For decades, companies have relied on skilled technicians to get equipment repaired and connect with customers in the field. Therefore, technicians are often representative of companies and always have direct (and often first) contact with customers. Consequently, a technician is responsible for the first “impression” – and as we all know, this is exactly what counts the most. However, until now, technicians’ skills, processes and systems have rarely been considered critical components. Namely, components that could have a major impact on a company’s strategy and revenue.
Many field service teams are only seen as necessary cost centers with always standardized workflows that supposedly do not need to be changed. But here, too, it is advisable to think outside the box. Just like other areas of the company, there is a lot of potential for innovation in the field. In addition, there are opportunities and strategies that can be discovered and exploited to achieve a significant increase in sales.
Customer loyalty – sales representatives as a strategy?
The field service process often involves many variables and can be quite complex. This includes scheduling, planning, matching skills, and route optimization – usually at a customer location.
You have probably been in the situation where you had to wait all day for a technician. Well, that’s field service – albeit a pretty inefficient model.
As the field service evolved, companies found that their inefficiencies in the field could quickly lead to lost revenue. After all, this reduces customer satisfaction and customer lifetime value (CLV for short).
In German, a CLV means something like “customer income value”. This describes how much revenue a customer brings to the company over the course of their relationship with the company. For example, a customer with a high CLV has brought in high-yield sales in the past. In order for them to continue to do so in the future and for sales to continue to increase, the sales force, among other things, must be efficient and satisfactory.
However, it is mainly the innovative companies that have recognized how to reduce costs and increase their sales at the same time. And actually with the optimization of the field service.
Below are three top actions and strategies to increase sales through field service and how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service can help increase efficiency in an organization.
Lead generation – use sales reps as “salespeople”
This may sound logical, because lead generation has always been an important part of marketing and sales activities. So nothing new. But: who else knows your customers better than your field service technicians? Here is a short personal story:
After I recently moved and urgently needed a new Internet provider, I called several Internet providers. First of all, I chose the provider who could provide me with the Internet service in the shortest possible time. When my chosen ISP arrived, the technician inquired about any other services I might need; among other things, according to my mobile phone provider. Since I actually had another mobile phone provider, he told me they had suitable offers for me. Then he asked me if I was interested in listening to them. Shortly after I confirmed my interest and the internet installation was completed, another sales representative knocked on my door. Finally, he helped me to switch to their mobile phone tariff.
As a result, not only did I generate a lead, but I also made a sale right away – thanks to a simple question from the sales representative. Since everything was very efficient and competent, I would clearly recommend this provider. However, not only because of the product, but because of the good service of the sales representative, who asked the right questions.
Field workers are professionals who often have to complete a whole range of tasks to complete the service. Simply asking a question or noting a specific item on their to-do list can trigger a Microsoft Power Automate flow. This will automatically create a lead and route it to the sales team. As a result, it creates a qualified lead for the sales team and a cross-sell revenue opportunity for the company. This allows the field sales team to support the sales team – thanks to technology.
Expanding Business Units: Field Service-as-a-Service
In order to really turn one’s own sales force into a revenue generator, the current operation must become efficient. Accordingly, efficiency requires innovation, i.e. innovation of processes, system platforms and people. When it comes to field operations, it’s safe to say that not all companies are innovating at the same pace, and some prefer not to innovate at all. Here, innovation and efficiency can become an advantage that increase sales.
An example: A large provider of healthcare facilities started as a facility management company. Accordingly, they provided facility management services for the vast and growing network of healthcare providers. By continuously innovating and increasing efficiency with Dynamics 365 Field Service, the healthcare provider quickly realized the value it could bring to other networks of healthcare providers. Eventually, he began to offer his services to other hospitals.
By leveraging its efficiency, it has been able to provide a better patient experience for more than 160 hospitals. The healthcare provider is an excellent example of how the efficiency of field service has been used to create a high-revenue business unit.
Connected Field Service: Using Data
Connected Field Service takes IoT data collected from device sensors and integrates it with Dynamics 365 Field Service to create a new, revenue-generating service model. As a result, connected field service enables companies to move from the traditional repair model to a proactive and predictive service model. This shift provides an opportunity for companies to market and sell new service offerings that lead to increased sales and profit margins.
An example of a connected field service is a company from the Pacific Northwest that operates in the field of mechanical engineering. The company specialises in the development of energy-efficient buildings. However, by collecting the data from IoT sensors, the company can also provide post-completion optimization services with its connected field service solution. IoT sensors thus record the energy values of a building and proactively dispatch a service technician before a failure occurs. This ensures operational efficiency in customers’ facilities. By carrying out remote inspections and services with Dynamics 365 Remote Assist can increase efficiency, resolve issues in real time, and reduce travel costs, among other things. This efficiency creates the opportunity to sell more advanced support offerings, increasing revenue and profitability.
Conclusion
Many companies have now realized that a higher efficiency of their field service can actually be very valuable and profitable for their company. All in all, the sales force should not be underestimated, on the contrary – it should be promoted much more. After all, he can even actively support a company’s sales team in a way that most people may have been unaware of before.
Since a sales representative has direct contact with customers, he is in a way the “business card” of a company. Therefore, it is advisable to use the remote service team as a tool to achieve stronger customer loyalty. If the customers are satisfied, they in turn become “ambassadors” of a company and recommend it to others. What’s even better, by innovating in the field, backed by Microsoft technologies like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service, a company can be transformed into a revenue-generating machine through higher customer lifetime value (CLV).
