Field service work is often demanding, requiring coordination, quick responses, and efficient management of tasks. With the right workflow automation, field service workers can streamline their daily tasks, reduce manual effort, and improve overall efficiency. Whether you’re managing a team of technicians or working independently, utilising the right tools to automate workflows can significantly boost productivity.

Step 1: Identify Tasks for Automation

Field service work involves a range of tasks that are repetitive and time-consuming, making them ideal candidates for automation.

Some common tasks that can be automated include:

• Job scheduling: Automatically assigning jobs based on location, skill set, and availability.
• Stock and asset tracking: Updating stock levels and assets after each job.
• Customer notifications: Sending automatic updates to customers about service appointments.
• Job reporting: Generating and submitting reports after completing a task.
• Invoicing: Automatically creating and sending invoices after a job is completed.

Start by identifying which of these tasks (or others unique to your workflow) take up the most time and could benefit from automation.

Step 2: Map Out Your Workflow

Once you’ve identified the tasks to automate, the next step is to map out your workflow. This involves detailing each step of the process to ensure that all necessary actions are included in the automation.

For example, if you’re automating job scheduling, your workflow might look like this:

• Receive a new job request: A new service request is submitted via a customer portal or a phone call.
• Check technician availability: Determine which technician is available and best suited for the job based on location and skill set.
• Assign the job: Automatically assign the job to the selected technician.
• Send notifications: Notify the technician and the customer of the scheduled appointment.
• Update the calendar: Log the job in the shared calendar or scheduling system.

Mapping out your workflow ensures that you understand every step of the process and can design your automation to cover all bases.

Step 3: Automate Workflows with AltLogic

Field service automation tools are designed to simplify the unique challenges faced by field workers. Every business has unique processes and workflows, which is why AltLogic has been developed to allow the creation of bespoke workflows tailored to your specific needs. AltLogic provides a fully customisable, modular solution that fits your business perfectly. With a visual, drag-and-drop interface, you can easily design multiple variants of workflows, ensuring that every aspect of your operation is covered.

Customisable Workflows

Design workflows at the domain, contract, trip, and task levels. Whether it’s job scheduling, reporting, or any other process, AltLogic allows you to build workflows that are perfectly aligned with your business requirements.

GPS Tracking and Audit Trails

Every action within your workflow is date and time-stamped, with GPS locations included, ensuring full accountability and transparency.

Seamless Integration

AltLogic integrates with any third-party systems you use, allowing for smooth data exchange and process management.

External Job Importing

Easily import trips and jobs from external ordering platforms, streamlining your entire operation.

Path-Based Questioning

Each step of your workflow can have multiple paths based on the actions your field workers take. This ensures they always have the right information and actions at their fingertips, reducing confusion and errors.

Standalone Processes

Create workflows for non-task-related actions like vehicle checks, start/end of day checks, and accident reports, ensuring every aspect of your field operations is automated.

With AltLogic, you’re not just automating tasks—you’re crafting a system that adapts to your business, ensuring maximum efficiency and minimal errors.

Step 4: Set Up the Automation

Now that you’ve chosen your tool, it’s time to set up the automation. This usually involves defining triggers and actions. A trigger is an event that starts the automation, while an action is what happens in response to the trigger.

Continuing with our job scheduling example:

• Trigger: A new service request is submitted.
• Action 1: Check technician availability and suitability for the job.
• Action 2: Assign the job to the best-suited technician.
• Action 3: Send automated notifications to the technician and customer.
• Action 4: Update the job in the calendar or scheduling tool.

Most tools provide a step-by-step interface for setting up these automations, allowing you to customise each step according to your workflow.

Step 5: Test Your Automation

Before rolling out your automation to the entire team or using it in real-world scenarios, it’s crucial to test it thoroughly. Run through different scenarios to ensure that the automation behaves as expected and covers all possible situations.

For example, test what happens when:

• Multiple job requests come in simultaneously.
• A technician is unavailable.
• The job requires specific skills or tools.

Testing helps you identify any issues or gaps in the automation so you can refine and improve it before full implementation.

Step 6: Monitor, Adjust, and Optimise

After launching your workflow automation, continuous monitoring is essential. Keep an eye on how well the automation is performing and gather feedback from your team to identify any areas for improvement.

Consider these tips for ongoing optimisation:

Regularly review performance: Look at key metrics like response times, job completion rates, and customer satisfaction.

Update workflows: As your business grows or changes, update your workflows to ensure they remain efficient and relevant.

Incorporate feedback: Listen to your technicians and customers to understand how the automation impacts their experience and adjust accordingly.

Conclusion

Workflow automation for field service workers is a game-changer, helping to reduce manual tasks, improve response times, and enhance overall efficiency. By identifying the right tasks to automate, mapping out your workflows, selecting the appropriate tools, and continuously refining your automation, you can make significant improvements to your field service operations. Start with a few key processes, and gradually expand your automation efforts to maximise productivity and customer satisfaction.

Why Choose Alternative Logic for Workflow Automation?

With our innovative solutions, your organisation can automate workflows to suit the unique requirements of your business.

Proven Expertise: With extensive experience serving businesses, Alternative Logic comprehends the distinct challenges and regulatory demands of the UK market.

Innovation: Positioned at the forefront of technology, Alternative Logic consistently innovates to deliver state-of-the-art workforce management solutions. We ensure that our software aligns with the evolving needs of your business.

Customer-Centric: We provide exceptional support and tailor our solutions to your particular needs, ensuring maximum value from our software.

Results-Driven: Our commitment to delivering tangible results helps your business enhance efficiency, compliance, and cost-effectiveness. Explore our Case Studies to witness how our Workforce Management Software has positively impacted businesses.

At Alternative Logic, rest assured that our software will provide your organisation with the tools to automate workflows. Feel free to reach out, download our brochure for more details, or book a demo.