What Is Call Tracking for Field Service Management? 

You might have been advised to use call tracking as part of your field service marketing plan. But, what is call tracking? In this article, you’ll learn how call tracking works. Get expert tips on how to choose the best call tracking software. Learn best practices for when you implement call tracking in your own business. 

Call Tracking and Call Tracking Software: The Basics 

Call tracking can be a vital component of field service management. Field service management is the process of organizing your entire business operation to make it more efficient. Efficiency nearly always results in increased revenue and profits. 

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: What Is Field Service Management? 

Automation is a key element of field service management today. It takes monotonous manual tasks off your plate so you can focus on other areas. In a matter of hours, it can accomplish what would otherwise take days to complete. 

Call tracking software is just one automated component of field service management. One that you should definitely consider using. So, what is call tracking, and how does call tracking software work? 

Say you place ads on Google and Facebook for your HVAC business. How do you know if they were effective? Should you continue spending your marketing budget on these platforms? Or are you wasting funds better spent elsewhere? 

Call tracking lets you see if customer calls relate to your marketing spend. It gives you hard numbers so you can make data-driven marketing decisions. 

Call tracking software automates this process for you. It leverages technology to give you more information about where your customers are coming from. While you work on other elements of your business, call tracking collects data for you. 

If you’re getting a lot of calls related to an ad, great. It was successful. If not, you know that it’s best to change your strategy. You may choose to promote your business elsewhere. Or maybe you simply need to freshen your ad campaigns. 

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Features and Functionalities of Call Tracking Software 

What can call tracking do? 

• Match different marketing campaigns with their own phone numbers. 
• Forward various marketing phone numbers to the company’s main number. 
• Record calls for quality management and provide call transcription.
• Collect, report, and evaluate information from inbound phone calls. 

For instance, call tracking can match calls with numbers associated with previous clients. It can also match calls with geo locations so you can see if your customers are coming from certain areas. 

Customize your call tracking and integrate it with field service management tools. 

The best call tracking software allows field service businesses to integrate it with other management tools. Common categories that often connect with call tracking include:

• CRM (customer relationship management)
• Sales funnel and nurture campaigns 
• Appointment scheduling 
• Dispatching and routing of technicians to jobs
• Customer history and technician notes 
• Accounting and invoicing 
• Marketing, including SEO and advertising keywords
• Report generation and performance metrics 

The more you can create a web between these entities, the more control you have over your business. Also, you can make evidence-based forecasts and plans rather than feeling like you’re guessing. 

Making educated moves saves you money in the long run. And as you’ll read below, it can also improve the customer experience. Boosting the customer experience increases conversions and repeat business. That, in turn, raises your revenue and potential for more profit. 

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How to Grow a Service-Based Business 

What Are the Benefits of Call Tracking in Field Service Management? 

Let’s delve a little more into how call tracking lets your business see if its marketing is working as desired. We’ll use a hypothetical scenario. 

Imagine you tried two very different marketing initiatives to attract more plumbing clients. First, you used paid Facebook ads. Second, you sent bulk mail flyers to residents in five zip codes. 

You used two different phone numbers—one for Facebook and one on your flyers. Then, you put your call-tracking software to use for analysis. 

You learned that twice as many calls came from the Facebook number. So, the Facebook ads were better at generating leads. 

However, let’s say a higher percentage of calls from the bulk mail group resulted in actual appointments. Therefore, the mailing actually yielded more business than the Facebook campaign. 

Additionally, 60% of both the leads and the bulk mail appointments came from two neighborhoods in your town. That tells you that you might want to focus more attention there. That area marks a key demographic that wants your services. 

Other vital pieces of information you collected: 

• The largest percentage of inbound calls happened on Saturday. This would appear to be when homeowners have the time and interest in pursuing plumbing work. 

• Only 2% of the calls were from previous clients. This could point to a need to improve your customer retention initiatives. How does this compare to the average in your industry? 

So, with call tracking software, you learned: 

• Which advertisements produced the greatest number of bookings 
• Where your new customers are concentrated 
• What day of the week is likely best for following up on estimates 
• More about customer satisfaction and service for repeat business 

RELATED ARTICLE: How Call Tracking Helps Service Providers Measure ROI 

Benefits of Implementing Call Tracking in Your Field Service Business 

Most field services businesses use call tracking to see if their return on investment in marketing is worth it. 

For instance, the average small business email campaign makes approximately $36 for every $1 spent. Is your ROI meeting that average? Could it be even higher? 

And there are more benefits to using call tracking than analyzing and comparing marketing efforts. Check out these advantages once you have calculated your ROI:

Insight Into the Customer’s Decision-Making Process

With call tracking, your business will get an improved sense of how prospects move through the sales funnel. This can save your marketing efforts from going in the wrong direction. And it helps you convert prospects into actual customers faster. 

No lost business due to unanswered calls 

Did you know home services companies miss 27% of their inbound calls? Nearly half of those calls are leads, and nearly 30% would be converted to sales. 

Call tracking software makes note of the day and time of each call. With this information, you can provide better phone coverage during peak hours. This prevents potential clients from going to competitors if they don’t reach you. 

You can also get real-time notifications for every call should you not be there to answer one. This lets you call customers back immediately, again preventing lost business.

Improved Customer Service and Satisfaction 

Once you hone in on your customer’s journey to booking a service, you can turn to improving their experience. Recording calls lets you find ways to improve customer service and interaction. 

Consider the hypothetical scenario above. If you’re finding that call tracking is pointing to few returning customers, you can work on that as well. Is it the quality of your work? Do you need to follow up more? 

Choosing the Right Call Tracking Software for Field Service Management 

Now, you’re more familiar with the function and benefits of call tracking software. So, how do you go about picking software that’s best for your one-of-a-kind business? 

Here’s a handy checklist with expert tips on how to choose call tracking software that will work for your needs: 

• Can you integrate call tracking with other aspects of your business management? Will the software connect easily?
• Are there limitations to the plan? Do you need a minimum number of users? Are time minutes or text message alerts capped? 
• How granular is the level of analysis and data you receive? Can you easily generate graphs and reports with the information? 
• Is the software easy and intuitive to use? Is training provided? Will all staff who need to use it be able to do so with a low barrier to entry? 
• Is support provided? Can you reach someone quickly if you have a question or problem? 

Features and Functionalities of Call Tracking Software 

What can call tracking do? 

• Match different marketing campaigns with their own phone numbers. 
• Forward various marketing phone numbers to the company’s main number. 
• Record calls for quality management and provide call transcription.
• Collect, report, and evaluate information from inbound phone calls. 

For instance, call tracking can match calls with numbers associated with previous clients. It can also match calls with geo locations so you can see if your customers are coming from certain areas. 

Customize your call tracking and integrate it with field service management tools. 

The best call tracking software allows field service businesses to integrate it with other management tools. Common categories that often connect with call tracking include:

• CRM (customer relationship management)
• Sales funnel and nurture campaigns 
• Appointment scheduling 
• Dispatching and routing of technicians to jobs
• Customer history and technician notes 
• Accounting and invoicing 
• Marketing, including SEO and advertising keywords
• Report generation and performance metrics 

The more you can create a web between these entities, the more control you have over your business. Also, you can make evidence-based forecasts and plans rather than feeling like you’re guessing. 

Making educated moves saves you money in the long run. And as you’ll read below, it can also improve the customer experience. Boosting the customer experience increases conversions and repeat business. That, in turn, raises your revenue and potential for more profit. 

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How to Grow a Service-Based Business