What Are the Applications of Field Service Software?

What Are the Applications of Field Service Software?

Field service software is a tool used to manage “fieldwork” or work performed outside office space. Some industries that benefit from this software include:

  • Cable companies
  • Internet providers
  • Snow removal services
  • Mobile healthcare providers
  • Plumbers
  • Delivery and transportation businesses
  • Pest control companies
  • Lawn maintenance services

There are many moving pieces involved in the management of field services. Unlike businesses that employ in-office workers, field service requires remote management tactics. That is where field service software comes in. It provides access to teams on the road and special tools to simplify everyday tasks.

Mobile Crew Management

Having your team in the field means managing tasks remotely. Field service software lets you stay connected to your employees everywhere they go. With mobile crew management, you can see where teams are traveling, track time spent on the job site, share valuable information, and more.

As the name suggests, mobile crew management works through an application on your tablet or smartphone. It lets you stay connected anywhere and anytime. While there’s no limit to the information you can share with your crew, some useful shareable data includes:

  • Daily weather predictions
  • Changes to the current job
  • Addresses and directions to a job site
  • Company resources

At Arborgold, our mobile crew management app acts as a time tracker, letting teammates punch in and out from their mobile devices. It also provides real-time updates as changes are made to work orders. Information is stored in the cloud, making it readily available to all eligible members of your team as data is added.

Estimating Both in the Office and in the Field

Estimating is a big part of field service businesses like landscaping and lawn care. Quoting your client reasonable rates based on work, time, and job-size means visiting sites directly and communicating effectively with management back at the office. Having a mobile tool makes the job easier and more efficient.

Arborgold’s mobile sales estimator, for example, offers an up-to-date customer database and proposal generating tool. Integrated CAD drawing software creates a tailored and professional-looking estimate, no matter where you are.

Using specialized software provides access to not only estimating tools but also billing and invoicing as well. These apps minimize confusion and chaos by tracking costs like labor, travel, and overtime and filing it into reports. That makes future estimations simple because data is recalled at the touch of a button.

As data is shared in real-time and stored in the cloud, it’s accessible from the field or back at the head office.

Field Service Software Work Orders

Generating Work Orders

Work orders record the needs of the client and help coordinate schedules, payment, and labor. Field service software assists in the creation, filing, and sharing of work orders so that everybody involved has the information they need to be successful.

Generating work orders is intimidating at first. Fortunately, business software provides simple to follow templates. Everything from location and materials to employee and preferred time of completion can be added with ease.

When combined with mobile crew management, like Arborgold’s Mobile QR app, you can view these orders and select from pending, scheduled, and completed tasks in and out of the office.

Job Management

Job management is a major asset of field service software. From your dashboard, you can see pricing, bid dates, the current status of the job, the employee managing the job, and more. You can also create new jobs using the same information. Drop-down menus and third-party vendor integrations simplify the process and reduce the time spent on job creation.

Project management tools then let you follow the status of the job along with materials used, costs accrued, and time spent per task. Whether you’re scheduling individual one-time jobs or a recurring long-term project, job management software reduces the chances of miscommunication and repeat postings of the same work order.

Resource Management

Managing the resources of a company working outside an office is tough. Before computers, businesses struggled with paper records that increased chances of duplicate work orders, lost information, double bookings, and human error. With resource management software, landscaping companies and other businesses in the field better manage equipment, inventory, and staff from one location.

Keeping inventory costs down means planning carefully. Inventory reports include data like how much of each item is on hand, price per item, vendor, and rate of use. Having this information at the touch of a screen makes for easy recall and reorder. The same concept applies to equipment reports. Purchase price, manufacturer, mileage, fuel cost, and more goes into the maintenance and management of field equipment.

Lead Routing

Without leads, obtaining new clients would be left to chance. Lead routing involves the delegation of contacting and nurturing leads to an employee or team. Left on their own, this would involve a lot of guesswork. With field service software, including a customer database, client care is much easier.

Software helps narrow down compatible potential clients through lead source and category filtering. This information is then used for email marketing or a direct mail approach. Follow-up emails and drip campaigns maximize the potential for new leads.

Arborgold is unique in that we offer a cross-selling feature. It finds unique sales opportunities with existing customers, not just new leads. With so much technology at your fingertips, any employee can become a lead-fostering specialist in no time.

Finding the Right Software for You

Before selecting software for your business, we recommend comparing prices, ratings, and applications. Software, like business, differs by the provider. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” standard. Fortunately, with so many to choose from, you’re bound to find a winner. Starting with a basic list of what you want your company to accomplish, you can narrow down contenders until you find the perfect fit.

At Arborgold, we provide the tools to efficiently manage lawn care, snow removal, landscaping, and various other teams in the field. From seamless invoicing to resource management, our clients never miss a beat. Contact us to learn more.

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