Why Your Field Service Software Needs Quote Management [2022]

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 17, 2020, and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Are you tired of leaving money on the table when quoting for new or additional service jobs on-site? Do you want to provide accessible opportunities for technicians to adopt a more sales-oriented approach? Gomocha’s FMP360 (Field Mobility Platform 360) is the field service software with the tools to create a seamless experience. So why are improvements in these aspects essential to your back-office planners and technicians as they navigate their everyday?

Many field service leaders understand that not all jobs are covered under a preventative maintenance contract or service level agreement. Whether your organization provides HVAC, Manufacturing, Utilities, Vending, or even those in small to mid-size enterprises offering specific lawn care maintenance and treatment – services, your mobile workforce understands the various business needs of customer demands. One question remains clear whether it’s a repair for broken-down machinery, an emergency fix for a streetlight pole, or a new installation service. Is your field force equipped to quickly handle and provide the customer with a precise and accurate estimate of the work upfront? No matter the service industry or job order type, effective field service software empowers field teams to estimate the right price upfront.

The Benefits of Quote Management Software

Application leaders responsible for sales technology should consider all the benefits of an effective field service management (FSM) solution offering quotes. According to the 2018 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Configure, Price, and Quote Application Suites, the top three reasons customers purchased the CPQ software were to “produce quotes faster (73%), improve sales rep productivity (63%), and replace existing outdated system/process including manual paper processes (58%).” After all, application leaders realize that the primary goal of an intelligent quoting system is to quickly enable technicians to quote and generate leads in the field. This increases productivity through the automation of invoices and grows sales revenue. The ripple effects of adopting these capabilities lead to streamlined execution of multiple projects by replacing manual back-office quoting with an entirely automated, digital workflow of the quoting process. The top leading benefits are:

  1. Increase Sales Efficiency Across Organization:

Within the field service, field engineers and technicians must adopt a more sales-oriented approach. They are on the frontlines have also earned the customer’s trust as a knowledgeable source. In addition, customers now expect a seamless service experience as they receive a personal touch before the call and during the visit. As a result, they have established a relationship for repeat and referral business. However, many field service providers face a hurdle with quotes. The task can often be labor-intensive and require extensive calculation. When service providers cannot submit an effective proposal in time, the customer will seek services elsewhere. Organizations can reverse this loss cycle by providing the quoting tools to the technician, allowing customers instant input on new projects and services.

ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems

Assa Abloy offers a comprehensive range of automatic entrance products and services. A current FMP360 customer and innovation partner worked on a shoulder-to-shoulder approach with Gomocha to roll out this new feature. Before its final roll-out phase, a group of technicians tested the quoting capability to provide their final evaluation.

“It’s nice that you have everything in one application, and you can easily create a quotation while working on a service order without the need to search the system for the customer and the door.”

Assa Abloy field technician

Providing technicians with simple field quoting tools enable ASSA ABLOY to add hundreds of technicians to their sales force.

2. Automate Customer Pricing To Generate Accurate Calculations

In the FMP360 Portal, planners and back-office administration staff can use pre-determined pricing schedules to automate pricing when selecting parts, materials, and work costs. Our built-in price book feature makes it easy for those who don’t have a back-office system and are still using manual, complex systems to create quotes. Organizations can easily create automated price lists for each customer or set prices by materials, activity type, contract type, and equipment to ensure customers receive the most accurate quote.

For example, suppose a technician is on-site and creates a quote. In that case, he will automatically get the correct price for each material or activity type. He will receive a notification message if the user goes exceeds a maximum discount percentage. Also, your service organization can track margins or give the option to change pricing on individual items to allow for flexibility. Planners can have the proper tools to have insight into monitoring and managing subcontractors’ activity

3. Make Back-Office Administration Easy

You will notice the powerful integrations between the FMP360 platform and your CRM, Pricing, and ERP systems from the initial quoting stages. This allows for quick reference to important customer information and the organized workflow of asset identification techniques. For example, technicians can capture all relevant data and receive real-time updates to make informed decisions and capture tasks required to complete the job.  Or choose to attach the quote to an existing work order and add checklists to save time instead of re-entering information. Technicians can also utilize prebuilt/configurable templates in the FMP360 mobile application that will automate the quoted invoice and email to ensure consistency or specific details. As a result, your customers will have a seamless brand experience through every contact point, whether through your workforce or an extended third-party.

4. Speed Up Your Quoting Cycle Through A Streamlined Workflow Process

Once the technician has filled in all relevant quote details, Gomocha’s FMP360 will be guide him through to the finalized quote overview. They now have three methods of quotes to choose from to solidify next steps:

  • The customer has reviewed all necessary information, approved the quote, and signed the proposal in the FMP360 mobile app. When the quote is accepted, it can be executed directly, or the default work order automation process start.
  • The customer needs more time to approve the quote. FMP360 sends all information to the CRM, and the quote report is emailed to the customer for review. Technicians can select the preferred customer language, and FMP360 will instantly. Additionally, the customer can open the quote via a provided URL and e-sign the quote.
  • The field technician needs to send the quote to an inside sales representative; therefore, the process completes outside the proposal’s scope. Thus, inside planners will have all the required information to finalize the quote without wasting time gathering multiple pieces of information together.

Achieve Service Excellence Through Setting The Right Price

By implementing the right quote management system in operations, we have seen how field organizations of any industry can greatly benefit. Additionally, opting for a web-based and cloud solution is easier to use and allows technicians to work in both online and offline environments. Choosing field service software that integrates seamlessly with your existing applications and CRM software is key to creating new streamlined sales channels, increasing client satisfaction, and creating solid lines of consistent communication. For those service businesses who still use a manual process to provide estimates, experience how our built-in pricing system will transform your business into a digital-optimized machine. Now is the time to experience All the benefits and reap the rewards! Sign up with FMP360 today and receive a streamlined quoting management process for your service business, FREE for 30 days.

Request a demo, call 240-403-6001, or email sales@gomocha.com to share your story and tell us how we can improve your digital operations.