Field Service Management - ein Servicetechniker

Blog / Solutions · INSTALLATION WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS

PRODUCTIVE INSTALLATION PLANNING WITH DYNAMIC WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS

3 min. reading time

14. August 2024

James Alex Waldron

T he intelligent planning of technician assignments has a huge impact on the costs and ultimate success of a field service business. Whilst work orders, procurement and accounting practices work efficiently within specialist software solutions, staffing often remains analogue or manual: Pen and paper or simple tools such as Excel. This is time-consuming, error-prone and inflexible.

What type of companies require installation operatives? Assembly, fitters, and break-down tasks:

HVAC, Gas, and Utilities
Solar and Wind
Security and Fire
Machinery rental companies
Telecommunications and fiber networks
Domestic areas, such as Boilers, Kitchens, Bathrooms
Healthcare settings, such as rented Medical Devices, and Hospital Technology

There is an easier and more productive solution: Integrate an efficient workforce planning solution for digital control.

Links:
Advantages: Digitise Your Installation Workforce Planning
Tools for Scheduling Installation Techs, Assembly Operatives, and Fitters
Intelligent Installation and Fitter Workforce Planning
Mobile Solutions

ADVANTAGES: DIGITISE YOUR INSTALLATION WORKFORCE PLANNING

In addition to the general benefits of digital tools, such as the automation of processes and networking of information, the digital control of intallation technicians and fitters offers many other advantages that benefit the entire company:

1. Time savings, more efficiency, and fewer errors
Digital workforce planning enables the assisted (semi-automatic) or fully automatic creation of schedules, based on logical steps and according to clear rules. This significantly reduces the manual planning workload for dispatchers. It also helps to avoid planning errors. Technician deployments become more efficient, as suitable tools calculate against optimised routes and deployment times.

2. Cost reduction and sustainability
Optimising deployment and route planning reduces travel and operating costs. Less idle time and shorter journeys lead to lower fuel consumption, reduced wear and tear on vehicles, and lower CO2 emissions.

3. Increased customer satisfaction
Efficient planning leads to punctual and reliable installation and mechanical service work. Customers are informed in good time and the likelihood of postponed appointments is reduced. This strengthens trust in the company and promotes long-term customer relationships.

4. Flexibility and speed
Planning on-site staffing with digital tools offers the opportunity to react quickly to changes. In the event of last-minute orders or emergencies, schedules can be adjusted in real time. This ensures a high degree of flexibility and the ability to react quickly to unforeseen events such as staff absences and site disruptions.

5. Better utilisation of resources
Analysing deployment data offers the opportunity to make better use of resources and avoid bottlenecks. Mobile workforce planning software offers insights into the utilisation of intallation techs and fitters, and enables an optimal distribution of tasks.

TOOLS FOR SCHEDULING INSTALLATION TECHS, ASSEMBLY OPERATIVES, AND FITTERS

Many companies still use makeshift solutions such as Excel, Outlook, and Google Maps. The manual effort involved in planning is correspondingly high, with little transparency regarding ongoing order processing and many media disruptions.

The alternative are companies that plan assignments from a leading solution such as dynamic workforce scheduling software, while larger companies use an ERP or CRM system. Although this can be considered digital planning, the problem comes in a lack of optimisation (allocation is not optimisation).

In some places, a digital planning board is used, such as a Gantt chart. Advantage: These tools are specially designed for resource planning. They offer transparency and an overview of planning. Disadvantage: Dispatchers must take on the pressures of manual calculation, for example manually moving orders on the planning board or recognising gaps in the deployment plan.

Tools with sophisticated planning algorithms, on the other hand, relieve dispatchers of these pressures. Intelligent technician planning software independently plans hundreds of work orders in the shortest possible time and automatically recognises existing optimisation potential. The plans and routes can be re-optimised in real time (at any time) at the touch of a button.

Read more: Field Workforce Management: Assisted, Optimised, Or Dynamic Scheduling?

INTELLIGENT INSTALLATION AND FITTER WORKFORCE PLANNING WITH FLS VISITOUR

Companies like BRUNATA-METRONA, Die Muggergittermacher, and Homeserve are already using dynamic workforce planning solutions. They schedule and control their technician and fitter assignments with FLS VISITOUR, a system that was specially developed for route planning in technical field service. Average results range from 95% less planning effort, to a greatly increased first-time fix rate, and 25% more completed orders.

FLS VISITOUR with order overview and optimised staffing

Digital installation tech planning with automated, embedded route optimisation
FLS VISITOUR uses a unique algorithm to calculate the best routes for installation techs and fitters. All KPI and SLA factors such as employee skills and availability, order priority, time-of-day traffic and distance are taken into account. The system quickly calculates the optimum schedule. This takes the pressure off dispatchers, ensures efficient deployment and reduces unproductive journey times.

Dynamic re-optimisation and up-to-date customer notifications
Schedules can be adjusted in real time (at any time) as required, for example in the event of staff absences, appointments that are completed more quickly, customer cancellations or ad hoc orders. FLS VISITOUR also offers the option of informing customers promptly about the current status of their orders. This transparency ensures smooth communication and increases customer satisfaction.

Full overview and control for dispatchers
As with a digital planning board, FLS VISITOUR gives dispatchers a clear overview of all activites and orders. However, it provides true cost-based optimisation and removes the greatest level of manual intervention; meaning they can concentrate better on customer service and escalation cases. They still have the option of fixing or cancelling orders manually. The system therefore offers full transparency and control.

MOBILE SOLUTIONS FOR FITTERS AND INSTALLATION TECHS

To ensure that the planning reaches the mobile workforce without disruption, companies use a mobile workforce solution. Orders and planned tours are assigned via an app such as FLS MOBILE. Conversely, this also makes it possible to transfer information from the site back to the planning desk via the app.

Mobile workforce solutions can also be used to integrate other helpful functions for use by technicians, such as checklists, forms and reporting. This not only eliminates paperwork in planning, but also makes other processes fully digital.

ADDED VALUE: DIGITAL WORKFORCE PLANNING

Digital planning with intelligent deployment and route planning offers numerous advantages. Both dispatchers and installation techs and fitters as well as end customers benefit from better planning. Gaps disappear, orders are completed faster, disruptions are reduced, and costs are optimised dynamically.

By professionalising their planning processes, assembly and maintenance companies can deliver a convincing field service and work economically, even with a high order volume and a shortage of skilled workers.

REALISE A COMPETITVE ADVANTAGE WITH FIELD WORKFORCE SCHEDULING

To gain an understanding of tools to optimise the field experience for your workforce and customers book a short discussion or contact us at info@fastleansmart.com.

Read more:
Solve EV Range Anxiety with Dynamic Fleet Routing
Route planning with FLS VISITOUR
Route Scheduling: Outpacing timesheets and Excel
Route planning SaaS: Your competitive advantage
Cost control: Reactive maintenance with Field Service Management software

‹ Back to overview

Author
JAMES ALEX WALDRON
UK Marketing Manager

+44(0) 1183 800189
Send email

James Alex Waldron has worked in written communications for over 15 years. Since 2021, he has written for FLS and the Solvares Group on the topics of digital field service transformation and mobile workforce management, and regularly provides insight to the industry press.

DO YOU HAVE AN EXTRA MOMENT?

16. May 2023