How Field Service Management Software is Helping to Address the Skills Gap

Read this blog for three ways field service management software helps to address the skills gap and take on more customers, without needing new hires.

With many more experienced field technicians fast approaching retirement age, they’re leaving behind a significant skills gap that younger generations cannot fill.

🔍In fact, 70% of organisations expect the ageing workforce to severely impact their operations within the next five to ten years.

So, what can field service companies do?

Savvy leaders are finding innovative ways to deal with their usual high volume of work — without requiring additional mobile workers.

And this is where field service management software comes in.

Thanks to technological advancements in recent years, field service management software solutions have the power to revolutionise how companies operate and deal with the fallout of the ever-growing skills gap.

Read on to learn more 👇

HOW TO CLOSE THE SKILLS GAP WITH FIELD SERVICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Here are the top three ways a field service management software can help reduce the workload for your existing staff and enable you to take on more jobs with fewer resources:

1. GO PAPERLESS AND STREAMLINE ADMINISTRATION PROCESSES 📃

Employees believe they waste a staggering two hours per day on admin, paperwork and other pointless tasks instead of focusing on business-critical activities.

Worse still, they spend at least 26 minutes of an average seven-and-a-half-hour working day working out how to use outdated or failing technology.

So, if you’re still relying on the same legacy systems and manual processes that you did in the past, it’s time to consider an alternative.

Enter: Field service management software.

When you use a field service management platform, customers can make and amend their own bookings via an online portal, meaning your staff won’t have to take phone calls and manually manage the calendar. Instead, they can instantly see the details on the system and use them to assign and dispatch a worker at the click of a button.

The end result? When you reduce the workload currently sitting on your team’s ‘to-do’ list by automating time-consuming tasks, you free up their time to take on other activities that would’ve previously required additional hires to cover.

2. SIMPLIFY YOUR SCHEDULE ⏰

For many field service businesses, scheduling and dispatching workers presents the most challenges.

Why?

Because high levels of reliance on paper-based documents, spreadsheets and multiple inefficient systems cause delays, confusion — and even leave some bookings to fall through the cracks entirely.

But with field service software, this all changes.

These tools take care of the entire process and help your schedule to run like clockwork. The system uses its integrated intelligent scheduling assistant to find field staff for each job based on their location, skillset, qualifications, AND vehicle type.

The end result? By significantly shortening your workers’ routes and ensuring that they’re the best person to complete the job with better first-time fix rates, you’ll find that they have time to attend additional bookings each day (and it boosts customer service). So, instead of needing to take on new hires, you can maximise your current workforce’s time to make the most out of their schedules.

3. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES 🤝

🔍41% of people recognise the importance of networking and want to attend more events but don’t believe they have the time.

However, networking is one of the best ways to expand your reach and make important professional relationships.

Ready for the good news?

There are now a wide variety of options for time-starved business leaders. When you invest in the right field service management software, like BigChange, you’ll get added bonuses like instantly gaining access to their network.

What this means: So, you won’t have to leave your office to build partnerships with thousands of other trusted field service organisations worldwide.

• You’ll be able to list your company on the site for free and begin receiving connection requests immediately.
• Plus, you can post active jobs and hire subcontractors to carry out the work on your behalf.
• And each listing allows you to include specific requirements, such as qualifications, so you can rest assured that only the most relevant people will represent your organisation.

The end result? You can offer more services in a broader range of locations, giving you the power to grow your business without needing to embark on a costly recruitment process or struggling to find talent.

HOW TO CLOSE THE SKILLS GAP WITH FIELD SERVICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

🔍In 2020, 52% of field service businesses were still relying on inefficient, antiquated systems and error-prone manual administration methods to manage their business operations.

Unfortunately, with the skills gap becoming an ever-increasing issue in the field service industry, businesses will need to modernise their processes in order to manage a higher volume of work with fewer people.

Field service software makes it simpler than ever to manage your business. Some clever tech can even allow you to:

✅ Accept customer bookings

✅ Assign and dispatch workers

✅ Track vehicles, assets, stock and equipment

✅ Take payments and invoices

…And more, all on a single easy-to-use platform.

Simplifying your ways of working and finding ways to reduce the workload for your field staff will liberate time to attend extra bookings and take on other tasks that contribute directly to business growth.

⚠ Remember: Your existing staff are your most valuable asset, so you must put their time and skills to good use.

MAKE RUNNING YOUR FIELD SERVICE BUSINESS EASIER WITH BIGCHANGE

Ready to save valuable time and stay connected to every aspect of your business? Make the switch to BigChange.

Here’s why hundreds of field service businesses trust us to support project management 👇

Our secure, cloud-based software helps you track and control every job, from quotation to payment, on a single platform. Everything you need to know will be at your fingertips, making it easy to plan, manage, schedule and track your field workers and field service operations.

Plus, you’ll be able to make the most of our dedicated field service management pros.

But, don’t take our word for it. See how a range of industries are benefiting from our field service management tech by taking a look at our case studies, right here. Want to find out more? See how BigChange can make your business grow stronger, arrange a free demo today.