Businesses invest in software to improve their operational processes, increase their resilience and improve their bottom line. But implementing new software can be challenging and can often fail; usually due to human error opposed to software-related problems. 

Implementing field service management software comes with its own set of convolutions such as remote working capabilities, the complexities of numerous operational processes and employee skills. 

Below we explore how to successfully implement field service management software. 

Involve your employees in the research phase of field service management software 

Field staff dislike complicated software. Your field service management software should make work easier so if your app is too complex and your employees struggle to adopt the new software, it’s unlikely you will succeed in implementing the system. 

For a successful implementation, you should involve your field team in the process from start to finish. Ask for their input during the initial phases of the software selection process. Find out what can make their lives easier, listen to their feedback, and use their opinions to choose a field service management system that is smart, simple and suitable.

The right software will empower your field service team to work efficiently and productively, and the benefits will quickly become apparent. 

Introduce your field service management software one step at a time

It’s important not to rush implementation. Deploying the software in its entirety, across the whole company, can make teething problems more stressful due to the number of workers and departments that will be affected. 

It takes time for a business to become familiar and comfortable with new software, so factor this into your implementation plan. 

Phase in the new software to achieve a smooth transition. There are two approaches you can take:

1. Start with introducing the basic elements of the new software and allow your employees to become confident with the new processes. Then launch the more complex features and functions once everyone is comfortable. 
2. Initially introduce the field service management software to a small group of employees. Work closely with the team while they adopt the software. As well as providing your staff with as much training as they need, ask them for feedback on any concerns or problems. 

A slow and steady implementation allows you to combat any snags and glitches before rolling out the software to an entire workforce. 

Evaluate Existing Workflows and Identify Business Pain Points

The field service management software needs to align with your company’s needs and help to achieve business objectives. By evaluating your shortcomings, your software vendor can ensure your software does exactly what you require. 

Conduct in-depth research to identify any weaknesses within your workflows before choosing your software. 

• Identify which operations and processes will benefit from improvements and optimisation. 
• Assess each step taken by every department to ensure the new software meets the requirements of the whole business, not just a single team. 

Most importantly, the field service management software needs to accommodate the role of the field service technicians. Insufficient knowledge of your workforce’s daily duties and challenges will make it difficult to understand what functionalities the software needs to improve operational processes. 

Strong Project Management 

Installing a new system is time-consuming, and implementation can fail if you underestimate the resources that are required to adopt the new software successfully.

You need to ensure you have a dedicated team of employees to manage the implementation, to transfer data from paper or legacy systems and set-up forms and customer information. These employees should work solely on software implementation; not squeeze in the implementation tasks around their usual duties. 

What will happen to your legacy systems?

Have you considered what will happen to your legacy system after you implement your new field service management software? The last thing you want is to run a redundant system when you have just invested in the opportunity to harness an holistic approach. 

Do you transfer the data from the existing system to the new software? Or do you integrate your legacy system with your new software? 

Work with your software vendor to devise the best plan of action for your business. The vendor can enable a seamless transition to your new software solution. 

Field Service Management Software by Triangle 

We offer an end-to-end field service management software solution. It covers every conceivable business function and is fully-tailorable, so it fits your enterprise like a glove.

We also understand the importance of simplicity, and our systems have a simple, user-friendly interface, which supports a problem-free transition. 

Contact us today to find out more about our field service management software.