We recently sat down with Workiz CEO Adi “Didi” Azaria and Jill’s Office CEO, Brant Thurgood, to discuss the most essential time management tips for field service professionals.
When you’re running a field service business, time management is crucial in order to succeed and grow. If you think about it, time management isn’t really about managing time at all – it’s about managing yourself. You have 24 hours every day, and how you use it is completely up to you. If you can learn how to accomplish more in a shorter period of time, you’ll be able to focus on what’s most important.
Keep reading to find out the best ways to better manage your time, increase productivity, and make more money.
Tip 1: Carefully manage your time on the road
More driving time = less money: If you’re in the car, you’re not making money. Planning driving distances for yourself and for your techs is a must. It’s the best way to make sure you don’t get stuck in traffic or arrive late to a job.
Efficiently manage multiple service areas: Delegate specific areas to specific techs so that you reduce driving time and gas money. If you are servicing zones outside of your main “location,” consider hiring subcontractors who live in these areas.
Charge more for jobs during rush hour: Jobs that begin during rush hour times or occur downtown in major traffic areas, should be charged accordingly.
Give Zoom estimates: Don’t automatically jump into the car if a customer asks for an estimate. Consider getting on a quick video call and giving your estimates via Zoom.
Tip 2: ALWAYS be prepared with the right equipment
Prevent time loss & keep your reputation: Driving out to a job without the right equipment will result in a huge time loss, a possible job cancellation, and a bad reputation.
Saving money in the short term will result in losing money long term: It’s better to spend more money and buy a bigger stock in advance than to be missing equipment for a job.
Track your inventory: Find an easy method to track your inventory so that you can quickly figure out when you are low on materials, and you need to buy more.
Train your techs to prepare in advance: Checking for the right equipment before a job should be a mandatory part of your tech’s day and an important discussion during your training process. Create a checklist for your techs to go over each time they leave for a job.
Tip 3: Automate your service business & boost efficiency
Get automated client notifications: Reduce missed appointments and keep your clients in the loop with a software like Workiz that offers automated notifications. It will save your dispatcher and tech valuable time.
Keep track of your tech’s time on the job: Get your tech’s clock in and out of jobs. See how they are spending their time and optimizing their workflows.
Toss away your paper list of invoices owed: Use a software like Workiz to create and send invoices, track payments, and follow-up.
Optimize your marketing spend: Track your ads and see which ones are producing the most jobs.
Listen to Call Recordings: Record calls to help you understand why jobs are getting canceled and how your techs and dispatchers can improve their customer approach.
Tip 4: Optimize your dispatcher’s time
Limit the time that your dispatchers speak with a client: Dispatchers should be able to give the relevant information & answer questions within a short amount of time. When clients start negotiating prices, it’s time to cut the call and request to discuss this in person before the job.
Use Call Queues to ensure you don’t miss calls: Create call queues to avoid calls going to voicemail during peak times. That way, your dispatchers can see all the incoming calls in an organized line.
Tip 5: Start delegating tasks
You can’t do everything yourself: If you work on your own, there’s only a limited amount that you can do, however hard you work. And you can only work so many hours in a day.
Learn how to delegate: One of the most important things to learn that will push you to your success is to delegate your work to other people. If you do this well, you can quickly build a strong and successful team of people and use your time more strategically.
Find and understand your tech’s strengths: As a leader, you’ll have to learn the strengths of your team. You should know each individual’s strengths and weaknesses. When delegating, take a look at your team and assign tasks to whoever has the greatest number of relevant skills for that task.
Tip 6: Avoid time-wasting clients:
Change your focus: When you change your focus from servicing everyone to servicing the customers who would benefit from your services the most, you not only save time and sanity, but you increase your bottom line.
Tell the customer that you have limited time to speak: Whenever customers are trying to engage in a lot of small talks, offer a good reason for needing to end the conversation quickly, such as, “I have a job in five minutes.” This helps you to get off the call quickly while also making sure you keep good relations.
Call this type of client from the road: The time you spend driving is time that you can put to use taking care of the clients who talk too much. This way, you can still give them attention while being productive and doing something else.
Follow these 6 Tips And Give Workiz Field Service Management Software a try, and you will see a HUGE difference in your productivity. and of course, you’ll start making more money in no time!
