Acumatica Cloud ERP for Field Service Businesses

For businesses of any type that are involved in field service management, there is no greater challenge than keeping every part of the business connected. From salespeople to account managers, account managers to technicians, and technicians to finance, keeping everyone on the same page does not happen by accident. It takes a concentrated focus to make sure your entire company is aligned in the effort to provide excellent service. Even with full commitment from your employees, you will still need the right technology to navigate the demands of modern field service management. 

Unfortunately, many field service companies struggle to find technology solutions that fill their business needs from end-to-end, and it can become expensive and frustrating to rely on multiple disconnected third-party applications. Even the best industry-specific technology struggles to provide users with insight into their data. These kinds of limitations are why we recommend Acumatica, a field service specific ERP that is built in the cloud, as a full and final solution to manage your business from anywhere and on any device.

This blog, brought to you by AcuPower, will look at how Acumatica keeps your entire business connected. 

Sales and Installation Order in Acumatica

It is often said that sales are the lifeblood of any business, and this is likely true of your company as well. If you are a manufacturer or distributor who is responsible for the installation of your own product, however, the value of sales totally depends on your ability to move from a sales order to an installation. If you are relying on separate systems for order management and service management, the delays and errors resulting from duplicate data entry and general lack of detail in communication are endless. Because Acumatica is made of fully integrated modules, the streamlined sales-to-service workflow will allow your company to operate at its highest level of efficiency. 

The tight integration between all of Acumatica’s modules ensures a smooth handoff between your sales team and field service staff. Since all employees are working within the same ERP, all relevant information is already being shared. As soon as an opportunity has been won, that opportunity can be converted directly into an installation order. While this process can happen manually or in scheduled batch, the most important thing to remember is that your dispatching staff and schedulers will have everything they need to create the order as soon as the opportunity is won. 

Please view the video below for an in-depth view of how a field service manager can leverage all of the automation and optimization features offered by Acumatica. 

Not only will you be able to drastically improve the time it takes to move from order to installation, but you will enjoy much better visibility into the entire process. Since the work that is eventually completed by a technician will be completed on a service order linked to the original sale, you will be able to analyze the real profitability of any job. 

Streamline Service and Repair Operations

If your organization does service and repair work, that process likely looks a little different than a sales and installation scenario if it is initiated by an account manager or customer service rep and is for an existing client. No matter how different those workflows may be in your company, Acumatica can support any type of service order. This is especially true when considering how Acumatica’s CRM features perfectly complement its service management modules.

Just like a sales and installation scenario, service and repair workflows are defined by how quickly and efficiently your team can move from taking a case to scheduling and dispatching an appointment. When speaking with an existing customer, a rep can easily create an ad-hoc service order and tie it back to that customer's complete order and service history. 

For example, within a newly created service order for a requested repair, you can use the customer’s history to add their previously ordered equipment to the details of the order. You can also review the warranty information on that item, if applicable, and leave any notes on the order that might be relevant to the technician. With all of this happening within your ERP, your field service technician will be fully equipped to complete the job before they even arrive on site. Put another way, Acumatica will help you get the right person, with the right equipment, to the job site faster than ever before. Which means you always provide a consistent service to your customers.

Check out this video for what the service and repair workflow might look like from a technician’s perspective!

Recurring Maintenance Management

Another example of how Acumatica supports companies in field service is the ability to manage contracts and schedule recurring maintenance. Service contracts can be complex and difficult to manage since they vary so much from customer to customer. These variations are one of the largest hurdles that field service-oriented businesses face because they can greatly slow down scheduling and accounting. 

Acumatica makes the complicated simple and allows automation to do the hard work for you. Once a service contract is in place, it will define the service schedule, including start and expiration dates. More importantly, service contracts will generate service orders automatically based on the contract. Because Acumatica incorporates fully integrated financial modules, you will also be able to automate billing cycles.

Automating contract management will pay huge dividends for every facet of your field service business. The effects will be felt and appreciated by managers, field techs, finance, and, most importantly, your customers. Contract management is only scratching the surface of how Acumatica will benefit the relationship between you and your customers. Automated communications will delight them as well. Setting up email notifications for customers makes sure that they are as informed as they expect to be. In addition to notifications regarding appointments, you can set up notifications for contract renewals when the contract is nearing expiration. With these automated notifications for renewal, both you and your customer can be confident that there won’t be a lapse in coverage. 

To make it even more for your field technicians and customers, there is an Acumatica mobile app. Your technicians can use the system on-the-go, and be always aware of the new appointments, process payments, and track their work in real-time - all in one place. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is field service?

Field service refers to any service operation conducted in the field, away from a company's base of operations. It typically involves dispatching technicians or service workers to customer locations to provide various services, repairs, or installations.

Q: What is Acumatica Cloud ERP?

Acumatica Cloud ERP is a comprehensive business management solution that encompasses financial management, distribution, manufacturing, project accounting, and CRM. It is a flexible and scalable ERP system that operates on the cloud, providing real-time access to critical business information from anywhere, at any time.

Q: How can Acumatica Cloud ERP benefit my field service operations?

Acumatica Cloud ERP can benefit your field service operations by providing integrated service management functionalities, such as dispatch and scheduling, work order management, mobile workforce management, and seamless integration with CRM systems like Salesforce. This helps in optimizing productivity, improving customer experience, and streamlining field service resources.

Q: How does field service software help in improving customer experience?

Field service software helps improve customer experience by enabling timely service delivery, efficient communication, proactive service, and real-time updates. This contributes to a seamless and satisfying customer service experience.

Q: What is mobile workforce management in the context of field service operations?

Mobile workforce management involves utilizing software solutions to optimize the utilization and productivity of mobile workers, such as technicians in the field, through features like work order management, service reports, and remote service capabilities.

Q: What are some key features of field service software?

Key features of field service software include mobile workforce management, work order management, service reporting, dashboards for real-time insights, seamless integration with other systems, and the ability to provide opinions of Gartner's research.

It's Time to Skyrocket and Automate Your Field Service Processes

As you see, Acumatica Cloud ERP is a perfect field service management software. We have the ability to tailor and optimize Acumatica to your exact needs to streamline your field service processes. The automation and optimization made possible by Acumatica will save you countless hours and provide your customers with world-class service. The ability to fully integrate your field service operations with finance, purchasing, CRM, and more will elevate your business and improve your customer experience in previously unknown ways. 

At AcuPower, we desire to help businesses take advantage of the opportunities available with a modern, cloud-based ERP. If you’re ready to learn more about how we can adapt the field service management solution discussed in this blog to meet your unique needs, boost customer satisfaction, and accelerate your business, don’t hesitate to contact us for a free custom demonstration.