The term ”Cloud-Based Field Service Management Software” can be broken down into two topic areas: “cloud-based” and “field service management software”.
Field service management with cloud data collection helps create, use, and share business processes to help streamline operations. It creates a central system that digitizes service-related data. This infrastructure is necessary for overseeing all business tasks and activities. Other teams in an organization, such as sales and finance, can leverage it to inform decision-making processes.
On the other hand, cloud-based indicates that the software is stored, managed, and available through the cloud. Therefore, it simplifies IT for organizations as there is no need for complex installations or specific infrastructure.
What is Cloud-Based Field Service Management Software?
Cloud-based FSM is a class of computer programs managed, maintained, and delivered in the cloud to help field service operations and businesses. This streamlines and automates critical processes or functions involved in managing field technicians and services. The program enables field service businesses to manage operations with scalability, efficiency, and visibility to the front and back office.
Cloud-based FSM can either be appointment centric or asset-centric. The choice will depend on your organization’s goals. An appointment-centric FSM allows field managers and supervisors to organize schedules, route plans, and allocate resources. At the same time, field workers can use it to report work statuses, task completion, arrival or departure times, and to request assistance with a challenge met on the job.
On the other hand, Asset-centric FSM allows organizations to transition from a reactive model to a proactive model by providing real-time data on equipment state. This helps field-service managers anticipate equipment breakdown. They can send technicians and maintenance teams to address the problem before failure occurs, leading to unexpected downtime. For equipment-centric businesses, FSM software provides visibility and control over assets to ensure operational excellence. As a result, improves workforce productivity and customer satisfaction.
To inform decision-making processes, other teams in the organization, such as sales, marketing, and finance, can also leverage the data obtained through cloud-based FSM. Most FSM also supports integration with existing software solutions within a business, such as CRM (customer relationship management). In addition, cloud-based Field Service Management Software can operate purely online or support offline use. Online programs ensure that data is updated and synchronized in real-time. Offline programs are designed to defer synchronizing of data until when an internet connection is available.
Benefits of Cloud-Based Field Service Management Solution
Organizations that have included cloud-based field service management software in their workflow will likely increase their productivity by simplifying their processes. Expected benefits associated with cloud-based FSMS include:
- Access to the program at any time and from anywhere makes it easy to retrieve information
- Optimizes the allocation of resources
- Helps equipment-centric service businesses improve compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLA)
- Streamlines issue resolution and reduces Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR)
- Offers organizations increased flexibility to scale accordingly
- Facilitates equipment monitoring so that organizations are up to date with the state of their assets
- Supports inventory management by notifying personnel which materials or parts are needed and which are running low to inform purchasing decisions
- Leads to improved customer satisfaction and promotes better engagement between customers and your business
- Cloud-based programs also allow you to carry on your operations without having to worry about the maintenance of the software. That is the work of the vendor or service provider.
- Cloud solutions often provide high levels of security to business data that some organizations would otherwise not afford
- Implementing cloud solutions is affordable to most businesses since you do not have to buy hardware or any equipment upfront
Cloud-Based vs. Non-Cloud-Based Field Service Management Software
Cloud-based FSMS have their servers on the internet. This means that your organization will not need to buy any hardware or manage the servers. The server is hosted and supported by a third party. In addition, the cloud servers make it possible to access real-time information from any location or device. That is provided you can connect to a network in the cloud and authenticate your identity.
In contrast, non-cloud-based FSMS have their servers on-site. The servers are hosted on your premises, and you need a dedicated IT staff to manage them. This is usually expensive as you must invest in the hardware and human resources to keep the servers running.
