What is a Field Service App?

Field Service Apps

Field service apps provide your teams with a comprehensive digital companion that can support and streamline field service management activities across each stage of service delivery. Whether utilised by mobile workers in the field, service managers coordinating field service operations from the office or customers interacting with critical features via self-service portals, field service apps are increasingly vital in modern field service. In fact, it has been reported that the global field service mobile apps market is projected to reach a value of approximately $9.7 billion by 2025 – a significant growth from $4.6 billion in 2020.

Why is this being the case? Let us look at what field service apps are, the features they offer and how I think they can benefit your field service business. Grab a beverage, we’re going in!

What is a Field Service App?

A field service app is the frontend software application of a field service management system, designed to streamline and optimise field service management. Field service apps can be tailored to specific user groups and operational contexts. To keep it high level, here are three ways we can look at field service apps:

Field Service Apps For Technicians:

These applications offer field technicians access to tools for task management, communications, work order management, inventory tracking, folio access, field data capture and real-time updates and check-ins. They are the primary gateway for work to happen, and a good field service app is a critical piece of software for your field service teams.

Field Service Apps For Managers:

Supporting field service technicians, field service apps used by management staff offer complimentary but distinctive features for scheduling, resource allocation, employee performance tracking, service progress and customer experience monitoring.

Field Service Apps For Customers:

From a customer perspective, field service apps can be a critical differentiator and point of satisfaction as it enables them to schedule appointments, track service requests, receive notifications, and provide feedback in a manner that best suits them. Part of Totalmobile’s integrated platform of solution includes configurable customer portals for raising work orders, booking appointments, centralising communications, and capturing feedback.

In short, field service apps offer a user-friendly and user-specific point of access to the complex features of a field service management platform. By centralising information access and information flow, you can connect all your most important stakeholders with one field service application. This helps you to better manage your people, your resources, and your time. That is the bedrock of field service excellence, if you ask me.

What Field Service Activities Can You Complete with an App?

Being the front end of a fully integrated field service management platform, field service apps can assist in the completion of:

Workflow management: Assigning, scheduling, and tracking tasks to technicians.
Job management: Creating, assigning, and managing work orders.
Inventory management: Tracking inventory levels, parts, and equipment.
Customer information: Accessing customer details, contact information, and service history.
Mobile Working: Designed for use on smartphones or tablets for on-site access.
Real-time updates: Enabling technicians to update job status, request assistance, or report issues in real-time.
GPS and Performance tracking: Tracking the location of technicians and assets.
Data Capture and Document management: Capturing, storing, and accessing important documents like manuals, schematics, and photos.

These features are shared with field service management software. Check out our full capability guide to learn more about what field service management software can do for your organisation.

Features To Look for in a Field Service App

So, you’re ready to unlock the full potential of a field service app. But where do you start? Implementing field service management software is about aligning technology, people, and processes to make data-driven insights an integral part of your day-to-day operations.

When researching field service applications, here’s some features and qualities we would recommend:

1). Security

When looking at what makes for a good field service app, a foundation rooted in end-to-end security is a must. Information is your most valuable commodity, and sharing vast quantities of it without worrying about data loss and data breaches is a great place to start. Cloud-based field service applications, like those offered by Totalmobile, offer a safe passage for your field service data, protecting technician and customer data.

2). User Experience (UX)

User experience is what I would look for next in a field service app. Consider both your teams on the front line and your customers. They are looking for a consumer-grade experience that offers a clean, intuitive interface. This can make the world of difference for your service engineers looking to quickly access work order details, job histories, troubleshooting guides or client information at a moment’s notice. It all comes back to efficiency; streamlined navigation ensures your field workers can focus on the task at hand rather than wrestling with clunky technology. And the same goes for your customers!

3). Communication and Collaboration

A leading field service app will offer you a seamless platform for communication. Ditch the endless texts, phone calls or pages (are they still a thing) and instead enable all stakeholders in your service delivery chain to communication freely with one and other Direct-to-Device (D2D) This goes for both your internal teams and your customers. Whether the app offers instant messaging, video calls, or shared job notes, being able to stay connected in real time helps eliminate delays, boost productivity, and keep everyone in the loop.

4). Cloud-Based, Available Offline

We have all been there, the dreaded zero bars of signal. It’s frustrating enough when it’s just our home Wi-Fi. Now extrapolate that to your entire service area and the issue is very apparent. Not every job site will have a reliable internet connection. A good field service app should help you effectively overcome signal dead zones by offering an offline component that caches the required information locally to the service operative when on site. With offline access, technicians can continue to view and update work orders, capture signatures, and log notes. Once back online, the app synchronises the data, ensuring nothing is lost.

5). Scheduling and Dispatch

Field service apps also often include powerful scheduling and dispatch tools, as well as worker self-service tools to administer their schedules independently. With dynamic scheduling, you can easily assign jobs to technicians based on proximity, skillset, and availability, all while minimising travel time and optimising resources. Furthermore, by giving your teams the ability to manage their rotas and schedules independently, they’ll feel more in control of the work they complete and when they work. This results in faster response times, better service for customers and a happier workforce.

6). Service Reporting and Analytics

Saving the best for last! Field service apps support your managers with access to crucial performance data as they need it, from technician efficiency to customer satisfaction metrics. With these insights, your teams can continuously improve their operations, address bottlenecks, and ensure that they’re delivering top-notch service.

What are the Benefits of a Field Service App?

We’ve hinted at the benefits of a field service management app throughout this article, but here are some of my favourites you should definitely consider:

Boosted Technician Productivity and Agility

With a field service app, your techs—whether full-time employees or part of a blended workforce—can perform their duties from anywhere, using any mobile device. This kind of flexibility helps them work faster and more efficiently, no matter the location.

Real-Time Job Information

Field service apps provide instant access to everything your teams need to know when they need it, from parts inventory and pricing data to customer details, scheduling, and work orders. Having this critical information in real time helps you make better decisions on the go.

Streamlined Workflows

Digital forms within the app allow techs to easily track their work, collect data during appointments, initiate or update work orders, and document customer interactions. It’s all organised, automated, and accessible.

Goodbye Manual Processes

The old paper-based approach is a relic of the past. It’s slow, prone to errors, and eats up valuable time. By automating processes through a field service app, your team can focus on what really matters—delivering excellent service.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Field service apps come packed with analytics that provide insights into technician productivity, service quality, and compliance. With this data, you can make smarter, more informed decisions to continuously improve operations.

Better Technician Experience

An app that is user-friendly, efficient, and tailored to the needs of your teams at every level is an attractive differentiator that makes daily admin simple. This can help retain top talent and potentially attract new talent, making it a win for everyone involved.

Implementing a Field Service App

Given just how many field service apps on the market, and the fact it isn’t slowing down, it is harder than ever to choose the right app for your business. We get it! Before hitting the marketplace, we recommend getting a clear picture of your business needs, parameters, goals, and priorities. As simple as it sounds, it really is a best practice way to begin your journey.

Once you understand where you stand, and where you want to be, ask yourself the following questions:

What do you need from your field service app?
Do you need a standalone solution or a more all-encompassing platform?
Are you using a blended workforce?
Is data security a high priority?
Do find your customers asking for self-service options?

Understanding these types of needs will help you sort through the noise with a laser focus on exactly the kind of solution you need.

Ready to see how Totalmobile can help you harness the power of field service applications?

Schedule a demo today and discover how our field service management software solutions can transform your operations into a high-impact, profit-driving engine. Get started here and take the first step toward smarter, more efficient field service management.