Do Small, Local Companies Need Field Service Software?

By Aleksandr Peterson, technology analyst, TechnologyAdvice

It’s almost assumed that large service companies use the latest and greatest technology. They serve thousands of customers across multiple regions and manage a vast army of technicians, equipment, and vehicles, so of course they need the best field service management (FSM) software.

But what about the smaller players — the local landscapers, property inspectors, HVAC technicians, plumbers, and exterminators? Does a local outfit really need a workforce management system?

Small service companies often hesitate to adopt new technology, especially when it requires a capital expenditure or monthly subscription. They already have a set of familiar workflows (spreadsheets, paper receipts and forms, EOD data entry), and can’t see the benefit of paying for a new system to automate those workflows. Many times, companies like these only have a handful of technicians who do their own dispatching and administrative work, and most of their jobs come from long-time customers or the occasional word-of mouth referral, so they decide to leave good enough alone.

This false sense of security can easily stunt a business’s growth: “Good enough” won’t give customers any incentive to stay loyal, won’t increase revenue, and it opens the door to competition. If your clients want to enhance their reputations and expand their services, it’s time to graduate from paper-based field service.

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