Working out your ROI
It is important to recognise that ROIs don't just come from cost savings. Upselling products and services can bring in new revenue. Providing better customer service can leave a lasting impression that results in more business and referrals.
Here are 22 places where you can look for ROI opportunities.
1. Eliminate time spent in the office re-typing data collected in the field by enabling field service technicians to synchronise information directly with the office database.
2. Eliminate time spent on the phone dispatching service tickets or work orders. This saves time for both the dispatcher and the service technician. Dispatch electronic service tickets directly from your work order management system in the office with the mobile device of your service technician.
3. Avoid the high fuel costs incurred by delivering paperwork to the office. Synchronise the data directly from the field to the central database application.
4. Avoid the time and cost of transporting paperwork from the field to the office. Synchronize the data collected from the field with the push of a button.
5. Save time and provide better customer service by providing real-time access to enterprise parts, orders, and inventory data while in the field. Enable mobile access to customer history, product documentation, warranty information, inventory information, timesheets, work schedules and much more.
6. Save time with field data collection by using barcode scanners and barcode labels, or RFID readers and RFID tags on assets. A quick scan with a handheld computer can automatically display all stored information related to the asset for quick review, edits and additions.
7. Save time and reduce administration costs by creating and scheduling new service tickets directly from the field.
8. Provide immediate invoicing for faster collections and better cash management.
9. Save time and postage costs. Email the invoice to the customer rather than waiting and billing later from the office.
10. Document proof of work completed to reduce invoice disputes. Leave an audit trail showing where the work was performed and include a time and date stamp. Digital photo evidence of before and after work is also useful.
11. Reduce the introduction of errors. Paper based systems are inherently slow and error prone due to human interaction, copying and re-typing. The more human hands that touch a paper form and add or edit data, the more chances that errors can be introduced to the data which can cause invoice disputes, inaccurate records and confusion.
12. Reduce administrative costs by ensuring complete data is sent from the field, as incomplete or inaccurate field data can take hours of work to track down and correct. Send data from the field and ensure it is complete with data integrity features on the mobile device.
13. Reduce administrative costs by avoiding errors and misinterpretations due to poor or misread handwriting. Create electronic forms with pre-made options, check boxes and lists, and by using mobile computer or smartphone keypads.
14. Reduce administrative costs by ensuring the accuracy of data. Validate answers in the mobile software application.
15. Reduce time on the phone and dangerous note taking while driving. Push documents directly from the office to the mobile device.
16. Enforce quality work habits. Automate “best practices” into your mobile software application and provide visibility to managers.
17. Reduce inventory loss. Avoid undocumented inventory usage and unbilled time. Enforce real time data entry before clock out or work order completion.
18. Improve job estimates. Require clock in and clock out on work to document and analyse the accuracy of work estimates and improve over time.
19. Improve technician training. Train new service technicians and inspectors with audio memos or video clips embedded in the mobile application or linked to a URL.
20. Reduce disputes by documenting deliveries and work with digital signatures, date and time stamps and barcode scanners on the mobile device.
21. Increase profit per customer. Use information on mobile devices to up-sell more products and services while onsite with the customer.
22. Increase warranty revenues. Include updated customer information on the mobile device so the service technician can sell warranty and maintenance plans, new products and upgrades.
