How To Improve The Engagement Level Of Self-Inspections
By Boris Glushkov, Canalix
The adoption of the self-service model in field inspections addresses major problems from the world of FSM. The most significant one is that it enables duty holders to easily provide little information input. Then this information is used to redirect the technician’s time to where the highest risk of non-compliance resides. This model has the potential to optimize the operational costs of field operators. But there are also hidden risk factors that may challenge the desired positive impact of the self-service model. What should be done when these risk factors emerge?
Why Is It Important To Maintain A High Engagement Rate For Self-Inspection?
If a field service operator has a backlog of 1000 cases and the average cost for field operation is $ 200, then this backlog represents approximately $ 200 000 costs. But what if 200 of these 1000 cases are with low complexity, don’t require immediate field visit, and are eligible for self-inspection? Removing 200 field inspections from the backlog would cut the costs by approx. $ 40 000. This sounds like a great deal.
But then comes another question. What if these 200 eligibles don’t produce a completed report? This will lead to prolonging the time of their resolvement and their costs may turn out higher than planned.
How To Reduce The Risk Factors For A Low Engagement Rate Of Self-Inspections
The adoption of a successful self-service model has specific risk factors that may lead to negative financial impact. So how do we eliminate these risk factors? There are two directions for that: by following up the right digital transformation strategy or by being creative in the self-inspection process.
The Strategy: The Self-Service Module Must Be Part Of A Bigger Platform
In the context of field inspections, to tackle low engagement issues effectively, there must be a good level of connectivity. It means that the entire field management process must be digitally transformed into an inspection platform. This platform is the solid ground that can sustain the self-service module effectively and be a touchpoint for the contact between duty holder and inspection carrier.
A platform that delivers the required level of connectivity is an entry point for tackling low engagement issues because it addresses some major user experience requirements:
It allows the user to do everything fast and easy: Today user-friendly for the user means digital. When it comes to self-service and self-inspection, the filling of forms, checklists, etc. must happen digitally to correspond to the user’s expectations.
It gives control to the user: If given the chance for a self-inspection, the inspectee usually prefers to complete the inspection by himself. The digital environment enables inspectees to do that without having to prepare for an on-site visit.
It helps the user feel confident about self-inspecting: The fact that inspectees prefer to finish their self-inspection on their own doesn’t mean that they don’t want to have an option for contact with a real inspector or another technical agent if needed. An inspection platform provides not only a digital environment for smooth self-inspection, but also adds value by making available technical agents via chat or phone. This impacts the confidence of the inspectee while self-inspecting and makes things easier for them on a psychological level.
Being Creative In The Self-Inspection Process
A functional field inspection platform can eliminate the major risk factors for low engagement self-inspections. But this is not the end of the road for improving the engagement rate. Inspection careers can use creativity to improve the engagement rate and even to shorten the response time by duty holders.
- Send an invite with a link
Sending an invite via email to trigger the self-inspection process is a great start. If the email has a direct link to a self-submission portal with the promise that everything will happen fast and easy, it’s highly likely for the inspectee to complete the process as soon as possible.
- Check-in in case of slow progress
If the average period for completing a self-inspection is 2 days and the inspectee hasn’t completed the process by the 3rd day, that would be a good time to check in and make sure everything is alright.
- “Do you need an on-site technician?”
As we said - inspectees prefer to finish self-inspections by themselves. Especially when we talk about low-complexity cases. That’s why asking the duty holders if they need on-site support works as a good trigger for them to finish the self-inspection process.
- Share outcome reports after completion
Seeing the results of your efforts is one of the strongest appeals in history. Sending an outcome report works well to motivate the duty holder to finish self-inspection as soon as possible.
Inspection Platform + Self-Inspections = Improved Field Service For The Complex Cases
Field inspection platforms provide a solid ground for realizing many cost optimization scenarios. But like any endeavour - it is accompanied by specific risk factors.
Canalix is a field inspection platform. One of our most common findings when onboarding a new customer is that very often up to 70% of inspection time has been directed toward a situation where field service is not needed. The time spent on field service must produce actionable results and corrective actions. But when up to 70% of field service does not produce corrective actions, then something in the whole process must be optimized. This is where the self-service model works and solves serious problems for the FSM sector.
About The Author
Boris Glushkov is a digital transformation expert in Canalix - Advanced Inspection Management Platform. His expertise is to help public sector regulators to adopt transformational efficiency improvements. With configurable data and rules-driven casework automation and AI-optimized task orchestration, Canalix is transforming field inspection in line with the best-known practices.