At this point, it’s safe to say that field services hasn’t just changed – it’s done so permanently.
Over the last few years in particular, the importance of quality customer service has been significantly reinforced as a result. Only by making an effort to understand customers across every service and digital touchpoint will businesses be able to maximize loyalty, increase customer value, and create better experiences for everyone involved.
Because of that, prioritizing innovation in the service industry – particularly as it pertains to small businesses – can help significantly enhance the loyalty of customers even amid an era where customer expectations are higher than ever.
The Changing Face of Customer Service: Breaking Things Down
As mentioned before, field service had already been going through something of an evolution for years. However, only recently has that evolution begun to accelerate in a variety of different ways.
Maybe the biggest – and most immediate – of these changes has to do with seasoned field engineers leaving the industry altogether. This is happening for a variety of different reasons. Some are finally looking for opportunities to remain back at the home office, having “put their time in” to working remotely for so long. Others are simply retiring. Regardless, they are regularly being replaced by younger and more tech-savvy employees – causing the entire field service industry to take a more digital approach at the same time. Additionally, small businesses are limited on their efficiency because of their minimal workforce. Due to this, digital tools are necessary to eliminate excess workload and work process for the employees. The less stress an employee, the more high quality work they can put out.
Another one of the many ways in which field service for small businesses is changing has to do with the pressing need to meet a new level of customer expectations. If a customer has a service appointment, they want to know more than just the fact that they need to be home between 9:00am and 5:00pm. They want to know exactly where their field service professional is at any given time. They want an accurate ETA so that they can plan their day. They want an open communication channel with the business that they can use at any time – be it via phone, email, text or even a chatbot. Nothing short of this will suffice and can lead to customer dissatisfaction. Remember, it only takes one bad experience to lose a customer forever.
Finally, field service for small businesses has changed thanks to the emergence of a new hybrid field service model. This uses technology like visual assistance to allow customers to stream from their smartphone or tablet’s camera directly to a service professional, allowing as much work to be done remotely as possible.
Changes like these are why, in late 2021, the team at Glympse set out to build a solution with mall businesses in mind that takes advantage of these changes. One that offers on-location service appointments and provide customers better information around scheduled jobs plus more. The solution is called Glympse PRO and it offers real-time technician location tracking to create the best experience possible for both the business and customer.
If you’d like to find out more information about the ways in which field service for small businesses has recently changed, or if you’d just like to learn more about what Glympse PRO can do for your organization, please don’t delay – contact us today.
