Field service management can be complex and logistical. Your business relies on detailed tracking of technician locations, carefully aligned schedules, efficient dispatching of resources, and more to maximize your team’s time (and to keep customers happy!).
Fortunately, the days of manual scheduling on busy, smudgy whiteboards are over. There are high-powered digital dispatcher software platforms and field service schedulers available to automate and streamline the whole process — but not all field service and route planning software is created equal.
Use this 10-part checklist to compare and evaluate your options and identify the best dispatch software for small businesses like yours.
10-Part Field Service & Route Planning Software Checklist:
- Live Interactive Map: A real-time updating visual map puts efficient power into your dispatcher’s hands. Easily see where all techs are currently located, where the jobs are for the day, and who’s closest to each field service request.
- Zoned Service Areas: The ability to separate service areas by zones makes it straightforward to see which techs are responsible for which jobs and eliminate unnecessary info from your visual map.
- Color-Coded Service Calls: Maps and schedules are easier to read when you can color code service calls by service type, zone, technician, or other preferred details.
- GPS Directions & Drive Time Calculation: Running a tight schedule requires your dispatcher to not only track where techs are in relation to call locations, but how long it will take them to get there. This is straightforward with built-in GPS navigation functionality.
- Drag-and-Drop Scheduling: Sometimes jobs finish early, finish late, or urgent calls come in for same-day work. You’ll want the ability to adjust the schedule on the fly. A simple drag-and-drop schedule on the same page as your interactive map keeps things moving with efficiency.
- Customizable Layout: Your business and your processes are unique. The best dispatch software for small businesses like yours will allow for customization of the layout and scheduler tool to your specific needs.
- Routes Sorted By Technician: Route sorting keeps tracking simple. Look for a function to sort and track the day’s progress by individual tech — where they’ve been, where they’re scheduled to go next, and how long it will take to get there.
- Mobile App For Service Technicians: Communication goes two ways. Route planning software should include a mobile app that keeps service technicians aligned and responsive. Techs will love having easy access to all of the same route and service call info as the dispatcher from on-the-go with nothing but a phone. It accelerates every job when the tech can quickly enter future service requests or collect payments while still in the home.
- Clock In and Clock Out: A feature for clocking in and out will help you keep track of where your team members are located and what’s been completed, so that you can make rapid adjustments for jobs that have run late or wrapped up sooner than expected.
- Integrated With All Other Tools: The ideal route planning software will not stand alone as an isolated program, but integrate flawlessly with all related field service and dispatcher software tools. Technicians, CSR’s, and dispatchers operate at their best when everyone has access to the same data on service histories, inventory, invoices, and more.
Does Your Route Planning Software Check All the Boxes?
Walkabout Software was designed with all of these critical features in mind. Developed from within a repair company by servicers, for servicers, Walkabout has everything your business needs to become more efficient, scalable, and modern. Get in touch with our team today to learn more about the flexible capabilities of our scheduling, inventory, and route planning software or book a custom demo to see the potential for yourself.
