Field service has become not only a critical factor when it comes to the overall customer experience, but a key competitive differentiator in many industries. However, creating and managing an agile, high-performing field service organization is a huge challenge. Therefore, SAP Field Service Management (FSM) can help you improve the efficiency and productivity of your field service operations.
The Background of SAP Field Service Management
SAP Field Service Management is a cloud-based software solution for planning and dispatching technicians, as well as tracking and executing activities needed to maintain equipment or provide services, typically at a customer’s location.
It streamlines and connects processes and data and helps you improve efficiency and decision-making while reducing costs and doing more with less. With the solution, you can:
- Optimize field service operations.
- Empower managers, technicians, and dispatchers.
- Improve customer experiences.
Previously known as Coresystems, the solution was acquired by SAP in 2018 and incorporated and integrated into SAP’s portfolio. The acquisition of Coresystems allows SAP to extend its vision of the intelligent enterprise to field service operations.
4 Key Capabilities of SAP Field Service Management
While SAP Field Service Management has an extensive range of capabilities, here are some of the main ones you may want to consider:
1. AI-Powered Planning & Dispatching
SAP FSM helps your business accelerate service execution with easy planning tools and a visual drag-and-drop interface using a Gantt Chart. But, it’s important to note that this isn’t your typical scheduling view. There are also tools to improve productivity by optimizing routes with map view planning.
Moreover, the solution can even optimize resource utilization and minimize idle time with automated, AI-based scheduling and dispatching. The solution also supports sophisticated scheduling needs, such as splitting a job between two technicians and scheduling multiple technicians for a single job.
2. Mobile Service Execution
SAP Field Service Management is designed to be used on the go and comes with a native app for mobile devices giving technicians access to relevant information related to customers, services, products and spare parts. The app is even designed to be used offline so that technicians don’t need to worry about having an internet connection.
GPS functionalities within the app make it easy for technicians to find the right location, and also provide dispatchers with their real-time location which can be incorporated into planning the next job.
Once technicians are on site, the SAP Fields Service Management app guides them through the service process step by step and ensures that they correctly (and easily) capture all of the time and materials spent.
They can also complete various mobile checklists to meet EHS (environment, health and safety) standards. Once the job is complete, they can capture the customer’s signature on their mobile device, and move on to the next job.
3. Customer Self-Service
SAP Field Service Management also has great customer self-service functionalities. Customers can log into a portal to submit a service request, or even scan a QR code on their equipment. They can then schedule an appointment with a service technician guided by an intelligent chatbot.
The details of the customer and equipment are then automatically captured in FSM, and a technician is scheduled and dispatched. Throughout this process, customers also receive updates on the status of their service requests (for example, when a technician arrives).
4. Back-Office Integration
When it comes to field service, processes need to be integrated seamlessly into the back-office ERP to capture costs and initiate billing. SAP FSM integrates seamlessly with SAP Business One, SAP ERP (ECC), and SAP S/4HANA with SAP’s native integrations.
Once a technician completes a job, all of the time captured and materials consumed in FSM flow back to ERP automatically. ERP can then invoice and capture costs accordingly. This helps significantly reduce invoicing lead times.
3 Top Benefits of SAP Field Service Management
SAP Field Service Management empowers technicians and dispatchers to boost customer satisfaction with mobile tools and artificial intelligence (AI). In addition, the solution can help your business to:
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Cut field service costs and increase revenue
Increase customer satisfaction and revenue by boosting productive time, allocating service teams efficiently, and making decisions based on real-time analytics.
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Improve first-time fix rates
Deploy mobile technology and AI-based recommendations to quickly locate the best technicians and ensure the right parts are available to avoid repeat visits.
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Harmonize field service processes
Integration of front-office and back-office processes accelerates service execution and enables effective collaboration while keeping customers informed.
