Improving the Service Experience With Field Service Lightning

As technology transforms the world we live in, customers are also demanding the same from their services.

For organizations with a field service operation, this is exciting yet overwhelming. Not only is it an opportunity to deliver high-quality and efficient service experiences, but to truly stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

However, many organizations find themselves struggling to do so.

Common field service management challenges

Until recently, the process for managing field services has been mostly complex and inefficient. From organizing logistics to analyzing performance, field service managers and technicians have encountered a number of challenges.

Increasingly complex logistics

Orchestrating a field service team—including managers, technicians, and customers—is no easy feat. It means constantly keeping communication channels open, setting up customer expectations as early and accurately as possible, and proactively planning around shifts in time or resources. One wrong move and the whole operation can suffer.

Lack of centralized data

From the moment a work order is issued, managers and technicians need a way to effectively organize and share information. For most organizations, collaboration simply means siloed paperwork and a lot of it. Not only does paperwork discourage open communication, but it hinders the productivity of technicians and the quality of service.

Inefficient time tracking

Time is of the essence, especially for those delivering services on a tight schedule. If a technician realizes that a job is going to take longer than originally estimated, then they need the ability to communicate this as quickly as possible to help manage customer expectations. An unexpected lapse in time not only affects the day-to-day schedule, but also the customer’s perception of the service, and ultimately, the organization.

No performance metrics

At the end of a day filled with paperwork, it’s unlikely that managers want to dig through more of it to make sense of their team’s performance. However, having access to this information can help to pinpoint inefficiencies, identify opportunities, and improve the overall service experience.

For organizations currently powered by clunky or inefficient systems, these challenges can feel impossible to overcome.

However, now is the time to be excited — not overwhelmed.

A key component of the customer experience

Fortunately, field service management technology is growing at an exponential rate due to an increase in demand for high-quality and efficient services.

According to a recent report, the field service management market will be worth an estimated $3.52 billion by 2019. Salesforce’s State of Service 2017 also states that 68% of service teams believe that technicians are integral to the customer experience strategy; likewise, 68% of teams are now focused on providing a consistent experience across every channel.

For organizations managing a field service operation, this is excellent news. Not only is the market developing solutions that address common challenges, but organizations are recognizing that field service is fundamental to successful customer experience strategies.

It’s clear that service experience matters more than ever. If an organization cannot break free of their broken and inefficient processes, then they will get left behind.

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Introducing Field Service Lightning

With increasingly complex logistics, lack of centralized data, inefficient time tracking, and no performance metrics, is there a solution out there that currently exists to address these common challenges of field service management?

Excited yet?

Field Service Lightning, part of the Salesforce Service Cloud product suite, allows field service teams to overcome said challenges and much more.

With the ability to optimize schedules and assign jobs to maximize productivity, Field Service Lightning eliminates any bottlenecks caused by shifting time or resources. Its smart scheduling feature ensures that technicians are automatically assigned to the right jobs based on time, location, and any other business rules that are defined.

Likewise, say goodbye to paperwork. Field Service Lightning is a completely mobile solution — providing everyone access to secure customer data all the time, regardless of location.

Field Service Lightning also offers analytics, allowing managers and technicians to understand in real-time what’s working or not working. These analytics provide insights into key metrics—such as workforce utilization, travel times, and first-time-fix rates—to help teams optimize processes, improve performance, and boost productivity.

Ready to make a change?

The powerful capabilities of Field Service Lightning transforms the management of field service operations so your organization can truly focus on delivering high-quality and efficient services.

If your customers aren’t demanding it yet, then they will be before too long. Now is the time to get ahead, to stand out, and to be excited.

If you’re interested in learning more about how Field Service Lightning can help your field service operation overcome its challenges, then contact one of our Salesforce experts today at 317-297-2910.