If a company can manage to streamline its workforce scheduling, then they can help reduce overhead in many different areas. They can help reduce the maintenance costs of maintaining a mobile workforce by creating optimum routes and schedules for each individual representative in the field. They can also make sure that clients are properly serviced and there are not a large number of re-schedules or representatives arriving late to an appointment. Four ways that a company can streamline work force management scheduling are optimizing work orders, reducing reschedules, long term scheduling and improving performance.
1) Work Orders
When a service representative arrives on site they need to be armed with as much information as possible in order to complete the work order quickly and efficiently. Workforce management scheduling can be streamlined by analyzing the data from similar work orders. If the company uses a mobile application so that the service representative can update the home office with the tasks they have completed and when they are done with a specific project, management knows how long it takes to complete that project. They can then use that information to determine how long a representative will need to be at each appointment for that day.
2) Rescheduling
Many companies consider rescheduling a necessary evil in the service industry. Sometimes issues occur that create the need for a service representative to miss a set appointment time. It is possible to streamline this process by creating realistic schedules. This includes making sure that a service representative has enough time to complete a specific work order and travel the necessary distance to arrive at their next appointment. It is also necessary for management to be able to change a mobile worker’s schedule and notify field representatives of the change in real-time. If the company can create accurate schedules that not only include realistic time between appointments but also reduce mileage between appointments, they can also decrease vehicle maintenance and gas costs.
3) Long term Scheduling
When management can create schedules in advance they can help make sure that routes are covered when employees go on vacation and also help the company determine the resources they will need in the near future. They can make sure that they order enough supplies to cover installs; they can ensure that they have enough products for delivery and they can more accurately project income and expenditures for the next quarter. By coordinating customer service, sales, and production departments with feedback from a mobile workforce, it is possible to streamline long-term scheduling and create more accurate business forecasts.
4) Performance
Understanding the capabilities of each individual field representative can help to streamline workforce management scheduling. If each representative enters notes into a work order about their performance and what steps they took to resolve a service issue, human resources and management can use this to rate that representative’s performance. It can also be used to help understand how long each representative takes on a standard work order or sales call. When you understand the strengths and weaknesses of each of your field employees, you know how to create your schedule to make sure that you don’t overburden employees who are more attentive to detail and don’t leave quick and efficient employees idle. There may also come a time when these performance issues hamper scheduling and management may need to discuss this problem with the individual.
Information from many different departments is often necessary in order to streamline scheduling. When this information is available to management and members of the mobile workforce, appointments can be handled quickly and efficiently. Understanding the time it takes to complete each work order and the accurate distance between a service representative’s appointments can help optimize a service representative’s schedule. This can help reduce the need for reschedules and make sure that customers are serviced efficiently. Long-term scheduling can not only streamline the workforce process but can also help create more accurate business forecasts. Understanding employee performance can help determine the best representatives to handle a specific appointment and make sure that the company can maintain customer satisfaction. By utilizing these four ways to streamline workforce management scheduling, a company can improve revenue and encourage business growth.
