Australian farmers have always looked to the sun for their livelihood. Now more than ever, the sun may be the key to a successful future and a growing business opportunity for solar providers and solar plumbing companies. As environmental concerns are causing many industries to move away from fossil fuels, farms are already making progress in replacing diesel with photovoltaic (PV) technology.

This shift in technology will result in cost savings for farmers and might be a critical factor in the sustainability of Australian farms. With the growing popularity of electric cars and the forthcoming phase-out of internal combustion engines, farmers must look at the real possibility of diesel-powered equipment becoming economically unfeasible in the coming years.

Converting farms from diesel dependence to solar technology can guarantee the sustainability of Australian Agribusiness. There have been significant advances in solar technologies meaning that it is now well understood, proven, trusted, and widely adopted in Australia and across the world. Now is the time for solar providers to prepare to be a part of this new solar shift and find the right tools to help scale and grow their businesses.

Australian Farms Are Going Green With the Help of Solar Providers

The progress toward adoption of solar technology on Australian farms is good news for both the farmers and solar providers. Over three-quarters of farmers nationwide have plans to control energy costs through the use of solar and battery storage systems. They will need farm solar servicing partners to walk alongside them.

The cost savings can be staggering. Systems that are run on solar will have zero fuel costs. However, that is not the only cost-saving that will be realised through solar. With a pumping system, upfront capital costs and installation costs of solar are significantly higher than their diesel equivalents. However, the cost gap is quickly closed by eliminating the cost of purchasing, transporting, and storing diesel fuel. Fuel alone can account for over 80% of the lifetime cost of operating the system. And the fuel is only part of the cost savings.

Maintenance costs are also significantly lower. With a diesel pumping system, scheduled maintenance includes refuelling, oil changes, pressure checks, air filter cleaning and replacement, lubrication, and pump service. With solar, while the pump itself requires the same amount of service, the only other cost items are the minimal maintenance on the electric motor and solar array.

The initial capital cost difference between the diesel and solar systems is also offset by the expected lifespan of the systems. This difference makes the yearly cost of solar even less due to lower replacement costs. Solar modules offer performance guarantees of up to 85% of output for up to 25 years. Meanwhile, diesel generators need replacement, on average, every 20,000 hours.

Cost savings are not the only factor moving Australian farmers towards the switch to solar. Many farms are investing in reducing carbon emission over the next decade following the lead of the red meat industry’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

One Australian farmer made a move to a solar-powered pump, not only to save money on fuel but also to cut greenhouse emissions. The switch will reduce his emissions by 500 tonnes a year, equivalent to the output of 75 Australian households.

Expanding a Solar Installation Business to Service Agribusiness

Right now is the perfect time for farm solar servicing providers and installers to work with farmers. This partnership will give the farmers more options and allow providers to expand their footprint into agribusiness. To do this, providers will need to take into account the unique requirements of farm installations and prepare their businesses to meet the growing demand.

One critical factor providers need to understand is the unique needs of agribusiness. One of the primary considerations is the unique nature and location of farms. The rural areas where farms are located are far from large cities and need contractors who can handle these remote and rural installations effectively and efficiently.

Providers will need to take advantage of technology systems like NetSuite + NextService to minimise personnel and inventory costs while delivering unmatched customer service. This technology can assist in the efficient management of a service fleet, providing 360° customer service, and avoiding disparate systems.

Service Fleet Management

Using technology to guide farm solar servicing, businesses can keep better track of assets, which will improve efficiency and keep costs down. Managers can track truck and technicians’ inventory in real-time to reduce inventory leakage. Inventory can be allocated using a mobile app using drop-down menus or even by using the built-in barcode reader.

In addition to controlling inventory, technology can increase technician productivity. This boost can make a huge difference in profitability, especially with the large, complex, and remote installations found on farms. Best practice workflows and processes can be enforced by allowing technicians to track their work via an app. Efficiency can also be improved by allowing software to optimise schedules and travel routes, allowing more work to be done without expanding the workforce. Technology tools can even ensure that the right job is assigned to the right technician every time. This match will ensure efficiency and improve the First Time Fix Rate index.

360° Customer Service

As more farmers make a move to solar, they will be looking for a partner to make the transition as smooth as possible. That means that customer service will be essential to building long-term customer relationships.

With 360° Customer Service, solar providers can track the service history of every installation or every system serviced. This also means that service history is retained and transferred when a farm is sold, making it possible for providers to make the transfer seamless. Also, flexible asset records make it easy to keep track of systems and components from any manufacturer. This is another way to offer the highest level of support for customers.

Excellent customer service is even more critical with customers in rural areas, where word of mouth can be the most crucial factor. Solar panels are highly visible and can show other farmers the value of investing.

Avoiding Disparate Systems

As farms move toward solar, small to medium-sized solar businesses may run into problems scaling their business to keep up with the new demand. With a growing business, there is a temptation to tack on additional technology resources as they are needed. With functions scheduling, accounting, fulfilment, inventory, cash flow, human resources, payroll, reporting, content management, GPS fleet tracking, there are many stand-alone options for each need. However, while these may solve an immediate problem, their lack of integration can cause massive issues down the road. With the addition of each separate tool, complexity increases. It also becomes even more challenging to grow and scale the business. Some components may handle the larger scale while others may have limited capabilities.

Australia is one of the sunniest places in the world. Solar providers can be an integral part of harnessing the sun to provide for the energy and sustainability needs of farms. Done correctly, solar solutions can help farmers lead the way into the adoption of green technology while improving their own profitability.

Solar providers who have been mostly offering services in urban areas can easily make the switch to servicing rural agribusiness by leveraging the technology available through software like NetSuite.

NetSuite can handle almost any business function in the office and the field. With more technicians in remote locations, NetSuite can:

This is an exciting time for farmers and solar providers in Australia. Choosing the right technology partner can make these new possibilities even better through seamless integration that can grow with your business.

References

• Why solar stacks up for farmers
• How farmers are adapting to climate change in Australia
• Solar Diesel Hybrid Pumping Systems
• Solar Powered Pumping Initiative
• A comparison between solar and diesel pumping
• Farming Under Solar Panels Saves Water And Creates Energy
• Solar Installation Management Software

The Millennial generation or Generation Y includes those that are born between the 80s and 90s. They are a generation that grew up with mobile technology and the internet at their fingertips. This instant access to information has bred an inherent expectation that at work, as in their personal lives, they will have instant access to information, from any device, whenever they need it. And if they don’t get this, they won’t be happy.

Millennials are the new generation of the field service workforce. Forward-thinking businesses are making considerable effort to understand the drivers of this generation to ensure they attract and retain top talent. Generation Y’s are today’s 25 to 38-year-olds, and they make up 20.56% of the Australian population (5.13 million). They also make up the largest cohort in the workforce (33%). By 2025, Millennials will make up close to 70% of the total labour market, and their unique way of working is having a significant impact on all industries, including that of field service.

How do Millennials approach their jobs?

These are the top things that Millennials are looking for when it comes to technology that supports them to do their jobs.

3. Autonomy

Millennials expect a level of independence in their roles and do not respond well to being restricted by physical work locations. It is a generation of problem solvers. They are entrepreneurial and autonomous in their actions, both at home and at work. They understand that technology can be used to complete mundane tasks, which free’s up their time to value-adding activities. These qualities can be harnessed to its fullest, by giving the Millennial the tools and technology to eliminate the mundane tasks, such as manual capturing of information or duplicating data entry.

Embracing flexibility with mobile field service software.

In the modern world, communication has become expected, and flexibility in communication is an essential factor that Millennials need in their work-life. With field service management software, flexibility is a key focus. Millennials will be able to see their entire schedule from their phones, sign in and out of a job and complete work orders. This way, workers would not have to make trips back to their office and can spend more time in the field, generating income.

These mobile applications also give Millennial technicians access to the information they need to do their jobs well, such as online manuals and guides on repairs. Because a library of information is now available from their smartphone, techs can solve problems faster and get access to the information they need to get the job done right the first time around.

Millennials champion field technology

Millennials can play a crucial role in assisting with technology change in a field service business. By embracing new technology, they can lead by example and help other generations in the company better understand the positive impact of technology, that might otherwise have been met with lacklustre enthusiasm.
How to manage Millennials effectively.

Maximising the efficiency of Millennial field services is necessary for field service organisations, and as time goes in, this is going to be amplified. Field Service businesses can help empower Millennials by:

1. Investing in technology

Give them what they want. In every aspect of their lives, Millennials are making the most of modern technology, and work should be no different. To satisfy the needs of this generation, businesses should be looking into technology that automates, increases efficiency and gives real-time access to information. Field Service Management Software, such as NextService by NextTechnik, does just this.

2. Giving them flexibility

The nature of field service is mobile, so many Millennials who choose a career in field service are not wanting to be tied to an office. If they can complete 100% of their roles outside the four walls of an office and spend more time actually generating income they will be more satisfied as workers than having limitations that they see as easily solvable.

Reasons why Millennials are suitable for field service

3. Millennials are educated

Millennials are found to be the most educated generation in history. Millennials tend to improve their learning skills, which is vital for companies when trying to hire technicians based on their abilities.

Since 2014, we have seen a steady increase in both new field service businesses coming to market, as well as strong growth in existing operations. What is even more interesting is the number of retailers, wholesale distributors and manufacturers who are looking it minimise their exposure to increasingly competitive markets and insulate their revenues against the fluctuations they have had in recent years to changes in consumer demand.

At Klugo, we have helped a number of Australian businesses expand and future proof their operations by adding field service software solutions to their existing NetSuite ERP solution. These businesses have mostly been wholesale distributors and manufacturers who were wanting to bring what used to be a cost centre, (in that they had to pay subcontractors to compete routine and preventative and panic maintenance) and turn this into a key business profit centre by hiring a team of technicians direct and engaging directly with their customers.

Field Service Management Applications combine important functionalities like enterprise asset management (EAM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) to offer you a near all-in-one tool that can manage all of your business processes with total traceability. These programs are designed to provide a simple and user-friendly interface across all areas of a business field service company.

So, what makes a great Field Service Management software?

A number of things in truth, depending on what type of business you are. Different Field Service Management software’s in 2019 offers a wide range of features and functionality. Whilst some packages are designed for small companies and some for large; there’s really only one solution on the market that is designed to provide everything a small business owner needs. NetSuite helps them connect sales, back office and service scheduling teams to the technicians in the field who are carrying out the work.

NetSuite provides an end to end solution and can scale with the business as you grow so you can be sure you are not investing in a technology that you will outgrow in a few years. In addition, NetSuite lets users start as simply as they require, in some cases with core financials and inventory management, and then scale the solution to other areas of the business, such as sales and CRM, work order management and field service management as their needs change.

The Field Service Software Boom, Results Speak for Themselves.

Customers who have chosen to branch out into field service software solutions have reported many key benefits almost immediately. Whilst the additional revenue stream has strengthened their businesses as a whole; it has also strengthened their relationships with their customers by providing better service. A one-stop shop to meet their customer’s needs, from evaluation and sale through to after-market service and customer response.

In 2019, customer service is king. Many businesses are starting to realise that building strong long-term relationships with customers means that they not only have a lower cost of sale, and better repeat business but can sell a broader range of products and services ongoing. This relationship makes customers much ‘stickier’ and results in lower customer turnover.

As a business owner, becoming more aware a of what technology is available and making a plan to migrate is key to the continual improvement of your systems strategy, and an Integrated Field Service scheduling software solution could just be the beginning.

Why Use Single System Technology?

Many businesses we work with have used software as a means to fill a gap, rather than looking at the problem holistically. They may have started with a simple accounting package, such as MYOB or Xero, but kept most other information in spreadsheets and documents.

As time went by, and spreadsheets became hard to manage they invested in some smaller, disparate systems to solve the immediate problems they were facing:

Whilst their intentions were good, what they ultimately ended up doing was creating silos of information that were difficult to access, required data duplication in multiple systems and prevented any real-time reporting. As time went on, and the businesses become more complex the inefficiencies and in some cases risks that this strategy presented were no longer acceptable.

Field Service companies now have a better choice for small business field service software, and the earlier they make this choice, the more scalable and flexible their organisations will be. NetSuite Field Service Edition provides small, medium and large field service businesses with a single platform to run their entire operation.

From Marketing, Sales, Quote and CRM, Project and Job Costing, Tasks and Work Orders, Job Scheduling and Financial Automation, NetSuite for Field service is the only solution in the world that gives field service businesses everything they need to grow.

Key Benefits and Areas of Considerations.

Reduce scheduling costs.

Significant costs for field service businesses come with scheduling service calls for clients. Manual systems mean schedulers need to leave large “windows” for appointments and allow ample time between scheduled stops. Field Service Management Software allows users to schedule more appointments efficiently. White space is also reduced with increased efficiency on data capture in the field.

Increased customer satisfaction.

Systems can improve customers’ satisfaction in three ways:

1. They can provide more accurate data to allow for more precise arrival times for technicians.
2. They can predict the tools and parts that a rep will need ahead of the job based on previous jobs or routine work order requirements.
3. They can allow the customer to pick the most convenient appointment time, which can reduce administration time and cost in working out ideal times of a visit.

Reduce parts inventory costs.

Systems can analyse history files to predict which parts will fail on what schedule. Companies can use this information to more accurately manage part inventories being carried to reduce inventory costs with low turnover.

Reduce fuel costs.

Intelligent route planning is a feature of most FSM systems. It calculates the most efficient way for a technician to navigate to their appointments, dramatically reducing travelled kilometres and consequently lowering petrol costs.

Market Trends and Terms to Understand in Field Service.

Interested in Finding Out More About NextService?

NextService is the world’s only NetSuite Native Field Service software. Built exclusively on the NetSuite platform, NextService provides an extension to native NetSuite functionality to include a drag and drop scheduling board, custom field service management dashboard, enhanced job and case forms and a customisable mobile app that allows technicians to complete jobs in the field and have the data sync straight back into NetSuite in real time.

NextService is leading the market in Field Service Technology and is empowering field service business to simplify their IT system, take control of their business operations and grow with the confidence that their system will scale with them.

Over the past five years, field service businesses have been consistently investing in technology that will improve technician utilisation, minimise data entry and provide better customer service.

In 2019, there are hundreds of apps and software packages that are being specifically designed for a field service-based business and these technologies are helping these businesses streamline their operations and lower their overhead costs which is great news for a highly competitive industry.

These are the top 7 trends we see at Klugo with our field service customers.

1. Push to Paperless

This trend has been rapidly gaining pace in the last 2-3 years. Both an increased focus in moving towards “greener” ways of doing business, as well as the opportunity to declutter utes, desks and offices has made this type of technology one of the main drivers for digitising a field service business’s operation.

In most cases, when we start an evaluation with a field service company, they have some form of digitisation or ‘paperless’ data capture. These inputs can be as simple as fillable PDFs through to sophisticated field service management solutions. The problem though is that these stand-alone systems are not integrated into the customers CRM and Accounting Software, or worse…. They are integrated poorly and generating big administrative and IT overheads.

A single platform of technology, built for field service, such as NextService provides an end to end solution from Sales and Marketing, Job Creation, Scheduling, Accounting and Finance, Inventory and more.

2. Accelerating the Payment Cycle

Field service businesses by nature largely charge for their services after the service has been completed. To smoothen the payment process for customers, NextService customers can take customer signatures on glass in the field concerning job completion reports, and automatically send the invoice to the customer in real time. Some customers have also taken this a step further to be able to take payment in the field, which hugely minimising the amount of back-office effort required to receive payment.

Smart field service businesses are doing everything they can to automate the payment cycle because fast payments equal better cash flow, which in turn allows for faster growth.

3. Solving the Scheduling Dilemma

In 90% of businesses we work with, scheduling jobs always come up as a massive pain point. Whether they are scheduling on a whiteboard, or in an excel spreadsheet, customers are frustrated with data inaccuracies, difficulty in changing schedules and coping with last minute changes.

NextService gives the scheduling team an easy to use drag and drop scheduler that allows for what if planning, job assignment and reassignment and the ability to filter jobs by skills required or location.

 4. The Move to Mobile

Almost every customer we speak with tells us that their mobile technicians have smart devices with them in the field but are not making the most of the technology that is already in their pocket.

NextService gives field techs a mobile or tablet interface with a daily, weekly and monthly schedule of all jobs, complete with case history, customer and asset details and more. They can fill in JSA’s in the field for compliance, allocate inventory to the job (and make sure it’s charged to the customer) all from their mobile.

NextService also integrates with the phones native map and GPS functionality to make navigating and locating customers easy. No more phone calls back to the office for customer details or addresses. Schedulers can see where every technician is in real time.

5. Customer Experience Champions

Field service is competitive, and customer satisfaction is critical to retaining business and gaining loyal customers. Most customers we work with believe that despite their best efforts, there is more they can be going to go above and beyond for their customers.

Through automated workflows, NextService customers have been able to design how their ideal customer experience would look and automate communications to improve transparency. One of the easiest ways to improve your customer experience is to make their life easier. Give them all the information they need about their case in real time and automate their customer journey. This automation saves hours for customer service staff and frees up their time to start adding true value and personalised service, not just chasing paperwork.

6. Real-Time Visibility

In most cases, before NetSuite and NextService, our customers are working on a number of disparate databases that do not share information. Whilst this might be ok, when you look at each department in a silo, there is a huge opportunity to gain access to business-wide data that will help improve operational and financial decision making and give invaluable insights into business KPI’s and performance.

NetSuite boosted by NextService is a single platform of technology. Having everything in one place facilitates the ability to build reports and dashboards and thus making better decisions. Also, because it is one technology, the ability to change and be flexible as you grow is immense.

7. From Reactive to Proactive Service

The Internet of Things integrates maintenance networks into a digitally connected customer care ecosystem. Machinery connected to the internet can turn data into immediate predictive actions that can drive major improvements in how businesses deliver world-class services.

Every day IoT-enabled sensors and connectors are integrated to machinery and equipment, allowing field service companies and their technicians to receive regular reports from the systems they’re monitoring, allowing them to react to emerging issues before they cause disruption. This results in not only happier clients, but also simpler fixes rather than large-scale repairs.

SuiteApps are programs built for NetSuite’s API that connect to the same database as your NetSuite data. This integrations enable NetSuite to communicate with an infinite range of equipment and hardware, making it a powerful centralised ERP solution.

In 2018 the Field Service industry has grown 8% on last year’s estimates, as we are now seeing more businesses expand their sales channels to includes servicing and repair on the products they sell.

Manufacturers and wholesale distributors who are facing increased competitive pressures and diminishing margins are now looking for ways to expand their revenue channels to provide an opportunity for growth.

Expanding into repairs and maintenance services brings many obvious benefits.

Whilst the benefits are numerous, adding field service offerings for customers increases the operational complexity of a business, and adds another layer of data that needs to be captured, usually in the field.

Most businesses are not equipped to do this, so they initially design manual processing to capture the information while on client sites, and then manually enter this into systems when back in the office. When you look at this strategy in detail, the results are quite alarming.

The Real Cost of Paper

1. Time

On average, a field service technician needs to capture at least 20 points of information about the service case to be able to bill the customer, track inventory consumption, time spent as well as the specific details about the asset or locations being serviced. Most businesses who are new to field service attempt to do this through printed forms, which are then keyed into systems manually later.

Cost Scenario

In simple cost terms, a business with five field technicians who each complete four jobs per day have created around 200 minutes or 3.3 Hours of administration to enter the same information into different systems. Throughout a year, this can add up to over $35,000 worth of additional administration time.

2. Customer Service Levels

The second biggest cost to a business running manual field service operations is the impact of poor customer service. In 2018, customers expect automation and immediate results. Field Service Management Solutions that are integrated into your accounting and financial management functions means that you can automate your process, from quoting, work order generation, time sheets management and billing on job completion.
One of the main reasons a customer will try different service providers is if the process of dealing with the current provider increases their workload or isn’t transparent. Even if you are only losing a few customers a year to a competitor, this can easily amount to 10’s of thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

We all know the cost of winning a new client is ten times that of retaining an existing client. If your systems aren’t supporting your customer journey positively, you could be handing your customers over to your competitors.

3. Human Error

By far, one of the biggest areas of risk for businesses running paper forms is the potential for human error. Whether it is something as simple as losing a job form, forgetting to add consumed inventory items or forgetting to bill the customer entirely, Field Service businesses are leaving money on the table.

With a Field Service Software, you will be able to ensure that technicians are following a process to ensure every hour is added, every part is paid for, and every customer billed promptly. It might only seem like a spare part here and there or a few missing hours, but when added up, these errors cause significant profit erosion in service-based businesses.

4. Compliance

More and more, we are seeing the type of information that a business needs to collect is increasing. In most industries managing compliance is one of the biggest strains on resources and presents a huge risk of the mandated requirements are not met. Whilst Job Safety Analysis (JSA) and Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) seem like basic requirements, not collecting this information puts businesses at risk should anything go wrong. By having a Field Service Software that allows for electronic capture of this information in the field, owners can ensure that every job is completed with total compliance with both current legislation, and requirements change.

The benefits of an integrated Field Service Management Software Package

• Data is entered into the system while the technician is on site.
• Data is live in the back-office system as soon as the technician saves the job.
• Inventory can be applied and consumed onsite, from their vans.
• Time is entered directly against the project and signed off by the customer which creates less dispute come time for billing.
• Employee time is not wasted travelling to and from the office to drop off paper forms.
• Administrative time is eliminated as there is no need to duplicate data entry into multiple systems.
• Field technicians can be monitored in the field, to give schedulers better information to schedule resources which are closest to the job which increases efficiency and eliminates wasted travel time.
• Visibility across all utilisation is maximised with the ability to spot when things are not going right.

NextService users have a single platform of technology to manage their entire operation, from sales and CRM, through accounting and finance, job scheduling and dispatch and field-based job completion.

Field service management in the early years was quite simple. When an asset or piece of equipment broke, the customer notified the service organisation. The field service team scheduled a field technician. The dispatched technician arrived within an agreed-upon service window, fixed the asset, and moved on to the next job. However, at this point, the asset had already failed, leading to an unproductive piece of equipment frustrated customers. 

Based on advice in Aberdeen’s Field Service report “Workforce Management Guide” (2013), leading field service companies today must identify ways to leverage the unique relationship between customers and technicians. Field service calls must add to the overall customer experience. The evolution of field service transforms the appointment from a wrench-turning event into an opportunity to build long-term trust and partnerships.

Australian companies are seeking to become specialists in their niche areas, operations and post-sale strategies to differentiate themselves in a highly competitive market. One of the most effective approaches to increasing revenue margins is by addressing customer satisfaction and retention.

Industry leading customer service requires substantial operational efficiencies, which can be achieved largely by systemisation and automation. Improving the efficiency of trip routes, shrinking the excess parts in van stock, and reducing paper are not innovative practices. In 2018, they are more-likely, industry standards. 

The Best-in-Class service companies are going further than ever before by investing in resources and systems that provide total transparency for customers.  By having more advanced insights into resource planning and requirements, companies are able to ensure they always have the right resource in the right place at the right time. This means having the:

Investing in digital tools to assist the business processes can increase revenue and customer satisfaction. Three technologies are essential to address this revolution: mobile devices, centralised cloud-based solutions and what is called “the internet of things”.

The new mobile workforce enabled by cloud technology.

Giving technicians access to real-time data while on the go is a must in the industry. But more important is the ability for a technician to take customer information and feedback in the field as well as information about jobs and equipment.  Having this cloud of live knowledge is vital for a customer-centric strategy and to predict future opportunities.

The five must-have tools that leading field service apps must provide to innovative service companies are:

1. Service knowledge.
   
   Technicians with the right skills and information can solve problems. Service apps are helping leading companies give their technicians access to the data that will help them be more efficient whilst onsite and provide a better customer experience. These databases include maintenance schedules, past service history, work instruction changes, and new regulations and safety information. Access to this data can dramatically change how field a technician resolves issues.

2. Resource visibility on-demand.
   
   Fixed assets and all the information recorded about them is not always easy to track. Innovative field service cloud solutions provide advanced assets management and resources allocation with real-time dashboards. GPS location and real-time van inventory are critical tools. This tech, boosted by mobile applications, ensures problems are fixed with a minimal amount of time and dollars spent.

3. Schedule and routing the correct technician.
   
   A Best-in-Class maintenance management software, like NextService, helps businesses by implementing technologies that enable enhanced field service connectivity in real time. The technician’s Mobile devices become an extension of your core ERP System. The app gives instant access to job records, asset history, inventory availability and job checklists.

4. Analytics to measure the workforce’s performance.
   
   Leading field service companies use vital analytical tools that monitor and measure performance across their organisation. Technicians with real-time personalised dashboards of performance can assess them more effectively manage their time, their jobs and their customer service.

    

5. Automated and collaborative workforce.
   
   ERP helps to automate and streamline workflows from job creation and allocation through to completion and billing. Mobile technology makes collaboration easier. A major differentiator in the service industry is having teams that are truly collaborative. By sharing tasks, work orders, history and reports, everyone can be on the same page. 

State of the art Computerised Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)

Pioneering companies are also searching for CMMS Software that directly connects with their CMS. Platforms like NetSuite, the Oracle Field Service Cloud software, help to build a great customer experience. NetSuite is an ERP System that centralises the CMMS and the CMS in a single platform along with finances, accountability, sales, marketing and inventory.

A centralised software system has great advantages for customer service. Service modules allow clients to give feedback and schedule work orders. Field service ERPs automate the customers’ requests for information and allows them to access their accounts.

Having all the information in one single field service cloud facilitates automated scheduling based on attributes such as the technician’s relationship to the customers, location, route, and severity of the issue. Data shared amongst all systems can empower the field technician with sales tools. Field service operators can adjust or sell preventive maintenance plans, fix billing issues and build up customer relations if required.

State of the art mobile apps like NextService, built for NetSuite, allows online or offline information to be accessed and uploaded from any location. This cloud-based software provides statistics and customer data on any device and can be set up very quickly. 

The revolution of industry 4.0 is changing field service forecasting.

In the new era of preventive maintenance, machine-to-machine (M2M) tech is the gold. The internet of things allows ERPs to capture data from smart devices on location. This intelligence allows alerts of a future or current failure. These alerts trigger preventive assets maintenance visits and recommend resolution scenarios for technicians before getting on site.

Advanced connectors enable the real-time communication between the ERP system and the field machines. Field service companies that lead and control their networks search for systems that have these robust Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). NetSuite includes SuiteTalk, the most robust API web services integration powered by Oracle. This API makes it easy for developers to integrate NetSuite with a variety of applications and hardware including existing on-premise machinery.

A significant piece of differentiation in the tech toolkit for the mobile field service is enabling the communication between technicians and on-premise machinery. If configured correctly automation can be tailored to a degree in which field technicians would be calling customers to notify machine failures before they even notice it. State of the art maintenance software helps them collect and connect this data to their workflows.

References

• Application Development: SuiteScript.
• NextService System Overview.
• Aberdeen Group’s report for NetSuite: Field service 2014. Access to the Right Information Empowers a Result-Driven Workforce by Aly Pinder, Research Analyst.