You can have the best techs on the field, but without proper time and personnel management, your business will be struggling to turn a dime. The truth is, there is a lot to lose from bad management.
From an unbalanced workload between techs to unnecessary truck rolls raking in thousands of dollars, most of these problems can be solved through a structured scheduling system.
In the long-term, proper scheduling paves the way for revenue growth. This can also foster a positive company culture. In this article, we’ll take a look at why that is.
Avoiding Last-Minute Calls
With experience, your technicians should know when the next time a piece of equipment or device will break down. By scheduling maintenance beforehand, you’ll be able to avoid any unwanted last-minute calls when the equipment goes bust.
If it’s an urgent repair (such as an industrial fridge for a meat packer), this can really disrupt your team’s workflow and productivity. It will also cost you and your client more money to replace or repair something than it is to maintain it.
When you schedule maintenance work with a client, you’ll be saving yourself from unnecessary truck roll costs. Depending on many circumstances such as vehicle type and traffic, a truck roll can cost an average of $250-$500. Therefore, to really protect your upside, be proactive rather than reactive.
Fortunately, scheduling has gotten a lot simpler with field service management software. Though it’s usually a battle of jobber vs housecall pro, there are many out there that will satisfy your business’s needs.
The Workforce is Distributed Evenly
You have a limited number of techs on deck, but the demands for your services vary. With proper scheduling, you can be sure that your techs on the field are doing a fair amount of work and are located strategically to cut traveling costs and time. This prevents any of them from being overworked, thus improving the quality of service and client satisfaction.
When it comes to working distribution, your decision shouldn’t just weigh on the volume of work anyone tech is given at a time. Factor in their skill set as well. This ensures that you get the right man for the job and your client will be confident that they are getting the best value for their buck.
When you have a reputation for being punctual and having an expert to deal with an issue, it’s so easy to get referrals from a satisfied client.
Opens Up the Opportunity for Staff Training and Mentoring
A visionary is always planning to improve the services their team can provide. In most field services, this is usually done through mentoring and staff training. However, without a proper schedule in place, you’re too busy sending people here and there just to get the job done.
With this, there is no way you can implement a mentoring program when your employees are all over the place.
On the flip side, a schedule allows you to have interns or juniors work directly under someone with more experience. The quicker your techs gain valuable skills, the quicker you’ll be able to justify charging more.
This is also a great way to form a positive company culture where teamwork comes into play.
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