Appointing a right technician at the right time for the right job is crucial for every field service business. Despite knowing this, more than 75% of businesses don’t use any dedicated automated software for field service. This blunder has already had a considerable impact on the ROI of field service businesses.

Companies and business organizations that have embraced field service automation are much more profitable and have more capacity. Utilizing software that is tailored to cater to the needs of scheduling technician can boost your team’s capacity and reduce costs. Technicians need to be appointed based on the maintenance technician skills and location. All these can be taken care of by an automation software.

Automated Scheduling vs. Manual Scheduling – Which is better?

There are multiple challenges faced by field service companies but using a trusted field service management software can overcome all these challenges. Automated scheduling is one of the crucial components of any worthy field management company.

If you have still not adopted automation for appointing technicians for customers, here are few facts that will motivate you to do so immediately. Check out how automation makes a difference in these businesses.

#1: It is possible to schedule apt technicians as per jobs

There’s no doubt when we say that manual scheduling is much more prone to mistakes. There will be mistakes like scheduling a technician on his leave day or scheduling a rookie for a complicated task, and much more. Most field service jobs are highly complicated and often need a specific set of skills.

Automated scheduling leverages smart algorithms to send the right technicians for the right tasks. The software considers factors like competencies of technicians, job priority, leaves, day-offs, preferences of customers, and many other errors.

#2: It is possible to make precise arrangements

The business organizations these days have complicated and difficult workflows where each item in a single workflow might require different set of skills. Just as OEE examples need to be taken into account during smart manufacturing decisions, here too, you have to successfully make the most accurate arrangements.

A field service business that has automated scheduling can factor in all linkages and variables related to the machinery and thereby be able to make accurate interventions. The system will also inform you of any upstream or downstream effect when there is technician maintenance on a node.

#3: It offers sheer convenience and ease of operation

Automated scheduling of technicians not just boosts efficiency but also completes the total process of scheduling in a second. Hence the manager can save his precious time and energy on other important tasks. This one-time investment on the automation software will keep paying for itself over the lifespan of the company.

The job of scheduling technicians never ends as the manager is coerced to make constant changes as per the changing needs of the situation. Automation does things based on variables with the touch of a button. Follow-ups and quick notifications keep customers involved about everything that’s going on.

#4: It improves the ability to accept emergency tasks

As long as field management is concerned, emergency tasks and contingencies are the part and parcel. A vital HVAC unit can shut down all of a sudden, making it urgent for immediate repairs. What would you do during such a situation?

Majority of the tasks of field service companies combine both emergency and planned jobs. Emergency tasks can disrupt the usual schedule of work. An automation software will set categories of schedules according to ‘emergency’ or ‘planned’. This helps in deciding the priority of the tasks. In case of emergency tasks, the software locates the nearest located technician and urges him to reach the location as soon as he can.

Hence, automated technician scheduling helps a small business in more than one way. Keep in mind all the above-listed benefits if you’re giving automation a second-thought!