How To Ensure Technology Adoption Among Field Technicians

By Dan Dillon, Vice President at Mobile Reach

A large field service organization with technicians working around the country had a problem. Every day, the technicians performed their work well. They had the instruments, knowledge, tools and gear they needed to get their work done efficiently and effectively. They even had mobile devices for accessing and recording data related to the equipment they worked on.

But the field techs rarely used their mobile devices. It wasn’t the hardware that was the problem; the mobile apps were the failure point. Work wasn’t being properly tracked, measured or managed. Managers couldn’t optimize schedules, processes and workloads. Customers weren’t being notified, billed and retained. The investment in mobile technology was being squandered because the field techs found the apps hard to use. They slowed work down, and they didn’t make the techs’ jobs easier.

When field service organizations invest in mobile technology to enhance the productivity of their technicians, there are two broad considerations for ensuring the technology is fully adopted and delivers results.

Step 1: Solicit input from field technicians.

We’ve all know how important the Voice of the Customer (VOC) is. The value and insight that comes from engaging customers applies to internal customers as well. In this case, the internal customer is the end user of the technology -- the field technician. Solution teams need to involve field techs from the earliest stages of app design and configuration. Understanding how techs work and how they are incentivized has a direct impact on their likelihood to adopt the technology and use the mobile apps. The Voice of the Technician (VOT) is as important as the VOC.

When engaging technicians to determine the optimal user experience and process flow, use  technicians’ knowledge and experience to configure the apps at a screen by screen level. Each screen can then be configured to include only what the tech needs at each particular stage of their work and nothing they don’t. Think of this as an exercise in breaking your mobile business processes down into individual parts. Doing so removes unnecessary distraction from the technician’s day and allows them to complete tasks more efficiently.

Once the apps are built, the Voice of the Technician should become even louder. Ensure technicians participate in user-acceptance testing and a comprehensive train-the-trainer approach to onboarding. Your most tech-savvy field technicians can then provide JIT field support, new hire training and help with future deployments and app modifications.

Step 2: Configure the apps to maximize usability.

There are multiple variables to consider when it comes to app usability. Field techs work in all types of environments. Field service software needs to accommodate their working conditions, not the other way around. It’s considered a best practice to continually test apps to ensure an optimal usability. As needs and conditions evolve, there are multiple aspects to bear in mind as you deploy apps for your field service technicians.

Technician Work Preferences

1. Device Type - You should be able to build once and deploy to your entire team, whether your techs use iOS, Android or Windows devices.
2. Home Screen - Each tech has their own way of working, right down to how they start their day. The app home screen should be configurable based on individual preferences.
3. Generational Needs - Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials use technology very differently. Consider their knowledge and familiarity before deploying a solution.
4. Keystrokes - The fewer the better.

Work Conditions

5. Weather - Rain, snow or shine, field techs needs to be able to see what’s on their screen and enter data quickly and easily.
6. Online/Offline - No Internet doesn’t mean techs can stop working. Apps need to work uninterruptedly so productivity doesn’t take a hit.
7. Noise - Push notifications and messaging need to be visual as well as audible so technicians can see information in a timely fashion, even when they’re in high decibel environments.
8. Hands/Safety - Technicians need to climb poles, use catwalks, get into tight spaces. Apps that enable quick interactions and voice-to-text are optimal. Apps should not hamper safety.

Field Processes and Workflows

9. Major Service Tasks - Apps should mold to existing processes, so field operations don’t need to be re-engineered.
10. Knowledge/Training - The knowledge a technician needs has a direct impact on mean-time-to-repair and customer satisfaction. Giving them access to a knowledge base in the context of their work is key.
11. Incentives - Providing techs with apps that enable full reporting and analytics helps them advance and your FSO deliver greater value to the business.
12. Assets - When at a job site, technician need to have visibility into the assets the customer owns. This enables them to not just fix what’s broken but understand the full value each customer represents.

Customer Interactions

13. Service History - Customer value usually translates into customer entitlements. Ensure technicians can see what their customer has needed in the past so they can retain them into the future.
14. Equipment Access - Make the most of technician’s time onsite by enabling them to inspect other equipment the customer owns. This goes a long way toward building a loyal customer base.
15. Upsell/Cross-sell - When the technician’s app enables them to provide additional value to their customer within the context of a work order, then it’s all about service.
16. Escalations/VOC - Apps that enable technicians to capture customer feedback provide your field service organization with the insights it needs to manage customers and demand most effectively.

Consider the VOT and usability to be foundational to any software deployment that is expected to deliver productivity and performance improvements to your field service organization.