Job Management

The main functionality of a field service solution is to provide a complete overview of the job management process, from job planning to service delivery. Having all of this information in oney system allows decision-makers to understand what is working and what can be improved on in the service delivery process.

Improve Service Delivery Outcomes and Meet KPIs

By giving technicians and engineers access to the right information (like manuals and tutorials, spare part inventory lists, job information, and more) in a mobile app, the chances of a successful service delivery are greatly improved. That helps businesses to meet targets such as first-time fix rates and one-time job completion rates.

Increase Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) and Retention Rates

Customers expect quick and quality service delivery. By utilising Field Service Management Software tools to increase the chances of quality service and one time fixes, CSAT rates sky rocket. This leads to receiving good feedback (which can be used in marketing efforts against competing businesses) and a higher chance of retaining that customer's business.

Quickly Dispatch Engineers When and Where Required

Field Service Management Software allows managers to be more dynamic and flexible with job scheduling. Managers can load data into a system and automate the tasks of dispatching engineers. Looking at skills, location, and workload to assign the right worker to the right job. Tools include:

• Real-time calendar view to know which technicians are available and when
• GPS tracking and route planning to calculate a worker’s proximity to a job
• Access to a worker’s labour rate and job knowledge

Podcast: Adam Neale, former UK Field Engineering Director at BT, talks about how AI and connective technology can improve the time taken to assign, schedule and dispatch engineers before failure occurs.

Open Communication Channels Between Office and Field Staff

With Field Service Management Software, all employees have access to a shared dashboard, which includes information that both on-site and off-site workers need such as job requirements and customer information. Without a single point of access, workers rely on job details being sent via email or over the phone, which means information can be delayed or even false.

Different Types of FSM Software Delivery

Cloud Field Service Management Software

Cloud computing is a cost-effective method offering a fast-paced delivery of software. A vendor hosts their application in-house and on their own servers. Companies wanting to use that product then rent access via the internet.

There are three types of cloud-based Field Service Management Software. Each one provides users with different capabilities.

• Public Cloud: Public cloud is the most common type of cloud computing. It refers to accessing a service, typically SaaS, over the internet from a third party vendor.
• Private Cloud: Private cloud services refer to an application used by a single service provider. It can be located on-site, similar to an on-premise solution.
• Hybrid: A hybrid cloud service combines the qualities of both public and private. In some cases offering greater flexibility and security.

To access cloud FSM software, service providers typically pay a monthly subscription. In the form of a pay-as-you-go payment. Cloud-based Field Service Management Software offers multiple benefits, including:

• No hardware, up-front, or set-up costs
• Fast deployment
• Support from IT professionals
• The flexibility of using it anywhere at any time
• Receiving automated security updates

The delivery of cloud Field Service Management Software can be broken down into three categories. These include Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS). As well as software as a service (SaaS).

• IaaS: The most basic category of cloud computing where companies rent IT infrastructure.
• PaaS: Levelling up from IaaS, PaaS provides tools to build applications. As well as renting IT infrastructure.
• SaaS: This is the most popular cloud computing service among field service companies. SaaS vendors host an application, provide the infrastructure, and handle maintenance. Including security patches and updates. Providing access over the internet on a mobile app.

Open Source Field Service Management Software

Open-source Field Service Management Software is a free and popular choice for businesses. It is an application whose source code is openly available and operating with an open licence. Allowing programmers and developers to edit a software’s foundations. Helping to build unique features that a business requires. Such as appointment scheduling, job management, and contract management.

The benefits of choosing an open-source FSM software product include:

• No licence fees
• Unlimited modifications
• No restrictions

However, there are risks when it comes to deploying open-source software, including:

• Lack of security
• No warranty
• Quality of software

An opposite approach to open-source FSM software is proprietary software. This refers to a product that can only be modified by its creator. Be that an individual developer or an organisation.

Who Uses Field Service Management Software?

Field Service Management Software is used to connect, assign, and dispatch workers in the most efficient way possible. The features found in an FSM solution allows it to be used by anyone working in the field service sector. Particularly those businesses that find themselves regularly moving from on-site to off-site locations, including:

• Electricians
• Plumbers
• Energy providers
• Landscaping
• Pest control

Field Service Software can also be utilised by numerous personnel within a business. It is used by managers, engineers, office staff, customers, and fleet managers.

Managers use it to assign workers to job sites. Office staff use it to provide customers with real-time location updates. Accounting teams use it for invoicing and payments. Field workers use it to access information such as resources and inventory updates.

Managers and Supervisors

Real-time tracking and speedy communication have propelled the efficiency of assigning jobs. Managers can assign workers in the proximity of a job request and schedule jobs with advanced warning. As well as dispatch their more qualified workers to a particular job. This helps to increase the chances of a first-time fix as well as improve customer service levels.

Office-Based Staff

With the right FSM tools, on-site staff are easily able to connect with workers in the field. This helps to improve the collaboration between both teams and increase the speed of data input. Including hours logged, job status, job completions, and payments processed.

Field Workers

Workers have access to a shared dashboard that provides them with real-time updates on things like job locations and inventory levels. This helps to accelerate job completions and ensures that each worker is prepared when going to a job. Without service management tools, workers are more reliant on manual approaches and office staff relaying job information, which results in delays and unsatisfied customers.

Discover best ways to better understand your field service engineers

Just a decade ago, working off pen and paper, where there would be 4 copies (one for the customer, one for the service technician, one for the back office, and one for finance) of a job card, was a normal practice. Whilst job sheets still exist, they are somewhat less visible.

Service technicians now fully understand the importance of good service data. Easily accessing the information on Open Jobs, Job Types, First-Time Fix Rates, Quotes, and many other aspects of the jobs, helps technicians to be more productive.

Most technicians also fully appreciate that tech, not pen and paper, is the way forward. Hence there is increasing adoption of the use of field service mobile apps by service technicians.

Customers

Businesses have the option to share certain details regarding a job and their workers with their customers. This provides customers with real-time location updates to know exactly when a technician will be arriving.

5 Steps to Find the Best Field Service Management Software For Your Needs

There are 5 steps to finding the right Field Service Management Software for you;

1. Map out the end user experience that you would like to provide and then work backwards to find the right Field Service Management Solution.
2. Identify Your Field Service Requirements and then shortlist Field Service Management solutions.
3. Identify the gaps in your field service delivery and then find the right field service solutions.
4. Collaborate with your Back-Office and On-the-Field Technicians and Users to identify Field Service systems that will really get adopted by your team.
5. Keep researching the internet till you feel you have found the right solution.

There is no one way to find the right FSM software for your business. Yet there are well-known considerations you can use to find the right FSM tool for your business.

Key Points to Consider Before Picking Your Service Management System

• Your team’s digital experience of using software tools and apps
• Simplicity of your requirements
• Clarity of your goals with the FSM system
• End User’s expectations from your field service management
• The importance of Field Service to your overall business
• The Speed at which you would like to implement the new system

Key Questions to Identify Your Field Service Management Requirements

• How do end customers log service requests?
• How are jobs scheduled (either by priority, technical availability, parts availability, or completion time)?
• How do field staff communicate with office-based staff?
• Are services updated and is it by the customer, job status, or billing?
• How do office-based teams process service requests and information?
• What are the top 3 gaps in your field service management?

Once current field service tasks are outlined, the next step is to identify gaps and challenges. When doing so, businesses should separate challenges into distinct groups:

Service Management Gaps

The key to improving efficiency is to have clear guidelines regarding operations. This is something that all field service managers can relate to. Logical service management challenges include:

• Not meeting SLAs
• Inconsistent job completion times
• Delays to jobs due to inaccurate inventory
• Not assigning the right field technician to a job

Information and Visibility Gaps

To improve the customer experience and increase job completion rates, information is essential. Several users require information about a job. Including field staff, supervisors, and customers. Having the right data helps to:

• Assign a qualified worker to the right job
• Increase first-time fix rate
• Avoid delays due to the availability of spare parts
• List Desired Field Service, Workforce, and Commercial Outcomes

Leading field service businesses set clear goals. For instance, if a business receives 300 job requests per month, its total service management costs will be £400,000. The average service time would be 90 minutes. But, with a field service system in place, a business can improve its targets. Instead, it can set a target to reduce field service costs to £300,000. Whilst also reducing the average service time to 60 minutes.

Example of Field Service Management Goals

Focus On the Features That Work For You

Most Field Service Management tools have comprehensive features. The best field service teams focus on features that are important for them. Below are some of the questions that may help you to focus on the key features that your back-office and field service team will use.

• What value does this feature add to a service team?
• Can this feature be used by all stakeholders?
• Will this feature help meet KPIs?
• Is training required to use this feature?
• Are their legal requirements needed to use this feature? (compliance, GDPR laws, privacy policies, etc.)

Start to Shortlist Field Service Management Software Options

Whilst most field service management products look similar, there are key differences. Each variation makes a big impact on a business’s ROI. For instance, some systems will prioritise ease of logging service information. While others may focus more on mobile planning.

When finding a solution, a company should have a list of products to compare. Ideally, this list should consist of five different solutions. Once listed, an evaluation team can begin to compare each field service tool:

• Does it match core requirements?
• Is it easy to use?
• Would it be a good industry fit?
• Is it easy to deploy?
• Do teams and employees need to be trained?
• What type of solution is it? (web-based, cloud-based, on-premise, or open-source)

Use ROI to Get Buy-In From Decision-Makers

Clear and fact-based ROI will get you the speed of decision-making. Taking a numbers based approach to get the Buy-In is the easiest way to get the tool you want.

For example, a business has budgeted £23,000 per year on Field Service Management Software. They know that this tool will save them £38,000 per year. Meaning they’ll recover their investment in nine months.

Other Key Factors to Consider

Access a Free Trial or Field Service Management Software Demo

Most buyers don’t speak with a vendor’s existing customers. But, by doing so, it can give validation about the product. As well as how well the implementation was and how good the support is.

Your Contract with your Field Service Management Software

Licensing conditions need to be clearly understood. When buying cloud-based software, businesses are only renting the software. As well as the storage space needed to hold their customer and job data. A business should be aware of what happens to their data after payments have stopped.

If purchasing an open-source field service management product, there are other considerations. A business will need to have a clear understanding of how to install the product. As well as how they’re going to configure it and get support.

Fully Understand Your Vendor’s Support and Training

Although the chosen product may seem easy to use, field and office staff will require basic training. This can be in the form of reading or attending webinars and classes. Most UK-based products come with support included in the pricing. Yet it’s worth cross-checking support terms with the vendor. Understanding a vendor’s training processes also indicates their quality of support. As well as how quickly they’ll be able to resolve problems in the future.