Your business is one-of-a-kind, so why buy one-size-fits-all software solutions?
When upgrading field service management (FSM) software, no doubt you want to see results right away. After all, FSM software provides a centralized, digital solution to track, manage, and streamline business workflows. Such tech can improve both communication and data sharing between field and office personnel. Upgrading to a digital solution eliminates manual, paper-based processes in favor of automated workflows that boost efficiency and get your business on track to meet short- and long-term goals.
Who wouldn't want to get there faster with those types of benefits on the horizon?
Despite the plug-and-play allure of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software, there are some significant limitations to COTS solutions that you should know.
Before you invest in COTS software for your upcoming field service management initiatives, consider the following advantages that make custom FSM software your best business solution for small and medium-sized businesses.
Custom Software Development Can Help Future-proof Your FSM System
After so many industry disruptions since 2020, you need to consider how the FSM software you’re implementing for today’s problems must also be ready to solve the problems of the future.
Transitioning from manual data entry spreadsheets to automated processes is only the first step in modernization. Striving for continuous optimization between the field and the office requires going a step further.
The future of FSM management is an interconnected network of sensors monitoring field processes and sending that data to a central database that is easily accessed by employees and customers.
Creating an FSM platform with flexibility will become essential for future-proofing, but can such flexibility be achieved with off-the-shelf solutions?
While many COTS platforms are designed for scaling and future growth, they’re built with a generic concept of what growth means to business. If your business fits within their mold, the solution could prove effective. But if you don’t fit in that mold, COTS platforms become limiting.
Staying competitive in the marketplace is key, so you'll need an FSM platform designed with a plan for limitless growth, not constant limitations and adjustments to your workflows. For these reasons, it is better for many businesses to work with custom software development companies.
These talented developers and business analysts become a part of your business as they take ownership of product solution development and address the current reasons you need to update your FSM system. Additionally, they can provide guidance to your team and build a strategic roadmap for the growth of your FSM processes over time.
Maximize Business Efficiency with FSM Software Customized to Your Needs
The irregularity of the average field-based employee’s workday requires a high level of customization and flexibility. These workers are subject to the uncertainties of the world outside the office, including traffic, consumer schedules, and the reliability of mobile networks.
But customization with off-the-shelf software isn’t always guaranteed
Despite COTS vendors promising businesses that they’ll build updates that reflect their needs, vendors give priority to their biggest clients first. If your company doesn't have the most licenses, your requests for specific updates will be deprioritized, if not flat-out ignored.
You cannot maximize business efficiency with poorly kept promises. You need software developers who will put your specific needs first, which is one of the main advantages of choosing a custom software development company for your FSM software.
It is highly recommended that you choose a custom software development company that specializes both in your industry and in the niche specialty of building FSM platforms. Vendors who claim to solve "all" your business problems often have generalized knowledge, and at that point, you might as well go to a commercial vendor.
To maximize business efficiency and build tailor-made FSM systems designed with your specific industry obstacles in mind requires working with the right partner.
These professionals can analyze the specific needs and work patterns of your field-based employees and how they interface with your office. Furthermore, when you work with teams that have successfully built similar FSM solutions for other organizations, you know that they have the expertise to guide you toward proven-effective tools and processes with both efficiency and flexibility in mind.
Leverage Custom FSM Software to Improve Customer Experience with Your Brand
While most companies treat their FSM software as an internal tool, if you’re looking to scale your software development initiatives, then you must think beyond this basic function. Ask yourself how your upgraded FSM software platforms will connect to your customers' experiences with your brand.
Modern field operations, like GPS tracking, 24/7 account access, and multiple communication options, impact your customers’ experiences with your business. Companies like Lyft, Uber, and DoorDash set a new standard for consumer-centric design when it comes to how their FSM platforms provided data to make the customer experience dynamic and interactive.
Although COTS platforms may offer some ways for your FSM data to connect with each customer’s user interface, you're often limited by the data points that COTS vendors find valuable. These data points often match up with the business processes and workflows of the vendor’s biggest clients. If you're a small to medium business, COTS vendors don't often build with your specific customer needs in mind.
By working with custom software development experts, you can build a partnership focused on only your business needs and preferred customer experiences. Custom software development companies provide you with product owners who go into the partnership with the mindset that they will enhance your business by helping you take control of your FSM software development services moving forward.
A huge part of that development includes the connection between FSM software data and the customer experience. Product owners who have worked with other small and medium businesses understand the nuances of the customer journey, their data needs, and how they interface with individual brands. These product owners can relay that knowledge to you as you work together to optimize how your FSM solution connects to internal personnel and external customers.
See How AltSource Can Build You a Custom FSM Software Solution
At AltSource, we take great pride in partnering with organizations to help them develop technology solutions that empower them to take control of their business and safeguard themselves against externalized market or regulatory changes. Working with customers in Portland, Seattle, San Diego, and throughout the US, we provide custom software development services to address the unique technology and business needs of our customers.
For example, when Kirby Electric realized that an off-the-shelf solution wasn’t the right fit for them, they partnered with us to build a custom web application that increased their project efficiency, gave them true data visibility, and allowed for field-based viewing of the data that mattered most to get the job done. Learn more here.
If you too are starting to realize that COTS solutions won’t work for your unique business, reach out today and let’s discuss how a customized FSM software solution might be the right fit for your needs: sales@altsourcesoftware.com
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