Service Link Direct: Field Service Management Software

Field Service Management Software

Field Service Management Software is an essential tool for any service business that hopes to scale up business operations smoothly while simultaneously achieving all essential business KPIs.

What is Field Service Management Software?

Field Service Management Software is basically a suite of software that allows you to control and manage all aspects of your field service business from the one integrated interface - saving you time and money, and giving you a better overview of your company's operations.

Why do I need Service Management Software?

Field Service Companies face a number of challenges relating to the management of important functions across the business. A common first attempt to solve these management challenges is to set up an ad-hoc administrative system incorporating a mixture of paper records, MS Excel spreadsheets, MS Access databases, and other proprietary software - but this actually creates more problems than it solves.

One of the main problems with this disparate approach is that often there is no clear communication between the different parts of the system. If you want to compare data from paper records to the information in your Excel charts, then you will need to do so manually. If you want to compare the profitability of different types of jobs, then you may need to access more than one system - if such a comparison is even possible. An integrated field service software solution bypasses this problem, since you can easily access everything you need from a single interface.

A hidden cost that many firms overlook is the cost of paying for the separate software licenses and computer hardware required to maintain these systems. More and more businesses are turning to cloud software solutions to reduce or eliminate the ongoing expense of software and hardware maintenance.

A third problem with using a number of separate software and paper systems means that all new staff have to be trained in how to use each of them effectively. Although these days most employees should be comfortable using simple and frequently-used software tools like MS Word or web browsers, how many are comfortable using the more complex functionality found in MS Excel or MS Access without some sort of training? Even if there is no explicit cost associated with formal training, how much time is wasted due to administrative staff having to figure things out for themselves as they go along? And what happens when one of your core software tools is no longer supported?

Finally, because essential business data is distributed across several computers and in several software packages, it makes it very difficult to coordinate a full regularly-scheduled backup. Because of this many field service businesses are just one failed hard-drive away from losing significant amounts of data, with potentially catastrophic results.

What to look for in Field Service Management Software?

Field Service Management Icon

There are several important considerations when choosing a software solution:

To help give you a full picture of your service business, the software has to present an integrated snapshot of all aspects of your operations - from initial call management right through to invoicing and archiving. Particularly in any high-volume service industry, the software absolutely has to make it easy to keep track of outstanding jobs or invoices, highlighting key tasks that need to be completed urgently - for example, to comply with service level agreements.

The software has to be intuitive and easy-to-use, so that it allows admin staff to focus on what is most profitable - running the business.

To help you manage your mobile workforce effectively, the software has to be web-enabled - allowing field service agents or technicians to access the system from a variety of hand-held devices.

To minimise the risk of data loss, as well as the costs associated with maintaining hardware on-site, you should look for Cloud (or Web Based) Field Service Management Software. This means that your essential business data is secured in a state-of-the-art managed data centre with multiple redundancies and routine backups - the ultimate protection system for your data.

When choosing such a crucial software tool you should also think about ongoing support - in the event that you have questions or problems, will you be able to access the support you need in a timely manner?

Your business is likely to grow and change in the years to come, and so in turn will your software requirements. It is important when choosing a software solution that it can be adapted to your needs, and offers advanced functionality that will be available when you need it. The software requirements for a property maintenance company are likely to be quite different to that of a computer repair or security services company - even though they are all field service businesses - so you should make sure that the software is designed to fit your exact needs.

ServiceLink Direct Field Service Managment Software

ServiceLink Direct is a cutting-edge Field Service Management Software Solution from Walker Martyn Software Ltd, offering extremely sophisticated web-based service management tools in an easy-to-use interface.

Our system has been enhanced and refined through many continuous years of deployment and development, giving rise to the industry-leading cloud software solution available today. And we provide unmatched levels of support, making ServiceLink Direct a viable option for any size of business with any level of IT competence.

To speak to a member of our team about your service management requirements and to arrange a software demonstration, please call us today on 0141 332 7999.