Shifting to a Digital Workforce: Eliminate Endless Paperwork with Service Dispatch Software

When managing a service-based small business, which is more frustrating: dealing with paperwork in general, or how the paperwork slows you down? Most folks in the front office or small business owners will likely say they are equally frustrating, especially in our new remote work world—a state of affairs that is unlikely to change.

Thankfully, small businesses today have affordable field service management (FSM) software options that can eliminate inefficiencies and make things run smoother for everyone. FSM software that includes service dispatch software is a worthwhile investment for any service-based small businesses.

If you choose the right solution, dispatching can go from being stressful to being a snap. Here’s why.

FSM service dispatch software eliminates frustration by eliminating paperwork.

Dispatch software helps you do business from anywhere and uses automation to eliminate time-consuming manual tasks—which usually means anything involving paper. If you’d like to never file paper duplicates and triplicates again, dispatching software helps with that.

The right dispatch solution puts all information, from work orders and invoices to text messages and emails, in one convenient place. This means you can:

• Automate scheduling drivers
• Assign jobs real-time
• Keep track of where everyone is
• Close the gaps on delivery window issues
• Put an end to paper cuts

Dispatching + GPS = Efficiencies

Make sure the FSM SaaS (software as a service) solution you choose has dispatching capabilities that go hand-in-hand with GPS software. Using dispatch automation combined with GPS fleet tracking and reporting will make life easier for the front office, techs, and customers.

The tracking, automation, and efficiencies are great for business processes, and they make it easier to troubleshoot scheduling issues. With one software solution, you’ll be able to tell a customer exactly where the technician is, get immediate access to any invoices or payment information, and provide text updates. Keeping everyone on the same page keeps everyone happy, from the technician to the customer.

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Embrace automation—the right FSM software makes it easy.

The word “automation” can be a little scary if you’ve been burned by faulty automation before—or if you’ve never used automation at work before. There’s nothing worse than complicated automation technology that takes more work than manual processes. But quality FSM SaaS makes the journey to automation completely seamless.

The days of painful onboarding are over; FSM technology today is designed for ease of use. With the SaaS model, you don’t need any special equipment because everything is in the cloud. There’s no new server, printer, or modem. Once implemented, dispatch software will set you free from manual or time-consuming processes, freeing you to use your time more wisely.

Get dispatch software buy-in, first.

Although you may be fully onboard with new dispatch software, your field technicians may have a different mindset. If you get software nobody uses, it’s pointless, so it’s important to get buy-in from all users first.

This means involving all users in the FSM software choice. Make sure they’re comfortable using smartphone applications, and that they understand how the automation can help them in the field. Ease of use is crucial, and it’s usually what gets top-rated software its top rating. When you start looking, start at the top. (Spoiler: Top-rated doesn’t mean top price. You can get enterprise-level software features at a small business price.)

Understand how FSM software does more than improve dispatching.

While making dispatching seamless is pretty awesome, FSM software solutions can do so much more to make life easier for business owners, while helping grow their small businesses.

The highest quality FSM software should include:

• VoIP phone software built for service contractors
• GPS fleet tracking that gives you complete visibility
• Payment platform built for contractors
• Easy apps to connect with field techs
• No-contact customer service features
• Enterprise-level features with small business in mind

Learn more about the benefits of FSM software.

FSM software can be a game-changer for small businesses. The time—and, therefore, money—you save through new efficiencies make it a good investment. Getting tools to help you serve customers better makes it a great investment.

In addition to dispatching and GPS capabilities, FSM software simplifies other processes, including:

• Call tracking and transcripts
• Customer management
• Creating invoices
• Taking payments
• Providing estimates

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