7 Ways To Ready A Successful Field Service Team
Written by: Jim Hilton, senior director of manufacturing & field mobility, Motorola Enterprise Mobility
To optimize the efficiency of your field service team, you need to identify the right functionalities in a mobile computing device. Here's 7 tips that can point you in the right direction.By Jim Hilton, senior director of manufacturing & field mobility, Motorola Enterprise Mobility
As wages, vehicle maintenance and energy costs increase, companies are looking for ways to make field services teams more efficient and coordinated. Just as the smartphone revolutionized office worker productivity, mobile technology is becoming a critical factor in boosting the productivity of field service teams.
Before any organization invests in a fleet of vehicular or handheld computers, Wi-Fi networks, or fleet tracking technologies, companies need to understand what features deliver the most impact on field team productivity. Is it GPS, email access, cellular phone coverage, printing accessories, or other functionalities? What features provide the greatest ROI in the shortest time period?
The tips below can help you identify the features of an enterprise-grade EDA (enterprise digital assistant) that can truly make an impact on the efficiency of employees on the road and in the field:
Mobile Broadband Connectivity — The demand for Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) is higher than ever. Mobile computing devices for the field or factory worker should provide reliable connectivity so workers have the information needed to make mission-critical decisions. Mobile computers offer WWAN connectivity, for real-time access to voice and data applications.
GPS — Key GPS applications include transactional validation by location for P.O.D and activity, navigation for improve on-time performance, bread crumbing, asset tracking, route optimization, geocoding, and site localization.
Mobile Office Accessories — Accessories bring the convenience of office technologies we take for granted into the field. Accessories such as a credit card payment readers and specialized keypads advance the productivity of the field service professional, allowing them to complete, update, or renew customer requests immediately while in the field, instead of having to process orders back at headquarters.
Thermal Print — Hardware such as thermal printers help field services professionals process invoices on site in order to reduce, instead of redistribute, paperwork. Thermal printers produce clear, condensed, itemized receipts to document a service or delivery. Customers no longer have to wait for itemized receipts by snail mail.
Data and Image Capture — The smartest devices for the field provide multiple logistical features including scanning and imaging technologies to help capture bar code, RFID, or images in the field. On a smartphone, cameras are used to photograph coworkers or friends, but a field worker will use his camera to photograph damaged goods, the reading on a meter or to obtain customer signatures.
Video — Outside of a typical office environment, how do managers connect and train workers? A mobile computing device with exceptional video quality can provide training or internal video-based communications to workers who may never see the four walls of a corporate office.
Voice-Directed Applications — In a warehouse or field environment, workers do not always have the use of their hands to bring up information on a mobile device. Voice-activated commands can drive efficiencies in challenging environments.