Accolent ERP provides customizable field service software for distributors
Benefits of Field Service Software for Distributors
Accolent ERP field service software for distributors facilitates the scheduling, communication with, and management of remote field services personnel. Once this is properly set up through Accolent ERP field service software, distributors can then provide value-added field services to customers. These kinds of field services include scheduling, delivery, obtaining proof-of-delivery, dispatching of field technicians, updating customers on technicians’ arrivals or delays, tracking field services and invoicing, tracking assets and mobile sales. Offering field services has many tangible benefits for distributors including increasing customer satisfaction and retention, increasing revenues, improving productivity and efficiency, and reducing errors.
Customer Satisfaction and Retention
Providing value-added services to customers can improve customer relationships. Many studies have shown that customers have a strong preference for in-person service. As such, providing in-person field services can increase customer satisfaction. Distributors that deliver orders, or install, provide maintenance for and repair machinery or equipment have more touchpoints with their customers. This leads to building closer relationships with and developing better insights into customers’ needs, which in turn improves customer retention.
Increased Revenues
Field service software for distributors facilitates the provision of installation, maintenance and break-fix services that are closely related to distributors’ core businesses. These recurring services supplement distributors’ existing wholesale businesses and can create new reliable and predictable revenue streams. Another field services software application can support remote salespersons. It is often the case that in-person salespersons visits to customers to take customer orders or provide quotes, typically result in higher close rates, increasing revenues.
Productivity Improvements
Field service software for distributors sends and receives data from users’ ERP systems via mobile apps to field service personnel using mobile devices. Communicating with the mobile devices of field personnel gives customers, managers, technical teams, real-time visibility into field service projects. This means that any needs for direction or technical assistance can be quickly addressed. Dispatchers can provide real-time responses to problems such as accidents or traffic blockages. Also, Accolent ERP field service software for distributors delivers mobile apps that are designed for and can be cached on mobile devices. Many field services sites may not have reliable Internet coverage, but these apps will continue to work on the mobile device and will sync once the device gets into cell coverage. This increases the productivity of the field services personnel.
Remote Workers
Though not its primary function, field services software for distributors does facilitate remote users, which is becoming more and more important to today’s workforce. Mobile apps that pull data from distributors’ ERP systems can be customized so that specific jobs that are not really field services, may be able to be performed remotely.
Reduced Errors
By making ERP data directly available to and updated by field service personnel, distributors can cut down on data errors and ensure that all users are working from the same data. Without field service software, distributors and field personnel have to rely on paper forms and data is captured manually and then updated manually to the ERP system. This is very time-consuming, inefficient and error prone. With field service software for distributors, error rates go down considerably and fixes get done right the first time.
Increased Utilization
Using field service software for distributors allows distributors to track assets and/or manage equipment in real-time. This will substantially increase equipment uptime and utilization. It will also help with scheduling preventative maintenance and reducing equipment downtime.
Industries
Optimized for wholesale distribution across a number of vertical industries: auto parts, building materials, chemicals, fasteners, food & beverage, industrial, jan/san, restaurant supply and more
Accolent ERP Technology
There are good reasons that cloud-based ERP software is rapidly replacing on-premise business software. Learn why experts predict that 5 years from now on premise systems will be obsolete.
Implementation and Training
Let us show you how our comprehensive implementation and training programs will manage your transition and get you up and running on Accolent ERP quickly and painlessly.
Accolent ERP Delivers Full Field Service Functionality
Using Accolent ERP, distributors can take full control of all their field service and delivery needs:
- Manage remote workforces and enable delivery of field services
- Manage incoming services calls, manage calendars, and set appointments
- Assign service calls based on technicians' availability, proximity, skill-sets, available inventory and parts, customer history or other criteria
- Dispatch technicians to customer locations
- Track technicians en route, arrival on site, time on job, usage of parts from inventory, etc.
- Prepare and deliver invoices and take payments for services calls
- Schedule deliveries and obtain electronic proof of delivery
- Enable DSD (direct-to-store) and truck-based remote sales models
- Enable remote salespersons to enter prospect records, update customer records and take orders on mobile devices
- Automatic caching of data if out of cell phone coverage and sending when in range of cell towers
Contact Us to Learn About Our Field Service Software for Distributors
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Take control of all of your field service and remote workforce management solutions on a single platform.
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