Video Conferencing and Virtual Assistance in Field Service
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It’s no secret that the ongoing pandemic has changed the way the world both lives and works. We’ve all been inundated with article after article about the influx in companies taking their operations online, closing offices, and increasing remote operations.
While a fully remote style of work has proven highly effective and beneficial in many industries, several lines of business, field service included, have moved to a more hybrid combination of remote and in-person services.
In a recent blog, we highlighted the key trends that are expected to shape field service throughout 2021. The pandemic has left a lasting impression on the trades, with increases in technology adoption, remote work, and digital services expected to continue for years to come.
With this digital and remote shift, many service providers turned to online and virtual methods of communication, adapting operations amongst technicians and their customers.
The Trades Go Remote
During this transition to more remote styles of business, many have become familiar with FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, and other video conferencing tools. A recent study found that since the beginning of the pandemic, 70% of full-time employees have transitioned to working remotely. The same study found that as a result of this remote shift, the number of meetings held via video calls has increased by over 50%.
While the study above takes a broad look at all industries in the U.S., these same trends have carried over to the trades. A recent McKinsey report predicted that 50% of service workers will be freelancers by 2025. In addition, the market has seen a noticeable shift with a reported 60% of manufacturers exploring new technologies to help them in the future.
Technology and The Trades
Because of the nature of service work, field technicians have additional necessities they need out of their technology. In the same way a corporate business doesn’t expect their employees to host internal and external meetings via FaceTime on their phone, service men and women have several key factors that should be taken into account when selecting a video conferencing tool.
Whether a technician is looking to connect with another tech on your team for guidance, troubleshooting, or training, or they’d like to connect with a customer to perform remote diagnostics, the tool you adopt should meet the following requirements:
- Easy to use while on the job to ensure technician adoption
- Remote control capabilities for cramped working environments
- Low service coverage for jobs in remote areas
- Call recording to repurpose for future training/troubleshooting
- Available on iOS and Android to work with existing devices
To learn more about virtual assistance in field service, download our free eBook.
- Battling Inventory Shortages in the Trades - October 5, 2021
- Technician Accountability + Your Bottom Line - September 17, 2021
- Video Conferencing and Virtual Assistance in Field Service - August 16, 2021
Posted In: Technology
