Using best practices for managing field service management
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Companies that provide technologies intended for use in remote locations – whether that involves operations at an isolated oil field or in a suburban shopping mall’s storefront – face many challenges in supplying the technical expertise required to properly install and repair those technologies.
It’s why many of those companies turn to business process outsourcing (BPO) companies that specialize in field service management. Why? BPO companies are typically efficient and affordable because they’ve developed some of what are now recognized as the industry’s best practices.
Field service management programs are designed to support companies who provide equipment that needs professional technical assistance without having to build their own payroll of field technicians. A company offering a device that customers merely need to plug into a standard outlet probably doesn’t need a field service management strategy.
Suppose instead that your product is an add-on to the existing point-of-sale (POS) systems located in a large retail chain’s stores. Your product needs to be properly installed to provide the reliability your customers expect and to reflect the customer satisfaction you want to support from entry to exit. I use that as an example because it reflects some of the work we do for retailers you’d recognize.
This week, your company received orders from Morro Bay, California; Hamilton, Ontario; Bessemer, Alabama; and Laurel, Montana. You can imagine how challenging it would be to track down, train, and supervise qualified technicians in all those places.
Working with a company like ours gives you access to an established network of skilled technicians throughout the U.S. and Canadian provinces. That network is carefully vetted and tracked to ensure those technicians have both the expertise they need to get the job done and a strong sense of customer service. Everything they do complies with technical standards and any industry or local requirements. We also place a strong emphasis on following proper safety procedures and ensuring nobody has to clean up after them.
When you forward those orders, we can quickly identify the qualified technicians who are closest to your installation locations. Once dates and times are confirmed, all the materials the technicians will need – including detailed instructions and links to videos – are shipped to them. There’s a follow-up phone call to ensure the technician has an expert grasp of the task they’ll perform and knows what they’ll need to handle it. That way, jobs aren’t delayed because someone forgot a key tool at home. The technician shows up on time with everything needed to get the job done efficiently and expertly.
We know when they arrive at your remote location, and when they’ve completed the task. If they have a question or encounter a unique situation, an agent is available in an instant to help them out. Having the information, components, and tools they need, the technician is able to get the job done, nearly always on the first visit. (The few projects that don’t get handled immediately are generally caused by unforeseen or external issues like weather and power failures.)
Expect to be kept apprised of the timing and who will arrive at your site. You should know in real time when they arrive and leave, whether the work was completed, any complications, and anything else the technician shares. That’s because we learned early on that clear communication reduces problems and builds peace of mind.
You may not be completely sure where Laurel, Montana is, but you can count on top-quality providers to get a technician there when promised. They should be able to provide technical support everywhere you need it. A so-called nationwide network with large gaps is of little help to busy companies that want to meet their customers’ needs.
That’s important, because your customer currently has a positive impression of our company. The right field services partner’s job is to boost it even higher.
Jeff Medley is the CEO and founder of Netfor.