Complete Shutter Doors Boost Productivity by 20% with BigChange Tech

Nov 03, 2021 • News • BigChange • Digital Transformation • field service management • Service CRM • EMEA • COMPLETE SHUTTER SERVICES

Industrial doors company Complete Shutter Services has doubled its business and boosted productivity by 20 per cent since implementing field service management software from BigChange.

Industrial doors company Complete Shutter Services has doubled its business and boosted productivity by 20 per cent since implementing field service management software from BigChange.Providing a complete job management platform, BigChange cloud-based office software synchronises with a rugged tablets used by field operatives to provide real-time 24/7 visibility of every job nationwide.

Established 35 years with headquarters and factory in Rotherham and a factory in Harlow, Essex, Complete Shutter Services designs, manufactures, installs and services door systems for clients including BP, Shell, Jewson, Homebase, Marks and Spencer and the Co-Op.

BIGCHANGE IS A COMPLETE JOB MANAGEMENT PLATFORM BRINGING TOGETHER CRM, JOB SCHEDULING, LIVE TRACKING, FIELD RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT INTO ONE PLATFORM.

“We’re in an increasingly competitive market and it is crucial to keep ahead’” says Paul Quealey, MD, Complete Shutter Services. “Our clients are also now much more demanding when it comes to reporting on jobs – they expect accurate and real-time reports. BigChange allows us to do just that and the platform is so easily adaptable that we know we’ll be able to meet any client need.”

According to Quealey, the biggest impact of BigChange has been in improving the quality of its services. The software guides field operatives through procedures on site ensuring everything is done correctly with consistent and complete reporting every time; backed up with time recorded before and after photographs. “We’ve possibly increased the quality of our services by 70 per cent with BigChange. That’s key to retaining and growing our business and the way we have deployed BigChange gives us a key competitive advantage,” he explains.

Complete Shutter Services was one of the first adopters of BigChange and played a central role in developing the platform for use in the industrial doors industry. BigChange is a complete job management platform bringing together customer relationship management (CRM), job scheduling, live tracking, field resource management, financial management, and online portal into one simple to use and easy to integrate platform. Jobs are automatically allocated based on real-time engineer availability, skills, live location and parts stock. This is significantly increasing productivity; minimising customer wait time and driving first time fix at competitive cost for clients.

“BigChange has delivered huge cost savings and we’ve increased productivity in the office by at least 20 per cent and we’ve made similar gains in terms of the number of jobs completed daily,” Quealey explains. “It’s also made business expansion very easy. New engineers can literally be up and running in minutes using the very easy mobile app. And when we opened a new office in Harlow, we just connected online to access the cloud-based software giving all the IT we needed, instantly.”

Complete’s field engineers use the platform to complete their timesheets and vehicle checks, before instantly accessing job information. Linked to vehicle trackers, the software provides navigation with live traffic to ensure the best route is taken and customers receive ETA updates by text and email. On arrival, engineers can create instant estimates and the app guides them step by step through health & safety and job-specific workflows including photo capture. On completion, the system generates job-cards that are automatically shared via a customer’s booking portal or via email.

“Invoices can be raised immediately on job completion and since the system allows us to provide such good proof-of-service, disputes are very much a thing of the past. For management, BigChange really does bring peace of mind. We’ve got access through a BigChange management smartphone app that gives us complete round-the clock visibility of everything going on. It means we are always in control and able to provide the high levels of service whatever the operational challenges,” Quealey adds.

Ericsson and Telenet Extend Managed Services Partnership and Begin Nationwide 5G Network Rollout in Belgium

Oct 29, 2021 • News • 5G • Artificial intelligence • Ericsson • Telecommunications • Telenet • Managing the Mobile Workforce • EMEA

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and Belgian Communications Service Provider, Telenet, are extending their managed services partnership through a five-year deal that will see Ericsson take responsibility for planning, design, operations and optimization. The...

he deal will see Telenet deploying Ericsson Operations Engine in 2022, comprising the latest in AI and automation to enhance its mobile network performance and offer improved customer experience. Telenet announced the selection of Ericsson as 5G radio access network (RAN) vendor in a network modernization deal announced in March 2021.

THE DEPLOYMENT OF ERICSSON OPERATIONS ENGINE WILL PROVIDE TELENET'S MOBILE NETWORK WITH DATA-DRIVEN OPERATIONS AND OPTIMIZATION THROUGH AI AND AUTOMATION

Ericsson network optimization services will also be provided under the deal. The solution combines multi-vendor networks expertise with the latest AI-enabled Cognitive Software suite. This functionality will enhance customer experiences and ensure a superior return from Telenet’s deployed network assets. Ericsson will also extend its current Mobile Operation Center with monitoring of the fixed network.

As part the deal, Ericsson will employ 15 of Telenet's mobile network experts while maintaining their current employment conditions.

Micha Berger, Chief Technology Officer, Telenet, says: “We are pleased to reinforce our long-term partnership with Ericsson as part of our vision to build a future-ready 5G network that enables world-class experience for our customers. We are confident that these new technologies will enable us to provide to our customers a state-of-the-art mobile experience.”

Franck Bouétard, Head of Ericsson Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Algeria and Tunisia, says: “Prolonging and expanding our managed services contract is the recognition of our operational performance as Telenet’s trusted partner and is complementing our 5G RAN contract. As Belgium is continuing its shift toward 5G, we are honored to extend our partnership with a key actor such as Telenet to deliver leading 5G services to Belgian consumers.”

5 Enemies of Growth - What is Hitting Field Service Firms Hard?

Oct 28, 2021 • Features • BigChange • Covid-19 • Leadership and Strategy • EMEA

In this third feature of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we analyse the key issues that hit field service businesses in the past 12 months.

This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content BigChange who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

Despite rapid growth, businesses with field-based teams reported three key issues that had materially hit their business in the past 12 months.

Covid-19 and its consequences

81% of businesses said the pandemic had hit turnover or profits in the last 12 months. Four in ten reported that it had led to staffing difficulties.
Expensive materials and fuel

Three-quarters of companies say the rising cost of materials (76%) and fuel (74%) are hurting their business. In the 12 months covered, pump prices for petrol rose by 18% t o near-record levels; diesel leapt by 16%.

Firms expect the same factors to dampen or even eliminate profitability in the next 12 months.
Staying within the rules and regulations

Compliance challenges – including those stemming from the pandemic – are hurting firms. Two-thirds of field service companies say that new regulations hit their profits in the year to July 2021.

In the last 12 months, more than half breached industry regulations in ways that led to a fine, loss of reputation or loss of work. A quarter (25%) incurred financial penalties for breaches.

The risk of accidentally contravening rules and regulations increases as companies expand rapidly. Two further issues for firms also emerged in our analysis.
The productivity pinch point

When it comes to employment, the trades have outperformed the rest of the economy in the last year. The number of people working in field service firms increased by 48%.

But this increase was slower than the 70% rise in workloads.

Firms anticipate further growth in workloads (74%) in the next 12 months, and a lower increase in the extra employees they will take on (54%).

There will be pressure on already busy field service teams to work even more efficiently.
Rising debt levels

The amount of debt taken on by field service businesses increased by 50% over the last 12 months.

While some businesses have used finance to underpin their expansion activities (average debt increased by 43% at firms reporting good profit and growth prospects), the biggest increases in debt levels were among loss-making firms borrowing for survival.

Average debts were up 117% over the last 12 months at businesses that said they were struggling and feared going out of business and increased by 61% at loss-making firms where leaders believed a turnaround was possible.

Access to Government-backed finance made it easier for most businesses to borrow last year. This debt will add an additional cost burden to some already struggling firms.

STATE OF THE FIELD SERVICE SECTOR

Demand and workloads are soaring. Essential costs are on the rise. And recruitment is challenging. Many firms in the survey have addressed these challenges by pushing hard to improve productivity.

Where is time and money lost in field service businesses?

2Poor management oversight: 27% said difficulties getting complete and up-to-date management oversight stops them from working as efficiently as possible. 82% want oversight of all parts of operations in real-time.
Outdated technology: Clunky legacy workforce-management systems that couldn't keep pace with the demands of today were an efficiency issue for 27% of firms.

Poor planning and workflow: 24% say that wasted time between jobs, including travel, is harming efficiency efforts.

As a result, many are now looking to optimise operations with technology.

Less strain, efficiency gain: The rise and rise of job-management technology

73% of field service businesses increased investment in technology in the last 12 months. Technology spending increased by an average of 54% year on year.
Firms expect to keep up these rates of tech-spending growth into 2022 as they turn to technology for management oversight, process automation, job scheduling and route planning.

Year on year company growth was faster, on average, for users of field service management technology. And those growing quickly are doubling down on technology: they are more likely than other firms to invest in it over the next year.

Productivity

Where is time and money lost in the field service business?

27% say difficulties getting real-time insights harms efficiency
27% of firms felt outdated technology was an efficiency issue

24% say wasted time between jobs is harming efficiency

This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

ETELM Begins Work on Final Phase of European Union-Commissioned BroadWay Pilot

Oct 26, 2021 • News • Telecommunications • Managing the Mobile Workforce • EMEA • Mobile Broadband • ETELM • FRONTLINE WORKERS

ETELM, the radio communications infrastructure specialist, has entered the third and final phase of its work with the BroadPort consortium to develop a pan-European interoperable mobile broadband system for Public Protection & Disaster Relief (PPDR)...

Having successfully completed the Prototype Phase, ETELM is part of the Frequentis-led consortium that is among just two consortia left in this European Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) Project, BroadWay. They have now been invited to move onto the next phase, which will be to develop the prototype solution into a live, useable pilot system.

The BroadWay initiative was created by the public safety agencies from 11 European countries and is operating under the framework of Horizon 2020, a flagship EU research and innovation programme. Collectively, these agencies provide mobile communication services to around 1.4 million responders and deal with an array of crimes and disasters throughout the continent.

FREQUENTIS-LED CONSORTIUM DOWN TO THE FINAL TWO IN DEVELOPING INTEROPERABLE PUBLIC PROTECTION & DISASTER RELIEF (PPDR) MOBILE BROADBAND SYSTEM

Where currently each country possesses its own separate system to handle mission-critical communications, the objective of BroadWay is to develop a unified solution that will allow European first responders to communicate, share and access information regardless of the country in which they intervene. This will provide operational mobility for public safety responders across Europe by linking national mission-critical mobile broadband networks to act as one.

Now at its pilot stage, the consortium is required to develop a solution that reaches Technology Readiness Level 8, a system originally developed by NASA to provide uniformity of technical maturity across different technologies. Level 8 will require a complete and fully operational system that achieves the best possible performance across each of the project’s 11 objectives.

A primary goal will be to ensure that the pilot system succeeds in being interconnected and provided as-a-service to offer the widest operational mobility. In particular, it must provide secure operational and EU interoperable communication for law enforcement agencies and other PPDR practitioners so that they are able to protect and respond in cross-border cooperation. Operational mobility of this standard will allow practitioners to operate wherever they are, whenever they need to, and with whomever they are tasked to cooperate.

Nicolas Hauswald, CEO at ETELM, said: “The impact of this innovation-led project will be felt by all police, firefighters and other emergency units when dealing with any cross-border incident or disaster as it unfolds. It will also become an essential tool in managing public safety, enabling enhanced security and more effective emergency responses.

“ETELM has been developing professional radio communications infrastructure for over 40 years, working with critical communications organisations around the globe, and we are very proud to bring our expertise to this important project.

“The demands of critical communications require not only robust and reliable solutions that can operate in any situation, no matter the environment, but also the capacity to transmit increasingly rich data without delay. Add to this the need to seamlessly integrate across numerous different jurisdictions and our challenge here is to demonstrate a single, future-proofed system that will enable emergency services, first responders and critical national infrastructure operators across Europe to complete their essential duties not only unhindered but also significantly enhanced by the technology that we are developing. It’s an exciting prospect, and we are fully committed to its success.”

The BroadWay Pilot Phase (Phase 3) begins in October 2021 and will last until September 2022.

The full BroadPort consortium, led by Frequentis, consists of the following partners: ETELM, Crosscall, Halys, Municipality of Málaga, Nemergent Solutions SL, and Universidad de Málaga. The subcontractors are: Arico Technologies, Control Center Apps GmbH, Comfone, Eutelsat SA, Lyfo, PrioCom B.V., Telefónica I+D, T-Mobile Netherlands B.V., and Virtual Fort Knox AG.

Rapid charging expert Heliox launches New 180kW Flex Charge System ™

Oct 25, 2021 • News • Carbon Emissions • Electric Vehicles • Sustainability • Service Innovation and Design • EMEA • HELIOX

Rapid charging expert Heliox has announced the launch of its 180kW Flex Charge System™, designed for high-powered depots and overnight charging across multiple vehicles, including buses and trucks.

The Heliox 180kW Flex Charge System™ has recently been rolled out by Multiobus in Belgium, with GVB Amsterdam and Transdev Hermes in Eindhoven to follow shortly.

From 1 January 2025, at least 30 cities must have established a zero-emission zone as per their commitment to the Paris Climate Accord of 2015. The goal brings into focus balancing the immediacy of transition with an eye on being future-proof. Flex Charge also allows fleet owners to scale up charging infrastructure as their fleet grows, as opposed to a higher up-front cost, reducing upfront payments and in the long run, lowering the total cost of ownership.

THE FLEX CHARGE SYSTEM IS COMPATIBLE WITH MULTIPLE VEHICLES, REMOVING BARRIERS TO ENTRY AND ENABLING A GIANT STRIDE AHEAD OF THE E-MOBILITY REVOLUTION

“With Heliox Flex Charge, fleet operators can expand their charging infrastructure at the same time as their fleet and add power as needed. Startup and capital costs are the biggest challenge for electric vehicle adoption, and we are excited to be leading the charge with Flex, at a pivotal moment for the industry.” said Michael Coljin, CEO of Heliox Group.

The Heliox 180kW Flex Charge System™ is a simple plug-in system designed to be compatible with vehicles and interfaces built to last over 15 years.

Other benefits include:

Dynamic charging: Flex Charge can deliver the right amount of power as needed - 180, 120 or 60 kW - while charging multiple vehicles at the same time.

Scalable and modular: Expand as you grow, Flex Charge allows fleets in transition to start slowly and scale in the long run.

Flexible installation: It is not necessary to design the fleet around chargers, especially as the Flex Charge System™ is compatible with any interface, including pantograph, contact cap, dispenser box, etc.

Small and cost-effective footprint: Cost per point of sale is lower than a standard charging system, reducing the total cost of ownership for operators.

High-Powered: A single hour of charge allows an e-bus to travel up to 180 kilometers in urban environments.

In the last 6 months, Heliox has supplied over 1 million high power charge sessions, or 6000 sessions per day, with over 25,000 commercial EVs powered by Heliox globally. On average, this equates to a daily carbon saving of 3000-4000 tons per day. Simply put, this is the equivalent of lighting up 3000 homes annually. Additionally, cities that have adopted Heliox’ solutions for public transportation are working towards a 97% reduction in emissions en route the 2025 zero-emissions target.

“For both environmental and economic reasons, the decision to electrify a fleet or switch to an electric vehicle is now clearer than ever. Total cost of ownership is competitive with diesel, with EV expected to be nearly a dollar a mile cheaper by 2030. This is an attractive switching argument for any ambitious fleet owner,” says Colijn.

Affini Awarded Contract with Dockyard Port of Clyde

Oct 22, 2021 • News • Parts Pricing and Logistics • EMEA • Affini • wireless communications

Affini Technology Limited (Affini) has announced that it has been awarded the contract for the Provision, Maintenance, Repair and Post Design Services of the radio system for the Dockyard Port of Clyde which includes Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde.

Affini is a leading technology agnostic systems integrator that specialises in radio and wireless communications. Their deep-domain expertise returns significant value for their customers across a range of sectors that includes Transport, Utilities, Government Departments, Construction, and the Emergency Services.

THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AFFINI AND THE DOCKYARD PORT OF CLYDE INCLUDES HER MAJESTY'S NAVAL BASE CLYDE

For over 35 years, Affini has been at the forefront of their field, delivering critical communications, unifying multiple communication platforms, and delivering innovative solutions that utilise the internet of things.

Mr. Ian Carr, Affini’s Chief Executive, said “We are proud to be supporting Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde on this important requirement. We have amassed a great deal of radio and wireless communications experience as a company, and we look forward to demonstrating the value that our expertise can deliver for our prestigious armed services”.

About Affini Technology

Affini is a leading, technology agnostic systems integrator that specialises in radio and wireless communications. Our wide range of expert consultants, architects, designers, engineers and project managers, enable us to deliver innovative solutions and services that are aligned to our customer’s specific needs and packaged to their requirements, such as providing total solutions on a managed service basis. From strategy and design to maintenance and service delivery, Affini is trusted and relied upon to deliver and support your critical communications.

Bouncing Back:Demand Surged as UK Lockdown Eased

Oct 21, 2021 • Features • BigChange • Covid-19 • Leadership and Strategy • EMEA

In this second feature of a series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by BigChange, we have a look at what happened in the field service sector after Covid measures began easing in the UK.

This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

GROWTH IN TURNOVER, WORKLOAD AND PROFIT ACROSS THE UK FIELD SERVICE SECTOR

Britain’s trades have bounced back from Covid-19 lockdowns and disruption. And they expect more growth in the 12 months to come.

Plumbers, electricians, maintenance companies and other firms with field service staff report that workload, turnover, and profit have increased significantly since Covid measures began easing in July 2020.

In the 12 months since then (August 2020-July 2021), these companies have reported:

Turnover up by 79% on average (compared with the previous 12 months)
Workload up by 70%
Total profits up by 66%

A third of companies increased profits by at least 50%. Three-quarters (74%) increased turnover; a pattern repeated when it comes to demand for work and total profits. One in five has doubled turnover since July 2020.

The sharp bounce back comes after a period (August 2019-July 2020) when Covid-19 significantly affected business activity.

Since then, growth has been particularly strong in the facilities management, fire and safety, hire, and plumbing and heating sectors.

But surging demand is not benefiting everyone. For every strong, profitable business in the sector, another is struggling to keep up – just breaking even or even losing money.

Demand for facilities management, building maintenance, electrical contracting, fire and security, and plant hire services bounced back particularly robustly – each sector recording workload increases of more than 70% year on year.

AVERAGE GROWTH RATES FOR FIELD SERVICE FIRMS

Looking forward, more than eight out of ten firms expect turnover to grow into 2022. One in five (19%) expects to at least double turnover by next summer.

Only 2% expect to be less profitable this time next year.

Overall, the picture is of surging workloads, turnover and profit – albeit from a suppressed start point. Like a coiled spring now released, the sector is growing very fast.

Many businesses will increase prices to help offset increasing costs. Prices charged across the field service sector rose by 47% in the last 12 months and are predicted to increase by a similar amount over the next year.

However, there are still concerns that growth in profit will continue to lag behind the rise in turnover, and that predicted profit increases will not be enjoyed uniformly across the sector.

13% of field service firms say they are already struggling, and fear that they could go out of business in the next 12 months as costs continue to rise and Covid-19 support measures are phased out.

This includes many that experienced booming demand last year, but couldn’t pass on their increasing costs to customers in the form of price rises.

STATE OF THE FIELD SERVICE SECTOR

Strong Growth and Profit Prospects

22% of field service leaders told researchers their businesses were performing incredibly well, with good profit and growth prospects. This equates to 276,000 firms nationwide
Half (50%) of these firms experienced increases in demand for their services of between 10% and 99% over the last 12 months, while another quarter (26%) saw workloads double

On average, these strong growth businesses have seen workloads rise by 97% while achieving similar increases in turnover (99%) and profit (100%)
These champion businesses increased employee numbers by 58%, prices by 62% and investment in technology by 76% in the last 12 months

Small Profits Firms

26% of leaders, the equivalent of 323,000 UK firms, reported their businesses were succeeding in making a small profit each year
Workloads increased by 57%, on average, ahead of both turnover (49%) and profit (43%)

These businesses plan to increase prices by 42% over the next year to offset rising costs
They expect to increase employee numbers by 37% and investment in technology by 42% in the year to July 2022

Small Profits Firms

A further 26% of field service businesses – 330,000 across the UK – broke even over the last year

On average, these Breakeven Businesses put up prices by 31% to stay on top of costs, and increased turnover by 57% from a 39% increase in workloads
Employment in these businesses rose 26% on the year and is predicted to grow at a similar rate (29%) over the next 12 months

The businesses plan to increase their investment in technology by 36%

BIGCHANGE'S GROWTH MATRIX

Loss Making Turnaround Firms

Around one in every eight leaders (13%) said their firms were currently losing money but expected to be able to turn their fortunes around over the next year. We estimate that 161,000 field service firms nationwide are in this situation
Increases in workload of 46% in the last 12 months were met by a 55% increase in employee numbers

83% of these businesses said higher labour costs had hurt their businesses last year.

Small Profits Firms

Another 13% of leaders told researchers their firms were struggling to the extent that they could go out of business within the next year. This equates to a further 161,000 businesses across the UK
Their struggles aren’t due to a lack of demand. Struggling businesses took on the highest average increases in workload (146%) and turnover (151%) of any segment

However, meeting this demand required a 92% increase in employees, a factor that 91% price increases couldn’t offset
97% of strugglers said they were severely impacted by Covid-19, while the rising cost of materials, fuel and people were negative factors for more than 80% of these firms.

This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and registering for our complimentary subscription tier FSN Standard on a dedicated page that provides you instant access to this white paper PLUS you will also be able to access our monthly selection of premium resources as soo as you are registered.

Three Ways to Increase Profits for Your Field Service Business Post-COVID

Oct 18, 2021 • Features • BigChange • field service • Covid-19 • Leadership and Strategy • EMEA

BigChange shares with Field Service News how field service organisations can increase their profits in the post-pandemic world.

During August 2021, BigChange engaged the research consultancy Opinium to survey field service businesses about how they fared since the UK government eased their strictest lockdown measures.

Although, for the most part, many companies are doing better now than they were in July 2020, the study revealed that fewer than half of companies reported making a profit. In fact, those in the worst affected category fear they will go out of business in the next year as costs continue to rise and COVID-19 support measures are phased out. Here are three ways to increase profits for your business and bounce back post-pandemic.

HOW TO BOOST YOUR PROFITS

1. Reduce Travel Expenses

One of the best ways to maintain a healthy profit margin is to reduce business expenses. With petrol prices rising by 18% and diesel leaping by 16% to a near-record level over the last year, it's worth looking at your current travel costs and devising ways to minimise them.

If you're currently relying on spreadsheets to schedule your technicians' working days, you could be missing out on the opportunity to optimise their routes. Thankfully, technological advancements in recent years have made it simple to assign relevant workers to jobs based on their location, skills and qualifications and vehicle type.

A job management platform optimises routes, which helps to reduce the amount of time each technician spends on the road. Lowered travel times increase the number of appointments technicians can attend each day, making it a worthwhile investment.

2. Improve First-Time Fix Rates

Did you know, companies that achieve a high first-time fix rate of over 70% enjoy a 4% increase in revenue? Subsequently, it's crucial to equip your technicians with everything they need to complete their assignments the first time.

Keeping a close eye on your stock, equipment, and assets will ensure that you always have the correct items for each job and allows you to attend more reactive appointments. Modern asset management systems give you complete, real-time visibility over your inventory and allow you to assign gear directly to jobs.

By allocating equipment before each job, your technicians can rest assured they have the right tools to finish the work there and then. Plus, an increase in first-time fixes will liberate more time for your workers to take on additional jobs — which will prove to be particularly lucrative, as the workload has increased by 70% across the field service industry.

3. Digitise Your Processes

On average, we found that users of job management software grew faster than businesses still relying on spreadsheets and paper processes last year. Better still, those that made the most of the latest technology are now in a better position to take on further work and deliver it profitably in 2022.

Using job management software like BigChange, you can digitise all your processes and manage them on one easy-to-use platform. As a result, your back-office team can handle bookings — from the moment the customer makes an appointment right up to invoicing and payment — at the click of a button.

Furthermore, the system records all customer interactions, meaning you'll have a comprehensive record of information to refer back to whenever you need it without having to sift through mountains of paperwork. Additionally, you'll reduce business costs by eliminating the need to store documents on-site or pay for storage.Consequently, your team will have more time to spend on activities that contribute directly to business growth, leading to significant profits further down the line.

JOB MANAGEMENT PLATFORMS ARE THE FUTURE

It's no secret that COVID-19 has taken its toll on field service organisations. Currently, fewer than half of field service firms are profitable. That's why business leaders will need to think outside the box and look for innovative solutions that will help their companies bounce back.

In order to stay ahead of the curve and thrive in a turbulent economic landscape, you must consider how technology will help you overcome the obstacles you're facing presently. Job management platforms arm you with all the tools you need to boost profitability and provide a great return on investment, which will benefit your business long after the effects of the pandemic have disappeared.

HELP YOUR BUSINESS BOUNCE BACK STRONGER THAN EVER ON BIGCHANGE

BigChange's job management platform is helping field service businesses across the UK win more work, take control of their operations and deliver winning customer experiences.

Bring your customer relationship management (CRM), job scheduling, workforce management, financial data and business intelligence onto one easy-to-use platform and begin enjoying the benefits of a smarter way of working today.

Want to find out more? Discover how your business can grow stronger on BigChange here and arrange a free demo today.

About BigChange

BigChange is the complete Job Management Platform that’s helping field service businesses across the UK to win more work, take control of their operations and deliver winning customer experiences. Bringing customer relationship management (CRM), job scheduling, live tracking, field resource management, financial management, business intelligence into one simple to use and easy to integrate platform, BigChange liberates you from inefficient paper-based processes and the complexity of multiple different technology systems that hold your business back. Loved by office and field teams alike, our customers are achieving industry leading results and return on investment. The BigChange team is committed to customer success and no matter your sector or whether you have a mobile workforce of 10 or a 100, we’re here to make a big difference to the way you work and to help your business grow stronger.

BigChange will be exhibiting on stand D1 at the Field Service Expo.

Durabook and Logic Instrument to Showcase at Milipol Paris 2021

Oct 18, 2021 • Hardware • News • logic instruments • Rugged laptops • rugged mobile devices • durabook • EMEA

Durabook, the global rugged mobile solutions brand owned by Twinhead International Corporation, will partner with Logic Instrument - Distributor for France - at Milipol, taking place from 19th to 22nd October in Paris

The technology specialist will be showcasing its full range of rugged mobile devices, built specifically for the defence sector, on Stand 5L105, Hall 5A.

Durabook’s range of rugged mobile devices supports defence operations from the front line to assist a range of mission critical tasks

“Military and defence organisations around the world are embracing automation and digital transformation strategies to drive efficiencies, and improvements in operations, decision-making, safety and security - and rugged technology is core to this,” said Twinhead CEO Fred Kao. “As technology evolves, Durabook ensures that organisations can keep pace and adopt cutting-edge innovations by building in as much flexibility and options for expansion as possible into every single device - far beyond that of any other rugged products on the market today.”

“Milipol is one of the leading events for homeland security and safety, so we are proud to have the opportunity to showcase our product range to key stakeholders across the decision-making chain and deliver the brand and its capabilities to new global audiences.”

Durabook’s range of rugged mobile devices supports defence operations from the front line, in-vehicle and in the control centre to assist a range of mission critical tasks. The devices pack in more processing power to handle data-intensive tasks, like geographic mapping, have round-the-clock battery power, and support military standard security and encryption requirements.

For more information, visit www.durabook.com.

ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘emea’ CATEGORY

BIGCHANGE IS A COMPLETE JOB MANAGEMENT PLATFORM BRINGING TOGETHER CRM, JOB SCHEDULING, LIVE TRACKING, FIELD RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT INTO ONE PLATFORM.

Further Reading:

THE DEPLOYMENT OF ERICSSON OPERATIONS ENGINE WILL PROVIDE TELENET'S MOBILE NETWORK WITH DATA-DRIVEN OPERATIONS AND OPTIMIZATION THROUGH AI AND AUTOMATION

Further Reading:

This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

FREQUENTIS-LED CONSORTIUM DOWN TO THE FINAL TWO IN DEVELOPING INTEROPERABLE PUBLIC PROTECTION & DISASTER RELIEF (PPDR) MOBILE BROADBAND SYSTEM

Further Reading:

THE FLEX CHARGE SYSTEM IS COMPATIBLE WITH MULTIPLE VEHICLES, REMOVING BARRIERS TO ENTRY AND ENABLING A GIANT STRIDE AHEAD OF THE E-MOBILITY REVOLUTION

Further Reading:

THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AFFINI AND THE DOCKYARD PORT OF CLYDE INCLUDES HER MAJESTY'S NAVAL BASE CLYDE

About Affini Technology

Further Reading:

This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

This feature is just one short excerpt from a white paper published by BigChange.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

JOB MANAGEMENT PLATFORMS ARE THE FUTURE

HELP YOUR BUSINESS BOUNCE BACK STRONGER THAN EVER ON BIGCHANGE

About BigChange

Further Reading:

Durabook’s range of rugged mobile devices supports defence operations from the front line to assist a range of mission critical tasks

Further Reading:

Leave a Reply

Follow Field Service News

Latest from Twitter

From The Archives