Expert knowledge for digital decisions
What does a CRM for field service need?
Short answer
The three requirements
Mobile usability. Not a scaled-down version of the office interface, but a dedicated, simplified view: today's appointments, call contact, record visit.
Usable without a network. In industrial areas, in basements, in rural areas. Data is stored locally and synchronized as soon as the connection is restored.
Recording in under one minute. Preferably with pre-selection instead of free text: Who was there, what was the outcome, what is the next step.
What additionally helps
- Daily route with map view
- Show nearby customers – for canceled appointments
- Voice input for notes
- Photos directly attached to the contact
The most common mistake
Too many mandatory fields. Each additional mandatory field decreases the number of recorded visits. Better to have three fields that are always filled than twelve that lead to "xxx."
What convinces field service
Not the control function, but the benefit for themselves: all information about the customer before the appointment on their mobile, without having to call the office. A system that only generates reports for management will not be maintained.
Key facts
- Three requirements
- Mobile, offline, under one minute
- Most common mistake
- Too many mandatory fields