Discover how you can manage work orders so they work for you. Improve service and turn your customers into allies with automated work order management software.
As a field service organization, your work orders are your life source. They’re what keep your company’s heart beating with sales and revenue both new and recurring. But managing work orders efficiently can be, well…like heart surgery; the process has to go through several steps and many roles before the order is closed and paid.
Because your work order processes can always be improved, companies are continually asking: “How can I complete work orders more efficiently while exceeding my customer’s expectations?” And furthermore: “How can we do such a good job that our first impression will make for a life-long customer?”
The answer? Automate your work orders so there’s no guess work, and you’re able to maximize every opportunity that comes through your door.
How an Automated Work Order Works
Throughout its lifecycle, a work order goes through several stages and across various roles in the company. From the dispatcher who schedules and assigns, to the technician who accepts and closes, to the service manager who approves and invoices, work orders are like pin balls bouncing around every area of the organization.
But effectively processing work orders manually is nearly impossible considering all the steps and information involved. For example, what if a customer calls for a eak-fix order after owning a piece of your equipment for three years? Where do you keep that customer’s information and equipment’s asset history? How do you keep the technicians up-to-date with warranty information and service history?
With an automated field service management system, that information is right at your finger-tips. You can rely on the integrated application to track the work order information for you so you can respond quicker, perform better in the field, and satisfy the customer, making you their go-to for service in the future.
How to Manage Work Orders Through Three Funnels
Work orders for service businesses begin their lifecycle through one of three funnels: call, quote, or preventive maintenance (PM).
See below how you can use service management software to automate work orders in each funnel and improve the speed and efficiency with which you process orders and bill them for faster revenue.
1. Call (Break Fix)
When customers call in for a break-fix work order, the issue is almost always time sensitive. The quicker you can schedule a technician and successfully complete the job the better. Because faster is better for break fix orders, it’s important to have a system that maintains contact history, keeps techs informed, and syncs inventory and scheduling instantly between mobile and back office systems.
Here’s an example of a typical automated break-fix call processed through a work order management system:
Call is received and contact requests an order.
Call taker logs the contact’s name in the database, which fills in the rest of their information automatically (work order history, address, notes, assets, documentation, etc.).
Call taker records notes based on the call, filling in areas for priority (timeframe), reason for the call, and details about the job.
Call taker links the call to a specific piece of equipment and all information about that asset (warranty, history, serial number, etc.)
When call ends, it is automated into a work order where line items can be added (task, parts, etc.)
Work order is released to the scheduler and automatically appears on the visual scheduler board.
Scheduler filters assignment by technician skill set, location, availability, etc.
Assigns technician to the work order through drag-and-drop scheduler.
Events manager automatically alerts involved technicians and managers of the newly scheduled order.
Techs can instantly see all work order information, including history and warranty, on mobile device.
Tech status information—from accept, to in-progress, to close—is integrated and synced with the back office.
Tech updates hours, parts used, tasks performed, etc., which are automatically updated.
After closing, the order updates the scheduler and automates status alerts to necessary people (service manager, sales, customer, etc.).
Invoice is created.
Invoice is send to customer shortly after work order is complete for one-day billing.
2. Quote (New Purchase)
New purchase work orders go through a slightly different process than break-fix calls since the customer’s information isn’t already in the system. It’s good to know that once everything is documented the first time, it is saved and synced so that it’s always accessible whenever someone returns to that customer or asset.
For new purchase work orders, instead of pulling up history and contact information, the call taker records new information into the system. The creation of the new order sends an alert which prompts the service manager to calculate what it would cost the customer to purchase and install a new piece of equipment, and then automatically sends the customer a quote. Once the quote becomes a work order, you follow the same automated steps as a Break-Fix call to manage it and provide future service.
3. Preventive maintenance (Service Contract)
Preventive maintenance work orders are probably your most valuable since they provide a recurring and predictable source of revenue. Service contracts for preventive maintenance require advanced planning to make sure your entire organization stays informed with customer history and information.
Within an automated work order management system, PMs follow the same progression as a break-fix after it becomes a work order. Before the PM becomes a work order, though, your company must sell service contracts. By keeping everyone knowledgeable about company and asset information, you can sell more service contracts and capitalize on your assets by turning them into regular and predictable profit centers.
Conclusion: Extend Customer Loyalty with Fast and Accurate Work Order Management
Ready to extend your relationships with your customers past a single work order? Organize and automate work orders with work order management software and start enjoying the benefits a more effective, reliable, and profitable organization.
7 Best Practices for Choosing a New Field Service App
Learn more about how you can automate the service process from start to finish. Download our white paper, “7 Best Practices for Choosing a Field Service Software System,” for several tried and true methods to organize the buying process, eliminate the unexpected and significantly increase your chances of success with your new software.
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