Three IT Must-Haves for Field Service Businesses

Written By Service Fusion

Topic Must-Haves, Small Business, Tips,

In this digital world, service businesses must adapt to the changing environment of the customer. Recently, that involves implementing cutting-edge enterprise technology. An issue that many companies face is the inability to pinpoint viable new innovations since the market for information technology is simply too big to navigate.

Organizations worldwide are expected to spend an estimated $354 billion on enterprise IT services and software in 2017, according to Statista. That figure is projected to reach nearly $500 billion by 2021, meaning the number of available IT options is bound to multiply over the next few years, further complicating the IT selection process for service businesses.

There is still hope. Early IT adopters in the field service industry have mapped out viable implementation processes that latecomers can follow in order to find success in the modern marketplace. Get started today with our three of our top IT must-haves for field service businesses:

Field service teams spend considerable amounts of time out on the open road, which poses many risks to the technicians and the business. According to research from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, transportation-related casualties accounted for almost 50% of all employee deaths recorded in 2015. There was never a way to ensure the safety of technicians while supervisors were back in the office.

That was until fleet tracking software was developed. Fleet tracking software gives field service supervisors the power to track the vehicles via GPS and collect real-time information such as vehicle direction and speed. This software makes it easier to ensure workers stay safe as they navigate their communities.

With the rapid development of smartphones and laptops, employees are encouraged to use their own devices for work-related purposes. According to insights from Tech Pro Research covered in ZDNet, an estimated 74% of American companies had bring-your-own-devices, or BYOD, plans in place in 2015. That number is sure keep increasing with the development of smart technology.

Companies in the field service space saw the potential of this technology years back, adopting the first mobile applications designed to streamline communication between field and office workers. Much like other field service companies have done, allowing your employees to use their own devices can optimize internal communication and lead to better service for your customers.

Mobile devices weren’t widespread in the enterprise world at first. Instead, the development of smart technology took over the consumer market, allowing people to connect to an entire world of information in an instant. Now the average U.S. smartphone user spends five hours per day on his or her phone, reported analysts for the mobile analytics firm Flurry.

Pioneering businesses in the field services sector have embraced this new reality, rolling out customer-facing mobile applications that allow them to cultivate strong relationships with clients, young and old, and ultimately bolster their bottom lines. Mobile account access, push notifications, and real-time service truck trackers provide people an easy connection to your business.

Service businesses should implement these IT solutions in order to stay up to date with changing technology and to have access to limitless revenue-building possibilities.