Why is Field Service Automation Important?
Automation is the buzzword to improve efficiency and reduce cost at the same time. This is true for almost all facets of work, and more so for field services, which has a historical reputation for delays, inefficiencies, and high costs.
Field service is often the place where enterprise information systems, labor controls, and productivity tools falter. The opaque nature of the work, far removed from the office or shop floor is the chief cause for blame. While cells phones offer visibility and connectivity, its effectiveness is limited. Technology is, however, changing the situation, transforming field service through new improved paradigms.
When you direct a human out to the field, you come across numerous variables, like their what kind of transportation they use, attendance, what route they use with the transportation, data requirements, their mobile connectivity etc. that it turn out to be nearly impracticable to keep trail by someone sitting in house by themselves. What additionally complicates things is that all these costs add-up in ways that in the end distort your bottom-line and customer satisfaction.
To be fair, emails and spreadsheets were the way that most organizations dealt with every process, not just field service management (FSM). However, where FSA undergoes the most is that it comes across with more variables than any other procedures. When you send a human resource out to the field, you deal with so many variables (like their attendance, what kind of transportation they use, what route they use with the transportation, their mobile connectivity, data requirements, etc.) that it becomes nearly impossible to keep track of by someone sitting in-house on their own. What further complicates things is that all these variable costs add-up in ways that ultimately cripple your bottom-line and customer satisfaction.