In the equipment management industry, the (field) service department is a crucial part of your business. By properly organizing and automating it, you will increase the profitability and success of your equipment dealership. 4 important rules to watch out for when automating the (field) service department:
1. Complete software, preferably all-in-one
Key components of service department automation:
- An industry-specific ERP system where service department support is perfectly arranged.
- A tool for scheduling and assigning work orders to service technicians
- An intuitive, user-friendly mobile application
Do not opt for separate solutions that you tie together, but for an integrated total solution. Then you can be sure that communication, technology, development and support are all in sync. Identify the most important processes in your organization and check whether and how they are supported by the software. From work order (quotation) and planning to output and invoicing.
2. Structure is important, flexibility is just as important
Structure and flexibility are both very important:
- Structure so you work in a consistent and clear way that everyone can understand. This will make you more efficient and professional.
- Flexibility because daily practice is unpredictable and you must be able to deal with every situation and challenge in the service department.
From management, finance and IT, structure will be a high priority. At the same time, end users (especially service engineers) will value flexibility. The task is to strike a careful balance here.
"In doing so, don't choose separate solutions that you tie together, but one integrated total solution."
3. Keep it simple
Simplicity is a must. Of course, you should have software that has all the features and functionality you need. But also make sure that the software is easy to learn and use. In this regard, note:
- A pleasant user interface: certainly the solution of mechanics should not have a plethora of menus, screens, options and buttons. Keep it simple!
- A tight workflow: provide workflows that take the user by the hand and guide them through each process from A to B.
- Short training: users of the (field) service software should be able to be trained in a short time. If not, it is too complicated.
4. Keep improving
The (field) service department is one of the most important and profitable departments of any equipment management organization. That means you should always be looking for new ways to make the department operate even more efficiently and effectively. Keep looking critically at how processes can be even tighter and faster and how automation can be fine-tuned. Small optimizations can pay big dividends.
