7 Best Field Service Management Software for Small Businesses

Managing a team that is not present at the sight of a manager is probably the most daunting task to do.

These tasks involve manual inputs which have a huge probability of committing errors. Incorrect and incomplete information creates unavoidable delays. To take care of these scenarios, we have field service management software.

What is Field Service Management Software?

A Field Service Management (FSM) software is an application that manages the resources who work outside of the office premises or on the client site. This includes managing activities like transporting, scheduling work, and administrating activities like billing, inventory, accounting and much more.

Field service management software is majorly used to manage installations, repairs, and servicing of equipment.

There are many free field service management software for small business that can be deployed inside the company as well as on the cloud. But it is mostly used online and is integrated with applications for billing, inventory, accounting and HR management.

Types of Field Services That Can be Managed with Service Management Software

Repair Services
Maintenance Services
Installation
Business Consultation

Repair Services

A technician goes for a field service if a machine is broken or not working properly at some remote location. Repair services take place in remote locations where the service executive has to travel to.

Maintenance Services

Maintenance is also a part of field services that re-occur for different devices time to time. To prevent the equipment from wearing out completely, few activities are performed on these devices to make them work properly.

These activities involve replacing the parts that are not performing well, assessing parts for future damage and performing regular inspections. Maintenance of machinery helps minimize frequent breakdowns and increases the shelf life of machines as well.

Installation

Few machines and devices are complicated to install yourself. You are definitely going to need a technician to install it. The technician will perform a set of tests to ensure that the device that you are about to use is completely functional.

Business Consultation

Service visits do not necessarily have to be on-the-spot appointments. Business consultation also involves analysis of your device and requirements. Results from the consultation can help gain insights to optimize your machine efficiency.

Why Should You Use Field Service Management Software?

Job scheduling, mobile access, built-in messaging and analytics are a few of the features of the best field service management software. Let’s have a look at them in detail.

Job Scheduling

To run processes smoothly, scheduling is a necessity. Without proper scheduling, you will not be able to manage the huge number of changes and resolve the issues cause by improper schedules. For example, if an executive falls sick suddenly, rescheduling has to be done and several last minute changes have to be met.

Rescheduling these tasks manually is almost impossible because of the massive number of variables involved. A field service management software in India comes in handy in these types of crisis.

Mobile Access

Because these field service executives are not physically present at the office premises, field force management software for cloud supports mobile access as well. This mobile accessibility helps because every activity is recorded on the cloud and we are going towards a digital era.

This mobile interface is basically an app which gives access to crucial information about work to these field service executives. They can view schedules, receive notifications, and mark the work done inside the app.

Reports and Analytics

Field service management software has a feature of built-in reporting feature. With this feature, you can analyze your data and find latest trends to optimize your business.

This feature analyses data involving the scheduling mechanism, time taken to complete different jobs and various customer service efforts. These reports help to give the best results to make the existing processes even more effective.

Built-in Messaging

With field service management software, you will receive a built-in messaging system which helps the field service executives to communicate easily. It tracks every bit of communication gives the ability to communicate with executives at one go.

It also lets you tag each technician for each work order. Service executives can ask questions and chat with one another when on the field.

Why is Field Service Management Software Beneficial?

With benefits like field tracking, data management and improved customer service, a field service management software cancan make various business processes a lot simpler. Let’s see what else is stored in a field service management system.

Tracking Anything and Everything

Things like calculating the time required to complete a job, booking or cancellation of appointments, sending invoices and streamlining the process can be done with field service management software.

Functions like analyzing and organizing the data is also be taken care of by a field service management software. This software can help collate data from different sources across various devices and provide relevant answers to different service related questions.

Managing Your Data

With the help of Artificial intelligence, a field service management software can assess various variables. This technology can calculate results in an instant with information like machine history, customer location, inventory and service availability. These types of calculations can take hours if done manually.

Internet of Things

The technology called the Internet of Things is used in field service scheduling software to connect every device in the organization. This would enable the technicians to upload and receive information and the customers to book an appointment and schedule it themselves.

Know Your Customers

There are quite a few appointments that a service executive has to attend in a day. With field service management software, they can make each visit personalized. This software lets you access details about the customer.

Data like customer history, customer address and other background information, let the service executive have a more personal connection with the customer.

This also removes the need of asking those repetitive questions that are asked to the customer since the service executive would already have that information on their device.

Integrate With Third-Party Applications

You can integrate your field service management software with tools like CRM and ERP to monitor the entire workflow and internal processes. The ERP software will let you integrate the system to help you automate your processes like inventory, purchasing, invoicing and more.

With the integration of CRM tool, you can work on improving the response rate and analyze the areas you are lagging behind.

Manage Your Inventory

Field service scheduling software can provide the functionality with which it can continuously update the list of the number of parts available in real-time. This feature makes sure that a service executive reaches the site with the required parts on time.

Also, you can re-order those parts on time which are out of stock. This helps in smoothing out the processes in the organization and the overall customer experience as well.

The ultimate goal of a field service management software is to make the existing processes simpler and the communications better.

7 Best Field Service Management Software for Small Business in India

Freshdesk – Best Field Sales Management Software
ServiceMax – Open Source Field Service Management Software
ServiceTrade – Free Field Service Management Software
Housecall Pro – Best Field Service Management App
Jobber – Best Field Force Management Software
Service Fusion – Best Field Management Software for Contractors
Field Force Tracker – Best Field Service Scheduling Software

Now that you know how important field service management software is, it’s time to get one for your business as well. You can have a look at the wide variety of field service management software for your organization here and choose the one suitable for your business.

Best Field Sales Management Software – Freshdesk

Freshdesk field management system is utilized by businesses to enhance the quality of their on-field services. Freshdesk is one of the best field service management software that helps you engage with customers across several channels including social media. It also automates workflows, saving you time and resources.

Features

Intuitive interface

Freshdesk field force management app has an intuitive service allowing handling different conversations with customers and technicians across multiple channels.

Powerful scheduling dashboard

Freshdesk’s mobile field force management software lets you assign jobs, manage workload, and monitor ongoing services all in one place- through its dashboard.

AI to better engage with customers

Freshdesk uses Freddy AI to engage with customers and generate automated responses to frequently asked questions.

Real time tracking

This field management system’s Live Map View feature helps you monitor the movements of your on-field technicians.

Mobile app

By using this field force management app, technicians can contact customers and update job status in real time.

Pricing: Price of Freshdesk starts from ₹1399 per user per month. For more details and demo, you can contact us.

Open Source Field Service Management Software – ServiceMax

ServiceMax open source field management system is used to provide hassle free field service to customers as well as improve productivity of technicians by providing them with the latest technical tools.

ServiceMax also offers a field force management app which helps technicians see different work orders and access asset and knowledge databases.

Features

Real time communication

This field service management system allows technicians to communicate with experts, back office or each other for quick resolution of issues.

Dispatch and scheduling

ServiceMax’s scheduling tool is called service board using which dispatchers can manage their work more efficiently.

Management of work orders

Using this best field service management software, you can keep a track of work orders assigned to different technicians.

Access to equipment details

Technicians working on an equipment can obtain equipment history, details about its configuration, mail reports and much more using ServiceMax.

Customer self service

Using ServiceMax field management system, customers can generate service requests and view the status of their work order.

Pricing: The price of ServiceMax field service management software starts from ₹7488.29 per user per month.

Free Field Service Management Software – ServiceTrade

ServiceTrade is a free field service management software that allows on field technicians and office staff to coordinate and ensure a better customer experience. Through its drag and drop interface, you can schedule work orders for technicians and then deliver associated paperwork directly to the customer’s email address.

Features

Scheduling technician appointment

ServiceTrade field force management app helps in efficient scheduling of technician appointments by showing them the shortest route possible to the desired location.

Monitoring work order progress

Using this field management system, you can monitor the status of a job without having to call the technician repeatedly.

Enhanced Time Tracking

With this best field service management software, technicians can start a job with GPS enabled time tracking feature.

Customer service portal

Through this free field service management system, customers get to log into a customer service portal where they can see the past and upcoming appointments.

Customized reports

ServiceTrade mobile field force management software provides customized reports which help ensure better customer experience.

Pricing: Premium plans of ServiceTrade software starts from ₹5909.32 per user per month.

Best Field Service Management App – Housecall Pro

Housecall Pro is a cloud-based field service management app used for efficient scheduling of technicians for field services. Housecall Pro is a helpful service management system to create automated workflows. It also features a GPS enabled tracking system, online payment gateways and real time notifications.

Features:

Advanced online booking

This field management system lets customers schedule an appointment through your website, Facebook and Instagram.

Creating and editing jobs

Using Housecall Pro best field service management software’s drag and drop interface, you can easily create jobs and edit them later.

Real time dispatching

This field service management system notifies the staff assigned to a job as soon as it is created, or any updates are made to an existing job.

Online payment

Using this field force management app, your customers can securely process payment online after completion of the job.

All in one dashboard

Housecall Pro dashboard shows everything important for your business: from technician’s response to analysis of customer satisfaction.

Pricing: Starting price of Housecall Pro is ₹3665.27 per month per user.

Best Field Force Management Software – Jobber

Jobber is one of the best field force management software that is suitable for small and medium businesses to provide efficient field services. Using jobber, you can assign multiple technicians to a single job. With its robust tracking system, you can monitor a technician’s progress on a job.

Features:

Addition of notes or photos

Technicians on the job can add notes or photos of equipment to obtain help from experts regarding its service.

Customer notifications

This field force management app notifies a customer when a technician is assigned to their service request and when the technician is on his/her way.

Multi device access

This field service management system allows users to book appointments from mobile phones, tablets and desktop.

Interactive user interface

Jobber field force management app’s modern design makes it easy for the first-time users to schedule a technician’s appointment.

Frequent updates

Jobber field management system updates on a regular basis to add more customer friendly features.

Pricing: The starting price of Jobber mobile field force management system is ₹2169.24 per month.

Best Field Management Software for Contractors – Service Fusion

Service fusion field management system is a field service management software for small businesses that is used for better scheduling of technicians for field jobs. Service fusion offers voice and text messaging features as well as the integration with GPS stamped tracking systems and online payment gateways.

Features

Better customer management

Using Service fusion field service management system, you can set multiple customer service locations, preferred channels of communication and their mode of payment.

Text message notification

Service Fusion is one of the best field service management software that sends notifications to both customers and technicians about scheduled jobs.

Functional mobile app

By using this field force management app, field workers can clock in a job and record its completion.

No contact, digital signature

This field force management software provides customers the feature of recording their sign digitally from their own device.

Uploading job specific photos

Technicians can upload job photos and access them in the future in case of a similar service request.

Pricing: The starting price of Service Fusion field management system is ₹7405.35 per month.

Best Field Service Scheduling Software – Field Force Tracker

Field Force Tracker is a cloud-based field service management system that is used by organisations to keep a track of on field technicians. Field Force Tracker offers a dashboard through which you can keep a tab of job histories and manage incoming requests. It also includes VoIP that allows customers to contact technicians from the software itself.

Features