In the equipment management industry, the (field) service department is a crucial part of your company. By properly organizing and automating this department, you increase the profitability and success of your equipment dealership. 4 important rules to keep in mind when automating the (field) service department:
1. Complete software, preferably all-in-one
The main components of your service department automation:
- An industry-specific ERP system which perfectly supports the service department
- A tool for scheduling and assigning work orders to service technicians
- An intuitive, easy-to-use mobile application
Do not opt for separate solutions that you tie together, but for an integrated complete solution. Then you can be sure that communication, technology, development and support are aligned. Visualize 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 execution and invoicing.
2. Structure is important, flexibility is just as important
Structure and flexibility are both very important:
- Structure so that you work in a consistent and clear way that is understandable for everyone. This makes you more efficient and professional.
- Flexibility because daily practice is unpredictable, and you have to be able to deal with every situation and challenge in the service department.
The structure will have a high priority from the management, finance and IT. At the same time, end users (especially service technicians) will find flexibility important. The challenge is to carefully find a balance here.
"Do not opt for separate solutions that you tie together, but for an integrated complete solution."
3. Keep it simple
Simplicity is a must. Of course, you look for software that has all the features and functionalities you need. But also make sure that the software is easy to learn and use. Aim for:
- A pleasant user interface: especially the technicians’ solution should not have an abundance of menus, screens, options and buttons. Keep it simple!
- A clear workflow: provide workflows that take the user by the hand and guide them through every process from A to B.
- A short training cycle: users of the (field) service software must be able to be trained in a short time. If not, it's too complicated.
4. Keep optimizing
The (field) service department is one of the most important and profitable departments of any equipment management organization. This means that you must always look for new ways to make the department operate even more efficiently and effectively. Keep a critical eye on how processes can be even better and faster and how automation can be fine-tuned. Small optimizations can yield a lot of profit.
