The Unsung Heroes of Field Service: Call Center Agents and Dispatchers

Where are all the field workers? A four-part blog series examines the shortage of skilled technicians and offers tips for keeping the roster filled with top performers.

Technology supports the unsung heroes of field service:  Call center agents and dispatchers 

As the shortage of skilled workers continues to plague field service organizations, many are turning their attention to organizational structures and how to best use available talent. While managers often focus on field technician roles first, call center agents and dispatchers also play critical roles in successful service operations and need to be well-supported. These roles are critical for ensuring customer service requests are appropriately prioritized and scheduled. Fortunately, technology can help professionals in these roles perform tasks effectively and with greater efficiency.

Here are some ways modern field service solutions can help your front-line workers:

Entering the service request

Traditionally, a customer with a product in need of service had no choice but to call the service operation, often waiting through long queues to talk to a call center agent. The customer might be placed on hold or routed through multiple departments. Today, customers have little tolerance for hassles in submitting a service request and are quick to voice frustration on social media.

Here are four ways technology improves the service request process:

• Online customer portals offer a smart, alternative option. They provide a way to alleviate a shortage of call center agents and provide value to the customer. With a portal, consumers can easily access information about their purchases, submit a service request, schedule, reschedule, or cancel a service request. The portal also can help troubleshoot some basic issues that could be causing the product’s problem, such as a filter that needs to be cleaned, a fuse replaced, a breaker reset, or the embedded electronics rebooted.
• Easy access to customer information also supports call center agents. Modern field service software helps call center agents answer questions quickly, whether the consumer is inquiring about warranty status, a service agreement, or a service request. Because call agents can be more efficient, they can manage a large volume of calls without the need to add agents or risking customer satisfaction.
• Knowledge-based tools provide call center agents with information needed to triage calls, understand the typical cause of a failure, and answer customer questions. Using the knowledge base to help troubleshoot issues, the call center can help eliminate unnecessary dispatches or set realistic expectations among customers. The agent can also be the empathetic voice that provides the customer with reassurance.
• Collaboration tools make it easy for customers and technicians to communicate about the arrival window or if the service appointment needs to be rescheduled. This reduces the wasted efforts of a technician arriving at an address with no one home. Or, if a technician is delayed on a previous job or in heavy traffic, he can let the customer know the new expected arrival time.

Dispatching the right technician

Schedule optimization is critical to service operation success. Getting the right technician assigned to the right job and dispatched to the right location requires access to information and analysis of multiple factors. Without technology specifically created to manage scheduling, the dispatcher can become mired in backlogs of service requests as he routes and re-routes technicians to answer urgent calls. Without considering drive time, traffic patterns, or technician skills, a frantic dispatcher can create a schedule that breeds chaos and inefficiency. This is a sure path to unhappy customers and frustrated technicians. Because of the technician shortage, retaining existing field service technicians needs to be a priority.

• Modern scheduling tools support dispatchers, taking the guesswork out of creating schedules and saving the dispatcher from needing to redo the schedule multiple times during the day. Advanced tools use rule-based algorithms to consider multiple factors, from geography to technician certification. Even fluctuating influences like weather, special events, or traffic tie-ups are considered in real-time so that the technician’s windshield time is minimized. This type of tool makes the dispatcher’s job easier, taking care of routine job assignments so the dispatcher can focus on more complex or challenging customer needs. Making the dispatch role more effective is key to keeping skilled and experienced dispatchers on the job.
• Schedule optimization makes the most of technician time, This is essential so that technicians can spend less time driving and complete as many jobs per day as possible, resolving assignments on the first call. Scheduling technicians based on their experience level or certifications will help speed resolution. This also makes the job more satisfying for the technician, reducing the need for overtime and improving work-life balance. This helps to reduce workforce churn. Keeping technicians happy on the job is important, but customers also need to be satisfied. Reliable arrival windows, technician communication, and successful service resolution will certainly support customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Final takeaway

As the shortage of skilled workers stresses service organizations, attention is often aimed at field technicians. But the roles of call center agents and dispatchers are also critical for the organization’s overall success. Modern field service management solutions help these front-line workers access information, answer customer questions, collaborate, and make intelligent scheduling choices. Technology helps keep customers happy, giving them self-service tools as well as timely resolution of service calls. Technology also keeps critical workers free of frustration and highly productive. Modern field service solutions can help organizations thrive, even in the face of skilled worker shortages.           

Where are all of the field workers? Read our four-part series here: What Critical Competencies to Look For in Field Service Candidates, Women in Field Service: A Smart Hiring Tactic, and From Servicer to Consultant: Elevating the Field Technician Role.