To keep clients happy with every job, field service companies need standardized procedures. Consistent processes ensure that every worker or technician dispatched to an off-site location carries out the work according to the same set of predetermined, approved rules. That set framework helps field service companies ensure quality services — no matter who’s working where.
Any industry where workers are dispatched to off-site locations to perform tasks or services can benefit from standard operating procedures. Having a predetermined workflow doesn’t do much good, however, if it’s not enforceable. If field service managers can’t oversee the process and ensure workers follow each step, they also can’t ensure consistent, high-quality service or positive customer experiences.
So what prevents field service managers from having full visibility into off-site jobs? For most companies today, the problem lies in manual processes. When teams complete work, they’re often filling out paper forms after the fact or uploading data into third-party systems once they return to the office — both of which give field service managers zero real-time visibility into the completion of tasks.
If companies can digitize processes, however, they can automate tasks and workflows to better enforce standard procedures with any number of workers in the field.
How Process Automation Tools Can Help You Deliver Consistent Results
Mobile field service solutions that managers and employees can access via smart devices can automate processes and ensure dependable, high-quality results. For example, managers can set up a standard workflow with tasks, timers, and triggers to ensure workers follow processes in a step-by-step fashion. Managers can customize these workflows to suit their industry, their project types, and even specific roles.
Managers can organize all tasks into “Sessions,” or digital workspaces that hold the critical information for each project or event. Tasks within a Session will outline the procedures the team needs to follow to complete the objective. Managers can assign tasks to individual employees or provide teams with the flexibility to claim tasks on their own.
Sessions allow managers to easily see what has and has not been claimed or completed, gaining greater visibility into the work being done. Sessions capture all communication, data, and activity for a project from start to finish. If anything goes wrong, managers can view the Session after it’s complete to determine what workers might have missed. They can then use that data to improve processes and train employees in the future.
Picture this in action: A commercial cleaning company sends a team out to disinfect a school building. The team must follow new COVID-19 protocols that require workers to complete one task thoroughly before moving on to the next to prevent recontamination. With a mobile field service solution that includes collaboration and process automation tools (such as Coolfire’s), the team’s manager can build a specific task flow and set dependencies to enforce in the proper order.
In turn, technicians can easily view each task and the details around it on their mobile devices. Once each technician completes a task, they can check it off on their device and upload images or videos to verify service completion and compliance with protocols.
Whether field service managers dispatch workers to clean schools, restore lost power, install cable lines, or anything else that requires workers to do off-site work, the ability to enforce and oversee processes from anywhere is paramount to achieving excellent customer experiences. Don’t let manual processes drag you down — get in touch with Coolfire today.
