Improving service delivery among operational challenges is a major problem statement for many field service businesses. Effective operations are what enable such businesses to back up their marketing, customer experience, and client retention efforts.
For this, companies today look up to digitization via innovative technologies like service-level agreements and geo-fencing. Read this article to learn more about these advanced technology features and how they help improve service delivery and customer experience.
What Is Geo-Fencing Technology For Field Servicing?
Geo-fencing uses GPS technology to track your field service workers such that if they leave a defined location area, it alerts your management team about it. Some benefits of implementing geo-fencing for your workflows include:
- Geo-fencing helps track the time spent by workers on the job site versus the updated time disclosed by them on the timesheet.
- One can compare time spent versus completed work to gauge productivity.
- Visually track assets and work orders
- Real-time location tracking helps direct workers to shorter travel routes
- Avoid thefts on the job site
How Does Geo-Fencing Technology Improve Customer Satisfaction?
Geo-fencing primarily helps in tracking the activities of field service technicians. Here’s how a field service business uses this information for enhancing service delivery:
- On-time arrival of workers: when workers know their activities are geo-fenced, it instills a sense of accountability, making them adhere to timings and rules. This ensures the project stays on track as per timelines in the contract.
- Better security: geo-fencing avoids thefts of materials or equipment. It will alert clients and management about the lack of security at inventories, helping take adequate security measures and probe the matter immediately.
- Location-based marketing: it is possible to run marketing campaigns based on the customer’s location or provide discounts on local holidays.
- Real-time location updates: you can share the real-time location of technicians with customers assuring them of your prompt execution. It helps avoid the unnecessary hassle of support calls.
- Responsive routing: geo-tagging allows office teams to re-route the technician to a path that has less traffic or is the shortest one. This improves service response time.
What Is The Service Level Agreement For Field Service Management?
Service level agreements are contractual obligations between the customer and field service business that define the performance metrics, timelines, budgets, and quality parameters of the project.
Typically, a solid service level agreement will specify below aspects with clarity:
- Compensation: clearly states the payment terms, the amount charged for each service provided, charges for additional services, delay charges, and mode of payments.
- Key quality parameters: includes values of each key performance indicator for the service that the provider must meet to accept the outcome.
- Penalties: to help resolve any disputes, define actions and escalation procedures that can lead to penalties and resolutions for both the parties – like late payments, bad quality work, delays, etc.
- Renewals: define the procedure for renewing contracts, duration, and prices. This is especially important for recurring services like monthly maintenance.
- Documentation and reporting templates: it is important to form a consensus on reporting techniques followed and documentation formats to ensure both parties align and understand.
How Do Service Level Agreements (SLA) Improve Customer Experience?
SLAs majorly help avoid conflicts and set clear expectations. Here are five other ways in which it ensures your customers have the best experience with your field service business:
- Promotes transparency: willingness to draft a contract shows that your organization cares about transparent communication and follows ethical business practices.
- Builds customer trust: your customers are reassured about the service delivery and available options in case of disputes.
- Makes your business accountable: with contracts, your customers expect accountability in terms of resolving any concerns on time.
- Quality management: the contract acts as a blueprint to ensure the services meet the defined quality parameters.
- Consistency in service delivery: with contractual obligations, your business ensures it sets up relevant processes and automation to meet them. This helps you build a field service business that is consistent in its work and delivery.
Use A Combination Of Geo-Fencing And Service-Level Agreements To Elevate Customer Satisfaction
Geo-fencing provides the necessary proof to customers about work’s progress, while SLAs ensure the expectations are set and met. A combination of these features in your operational workflows increases customer satisfaction and retention.
Zuper’s field service management app is capable of enabling your business with geo-fencing and contract management with service-level agreements. Book a demo today to experience these advanced features and possible integrations.
