White Paper: Mobile App Features that will Transform the ... App Features that will... · your...

0800 0931 474 | www.mplsystems.co.uk | [email protected]

This paper outlines the 8 key features that you should look for when considering investing in a field service mo-bile app. These features will boost the efficiency of your workforce while simultaneously empowering them to

deliver a better customer experience.

www.mplsystems.co.uk

White Paper: Mobile App Features that will Transform the Efficiency of your Field Based Workforce


8 Simple Features to Improve the Efficiency of your Field Based Mobile App

In an age dictated by fierce competition and autonomous consumers with reduced loyalty, getting the mobile solution right for your field workers is key to transforming the customer experience and increasing operational efficiency. After one bad ex-

perience with a company, frustrated customers will no longer complain about poor service, but instead, swiftly switch to a new provider.

Field service management was once about complex scheduling systems with simple mobile apps, which provided workers with job details and not much else. However, with considerable advances in technology, any organisation, regardless of vertical, with a field based workforce of any size, can now take advantage of a huge range of

functionalities from modern mobile applications.

Paper Contents:

• Introduction• Features:• 1. GPS tracking• 2. Book stock & parts management• 3. Predictive analytics• 4. Knowledge base & collaboration• 5. Audit trails & managing customer contracts• 6. Instant job management & intelligent scheduling• 7. Empower technicians to upsell & add value• 8. Dynamic forms• Striking a balance • Summary


Basic functionalities of a traditional field service mobile app (left) in comparison to a possible advanced home screen view (right)

Introduction

In today’s generation, mobile devices and apps are continuously advancing. With the field-based team representing the face of the company, it is crucial that they have the most efficient tools; devices and apps to hand. This will lead to benefits such as reduced costs and wasted visits; boosted efficiency of routing and optimisation of potential revenue streams.

Whether you are a Service Manager considering your first investment, or an upgrade for your existing software, this paper will outline eight value adding functionalities, beyond the basic, for the mobile app.

The features considered in this paper will help to ensure that mobile technicians will be able to execute customer requests, changes and scheduled jobs in the most efficient and professional manner. It is no longer simply about field technicians being at the right place at the right time with the right parts, but also about them being empowered to excel in the service that they offer and their ability to provide additional services.


8 Features:

1. GPS tracking

A key point of the field service mobile app is GPS tracking, allowing service staff to pinpoint the whereabouts of technicians. By viewing their current status via live data maps, e.g. Google/Bing, a company is able to relay this real-time information to the customer. This could be in response to a customer request, or via a proactive mobile message, displaying the update in a real-time map.

Efficient use of GSP tracking allows for the optimisation of routes. By identifying field technicians’ locations and statuses, time from any early finishes or cancellations can be utilised by re-scheduling new requests, or other logged jobs. This may be done manually, however some systems can automatically re-optimise in real-time.

Each time the schedule is updated in the back office, the field workers’ diaries are also updated, with changes showing up via their integrated mobile apps.

GPS tracking also enables the company to analyse reports showing the amount of time technicians are travelling, against being active on jobs, against downtime. Understanding how productive the workforce is, enables the business to optimise schedules in the future and perhaps change scheduling algorithms, or regional coverage, to ensure a more productive workforce.

30%

Research by the Aberdeen Group in 2015 shows that the average field technician idle time is 30%, thus meaning that there is a considerable scope for a boost in productivity through the use of GPS tracking.


2. Boot stock & parts management

Being able to manage boot stock and parts from the mobile app allows you to get the most from your field based team, ensuring that they have the right parts at the right time. There is nothing more frustrating for a customer than for a technician to visit, diagnose the issue and then arrange a return visit because they don’t have the right part in their van at that time.

With an integrated mobile app, however, when a certain type of job arises that requires a particular asset, the system will intelligently assign it to a field technician who already has that part in their boot stock, thus eliminating the need to reschedule.

Alternatively, due to the app being cohesive with the inventory management solution, if the customer requests a change to the service, requiring different parts or tools, the system will automatically reference stock levels in the technician’s van and order new parts if needed.

Identify fault & new part needed

Assess boot stock & assign technician who has the relevant part

Arrange part delivery to dropbox

Technician requests part

Technician collects part

Technician decrements boot stock

Technician resolves customer request

Customer Request

Inventory Management System

t t t

Automatically generated boot stock management triggered by a customer change request

Determining the field technician’s location via GPS signalling, the software can automatically arrange for parts to be delivered to the technician’s dropbox or pick-up location. Thus, saving the technician the drive back to the warehouse in order to collect it and allowing them to meet customer SLAs and lead times.

With the right stock and parts software within the mobile app, the system will be able to intelligently identify which parts are needed more often, for common faults. After logging the use of these parts in the app, the system will also automatically arrange replenishment of them, either via warehouse distribution or depot pick up. Real-time inventory updates allow you to know where parts are at all times and therefore, ensure optimal stock levels to avoid the risk of losing revenue opportunities.


3. Predictive analytics

Through additional features in the mobile app, dynamic data can be captured at ease. For example, scanning used, or faulty parts, the app automatically triggers an update in stock levels back at the warehouse, as well as in the technician’s van.

The app sends this information from the field, to the back-office, where it can be analysed and acted on. Feeding through to reports, this data can be utilised to project future forecasts and optimise boot stock levels.

Leading companies often apply this system to identify patterns in stock. For example, through analysis of the data, they identify common component faults and/or seasonal demands and then equip their mobile technicians accordingly.

Through the identification and automatically generated alterations of regularly failing components or assets, supervisors are able to analyse data proactively. By looking for patterns in boot stock behaviour trends, they will be able to optimise their manufacturing processes, or parts’ suppliers based on this.

For example, if a particular component keeps failing, the first step is to increase boot stock levels so that field technicians always have that part with them. Following this, the company will need to review preventative maintenance and schedule proactive visits in order to replace faulty parts before the assets stop working.

As part of a longer-term solution, if the particular component that keeps failing is from a supplier, they may want to look at ordering this particular part from a different vendor to ensure a more lasting lifespan. Alternatively, if it is an in-house asset that keeps failing because of a certain component, supervisors may wish to initiate a root cause analysis to review the manufacturing on this part, so that they are able to improve the process to prolong its reliability.


Faulty Component

analysis

supplier

in-house

Change Manufacturer

ChangeProduction

Increase boot stock levels for all technicians

Stronger asset Reduced costs for the company

CustomerSatisfaction

Review preventative maintenance &

schedule proactivevisits

&£ £

£

Using predictive analytics can lead to reduced costs and happier customers

Other aspects of the mobile features can also offer further insight to customer data, for example, customer satisfaction surveys can be configured to automatically feed into reports that are available to management and service desk staff.

4. Knowledge base & collaboration

Leading organisations are increasingly enabling a knowledge base portal within their field technicians’ mobile app functionality. A powerful knowledge base organises your repository of information, experiences and data to help the workforce answer questions and diagnose problems. This information is then easily accessible and shareable, out in the field at any given time.

Enabling access to shared technical information that is updated in real-time, both in the field and back at the office, leads to an enhanced knowledge collaboration within the company. This allows for informed, and therefore improved, decision-making and ultimately better resolution for the customer.


As younger technicians join the team, they often lack the knowledge and experience that the older generation have. However, rather than holding internal training days that result in service delays, with the utilisation of the knowledge base, information and advice can be shared and transferred within minutes while the workforce are out on the road.

With an increasingly curious consumer market, customers have come to expect more from their technicians – the experts. No longer do they expect to deal with separate silos of the company, rather they look to their field technician for training and maintenance advice, as they seek to understand more about why a common fault keeps occurring. Therefore, having access to an internal, reliable knowledge base is much more effective than waiting for an annual update of technical information across the organisation.

A further benefit of this integrated software is that the field technicians are able to conduct quick searches, or scan the online library for critical information. Thus, reducing the need to call the service desk, or wade through huge manuals to find the answer to a query that may occur while on a job. This will increase efficiency and present a more professional demeanour in front of the customer, thus strengthening their confidence in the technician and in turn, the company.

Field Technician’s Mobile App

Search

Manuals

Service updates &notifications

FAQs

Service desk

Rest of the field based workforce

t tt

tt

t

Through the mobile app, the field based technician is no longer isolated but connected to all portals of aid within seconds


5. Audit trails & managing customer contracts

Effectively managing customer contracts in cases where technicians have been outsourced from another company, is essential for information accuracy and efficiency. As they are the main point of contact for the client, it is important that the field technician relays all of the information back to the service company after the job. However, on many occasions there are gaps in the job reports and following a customer chase, it often proves difficult to obtain this missing information straight away, as they need to call the company that they outsourced the technicians from to get an update, before going back to the customer.

The deployment of intelligent software that supports audit trails via the mobile app, avoids delays such as these. When it comes to organising real-time data, it is easy for technicians to collect and record evidence stamps for each customer contract. Audit trails are a thorough functionality that are brought to life with smart phones and continual technology advances.

Reducing the chances of any lost or missing information, trails can include all job details; geo-stamping; photos of visits; travel time and signatures for accepted deliveries.

These uploads can act as evidence that the technician arrived to complete a job, or deliver a part on the agreed date, should they not be met by the receiving party. Voice recording is also available within the mobile app, as this is often crucial for service sectors; e.g. within the financial services.

Furthermore, uploaded information from the mobile app, can easily be made accessible to the client through a secure portal, where they are able to download details of the job at any time, as they are instantly saved to their service history. This gives them detailed information management so that they feel informed and satisfied throughout the process. It also provides a seamless flow of information across the entire customer journey.

With supervisors also able to view and download any information and evidence uploaded to the site, performance monitoring can now extend to the field service sector, thus ensuring continual improvements. Data will be connected and filed with the appropriate contracts, while providing a full view of the business. Through monitoring of this performance, technicians’ whereabouts and attention to detail can be tracked and rectified if necessary.


Audit trails are also particularly useful when carrying out work for other customers. For example, Ecomaster conduct repairs on behalf of various furniture retailers - for their customers, and providing all aspects of the audit trail is imperative for all three parties. Should there be any instances of discrepancy or required referrals later down the line, they will always be able to instantly refer back to the trail. Since Ecomaster deployed mplsystems’ mobile app, they have reported an increase in customer satisfaction as a direct result of providing customers with greater visibility and access.

6. Instant job management & intelligent scheduling

The majority of scheduling systems are too inflexible to deal with constant changes, e.g. customer requests; delays; overruns; etc. The consequence of this is that jobs are often pushed to the next day or back-logged even further.

In order to get the most from the field based team then, companies need to have a mobile software solution that is intelligent and flexible, while also able to automatically respond to new customer queries or emergency work orders.

Setting and altering appointments for field technicians, can be done using a series of customised rules; live feeds and complex algorithms including a range of factors; e.g. traffic; boot stock; postcode region or staff skills. The software pulls in data, such as location and status, directly from technicians in the field, and optimises their schedules according to the specified rules. Updates are then fed directly back out to field technicians, informing them of their updated appointments in real time to ensure the most effective handling.

Accurate scheduling and the ability to manage real-time requests, form the basis of efficient service management. Through real-time scheduling and GPS tracking, progress can be monitored throughout the day. For example; if a technician is stuck in traffic; over-running on a job; caught in a weather incident or detoured by large events and road closures, all of this information will be available without them having to actively notify the customer. Instead, an auto-matic SMS, or proactive outbound call will be enabled to inform the customer, who will then also be able to plan their day accordingly. Changes to job details or appointment times are also instantly uploaded, so that field service time is not wasted with cancelled appointments.

Constantly optimised schedules help to avoid major delays so that the company can meet the customer’s SLA requirements, while ensuring continual improvement in their customer service. Presenting the field technicians with detailed information about the distance between jobs, travel time and the best route to take, can save up to 80% of time spent scheduling jobs on the service desk. Furthermore, this method of working can help technicians get to jobs almost twice as quick as before.

Additionally, service desk staff will usually end up spending considerable time managing such exceptions; seeing the company work to a ratio of 1:20, whereby one service desk member of staff will be managing twenty field based technicians. However, if the system intelligently responded to such exceptions in real-time, they would be able to help many more and therefore improve efficiency rates by working to a preferred ratio of 1:50, or even 1:80. This could also result in reducing the number of staff required to manage exceptions and reallocating them to more value adding tasks.


7. Empower technicians to upsell & add value

For many service-based organisations, around 90% of the contact time that a customer has with the company, is with their field based workers, rather than office based staff. For this reason, it is important that the field technicians are equipped with a connected device that empowers them to quote for new work; order parts or arrange follow-up visits.

Managing changes to customer accounts and jobs while out in the field is integral for technicians in order to deliver the most efficient service possible. Therefore, being able to take payments onsite; agreeing to change payment levels; or arranging new parts/another visit, reduces administration costs for the company, all at the customer’s convenience!

Having the flexibility to manage changes on the fly, also presents the opportunity for mobile technicians to upsell to their customer at any point during the job. For example, while completing the initial task that they were called out for, they may identify something else that also needs attention and be able to fix this for them too. They would then be able to raise a quote and process the extra charge for this, from their mobile app, back to the office, without any further delay or administration costs.

In prime opportunities where the customer is not aware that your field based team may be able to fix certain things, the technician can discuss the potential of extending their account dealings with the company for future call-outs. This way, field technicians can win more business with existing custom-ers, while providing customer care.

£ £

£

£ £

£

££

£

£

£

£

££

£

£ ££

£££

££

£

£

£

£

£

Technicians are able to boost revenue streams through upsells & customer due-diligence


However, it is important to ensure that by empowering the field worker, they are not overloaded with admin following the additional created opportunities. Full integration between the app and back office systems will see the technician’s order automatically invoiced; checked and processed; therefore eliminating duplicate workload and paper based processing later on.

Through full integration with back office systems, such as ERP and CRM, the mobile workforce has instant access to job history and customer records. Equipped with a more detailed understanding of the job, what has happened previously and why, the technicians are able to deliver a more attentive and therefore higher level of customer service excellence.

Furthermore, follow-up jobs can also be scheduled onsite, so that the customer can verbally confirm a time and date that suits them. Thus, freeing agents on the service desk, so that they are able to focus on customers calling in with requests, rather than getting caught up in administration tasks from the field based team.

With full access to the CRM & ERP, field technicians are able to provide a more attentive and thorough customer service

Technician user

interface

CRM ERP

Job History

Asset History

Customer Details

Customer History

Upselling, Campaigns

& Offers

Account & Contract Info

Parts Ordering &

Stock Levels


8. Dynamic forms

Today’s field service mobile apps can often provide dynamic forms for any type of field data collection. Via the integrated software, customer forms can focus on what is needed by each individual company. These requirements may change over time, therefore it is important to ensure that the mobile app you choose, offers forms that can be easily configured and evolve as your requirements develop. Mobile based data collection forms are beneficial in the field, as forms are able to be as complex as necessary and the data collected can expand to anything that the smartphone or tablet can capture, e.g. images; voice recording or location data.

There are also fewer errors and increased efficiency, as data only needs to be captured into the system once and then analysed in real-time back at the office. It is through analysis of this data that companies are able to optimise future operations to ultimately improve customer experience. Therefore, this method does not only provide reliability, but also reduces costs and time, thus helping to improve both customer and in-house SLAs. Increasing collaborative interactions with the customer, dynamic forms also deliver a directly improved customer experience.

Striking a balance

A balance must be looked for when choosing a vendor for additional mobile features. It is important not to overload the data collection process with too many complex forms and fields, as the technicians will circumvent this process and ignore the data collection altogether. Instead, it is crucial that whichever vendor you chose to work with, provides the capability and flexibly to tailor the app and its features for your company’s needs.

A ‘one size fits all’ approach will not work, as the supplier will need to have expertise in all of these areas. They must balance the ease of use of the app functionalities with acceptability from the mobile workforce.

Summary

Field service organisations commonly face the difficult trade-off between managing the pressure on costs, (and so wanting to improve the productivity of the workforce), verses delivering the best customer experience.

With the additional mobile app features, such as those discussed in this paper, companies need struggle with this trade-off no longer. With these functionalities, companies are now able to optimise their scheduling software alongside their field based technicians and service desk staff. They are also able to reduce costs while providing the best customer experience, through specific and regular information updates; meeting customer expectations; being flexible and meeting SLA requirements.


mplsystemsmplsystems are an award-winning provider of field service management software, encompassing everything from workforce scheduling; route optimisation; CRM; contact centre and intelligent self-service technology; to parts and stock management and mobile apps for field based technicians.

Trusted by many of Europe’s top field service organisations to transform customer experience, our service management solution was positioned in Gartner’s latest Magic Quadrant for Customer Engagement. Offering both cloud and premise options, we specialise in configuring end-to-end solutions around an individual organisations’ requirements. Our pioneering scheduling & dispatch software enables responsive optimisation of field technicians and predictive maintenance using IoT and other real-time feeds.

Are you getting the most out of your field service workforce? Contact us to find out how our mobile apps could transform your field based teams.

White Paper: Mobile App Features that will Transform the ... App Features that will... · your...

Documents

Transcript of White Paper: Mobile App Features that will Transform the ... App Features that will... · your...