Field services face a shrinking labor pool, with the demand for field technicians significantly higher than the number of available workers. This means that retaining techs is particularly of the essence for field service companies.
With an aging workforce, senior technicians often take with them institutional knowledge when they leave a business or retire—the loss of expertise in turn impacts service quality. Field service companies also face fierce competition from tangential industries that may be more attractive to younger workers.
Replacing technicians is costly, from recruiting, onboarding, and training a new tech. Frequent technician changes can also decrease customer satisfaction, eroding trust and lowering first-time fix rates while productivity dips.
Attracting and retaining techs is more critical than ever. Here are some actionable ways to reduce turnover:
Onboarding and Continuous Training Investment
Starting with a strong impression can have lasting positive effects on both your business and retaining technicians. When you provide techs with structured training on essential information—protocols, tools, safety, and customer satisfaction—you set up the relationship for success with less confusion and disconnect. You show that you value their work and, in the process, you gain insights into what works well for your business.
Furthermore, providing career development opportunities, such as certifications, cross-training initiatives, or hands-on conferences, shows your genuine commitment to long-term success.
Competitive Pay and Recognition
Implement a fair and competitive pay structure that meets industry standards. But it doesn’t end there—recognize performance metrics, such as a high first-time fix rate and customer satisfaction with ongoing rewards, so team members feel seen, appreciated, and motivated.
Advanced Tools
The right tools make the difference between seamless, less-stressful, and collaborative workflows versus disjointed, delayed, and error-prone processes. Mobile field service management platforms enable smarter scheduling and real-time access to customer and asset data, enabling faster problem-solving and eliminating the frustration and inaccuracy of paper logs.
Culture of Communication
Regular check-ins between managers and technicians build trust and rapport. They can help provide the space for consistent, clear communication. Transparency gives techs clarity in KPIs and enables them to understand the bigger picture for their work. Closing feedback loops allows them to feel heard and stay informed.
Smooth onboarding and continuous training, competitive pay and recognition, advanced tools, and a culture of communication contribute to a strong safety net for technicians to stay with your field service company for the long term. Higher retention means reduced hiring and training costs, improved productivity, and a positive reputation.
Gomocha not only helps reduce technician turnover, but the FSM platform also keeps techs highly engaged from start to finish: onboarding, gathering real-time, mobile updates, and enabling a centralized culture of communication throughout it all.