How Self-Service Appointment Scheduling Eliminates Call Centers and Simplifies Field Service Operations
Using call centers to book appointments has been the most common but expensive method for scheduling technician visits with residents. A self-service solution that allows residents to scan a QR code on a door hanger and have an Uber-like experience is twice as efficient as call centers.
Appointments with residents are essential for many field service projects, especially for indoor water meter installations or hard-to-access gas and electric meters. Contractors and utility vendors need to schedule appointments for HVAC filter upgrades, leak inspections, and other field service jobs that require access to the property and the presence of a homeowner.
How do you schedule those appointments when the need comes from an organization rather than a residence? The traditional method involves making calls, sending mail, and distributing flyers asking people to contact a utility or an organization's call center to schedule a technician's visit. This is expensive: according to Gartner, live channels such as phone, live chat, and email cost an average of $8.01 per contact.
Why are call centers becoming so expensive?
Rise of text messaging:
Traditionally, it takes a call center representative at least three attempts to reach a resident and schedule a technician visit. This is because people are often busy, don't answer calls from unfamiliar numbers, or don't pick up a phone at all. Industry data indicates a decline in the number of voice calls made, particularly among younger demographics who are more inclined to use messaging apps and social media for communication.
This shift is driven by the convenience and speed of text-based interactions. Nowadays, more people prefer text messaging over phone calls. It has become the preferred form of communication for consumers, with 81% of consumers saying they've signed up for text messages from a business or organization. For call centers, this means higher costs and more effort to reach a resident.
Misaligned working hours:
Additionally, call centers typically operate during specific hours, which may not align with customers' preferred times for scheduling appointments. Residents are more likely to think about technician visits when they are at home, making dinner, or watching Netflix after work. Making calls after working hours leads to additional expenses, causing the cost per contact to skyrocket.
Outdated contact databases:
Moreover, the contact database that utilities or utility contractors have is often outdated and contains many issues and errors. Poor data quality, including outdated contact information, significantly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of call centers. Often, data with residents' names and phone numbers are full of mistakes. People relocate, divorce, sell, or rent out their properties, making each case a challenge for call centers.
Call centers are not only costly for scheduling field service appointments but are also becoming less efficient as residents switch to other forms of communication. According to McKinsey, a typical utility with two million customers receives two to three million calls annually, costing between $20 million and $40 million. To reduce call center expenses, utilities and contractors have been testing and deploying automated systems to automate the entire or partial process.
How can utilities optimize costs for field service appointments?
The simple answer is to rely on automated systems and self-scheduling appointment solutions, which can significantly reduce expenses. If implemented correctly, they can cost less than $0.10 per contact, according to Gartner.
For utility field service projects, there are two major elements. First is scheduling appointments with residents, traditionally handled by a call center. Second is connecting all appointments to a work management software used to dispatch and assign work orders to technicians. The real magic happens when these two processes - self-service appointments and dynamic scheduling - are connected.
QR code for self-service appointment scheduling
The widespread adoption of smartphones, with 92% of Americans owning at least one in 2023, enables utilities to allow residents to book appointments without any human interaction. Using a smartphone to book an appointment online is easier than calling a call center representative, as more people prefer texting over talking. Homeowners can simply scan a QR code to choose a convenient time slot from a calendar.
This calendar is preconfigured based on the utility's requirements, and by choosing a time slot, residents trigger the creation of a work order for a technician visit.
The QR code for a particular field service is configured by the field service management system provider and can be distributed through door hangers, regular mail notifications, or sent as a link via text messages or email.
Door hangers is the most effective method. They can be left at a door, porch, or hung on a mailbox, making them instantly visible to the homeowner. Printed QR codes became widely utilized during the pandemic, and most residents know how to use a smartphone to scan them. Statista projects that up to 100 million Americans will regularly use QR codes by 2025, an increase of 26% from 2020 to 2022.
This direct communication from the utility encourages immediate action. Data from Fieldman's appointment scheduling shows that with the self-service scheduling module, 46% of residents booked appointments in the first week. In comparison, the typical success rate for call centers is around 25%.
No special qualifications are needed to distribute door hangers and utilities, and their vendors often hire students for this part-time job. Field service management software can track the delivery of each door hanger, helping project managers monitor distribution and analyze appointment booking data.
According to Fieldman's data, only 2% of residents have problems scheduling appointments themselves. These are mostly elderly people who are not familiar with QR codes or do not own a smartphone. These residents use the phone number printed on the door hanger to contact the utility and make an appointment with the help of a call center representative.
How to verify address in self-scheduling appointments
One of the most common issues with self-scheduling appointments is address verification. Off-the-shelf appointment modules are simple calendars that allow people to book appointments for any location. As a result, a utility ends up with a list of appointments for places that are not part of a field service project.
This happens more often than you might think: residents sometimes book appointments for their second homes or other properties. Or, they schedule appointments for properties where smart meters have already been installed. At Fieldman, we witnessed a case where a technician using off-the-shelf booking software arrived for an appointment at the apartment complex only to find out that the work had already been done a month earlier. A property manager returned from vacation, found an old email with a link to make appointments, and mistakenly thought the link was for a different job! Situations like this create many issues for the utility, leading to unnecessary technician visits and project chaos.
This can be easily avoided if an integrated self-service appointment module included steps to verify if appointment booking is still needed for this location.
A door hanger with a QR code is created for a specific field service project and takes residents to a web app that is only available during the field service project.
Before a homeowner sees the calendar, they must verify the address. The self-service appointment module will show the calendar only if the residence passes verification. For anyone who is not part of the project for various reasons, the web app will let them know of the offer to contact utility directly. Once the resident passes the verification, the software checks in real-time to see if a work order at that location needs a scheduled appointment.
Integration with dynamic scheduling module
To achieve maximum efficiency for the entire project, a utility can integrate a self-service appointment module with dynamic scheduling. When a resident looks at the available time slots, they will be preconfigured based on technician availability, blackout schedules, location, and other project variables. Homeowners will be offered a time that works for them and is also optimal for the utility, streamlining the entire process.
This integration reduces scheduling conflicts and improves the accuracy of appointment bookings. It efficiently utilizes all resources, including better route planning and efficient use of technicians' time, leading to increased productivity and reduced operational costs.
If you want to learn more, read our press release about Fieldman's dynamic scheduling feature
In summary, self-service scheduling for field service appointments is particularly useful for businesses looking to improve efficiency, enhance customer satisfaction, and optimize resource utilization. It is especially beneficial in scenarios with high appointment volumes, a need for real-time updates, and a preference for digital customer interactions.
Conclusion
Fieldman is revolutionizing how utilities and utility contractors manage appointments. Our new self-service scheduling module not only improves operational efficiency but also enhances customer satisfaction. Say goodbye to the complexities and costs associated with call centers and embrace the future of field service management with Fieldman.
Benefits of Self-Service Scheduling for Field Service Appointments
1 Scalability
Self-service scheduling systems can handle a large number of appointments simultaneously, making them ideal for businesses looking to scale their operations without a proportional increase in administrative overhead.
2 Customer Convenience:
Customers increasingly prefer the flexibility to book, reschedule, or cancel appointments at their convenience, without needing to contact a service representative.
3 Real-Time Availability:
Self-service scheduling systems provide real-time availability of service slots, ensuring that customers can book appointments based on the most current information.
4 Resource Optimization:
By automating the scheduling process, businesses can optimize the allocation of their field service resources.
5 Enhanced Customer Communication
Automated systems can send appointment confirmations, reminders, and status updates to customers, improving communication and reducing the likelihood of missed appointments.
6 Integration with Field Service Management Software
Self-service scheduling integrates with field service management systems, ensuring seamless data flow, accurate records, and a streamlined service process.
7 Customer Preference for Digital Solutions
Research shows most customers prefer digital solutions for scheduling and tracking services. Adopting self-service scheduling helps businesses meet these expectations and stay competitive.
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