Top 6 Automation Hacks To Get Your Time Back

That’s where automation technology, like FieldRoutes® Trigger Rules, can turn things around. These set-it-and-forget-it actions come into play once certain events take place. Here are some of the top ways FieldRoutes customers have implemented Trigger Rules to make life easier:

1. Service Notification Reminders

Sending a courtesy reminder before service is a great way to minimize wasted trips and ensure your team gets a friendly reception at the door instead of a confused “who are you?”. Sending them out one at a time can easily take hours every single day. But setting a trigger to send text, voice, or email reminders (depending on customer preference) automatically can get you all the benefits with less stress and fewer late nights—a win-win any way you look at it. If you’re serving multiunit properties like apartments, you can even set up notifications to both the property manager and tenant, so everyone’s on the same page.

2. Billing And Collections

Another classic time suck is invoicing. While it’s common practice to send invoices and payment reminders after service, doing so without automation on your side can mean countless hours of frustration. Setting triggers to send communications at specific intervals can take some of the stress out of a task that no one really looks forward to. You can also vary the communication medium and escalate your messaging depending on how late the payment is. These automated messages can also be useful to notify customers if a payment is declined. Add in an online payment portal, and watch your receivables balance slim down.

3. Renewal Reminders

Pretty much everyone can agree that renewals are vital to the continued growth of any field service organization. Sending customized messages as the renewal date approaches can help keep the value of your services fresh in the customer’s mind and help prioritize them—something that will become increasingly important as customers look to make budget cuts where possible. Automating these messages can save time, add consistency to your process, and ensure no customer gets left behind. It’s also a great way to identify if customers have moved, so you can nudge a salesperson to follow up with the new property owner.

4. Review Requests

Soliciting online reviews is a challenge every field service provider is familiar with. Sure, you’ll undoubtedly hear from those with negative comments—a great opportunity to address concerns and improve. But getting those rave reviews is another story. Sending automated post-service follow-ups asking customers to rate the experience—preferably with a link to your Google Business Profile—can encourage them to speak up. Likewise, you can also ask for a Net Promoter Score (NPS), which will give you an idea of how the service went and who your top performers are. As an added benefit, knowing that feedback is imminent can encourage field employees to bring their A-game to each service.

5. Internal Notifications

Trigger Rules aren’t just for customers. They can also come in handy for internal notifications. For example, some of our users set triggers to let them know when certain service types get scheduled. That way, their team can prepare accordingly in case they need to bring additional personnel or special equipment. Some of our users set notifications for employees in the field whenever an initial appointment is made. This helps ensure same-day or emergency services are taken care of promptly. You can also set it so that you get notified of cancellations—allowing you to be proactive on such an occasion. The sky’s the limit.

6. Sales Follow-Ups

Internal notifications can be instrumental in driving more sales. For starters, you can give your sales reps a heads-up when new leads are assigned to them— this is especially useful for FieldRoutes® Marketing Suite customers who have online leads automatically entered into the system. You can also let reps know when a one-time service is completed, so they can quickly contact the customer to see about getting them signed up for recurring services. Another creative idea is to set up a trigger to ping salespeople when agreements are sent but not signed. If you’re using our e-commerce solution, you can even set the system up to notify reps when website visitors initiate a purchase but decline to complete the sale.

Running a successful business is never easy. But with the right automation in place, it can be a bit more manageable. Looking to cut hours off your process and put some muscle behind your hustle with FieldRoutes automation? Give us a call. We’re always happy to help.