How Field Service Companies Can Prepare for the Busy Season

Spring and summer are to many field service companies what April is to accountants — and in an industry valued at $3.64 billion and projected to reach $6.51 billion by 2026, field service operators have become increasingly challenged to keep pace.  

The availability of mobile and Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions, coupled with the unprecedented adoption of cloud technology by field service companies during the pandemic, has driven digital transformation in this space. Additionally, evolving customer and employee expectations are also driving change.

While mobile solutions deployed with the right field service software are a key part of successfully managing a field service company, they are just one part of operating efficiently. As the busy season kicks off, field service companies should take these additional steps to prepare.

1.  MAKE SURE CUSTOMER CONTACT DATA IS UP TO DATE

People are still making career moves at an unusually high rate as The Great Resignation continues. A LinkedIn survey found that 61 percent of U.S. employees are considering resigning from their current positions in 2023. While that can create an issue for field service workforces directly, it’s also an issue for your company in another way. Your contact last spring or summer may not be the same person you need to work with this year.

Inaccurate information can lead to job delays that can bottleneck a day’s — or even week’s — worth of work orders. Before the busy season is in full swing, take time to ensure the accuracy of data on file, including:

• Name and title of the contact person
• Phone number
• Payment data

Also, make sure the business address is the same. With the work from home trend picking up momentum since 2020, some businesses have moved to smaller locations. Ensure your field team has the right address before setting out.

2.  DO A DEEP DIVE INTO CONTRACTS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Before spring is in full bloom, field service operators should audit business documents, including maintenance agreements, contracts, and training certificates. Central, searchable repositories can help manage and track records while streamlining the renewal process, to ensure that the terms or warranties applied are still relevant and profitable for the business. Additionally, operators can easily manage technician certifications and any upcoming or pending renewals.

Prior to contract renewal, it’s also smart to ensure that your contracts are profitable. While auto-renewing contracts might sound like the best way to increase retention and efficiency, field service companies run the risk of being locked into an agreement that is no longer beneficial for the business. In fact, poor contract management is estimated to cost organizations up to 9 percent of annual revenue. Analyze the work your team performs for clients to ensure you aren’t losing money due to unreasonable customer demands and extra time onsite.

3.  STREAMLINE BILLING AND PAYMENTS

To keep up with the speed of business, field service companies should integrate digital payments with their field service management system. Digital payments not only enhance customer experiences with greater convenience and payment choice, but it also helps you increase operational efficiency and a healthy cash flow. Digital payments are:

• Faster: Digital payments get cash into a business’s account faster than paper statements, which require time to prepare and mail and rely on the customer’s sense of urgency to send back. Also, consider that nearly 50 percent of consumers prefer to pay bills using a mobile wallet or another digital payment method.
• Cost-effective: Yes, you’ll pay fees for digital payment transactions. However, this cost is often less than the labor, paper, postage, and collections processes for paper statements. Additionally, from a collections standpoint, the number of consumers making an “urgent” or same-day bill payment will increase when they can immediately pay with a card or mobile wallet.
• Recurring, if applicable: Your payment solution provider may be able to give you the option to keep a card on file for recurring payments. Customers will view this as a convenience, and your team can save time with a “set-it-and-forget-it” approach during the busy season.

Invest Today for a Profitable Tomorrow

Taking time before the busy season starts will help you position your field service company for success. Ensuring all contact information, agreements, warranties, and technician certifications are in order now will help you see the greatest return in the coming months.

Additionally, by integrating field service software solutions that integrate with payments, your business can enhance customer experiences while positioning your team for greater productivity.

Ready to learn more? Contact EVO.