Top 10 mistakes made when choosing Field Service Management Software

Choosing Field Service Management Software can feel daunting at first. Get it right and you will be running a more effective Field Service business, completing more jobs and growing cash flow. Get it wrong and you'll be fighting with a system to do the most basic of tasks.

There are some simple steps you can take to make sure you get the right option for your business. Start by avoiding these top 10 mistakes made with choosing Field Service Management Software.

1. Simply using what everyone else seems to use

A classic mistake in when choosing software is to just Google the type of software you need and pick the first name that comes up or one you might recognise. 

If you choose a provider based on ‘what everyone else does’ then you’re setting yourself up to fail and it will waste time.

The larger names in the business tend to have a long legacy of providing a solution to Field Service job management. While that is very commendable, if that well-known program is outdated and at the end of it’s lifecycle then you’re just paying a premium for outdated tech.

There’s two ways to avoid this problem:

1. Get a demonstration. You’ll catch on pretty quickly if this well-known provider is selling the same software that looks like a computer programme from 2004 or the smooth running, intuitive app you team deserves.
2. Look at their Feature pages or Update release notes on their website. This will show you how often they are making improvements to their software.

2. Not considering the features you know you’ll need

One of the easiest things to get wrong when choosing Field Service Management Software is not considering how you currently operate and service your customers.

In many cases your business model is likely to be structured around completing as many jobs as your team can, while also maintaining a commitment to your customers to carry out inspections or scheduled preventative maintenance.

Understanding how you are currently set up as a Field Service business will help you create a shortlist of software providers because you’ll know the features that are required as a minimum.

3. You didn’t speak to your team

One of the huge benefits of adding Job Management Software to your Field Service business is the fact that a good system will improve the processes for everyone.

From the back office to the team in the field. From scheduling services to invoicing for a job well done, your software will have an impact on everyone so why not include your team in the decision?

Field Service businesses who fail to involve key stakeholders from around their business will notice push back or lack of support when the new system is brought in.

They won’t have a chance to be impressed by how much easier it will make their day to day or how many operational efficiencies it will introduce if they didn’t feel consulted in the process.

4. Picking the cheapest option

You may believe that after looking at some check lists it appears most Field Service Management Software have similar features so why not pick the cheapest option?

However, not all features are equal. Having ‘Job Scheduling’ as a feature for example, might not mean the same level of detail or quality across all software options.

The right Field Service Management Software can offer a fantastic return on investment. The hours saved in admin by streamlining your processes will far out-weigh the cost. This is why it’s best to focus on getting the software that addresses the inefficiencies in your business rather than being the cheapest option.

5. Choosing solely on a recommendation

You’re not instructing an estate agent or booking a hotel, you’re investing in your business by addressing some of the inefficiencies in your processes.

While a recommendation is always positive, at Klipboard we like to encourage our customers to share their stories on how we’ve helped grow their business. This can’t be the fundamental reason, choosing Field Service Management Software, you have to make sure the system will meet your specific objectives first.

What you need from your software provider could be very different to the person recommending the software they use.

6. Expecting the software to fix a broken process

When software works at its best it takes something that you have to do to meet an objective and makes reaching that goal as direct, cost effective and efficient as positive, while still following your processes.

If your process is flawed then good software won’t fix it. Field Service Management software will take what your field engineers do best and amplify that.

Review how you manage your jobs from booking to invoice. Look for signs you’re wasting valuable time and resources and get your processes in order first.

Once you have the basics in place you may discover after introducing your Field Service Management Software that some work or processes weren’t needed. That’s totally fine and will help you trim off some of the inefficiencies within your Field Service business.

7. Forgetting to ask about the onboarding process

It’s easy to get excited about introducing something game changing like Field Service Management software without asking about the details.

Details such as; how does that provider plan to onboard your business to the platform? This is a vital stage as it’s make or break at the start.

As the person responsible for choosing Field Service Management Software for your business, you might feel under pressure to get this right – that’s why you need a software partner with a well structured onboarding process.

Ask how the software provider handles their onboarding process?

"Ensuring that we break deployments down into measurable bite-size pieces means we follow the customer's pace. We believe if your start right you'll succeed." - Anna Morrison, Customer Success Manager, Klipboard

8. Stopping short of a shortlist

You’ve agreed what features you need based on how you currently work. You’ve identified the parts of your business where you need to introduce efficiencies and you know your budget.

Before choosing Field Service Management Software you need to put together a shortlist. Some Field Service businesses miss this opportunity to stack up a few providers against each other, sometimes in the interest to save time but they are missing a trick.

Try to create a shortlist that ranges in cost and perceived capability. A good rule of thumb is to pick three options. Cheap and basic, impressive game changer and long established legacy options.

Speak to their sales teams and get a personal demonstration booked. It should take around 30 mins to an hour but you’ll know by the end of it exactly what you need and don’t.

9. Not using a free trial

Today, software is very accessible. In most cases you’ll find most software providers offer a free trial period to see how it fits and If they don’t this should be a red flag.

Any cloud based software worth their salt should offer a trial period where you can see for yourself how the system will work for you. You might not have it singing to your tune straight away but you will have a good idea of how it will improve your day to day operation and how your team will use it.

Straight away you should be able to create a new client, schedule a job and register an asset.

At Klipboard we take the onboarding process very seriously, we make sure we integrate your processes and even your data into the system saving you time later. However, we won’t stop you from hitting the ground running and let you loose on it right away.

10. Failing to plan for the future

When choosing Field Service Management Software consider what you might need in the future not just right now. If you’re doing a box ticking exercise and you find a provider that will handle the key functions you need, it’s easy to get tunnel vision and move in that direction.

A mistake some businesses make is not considering how their business will grow or even what you have on the horizon in the short term. Will you be expanding your team? Adding new services or even pivoting to a different market.

If you find Field Service Management Software that is a good fit for your business, consider how you can grow into it in the future. Does it include some features that you might not need today, but could be helpful tomorrow.

The key to choosing Field Service Management Software

Adding Field Service Management Software is a great way of streamlining your entire operation. It will help you respond faster to your customer’s requests, increase how many jobs your team can complete and speed up your cash flow.

The key to choosing the right Field Service Management Software comes down to thinking ahead, considering more than just your own responsibilities and involving key stakeholders from the start.

With the right support from the right software provider everyone, from your team to your customers will benefit from you using Field Service Management Software.