5 Tips for Buying Field Service Software in 2021

Apr 10, 2019

Running an agile fast-moving Field Service Management company is not easy. Every day as a business leader, you will have multiple variables to deal with. You will have to manage your customers, technicians, inventory, appointments, locations, scheduling, invoices and billing, and more. 

This is why many CEOs and CIOs turn to Field Service Management software and their Automation and mobility features to efficiently run field service organizations. If you are on the lookout for a new FSM software in 2020, read these five tips before you make a decision.

1. Evaluate the price of your new Field Service Management software

One of the biggest considerations for companies before purchasing an FSM software license is its cost. Evaluating the true cost of any investment should be dependent on your ROI. It would be a mistake to judge the FSM software’s value just by looking at its packages or list pricing.

For component-based software suites, the cost is even more variable. It comes down to how many added features, how much training and support or how much customization you will need. For example, if you choose an omni-channel FSM suite like IFS FSM that provides a consistent experience on any browser with the release of IFS Field Service Management 6, you will not have to spend money on additional mobility features or integrations.

2. Understand the FSM software functionalities you need

In addition to the cost and benefits discussed above, you will want to choose field service software that has the specific functionalities you need to accomplish your business goals. For example, IFS Field Service Management software provides dedicated features for:

  • Mobile Field Service
  • Planning & Scheduling Optimization
  • Reverse Logistics and Repair
  • Customer Engagement
  • Spare Parts Management
  • Service Contract Management
  • Warranty Management
  • Service Project Management
  • Cloud Deployment

You should be able to evaluate which of these features your Field Service Management company needs and better align your business goals to your FSM software purchase.  This can save your company valuable time and money in the process.

3. Evaluate Its Data Analysis Capabilities

Real-time, actionable data is a major part of having a smooth operational process. You will be unable to judge your success, or measure your KPIs without sufficient data. Your Field Service software must be capable of generating in-depth, analytical reports like task status, inventory check, customer feedback, technician performance ratings, etc. Having these metrics on your dashboard will give you visibility into your processes, and identify potential weaknesses so that you can take corrective action.

4. Verify Implementation Use Cases

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices to a couple of software suites, you can check for past implementation cases and judge their potential successes or failures. Easy to implement software saves money and gives your business benefits faster. However, implementations are usually complex affairs. They require proper planning and documentation, clear communication with your team, testing for mobility, piloting the implementation in a small chunk, invest in training and change management, and much more. Which brings us to tip 5.

5. Try to choose an FSM software with a strong partner network

The best Field Service Management software usually also provides the best aftermarket support. They usually do this by cultivating a strong eco-system of able Managed Service Providers that can help their customers get the best service locally. Like us here at ProV. We are  a multiple-award-winning partner for IFS products and services. We offer competitive IFS Applications pricing and provide best-in-class services for IFS implementations, IFS software support, and IFS customizations for IFS FSM and IFS ERP. Our strong history of smooth and rapid implementations for our clients, and designing innovative customizations to suit their needs put us in the best place to serve your needs.    

Ready for your Field Service Management journey in 2019? Take our FREE Consultation today!

New Call-to-action

 

 

Share This Article

Topics: IFS FSM, Field Service Management Providers, FSM software, field service solutions, field service software, mobile field service software, ifs field service management, ifs applications 10, dispatch software