If you run a service-based business, then it is safe to assume a large chunk of your workforce is either mobile workers or field technicians. Managing such as mobile workforce can be a challenge, and many of the current systems there are inefficient, and most businesses find themselves grappling with low levels of productivity and, as a result, poor customer satisfaction.

Recent statistics show that over 89% of customers prefer a different service provider if they experience poor service.

The need of the hour is a comprehensive solution that equips field service technicians, dispatchers, technicians, and managers with a complete view of the field service operations. The seamless access to vital information and the ability to provide unparalleled support from any device, anytime and anywhere, is where Salesforce’s Field Lightning service comes in.

In this comprehensive guide, we will do a deep dive into all the benefits the Salesforce field service offers and discuss a few real-world implementations of this service to help you better understand it.

What Is Salesforce Field Service Lightning?

 

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Salesforce field service lightning (now known simply as Field Service) is a dynamic tool developed by Salesforce to seamlessly connects the dots in the world of field service management. It is specifically developed to be a mobile-friendly platform and is highly customizable.

At its core, Salesforce Field Service Lightning serves as an extension of Service Cloud, enabling businesses to gain a comprehensive view and manage data of the three primary components of a service-based business i.e

1. Your Customers
2. Your Products and
3. Your Workforce

The following are some of the functionalities that Salesforce field service lightning offers that to aid your business:

• Salesforce field service lightning allows you to create records about each technician, including their skill sets, availability, and location. That way, the service team can effectively manage their workforce and dispatch the right agents to fulfill customer work requests.
• It also allows you as a business to set up multilevel service territories to keep track of locations where the business can provide effective field service. An added benefit of this feature is that you can also effortlessly manage scheduled appointments at remote locations, which can be a big plus in customer satisfaction.
• The Field Service mobile app can further help your customers by keeping them upraised to the work schedule of an open service request by sending them regular comprehensive reports, which can go a long way in improving customer satisfaction and, in turn, your brand value.
• Salesforce field service also helps you streamline your logistics by giving you real-time visibility into the intricate web of business operations by tracking the location and status of your inventory and your service vehicles.
• From an operations point of view, your field service management team uses the field service dispatcher console to keep track of field service data. It can accurately track service appointments, keep track of a service provided and make timely follow-up appointments.

Here are real-world use cases of Field service lightning. 

1. TRIMEDX implemented Customer Service and Field Service Management solutions to overcome data silos and disconnected systems, resulting in improved customer and employee experiences, increased asset uptime, and minimized service costs.

2. Cubic Transportation utilized Field Service Management to address challenges such as a lack of real-time asset visibility and manual processes. The solution resulted in increased asset visibility and quicker time to resolution, enhancing critical operations and optimizing field service performance.

What Does Salesforce Field Service Include?

Salesforce field service lightning comes with a robust suite of modern features that seamlessly integrate into the sales force service cloud.

Core Features That Set The Foundation

Salesforce’s Field Service opens the door to a collection of standard objects that form the backbone of its core features. These objects, accessible through Setup and Salesforce tabs, include work orders and service appointments.

With these foundational elements, businesses can efficiently manage their service requests, allocate resources, and stay on top of their field service operations.

A Managed Package That Builds On The Core Features

The power of Field Service extends beyond its core features by including the Field Service managed package. This package not only builds upon the foundation but introduces additional tools and capabilities that further enhance your business’s productivity and service resources.

The first is a Guided Setup tool that walks you through creating Field Service records and customizing settings. This intuitive tool ensures a smooth onboarding experience, allowing you to tailor the solution to meet your unique business requirements.

Second is the Dynamic Scheduling Console, which serves as a command center for dispatchers and supervisors. It provides a bird’s-eye view of all service technicians and scheduled appointments and generates service reports, which they can then use to manage and optimize resources effortlessly.

And finally, at the core of this managed package lies the scheduling optimizer. It is a game-changer for resource allocation, which considers factors such as worker skill level, travel time to the location of the nearest mobile worker, and more and intelligently assigns resources to appointments in the most efficient manner possible.

Scheduling policies and triggers allow you to customize your scheduling policy, service contracts, and service guidelines. This out-of-the-box ability to define specific rules and parameters gives you the ultimate flexibility to tailor the Field service to best suit your niche business needs.

A Field Service Mobile App

The power of Field Service goes beyond desktop environments with its feature-rich mobile app designed for iOS and Android devices. This offline-friendly app revolutionizes the way your mobile workers operate in the field.

The field service app, which can be downloaded from either Google Play or the Apple Store, equips your field technicians with the ability to update work orders and time sheets, track parts and van stock, gather customer signatures, and stay connected with dispatchers directly all from a single platform while on the go.

Who Uses Salesforce Field Service?

 

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Salesforce Field Service Lightning is a valuable asset for the following specialized individuals working in a service-based environment.

Dispatchers

Dispatchers are the responsive orchestrators of a customer’s work request. They use the Dispatcher Console to match a field technician with the required skills for the job, their availability, and their proximity to customer sites.

Field Service can give dispatchers simultaneous access to all the vital information they need to make informed decisions on the job.

Field Technicians

These skilled experts are always on the move, and the Field Service Mobile app keeps them connected with their operators and provides them with a myriad of offline capabilities.

This ensures their work remains uninterrupted, even in environments with limited connectivity.

Service Agents

Service Agents act as the communicators between customers and mobile employees. When customers request a service call-out, Service Agents assess the situation and determine the most suitable resolution.

When a call-out visit proves necessary, they use the Lighting service console to create a Work request that the dispatcher utilizes to coordinate the task.

Service Managers

Service managers assume the role of overseeing the entire service operation. They monitor service appoint meant volumes, assess service efficiency by analyzing factors such as technician duration at customer locations and travel time, and gauge customer satisfaction.

They leverage the power of Salesforce reports, list views, and other analytics tools available on this one single platform to ensure accurate time schedules, optimize service delivery and drive successful resolutions.

Conclusion

Salesforce Field Service Lightning offers a digital transformation that revolutionizes the way organizations manage their field service operations to deliver exceptional on-site services.

It can aid service-based businesses in overcoming the nuances of siloed departments, inefficient resource allocation, and a lackluster customer service experience in the field.

In short, it can aid businesses to adapt to the dynamic demands of the field service industry and leave a lasting impression on your customers to stay ahead of the competition.

Commonly Asked Questions About Salesforce Field Service Lightning

 What editions of Salesforce support Field Service Lightning? 

The core features of the Salesforce field service lightning, the managed package, and the mobile app are available in the Enterprise, the Unlimited, and the Developer Editions of Salesforce Cloud.

Can I create maintenance plans and templates with Field Service?

Yes, you can create maintenance plans and templates using Field Service. Custom components allow you to standardize your field service tasks and ensure consistent field service success.

Can Field Service generate service reports to keep customers informed?

 Yes, Field Service allows you to create service reports that keep customers informed about the progress of their service requests. This transparency enhances customer satisfaction and builds trust.

Is there an analytics component in Field Service Lightning FSL?

Field Service Analytics is available as part of Field Service Lightning FSL. It enables you to integrate and analyze service data, providing actionable insights to optimize your mobile workforce and resolve cases more efficiently.

Does Salesforce Field Service integrate with the Salesforce Service Cloud?

Yes, Salesforce Field Service seamlessly integrates with the Salesforce service cloud.