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Your Customers Want to Reach You 24-7: Are You Prepared?

February 27, 2017 by Beau OHara

Leaders in many industries have been talking about digital disruption – the impact of growing digital technology on businesses – for a while now. The idea is that technologies like the Internet, social media, and smartphones are changing the way businesses operate.

That’s certainly true in the case of field service businesses, or at least it should be. Don’t get us wrong, the world of field service still primarily deals with people directly, and there is a lot to be said for in-person marketing and customer service.

But digital disruption is shifting the way customers connect with your business. A phone call or a thank-you card just isn’t enough for good customer service anymore. Customers want access to your business whenever it’s the most convenient for them, and technology makes that possible.

Bottom line: If you’re not available digitally, you’re going to lose customers.

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But how much digital access should you give customers to your business? You certainly don’t have the manpower to handle phone calls and emails 24-7, especially if you’re a small, family-owned company.

So how can you make sure customers can reach you when they need to?

Don’t miss: 5 More Customer Service Tips to Boost Sales 24-7:
Click Here

Does 24-7 Access Help or Hurt Customer Service?

Believe it or not, the biggest hindrance to 24-7 customer service isn’t technology itself. Services like Zendesk or HappyFox provide full-support customer services, like ticketing support or live chat, which gives small businesses the ability to connect with customers in a variety of ways.

So the real question isn’t, “Can we offer 24-7 customer service” but rather, “Should we?”

While technology can help manage customer interactions, there is still the matter of relationship: A third-party call center can’t bond with your customers the way you can.

Your employees know about the business better than anyone, and they should be the ones fielding calls.

Many small businesses are hesitant to offer 24-7 access because they’re afraid of employee burnout. They know that if customers have the ability to contact them anytime, they will, and they don’t want to spend large chunks of their workday fielding customer calls.

While being completely available to answer questions at all hours of the day may not be feasible for your small business, there are ways you can stay connected to customers even when your doors are closed.

How to Improve Customer Service 24-7

The key to giving 24-7 customer service without actually being available 24-7 is to leverage the technology you have to help your team fight burnout, and to empower customers to find their own solutions after hours.

Switch From Paper to Digital

Most field service businesses require a decent amount of paperwork for every customer. There are intake forms, reports, invoices, and more.

Having paper forms means more time spent by your employees handling that paperwork, which means less time for customer interaction.

By switching many of those paper processes to digital – using electronic invoicing or email auto-responders, for instance – you can save time and energy from the daily to-do and put more focus on connecting with customers.

Improve Your Online Presence

Another way to save time and improve customer service is to optimize your website to answer as many questions as possible, so you don’t have to field so many calls later on.

Having a good FAQs page or other educational information available online means customers can search for answers without having to call or email you at all.

If they can find what they’re looking for online from the comfort of their own home, you’ve actively engaged them without spending any time or effort on your end. It makes you look good and it helps them out, too.

Offer Self-Service Options

Along those same lines, creating other forms of self-service options for customers can help them find what they need with less interaction from your employees.

Online scheduling allows customers to setup or change appointments during off hours. Having an online customer portal gives customers access to important information on the go – they can review and pay invoices online and manage their own account details.

The more options for digital interaction you can give customers, the easier it will be for them to connect with your business throughout the day.

Go Mobile

Of course, 24-7 doesn’t just include the off hours. On-the-go connection for your field service and staff members is also an important component to customer service.

If your field techs have the ability to access customer information while in the field, they can provide better customer service while you’re open for business.

Mobile apps allow you to work offline, get digital signatures, contact customers during delays, and access important information that can help your team connect to customers during face-to-face interactions.

Be Proactive

Finally, you can significantly improve customer service by being proactive and addressing customer concerns before they even think of it.

This means anticipating problems before they happen, like warning them of potential delays or scheduling conflicts, letting them know about any rules or regulation changes, or informing them of updates to their invoice before they even receive it.

Utilizing email and your online presence to communicate with customers proactively will help build a foundation of trust and keep customers from calling unnecessarily.

Here are 5 more ways you can improve customer service 24-7:
Click Here

Final Thoughts

Keep in mind that 24-7 customer service doesn’t mean you have to be available 24-7, it just means you have to give customers a sense of trust throughout the day.

During off-hours, this means giving them the ability to access your website, pay invoices, schedule and change appointments, or access their billing history whenever they need. Having an updated website with digitally interactive elements (like a customer portal) will help.

You can also improve customer service throughout the workday by using mobile apps to stay connected in the field and proactively answering questions so that customers know what to expect.

Remember that you can use third-party customer service software to offer things like live chat or ticketing support when your staff isn’t around to help. By taking advantage of every piece of technology available to your team, you can offer customers the support they need, whenever they need it.

And your team can take a break when they need it, too.

Filed Under: Marketing Tagged With: business, field service, tips for small business

Customer Portal CC page Update

February 24, 2017 by Erin

As of today, all Fieldwork Accounts have access to a new Text Box that appears in the Customer Portal’s Credit Card page.  This can be used as an Authorization to auto-run cards on file, or as a Disclaimer Text Box where you can create a customized message to your customers that will fit your Company’s Credit Card on-file policy.

The new text box can be found in your Company Settings under Company Information in the Customer Portal section (near the bottom of the page).

The sample message in my overview video is below:
**********
I understand that by entering my credit card on-file, I authorize {your Company Name here} to charge the credit card for unpaid or overdue invoices and future regularly scheduled services.  Charges will not exceed the amount indicated on each service invoice and a receipt for each payment will be emailed to me as confirmation.  Furthermore, I understand that the charges will appear on my statement as a “{your description here}” charge in the description.

I understand that I can update or remove my credit card information from my account at anytime and I have been informed that the credit card information is stored safely and securely in a PCI compliant data server.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Smart Folders

February 17, 2017 by Erin

 

We have add a new feature to all accounts called Smart Folders.  Fieldwork’s Smart Folders allows you to save a group of customer accounts, work orders, invoices, or any group of documents under the Sales menu so you can track, organize, and find the information quickly.

A few good examples for Fieldwork’s Smart Folders in use:

  • Customer Page: Filter by zipcode, city or other component of an address and a Tag, like Commercial then click SAVE and name the folder for future quick access to bulk send monthly statements
  • Sales > Work Orders: Filter dates for last month with Completed status and a specific service type then click SAVE and name the folder to last month’s work
  • Sales > Invoices: Filter dates for this week with a status of unpaid – bulk print all invoices and SAVE to name the folder and reference all invoices printed today.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Why You Should Focus On Employee Training (Even If They’re Family)

February 13, 2017 by Beau OHara

One of the most important aspects of your field service business is your staff.

Hiring the right employees is key to success, and having a solid training program in place for improving workplace skills can bolster your customer service and prevent employee turnover.

But what happens when your employees and staff are also part of your family? How do you implement a successful training program when it involves the people closest to you?

Nearly 80% of businesses around the world are either fully or partially family owned, and 30% of family-owned businesses survive at least two or three generations.

While working with family can certainly have its benefits, the often-informal family dynamic could have a potentially negative impact on the effectiveness of that training. You’re not necessarily correcting or directing random hires, you’re addressing your children or grandchildren, siblings, parents, or other loved ones.

You will need to be aware of the challenges faced training family versus training non-related employees.

Free download: 12 Training Resources for Family-Run Businesses
Click Here

Surviving Employee Training With Family

It’s natural for family businesses to welcome members of the next generation, but it’s important to remember that any role given within your company is not an entitlement. They may be family, but they still have a job to do.

That’s why it’s important to ensure that any roles fulfilled by family members come with real responsibility and accountability. Every employee needs an opportunity to make difference in the company.

That’s why if you’re dealing with employees and staff that are also relatives, it will be important for you to:

  • Provide accurate feedback on performance – Just because they’re family doesn’t mean they get a free pass to slack on the job
  • Create a positive and supportive climate – On the other hand, don’t assume you don’t have to encourage them simply because they know you love them
  • Create opportunities for growth and further skill development – Encourage engagement by offering opportunities to advance, don’t leave them stuck in a role with nowhere to go
  • Establish effective conflict resolution processes – Emotions can run high when working with family members, so it’s important to have a process in place for handling difficult situations before they happen
  • Start training early and do it often – Offer incentives for training and encourage every employee to engage in the learning process

It’s also important to treat non-related employees with the same standards as relatives (and vice versa) so that everyone understands the value they add to your business.

How to Train Family and Non-Family Employees

When it comes to the actual training, there are several methods you can use with family and non-family employees to improve engagement.

Start By Training Your Top People

If you work with family, you may have a tendency to favor relatives by giving them certain roles, even if they’re under-qualified. While favoritism may gain you brownie points with said relative, it won’t necessarily help your business.

A trained employee is less likely to disengage than an under-trained one.

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Ideally, you want to train your highest-performing staff members first, regardless of their relationship to you. Training the most qualified employees will ultimately be more cost-effective, and it can create a sense of ownership for both family and non-family employees who want to stick around the business longer.

A trained employee is less likely to disengage than an under-trained one, so choose employees that have shown the appropriate level of interest, those who have the right skills and aptitudes, and those whose attitude will help the company grow.

Train By Trickle-Down

Sending all of your employees through intensive training isn’t necessarily a cost-effective option for small businesses, but having a few top-level, highly trained employees can make a big difference in the overall culture of your company.

These employees can also be used to train other employees, who can then be used to train those further down the chain of command. Using a trickle-down training method saves time and energy and can also foster a sense of community, as each employee feels responsible for the success of another.

Be aware, however, of any emotional conflicts between multi-generational workers or if there are any family conflicts that may interfere with trickle-down training. For example, a family member from an older generation may not appreciate being lectured by the younger generation.

That’s why it’s important to have conflict resolution strategies in place so that trickle-down training can work effectively.

Train as a Long-Term Investment

Investing in employee training has been shown to improve field resolution times, increase productivity, and improve customer satisfaction. But training is not necessarily a quick, easy, or cheap process, and you certainly don’t want to waste training hours on anyone who doesn’t take the job seriously.

While it may seem like a good idea to train family members who work within the company, you should keep in mind that the most effective employee training will happen to those who are invested in your company for the long term.

A child who just wants to work for you over the summer will be less likely to retain valuable training than one who is being groomed to take over the family business, for example. Keep this in mind when you decide who should be trained and for what roles.

Record Training Process for Future Generations

If you find a training process that works, make sure to record it for the future. Developing a proper training protocol can take time and energy, and you certainly don’t want to have to re-invent the wheel every time you experience seasons of employee turnover.

It’s not necessarily practical to assume that all of the family members currently working for you will stick around indefinitely. Your training processes should be straightforward and easily accessible to every employee, regardless of when they started.

Keep in mind that technology will also change over time, so take advantage of online training materials, apps, and other programs that can grow with your business over time. Technology will be essential for business owners passing on the torch to younger generations who are more tech-savvy than their older counterparts.

Don’t miss these 12 resources designed to help your family-run business
Click Here

Final Thoughts

Running a family-owned business can come with many ups and downs. The important thing to remember is that a valuable employee is worth their weight in gold, whether they’re related to you or not.

Make sure that the staff you have working for you want to be there and are committed to helping the business grow. Train your best people first – those who have the most longevity potential and aptitude for the job – and leverage their knowledge to train other employees.

Don’t forget to have a process in place for dealing with potential conflict during training processes and be aware of generational differences during training. Utilize any and all technology to bridge the gap for younger generations, and don’t forget to reward and encourage employees who take their training seriously – even if they’re family.

 

Filed Under: Small Business Tagged With: field service, marketing, save money, small business, tips for small business, word of mouth marketing

Create One Payment For All Open Invoices

February 10, 2017 by Erin

About one month ago, we improved the payment feature so you have the ability to pay multiple invoices with one payment. By now, you have used the new bulk payment feature on multiple occasions and I am highlighting it in this week’s Feature Friday to point out the details.

Now you can….

  • View all open invoices in the payment window + outstanding balances after you [Choose a customer…] in the New Payment window.

  • Auto Distribute the bulk payment to outstanding invoices by clicking the[Distribute Payment] button.

  • Manually enter payment amount per invoice and ignore the way the system distributes the payment.

Tips for the new payment update:

1. Don’t forget to distribute the payment.  If your Unapplied amount equals the Payment Amount – the payment isn’t applied to invoices and will look like a credit on the account.

2. You need to select specific invoices to pay and leave others unpaid?  No Problem! Simply edit each Amount field in the outstanding invoices list.

3. Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of the form if there are many invoices and click SAVE.  If you simply click out of the form, your payment details will not be saved.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Deleting vs. Deactivating User Accounts

February 3, 2017 by Erin

Parting ways with employees often leads business owners directly to the DELETE button to deny the user’s access to Fieldwork.

This is not the best option for terminated technicians.

If your employee was a licensed technician, consider using the DEACTIVATE button instead.  Once deactivated, the user will receive a message that they no longer have access to the system and maintains your service history for record keeping purposes.

Another tip when managing a personnel transition is to review the past, present and future work orders assigned to that user.   Consider moving all future work orders to another route with the bulk action Move Tool in the Users & Routes section of your admin settings.

Deleting office users is perfectly fine.  Deleting users that are not technicians is the right choice to keep your account access secure.

Delete vs. Deactivate Overview:

When should you Deactivate a user?
if the user is a Technician and has an associated Route

When should you Delete a user?
Office / Admin User (No Route)

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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Your Customers Want to Reach You 24-7: Are You Prepared?

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12 Training Resources for Family-Run Businesses

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