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How field service providers can migrate from manual field ticketing to using automated processes

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A Field Service Provider’s Guide To: Implementing Electronic Field Tickets

97% of field service provider field tickets are recorded on paper by default. While this manual field ticketing process may seem simpler, it has a direct negative impact to sales, operational costs and overall profits to the company. From the amount of paperwork that needs to be sifted through to the high likelihood of inaccurate data, manual field ticketing should be a last resort for any service provider who values efficiency. So why don’t companies switch to an automated or electronic process?

One of the problems companies face when they consider switching systems or adopting new technologies is the ease of setup and use. Sometimes, transferring information from one platform to the other takes more time than if the old platform was used, at least in the short term. There is also the learning curve for field users that are not technology savvy and where it might seem like a waste of time to train how to use the new system. But setting up automatic field tickets does not have to be tedious or cumbersome. Here is how you can set up your own automated ticketing system in seconds, not months or years:

  1. Admit There Is A Problem
    The average company misfiles 20% of their paper records, loses 7.5% of them and spends an average of 30 minutes searching for one lost paper record. These numbers add up to a significant loss in money, time and office space used in processing, searching for and storing paper-based field tickets.Even more alarming is that, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, 70% of today’s companies would fail within three weeks if for any reason, say fire or flood, they lose their paper-based records. This is a big problem for any service provider who still uses manual field tickets and wants to stay in business. One way to reduce this risk significantly is by replacing manual and paper-based field tickets with electronic automated field tickets. Which leads us to the step 2.

     

  2. Find a System That Works
    The first step to setting up automated field tickets is finding a system that works best for your company. This requires an ability by your team to translate your current process to whatever system you decide to adopt. For the ultimate beginner, the easier way of transitioning from paper based field tickets to digital field tickets is to create a digital template. Creating a digital template basically means making a digitized version of your current manual process. With this method, all you need to do is replicate your field ticket in tools like Microsoft Word or Excel. It can be done by anyone with basic computer knowledge, but can also be a hassle to consolidate input and distill information for future use or decision making. The more efficient system for automated field ticketing is to have an application, web or mobile, that your team uses for field ticketing. Depending on the available resources of your company, you can either develop an application in-house or leverage existing solutions developed solely for this purpose.

     

  3. Personalize Your Experience
    Each company has it’s unique processes and style. Once you know what system you want to use, the next step is to customize it to suit your company’s processes and brand identity. This could include adding service categories and naming them in your company’s current terms or language. This is typically a one-time activity. If you have a good automated field ticket system in place, it would also allow for flexibility in case you want to add new fields, services, products or change categories later in the future. If you can’t make these changes to your business in seconds using a drag and drop builder. Yes SECONDS, stay away!

     

  4. Introduce the New System to Your Team
    Now that you have adopted a system and customized your automated field ticket to meet your business processes, all that’s left is getting everyone on your team on the same page. This could include having accurate documentations, assigning tasks, scheduling training sessions, and so on. The good new is, if you use FAT FINGER by SEE Forge, the learning curve is easier and you have support with your dedicated success coach whenever you need it.

     

 
GIven current market conditions there is no better time than now to make the switch to an automated field ticket system. With the right automated process, you will have real-time revenue reporting and know who is and who isn’t following the process correctly. Top level executives have the peace of mind that they are improving profitability through reduced DSO, field ticket leakage and overall processing costs. You will be able to show your team exact operational performance in real-time with zero reporting effort.
 
Want to make the switch to an automated electronic field ticket system, try FAT FINGER by SEE Forge today and reduce your days outstanding (DSO), lost tickets and generate more profits.


References:

http://mycoportal.com/the-true-cost-of-paper-explained/
http://www.thepaperlessproject.com/the-impact-and-inefficiency-of-paper-in-the-office/

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