Solving real problems plaguing field service in Australia and New Zealand

Rainbows and kittens? (Perhaps not.)

The reality of field service utilisation isn't always sunshine and sparkles. In the real world, you’re almost always in an uphill battle with inefficiency – your technicians get stuck in traffic, your customers get frustrated at parts not being on hand, and your paperwork clogs jobs for days on end. All of that adds up to lost revenue, a disappointed customer base, an unhappy workforce, and a constant feeling of being behind the eight ball.

And the truth is, poor field service delivery can be a silent revenue killer.

Yes, you have to worry about negative word of mouth, but what you should really be worried about is the 96% of people who won’t formally complain - but simply walk away and go elsewhere. Even if they won’t voice their discontent, Aussies and Kiwis will demonstrate their dissatisfaction through their actions.

But here's the good news - just as inefficiency comes with a hefty price tag, exceptional customer experiences bring exceptional rewards. Gallup reports that "fully engaged customers represent a 23% premium in share of wallet, profitability, revenue and relationship growth over the average customer."

How can you achieve field service happiness?

So, how do you tip the scales in favour of field service excellence? How do you keep your customers raving about your service and your bottom line healthy?

Think NetSuite.

NetSuite’s Field Service Management module helps you turn these challenges into new opportunities. With its fully integrated, end-to-end approach, NetSuite Field Service is designed to help FSM organisations like yours to increase efficiency, reduce operational costs, and improve customer satisfaction.

Let’s dive into the field service challenges you are probably facing right now, and the three ways NetSuite’s field service management solution will rid you of those problems for good.

3 ways you might be getting field service wrong (without even knowing it)

The beauty (and sometimes the challenge) of field service is that it’s truly industry-agnostic. While the specific equipment or service might differ, the core challenges of managing a mobile workforce and providing efficient on-site service go across industries. From repairing medical equipment in hospitals to maintaining air conditioning systems in office buildings to installing fibre internet in homes, the need to optimise your field service operations is universal.

The problem? Common inefficiencies can creep in silently, eroding your profitability without you even realising it. Here are three key signs that your current system might be holding you back, regardless of your industry:

1. Leaking profitability due to low staff utilisation

If you spend a day in the shoes of one of your technicians, you might find that they spend more time stuck in traffic or waiting for parts than actually fixing problems. This underutilisation of your most valuable resource - your skilled workforce - translates directly into lost revenue.

2. Struggling with stock loss and inventory leakage

There are no two ways about it - having the right parts on hand is crucial. Inventory mismanagement can lead to stock shortages, resulting in delays and frustrated customers. Then you’ve also got to worry about unchecked inventory, which can also create "leakage," where parts mysteriously disappear into thin air.

3. Relying on paper-based processes in the field

Paperwork - the bane of many a field service professional's existence that should have gone the way of the fax machine. There’s no reason your technicians should be bogged down in manual forms, struggling to find critical customer information, or facing delays caused by manual data-entry errors.

How can NetSuite help you conquer these field service challenges?

We've identified the silent assassins of field service efficiency:

• Low staff utilisation
• Stock loss
• Paper-based processes

Now, let's explore how NetSuite's Field Service Management solution equips you with the tools to conquer them

1. Stop leaking profitability: The power of truly intelligent scheduling

You spend hours wrestling with convoluted spreadsheets, trying to build a puzzle of technician schedules, locations, and suburban traffic patterns. It's a time-consuming nightmare, often leading to inefficient routes, frustrated technicians stuck in traffic, and ultimately, unhappy customers. 

That means lost revenue from billable hours eaten away by travel time. You’re likely also receiving frequent calls from your technicians experiencing unexpected delays. Then there’s the unnecessary stress of constantly reshuffling schedules due to last-minute priority service requests.

But what if you could ditch the spreadsheets or planning whiteboards forever? NetSuite's Field Service Management solution introduces a brand new drag-and-drop scheduling interface. All you have to do is grab, drag, and drop jobs to different time slots and technicians, giving you a clear visual dashboard of your entire schedule in minutes.

NetSuite also integrates real-time GPS data to ensure technicians avoid unnecessary long trips or traffic congestion. Skill-based matching automatically assigns jobs based on technician expertise, removing wasted time on mismatched service calls. The result is effortless route creation, maximised billable hours, a higher solve rate, and a happier, more productive team.

2. Eliminate inventory leakage: Taking back control

You’ve seen it a million times - a technician arrives on-site for a critical repair, only to realise that a crucial part is missing. Stock shortages like this not only delay service but also frustrate customers and damage your reputation. There's also the constant worry about inventory leakage, where parts somehow disappear out of a service vehicle without a trace.

This constant uncertainty can take a significant toll on your business. It leads to wasted time searching for missing parts, back-and-forth trips to the warehouse, and ultimately, lost revenue from delayed repairs.

Here's where NetSuite steps in as your inventory management champ. NetSuite's Field Service Management solution offers a suite of features designed to give you complete control over your inventory:

• Mobile barcode scanning: Feel free to ditch the pen and paper, because your technicians can instead use a mobile app to scan barcodes on parts used during a job. This updates inventory levels in real time, making sure your system always reflects the actual stock on hand. Imagine technicians scanning a replaced tap fitting and having the update shown instantly - no need for manual adjustments later.
• Automated reordering: Never get caught shorthanded again. Set minimum inventory thresholds for critical parts. When stock dips below a set threshold, the system automatically purchases replacements, so you always have the right parts on hand to avoid delays and keep your technicians working.
• Inventory reporting & analytics: Stop guessing about inventory usage. NetSuite offers in-depth insights into usage trends. Identify parts that are used frequently or at high risk of shrinkage, so you can optimise stock levels and minimise the risk of "leakage.” The outcome? You save money and prevent service disruptions.

Ultimately, NetSuite's inventory management features lead to reduced stockouts, minimised shrinkage, and improved cash flow. Your technicians will always have the parts they need to get the job done right, the first time.

3. Ditch the dead (paper) weight: Get technician efficiency with a mobile app

Field service technicians are the backbone of your business, but traditional workflows will almost always bog them down. There’s no need for your technicians to waste time searching for customer information in binders, struggling with terrible handwriting, or facing delays because of data entry mistakes on paper forms. These setbacks not only reduce productivity but can also lead to errors that undermine customer satisfaction.

NetSuite's Field Service Management solution throws out the paper chase with a purpose-built, easy-to-use mobile app:

• Digital job sheets at your fingertips: Biff the bulky binders - NetSuite delivers digital job sheets through a mobile app, so technicians can arrive on-site with all the information they need. Job details, customer history, service manuals, and even knowledge base articles - all on their phones or tablets. There’s no more pre-job scrambling, because your technicians have the right information to get the job done quickly and accurately.
• Picture-perfect documentation: Capture the job story accurately and quickly by letting technicians take photos or videos of completed work or damaged equipment to be uploaded directly to the job sheet. This not only streamlines comms with dispatch and back-office teams but also delivers valuable documentation for future reference, remote troubleshooting, and warranty claims.
• Streamlined approvals with electronic signatures: Finally, say goodbye to printed forms and chasing signatures. NetSuite enables your technicians to capture customer signatures electronically on the job sheet via the mobile app. This saves time, reduces paperwork, and gives your customers a truly professional experience.

In a nutshell, NetSuite's mobile app transforms the way your technicians work. Imagine the boost in productivity from real-time information, fewer errors from manual data entry, and technicians trusted to document their work efficiently and communicate seamlessly with the rest of your team. The result? A happier, more productive workforce and a more professional experience for your customers.

Fusion5: Your field service experts

As the first JAPAC NetSuite partner to achieve field service certification and accreditation, Fusion5 is uniquely qualified to help you unlock the power of NetSuite's Field Service Management solution across Australia and New Zealand. 

Our team of experts, the largest NetSuite team in JAPAC outside of NetSuite itself, has the on-the-ground experience and knowledge to let NetSuite seamlessly (and rapidly) optimise your field service operations for true efficiency.

So – are you ready to take control and conquer the silent assassins of field service?