Field service management (FSM) software helps companies manage field-based workers by optimizing their positioning, availability, and skills as labor resources. These solutions are primarily used by companies that provide on-site service and technical expertise such as equipment maintenance, cleaning, repairs, moving, and/or delivery. The degree of technical expertise applied can vary from using their knowledge of cleaning methods, providing computer hardware support, to maintaining a city’s electrical grid.
Managers and supervisors use FSM software to organize scheduling, assignment, route planning, resource allocation, and work instruction to on-site field workers. Employees bring FSM software with them to provide updates on productivity, task completion, arrival/departure times, and technical support for any uncommon situations met on the job.
Field service management software usually integrates with software solutions such as GIS software for location tracking; customer relationship management (CRM) software to find information about customers; and product lifecycle management (PLM) software or design software for technical specifications and instructions for maintenance and repairs.
To qualify for inclusion in the Field Service Management (FSM) category, a product must:
- Provide features to dispatch workers based on the type of work, their availability, and the physical locations of customers
- Include functionality to help managers prioritize field work and optimize the resources allocated to each job
- Provide information to field workers on their tasks and how to achieve them
- Deliver dashboards and analytics for managers to track ongoing field activities and the performance of field workers
