A Beginner’s Guide to Field Service Management Technology

It’s great to manage a project from the boardroom. But what happens when you get to the field?

The construction industry promises many opportunities, though many of them go above budget. But how do you manage a construction project so that you don’t have such issues?

You have to consider the importance of field service management. With field service management technology you’ll be able to plan your operations to increase efficiency.

Here’s what you need to know:

What Is Field Service Management?

Field service management refers to the set of processes on a construction project. This ensures that all workers know how to complete a task by following the correct steps.

For example, does your electrician have to fix the fuse box before your plumber gets to work? What is the sequence of tasks needed to set the foundation for a house?

This is where field service management software becomes useful. It helps you create a blueprint that you’ll share with your workers.

You can use the field service software Buildops to help you get started. Now let’s look a bit deeper into some of the details of how field service management works.

Work Order Management

The first step of field service management is work order management. This is when you create a schedule of tasks.

You might state that you have to first gather a team with specific skills. Afterward, you’ll set the dates when they have to work. You then discuss what tasks can be completed concurrently and which ones have to be done separately.

This lets everyone know what the Standard Operating Procedures are. Once they memorize this, then your workers can work on a project without extra supervision.

This is something that you use in your everyday tasks. Just as you know what steps to take before you drive your car, you’ll need to create the rules for your projects.

Inventory Check

“Wrench? Check. Screwdriver? Check. Hammer? Uh, not here!”

Imagine hearing such an exchange at a construction site. This will cause tensions to flare up and will cause serious issues for your project.

Another important aspect of field service management is to keep track of your inventory. This is used in the context of having enough materials for your project.

It ensures that you can complete your project without any delay. This might sound obvious but is surprisingly common with construction projects. Make sure you use the software to handle this task.

Customer Relationship Management

Field service management is also a great platform for improving and managing customer relationships.

With your software, you can create an account for each of your customers. They can keep track of each construction project. You can share your progress with them via the software.

This is something that more customers will demand in the future. They’ll want to be kept up to date at all times. They want to know whether their project will get finished on time.

If there are any issues with their project, you must tell them. With customer relationship management, there’ll be more transparency between you and your clients.

It Helps With Making Decisions

With field service management software, you’ll have an easier time making decisions.

The software program collects data from your customers and projects. This helps you prepare for future tasks. For example, you can keep track of how long it took you to finish a task.

You can see how often you had to communicate with a particular client. This can give you an idea of which clients are the easiest to work with. Data collection is crucial for any business and you’ll get this with field service management software.

Tracking Time

Keeping track of time is crucial to ensure an efficient construction project. With your software, you can create timesheets for your team. This helps you keep track of how long they’ve worked.

This makes it easier for you to know how much to pay them if you pay by the hour. This also helps you track how efficiently your project is progressing.

It also lets you know if everything is going according to schedule. This is crucial if you want to stay in competition. While construction projects get delayed, this doesn’t give you an excuse to be laid back!

Best Practices

Let’s end by looking at the best practices when you work with field service management.

You must first learn how to use the software before beginning your project. These software options are often highly technical. You must make sure that there are no issues once the project begins.

You also have to train your subordinates on how to use the software. This ensures that there can be multiple managers and supervisors on a given project.

Make sure you refine the work order management process. Take your time to decide on the schedule before sharing it with your team. Once you do, you’ll print out the blueprint for them.

Set up a training session where you all revise the blueprint. This gives everyone a chance to make any last-minute changes. It’s also great to conduct a trial run of the project.

Before the project begins, use your software to create a communications protocol. This helps the team understand the chain of command for any project.

This way, everyone will know whom to contact whenever there’s an issue. This ensures that everyone is kept abreast of how the project is progressing. If you master these types of software, you’ll have no problem standing out in the construction industry.

Build Your Dreams

Now you know how field service management works and how it can help your construction projects.

You’ll create a blueprint and schedule for your construction work. You can start with work order management. This will help you create instructions on how your team members can get started.

Your software also helps by building relationships with your customers. The software will collect data so you can make better decisions for future projects.

Follow these steps and you’ll be ready to build. While you’re working on your blueprint, check out our other construction articles on our website.