Field service management (FSM) or field management includes identification (through monitoring, remote or otherwise, control and fault detection by the customer), optimization, Technician productivity, planning, distribution, management of delivery information of parts in the field and simplification of interactions between technicians.
In the field of facility management and real estate management, Field Service Management is of great value to both landlords/tenants and commercial service providers. Homeowners/tenants of real estate and real estate frequently employ workers and technicians to do work on their sites, campuses or other types of real estate. Professional service providers employ teams of technical engineers to provide contract services to their clients. They pursue the same goal: to perform these services as efficiently as possible and to offer the best quality while respecting the regulations.
Field Service Management solutions: from paper management to process digitization
The traditional paper-based method or the printing of e-mails related to work orders, activities, information, and advice to technicians in the field is now obsolete. It causes a lot of mistakes and misunderstandings, is time consuming, unprofitable and can not be managed or controlled effectively. To increase the productivity, the profitability and the quality of the Field Service Management, as well as to reduce the ancillary costs, the digitization of the processes using field service management software.
From a solution dedicated to an integrated platform
Effective field service management is not simply about sending order notifications to internal workers or external technicians in the field from the back office. According to Gartner’s definition of the WSF, this includes customers, planners, implementers, contractors, etc. Dedicated solutions, such as computer-assisted maintenance management (CMMS) or stand-alone mobile applications, are therefore outdated because all these stakeholders must be united in the same integrated digital process:
- The customer who makes a maintenance request.
- The business in charge who validates the agreed level of service and priority.
- The back office planner who plans and distributes orders.
- The field worker who performs the work.
- The manager who controls progress, performance and quality.
- The financial administrator who reports and charges fees.
For property owners and tenants, integrated management of the work environment solution offers useful functionalities, who are grouped together in a single digital platform that supports the entire process. These features include customer self-service, preventive maintenance, contract management, integration with Building Technical Management (BMS), Internet of Things (IoT), resource planning, control of inventory, material management, alerts and key performance indicators (KPIs), expense management, contract management, and much more. All these features are related to the work of technicians in the field.
Professional service providers need more comprehensive field service management software that includes additional features such as subcontractor management, cost estimation, and accurate billing. For those organizations that subcontract facility management activities, customer satisfaction and profitability are equally important.
