Every profitable business seeks to improve its field service customer satisfaction. Decreasing friction and increasing customer satisfaction benefits your team and those you serve.
However, improving customer satisfaction can be quite challenging if you only visit the customer once or twice a year. In this article, we’ll discuss how service management software and everyday business operations play a key role in increasing field service customer satisfaction.
Evaluate Your Current Field Service Customer Satisfaction
Look at current customer feedback and use it to chart customer satisfaction levels before turning to field service software. This will reveal any existing operational shortcomings that software may help solve.
Let’s explore a few ways to evaluate your current customer experience:
Talk to Your Techs
Technicians are your boots-on-the-ground representatives who frequently interact with customers face-to-face.
Frequently check in with your techs to see how they operate, communicate and handle heated situations. Remember, your field team is a roster of professionals skilled in the trades, and they’re not necessarily as adept in customer interactions.
By checking in with techs on a regular basis, you’ll be able to spot any recurring issues arising on the job. For example, some challenges can include:
- Servicing customers with specific needs or difficult service requirements
- Issues with service vehicles (e.g. A/C, engine maintenance, stocked tools, etc.)
- Getting dispatched to jobs far apart, forcing a tech to spend longer on the road
These are just a few of many variables that can affect field service customer satisfaction.
Need help hiring the right technicians to serve customers? Download our free hiring guide to get started today!
Check Online Reviews
According to a recent survey, reviews influence 93% of all buying decisions. In other words, online reviews are essential to the success of your field service business.
A company’s online reputation publicly broadcasts how business is done with customers. Reviews give every customer the opportunity to share unfiltered feedback about their experience with a business.
Read reviews to identify any areas of improvement. Additionally, make sure that you are responding to each online review, especially if it’s critical. Thoughtful review responses can make a lasting impact on prospects. In fact, a response to a critical review could turn one sour situation into many potential leads.
Own up to mistakes, commit to doing better and present actionable steps to getting there. Use negative reviews as a golden opportunity to show potential customers how you intend to address adverse interactions.
Review Reporting Data
Audit your customer data and invoicing systems to find similar characteristics linking one-time customers.
For example, do you have repeat customers who use your services year after year? Or do you typically work with one-time customers? If so, is there any clear indication of similar variables linking these one-time visits?
Depending on your field-service industry and your approach to service agreements, too many one-time customers could indicate a growth opportunity. If you offer ongoing services and agreements, then fewer regulars could signal something is preventing customers from being satisfied.
4 Ways Field Service Software Improves the Customer Experience
After evaluating the current state of customer satisfaction in your business, you’re ready to take the next step in operational optimization. Field service software helps accelerate the remedy to those recently discovered growth opportunities.
Plus, it can improve customer service as a whole! Let’s unpack how field management software helps improve overall field service customer satisfaction:
1. Clear and Consistent Communication
Customers want to know what to expect. Clear communication and setting expectations can help improve customer relationships.
The best field service software automates message delivery and keeps customers in the loop with important reminders like:
- Setting up appointment confirmations
- Sharing when a technician is on the way
- Reminding a customer when an invoice is due
Software may also integrate with an email marketing platform. This integration allows for regular and consistent customer communications.
2. Add a Personal Touch
Blindly relying on technology to manage customer service can make it feel impersonal. Customers appreciate thoughtful, personalized contact touchpoints.
Some field management software have integrations to help with customer outreach efforts. Monthly resources sent from an email marketing tool, or automated thank-you gifts delivered through a third-party service can show customers that you care.
Additionally, your technicians can use a field service app to review work order history while on site. This itemized customer history outlines previous work performed for that specific customer.
Also, some software includes helpful notes for gate codes, customer preferences and more. These notes can include extensive background information for technicians, allowing them to provide a more tailored service experience.
3. Optimize Your Service Agreement Process
Service agreements help build recurring business. Plus, it makes life easier for customers. Agreements are a cost-effective and painless way for customers to set up routine maintenance visits.
To build a successful service agreement program, the terms within these agreements must be easily understood by both parties. In addition, the service responsibilities of the signed agreement must always be upheld by your staff.
Field service software can help manage service agreements, track when agreements are due for renewal and notify dispatchers when to schedule routine maintenance visits via automatic service reminders.
Some field management apps also take onsite payments for service. This makes agreement invoicing quick and easy for customers. If you automate service agreements with software, customers and office staff will have less to juggle.
4. Streamline Onsite Tasks
A good field management software helps techs on the job, resulting in better service for customers. Software can save time by instantly syncing information between the office and field, so techs are never left waiting for information from the office.
A cloud-based field service app allows the field team to access work history, equipment documentation and customer information for quick reference anywhere with a signal.
Plus, some apps allow techs to update job status onsite, and instantly send those notes to the office dispatcher. This allows the office staff to know how a job is progressing – no calls or texts needed.
With these features, your field staff can remain attentive and keep their focus on each customer’s unique needs.
Want to see firsthand how field service software can help enhance customer experience? Book a FREE personalized demo today!
Unlock the Best Field Service Customer Satisfaction Now
Improve customer satisfaction in a snap with the best field service software available. Almost instantly, customer interactions and your bottom line will benefit in numerous important ways, including simplifying:
- Invoicing and payments
- Customer and team communication
- Selling and honoring service agreements
- Automating and personalizing marketing materials
Give your team the best tools for the job, and choose cloud-based field service software and streamline customer satisfaction and business operations today.
