Field service management refers to the job of managing company assets away from company property. In fleet management, it involves the telematics systems that support field service management and handle work such as tracking vehicles, scheduling work, dispatching vehicles, ensuring driver safety, inventory, billing and accounting.
Both field and back office functions merge in field service management through the use of innovative technology that increases productivity and efficiency while providing field service fleet solutions.
These include fleet telematics that can automatically accomplish tasks such as GPS tracking, driver behavior monitoring, vehicle diagnostics and asset tracking
A Complex Part of Operations
Field service management presents “one of the most operationally complex tasks” for businesses, according to Salesforce. However, the evolution of technology has provided field service fleet solutions and made the task much more efficient than in the past.
Before telematics, fleet managers and drivers had to handle everything by hand through a Byzantine system involving trip logs and government-mandated paperwork. This led to many instances of delays, miscommunication and improper information getting into documents.
How to Cope With Data Overload
Now, telematics systems provide an opportunity to avoid these issues. In many areas, data-driven systems handle the collection and management of information, freeing managers and drivers for more important work and making operations more effective.
Field service fleet solutions provide a way to connect all the many arms of a complex commercial operation and gather them together into one system that gives fleet managers more control over operations.
Examples of Field Service Fleet Solutions
Companies can now put sophisticated field service management technology into place that eliminates many of the issues that went wrong with previous systems.
What’s different about telematics is not the collection of data – companies have had the ability to do that for many years. The difference is Internet of Things (IoT) technology that involves sensors placed remotely on vehicles.
Rather than depending on humans, these sensors gather and transmit data to the company’s main computer system. This includes data from engine monitoring systems and fleet dash cameras.
They can transmit data on issues such as:
- Engine status
- Tire status
- Speed of vehicle
- Vehicle location
- Driver’s actions
- Maintenance schedule for all vehicle parts
These systems also can collect all the data needed to remain DOT compliant, creating reports that meet all the requirements. The systems also can produce reports at whatever intervals are needed by fleet managers.Field service management is now much simpler because of the evolution in field service fleet solutions. For fleet managers looking to stay ahead in an extremely competitive business, telematics offers the solutions they need.
