When you’re shopping for a piece of field service management software, one of the main features you’ll be considering is its purchase ordering system. The best PO systems have all 10 of the following functions. Before taking the plunge on a new field service management software system, check that its purchase ordering functionality hits all of these points.
If you need a part, a good purchase ordering system will check if the part is in stock in a different location/technician’s truck and should be able to initiate an inventory transfer. This stops you from ordering a part you already have, potentially wasting money on a duplicate.
Convenience is of the utmost importance with purchase ordering which is why you should look for a system that offers a database of vendors and parts that will allow you to easily search for what you need.
Look for a purchase ordering system that expedites repeat orders. An easy re-order function is great for avoiding looking up a part and entering all the details unnecessarily. What’s even better is a PO system that lets you set an inventory threshold and automatically replenishes your stock if the number of a specific part falls beneath that threshold.
Back-and-forth between field techs and office-based CSRs is inefficient, which is why the best purchase ordering systems are mobile, integrated into a field service management app. This mobility allows field service technicians the ability to place orders for the parts that customers need while they’re still out on the service call rather than after a long day.
If different staff in your company place multiple orders from the same vendor in quick succession, your purchase ordering system will ideally allow you to consolidate those orders for the sake of organizational simplicity and reduced shipping costs.
In order to better keep track of who or what each part and its purchase order is for, your system should provide you with the ability to link POs to the corresponding customer’s contact profile within your field service management software. Good purchase ordering systems also provide printable labels so that when a part arrives, you can easily label the box for organized inventory.
You want a purchase ordering system that promotes a positive customer experience, and customers love to be informed, so it’s great to find a PO system that will send customers alerts via text or email when the part for their repair arrives.
A good purchase order system will let you get an overview of all purchase orders via one master list that also displays the respective status of each order.
Make sure that the PO system you implement offers you the ability to initialize returns to vendors within the application if it turns out that you don’t need a part that you purchased.
|
Features |
|
| Database | ✔ |
| Transfers | ✔ |
| Re-orders | ✔ |
| Field Capable | ✔ |
| Attachable | ✔ |
| Shipment Log | ✔ |
| Arrival Alerts | ✔ |
| Overview | ✔ |
| Consolidation | ✔ |
| Returns | ✔ |
So does your field service management software of choice offer all of these features? Walkabout does. Walkabout was designed by servicers, for servicers, and its intelligent purchase ordering system can offer you all of these functions and more. If you’re interested in seeing for yourself, book a live demo with one of our experts.