Automating Field Service Management to Reduce Time to Resolution

Automating Field Service Management to Reduce Mean Time to Resolution

The Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) is a metric that service organizations grapple with in terms of related cost and customer experience. One objective is clear: reducing the time it takes to resolve customer issues – from case creation dates to their closures – benefits both.

Consumers have come to expect immediate service. This enables a company to shine with a high first-time fix rate (FTF). If its techs have the right parts, tools, and knowledge to solve the problem quickly, costs are reduced, and brand loyalty is boosted.

To reduce MTTR, a wise place for a service organization to start is by measuring where they presently stand. It’s essential to measure the difference in mean time to resolution rather than the overall rate. Instead of looking at MTTR as a single unit, focus on the aspects of MTTR that reflect workforce performance. Service professionals who often require multiple customer visits will generally have higher MTTR rates versus those who seldom make repeat visits. What factors are common among these techs? Does each have the same resources available from the company? How much does experience play into their success versus resource access?

Consider

• Data collection quality: This is the biggest wildcard of MTTR measurement. While the case creation date is a consistent data point across organizations, case resolution time is much less reliable due to poor data collection. The biggest issue here is a lack of compliance among users – technicians often forget to close out cases until days after the problem has been resolved. Manual processing is the most frequently cited reason for the lack of data input.
• First-time fix measurement: MTTR is highly dependent on how FTF is measured. Failed visits have a profound impact on MTTR, and the stats reflect. Issues unresolved the first-time engagement require, on average, an additional 14 days to resolution. The reason is often attributed to the need to order other parts or scheduling issues with customers. MTTR suffers from the same challenge as FTF if the root causes of failure aren’t addressed, frequently due to lack of real-time schedule calendar and parts inventory visibility.
• The people involved: MTTR can be used to measure workforce productivity, but it’s also a measure of capacity and process. Sometimes when MTTR slumps, it’s the result of lack of headcount rather than workforce performance.

Benefits of Automating Field Service Management to Reduce MTTR

Organizations that rely on multiple, disparate systems without connected databases, and the manual steps this environment creates result in increased customer churn, unproductive service technicians, and missed revenue opportunities.

Automation’s the answer to empower end-to-end Field Service Management (FSM). This enables field service organizations and their network partners to lower MTTR, increase technician utilization and first-time effectiveness, and grow service profits. All with the side benefit of improved customer retention.

An ERP and line of business system-integrated FSM solution powers automation to provide:

• Improve cost-efficiencies and productivity of service delivery teams
• Optimization of field service performance across entire technician networks
• Mobilize techs to improve utilization and productivity
• Enhance customer experience by delivering the expected service during the first visit
• Increase predictable revenue streams from service plans and maintenance agreements.

To explore FSM system functionality and capabilities, request a demo.