If you’re reading this, you probably feel like FieldEdge doesn’t fit into your business like it should anymore.
Or maybe it never did. Whether it’s the outdated UI, the price getting too high for the value, or just plain missing features that are important to your company, you’re not alone.
Finding the best fieldedge alternative for small business is not a simple one-for-one exchange—it’s a chance to use new technology to smooth out your processes, grow your operation, and give you peace of mind. Let’s go over what to look for in a field service management system, specifically for your small business.
Why Field Service Software Can Make or Break Your Business
There’s a lot that goes into keeping your operation up and running. Keeping your techs on schedule, managing your finances, and communicating with your customers are only a small part of what a successful small business owner does every day. And to do all of that, you need the right tools at your disposal, or you’ll be left with delays, missed calls, lost revenue, and dissatisfied customers.
If your software is working for you, things just flow. That’s why finding a FieldEdge alternative that’s the right fit for your small business is a big decision. You’re not just trying to find a tool that will work—you’re looking for a partner who can help you and your team through the life of your business.
Signs It’s Time to Move On
Before we jump into where to go from here, let’s outline the most common reasons field service companies decide to replace their software:
- A bad user experience that slows you down
- Dated or clunky features
- Poor mobile support for field service workers
- Too expensive for the value
- Bad customer support and a lack of software updates
- Can’t integrate with other tools you’re using
If you’re constantly working around the software, it’s a bad sign.
Prioritize User Experience (Seriously)
One of the very first things you should evaluate in your search for field service software is the usability of the software.
Why does it matter? Your team and your customers are going to have to use this software. If it’s hard to use, confusing, or complex, they won’t use it properly, and you might find they’re not using it at all.
- Better field service software has the following characteristics:
- Clear, modern user interface
- Few clicks by the user to accomplish simple tasks “on the go”
- The field service app is simple and fast to use
- Lightweight customer-facing reminders and notifications system
Request a trial. Watch the videos. Ask questions. If it’s not easy to use in the first 10 minutes, it won’t be useful to your company.
Scheduling and Dispatching Should Be Effortless
This is where the rubber meets the road. You can have a great sales process and wonderful customer service — but if you can’t schedule jobs in two seconds flat and dispatch techs as needed, your day is going to go downhill quickly.
In a perfect world (ie, a world with better software than FieldEdge software), scheduling and dispatching look like;
- Next-level drag and drop calendar tools on a clean user interface
- Real-time tech tracking
- Ability to assign techs based on rotation or skill set
- GPS tracking for optimized routes
- Instant tech to office updates -“These clients just rescheduled, and this other one is really urgent, can you take her instead?”.
Being able to make a one-tap adjustment on your tablet, dragging and dropping the appointment icon from one technician to the next, and they already have the job information. This is the kind of upgrade that saves people time each week.
Look for Built-In Communication Tools
Calling and texting are nice, but are they being logged? Your next solution should offer customer and technician communication within the platform application itself (so you don’t have to worry about your message being missed in someone’s personal inbox).
- Text or in-app message communications
- Customer alerts (such as appointment reminders)
- Tracking and recording of customer calls
- Follow-ups and surveys
The more sophisticated your communication strategy, the better the customer experience, and the more repeat customers you’ll earn.
Invoicing and Payments: Keep It Seamless
If you’re still billing off paper invoices or having to go to another system to collect on a service call, it’s time to consolidate. A worthy FieldEdge alternative should give you the power to:
- Send invoices on the spot
- Take credit card or mobile payments
- Send invoice reminders automatically
- Integrate easily with QuickBooks or your current accounting software
Time to Level Up
Switching from FieldEdge may seem like a big change. But that’s a great thing, of course. There is more you can do than just fixing what is broken. You have an opportunity here to optimize your service workflows, save time, make your techs happier, and your customers even more delighted by your service.
The top FieldEdge alternative for small businesses does a lot more than the software you’ve used so far. Its integration will enhance the performance of your techs, make everyone do more in a shorter time, reduce errors, and support you as a manager in every possible way.
