Field service leaders are under constant pressure to manage budgets while maintaining high service standards. One of the most significant line items is the cost associated with truck rolls. Unnecessary dispatches, repeat visits, and inefficient workflows can quickly deplete a budget and erode profitability. Controlling these costs is not just about cutting expenses—it’s about improving efficiency and effectiveness across the entire service operation.
This is where a strategic approach to technology can make a profound difference. By leveraging tools like remote visual assistance and digital work instructions, organizations can significantly reduce truck roll expenses, ensure every dispatch is successful, and optimize their entire service delivery model.
Eliminating Unnecessary Truck Rolls
A significant number of truck rolls can be avoided entirely. A customer’s issue might be a simple fix that doesn’t require a physical visit from a technician. With remote visual assistance, a remote expert can connect with the customer or an onsite team member using a smartphone or tablet. The expert can see exactly what the person on site is seeing, allowing them to provide real-time guidance to resolve the issue.
This capability is a game-changer. Imagine a customer reporting a machine isn’t working. Instead of sending a technician immediately, the service team can initiate a remote visual assistance session. The expert can guide the customer to check power cables, reset a device, or perform a simple diagnostic. If the problem is resolved, a truck roll is avoided, saving the company the cost of dispatching a technician, vehicle wear and tear, and travel time. This method not only saves money but also provides a faster resolution for the customer, boosting satisfaction.
Making Each Truck Roll More Effective
Sometimes, a truck roll is necessary, but that doesn’t mean it has to be inefficient. A common source of wasted time and money is a technician arriving on-site only to discover they lack the correct tools or parts to complete the job. This leads to a costly and frustrating repeat dispatch.
Using remote visual assistance before a dispatch can prevent this. A remote expert can conduct a pre-dispatch assessment. The onsite contact can show the expert the problem, allowing the expert to capture images and video recordings of the issue. This information provides a clear and accurate understanding of the problem. This data is then used to ensure the dispatched technician has the right skill set, tools, and parts needed for a first-time fix. When a job is completed on the first visit, it eliminates the need for a second trip, saving time, money, and customer frustration.
Driving Efficiency with Digital Work Instructions
Once a technician is on site, a successful repair depends on their ability to perform the job correctly and efficiently. Digital work instructions provide step-by-step guidance to ensure technicians follow proper procedures. These instructions can be accessed on a tablet or phone, and they can include text, images, videos, and even augmented reality overlays to guide the technician.
Digital work instructions ensure consistency across the team and reduce the likelihood of human error. They can also include AI verification checks that confirm certain steps have been performed correctly. For instance, the AI can analyze an image taken by the technician to confirm a component has been installed in the right orientation.
Furthermore, digital instructions can collect vital data about the job. Technicians can fill out forms, take photos of the completed work, and even provide an attestation that the work was done. All of this information is stored and backed by usage analytics, providing a full auditable trail of the job. This documentation is invaluable for compliance, quality assurance, and future reference.
Optimizing Complex Jobs with Remote Site Surveys
For complex projects like equipment installations or large-scale repairs, a preliminary site survey is crucial for success. However, sending a technician to a site just to gather information is an expensive and time-consuming process.
A site survey can be performed remotely using remote visual assistance. A remote expert can guide an onsite contact to capture vital information about the location, such as accessibility, potential obstacles, and the location of utilities like electrical and water lines. This eliminates the need for an initial physical visit.
The collected information can be seamlessly integrated into digital work instructions, creating a comprehensive plan for the actual job. When the technician finally arrives, they have a complete understanding of the site and all the necessary equipment and tools, allowing them to perform the job faster and without surprises.
Quantifying the Savings
Understanding the financial impact of these techniques is essential for justifying investment. The cost savings come from several areas, including reduced travel time, fuel costs, vehicle maintenance, and technician labor for unnecessary or repeat visits.
A simple formula can help field service leaders calculate the potential savings:
Cost Savings = (Number of Avoided Truck Rolls + Number of Reduced Repeat Dispatches) x Average Cost Per Truck Roll
Example Calculation:
Assume a typical cost per truck roll is $250.
- Scenario 1: Eliminating Unnecessary Truck Rolls
- If remote visual assistance helps you resolve 20 issues per month that would have otherwise resulted in a dispatch:
- 20 avoided truck rolls x $250 = $5,000 in monthly savings
- Scenario 2: Reducing Repeat Dispatches
- If using pre-dispatch assessments helps you avoid 15 repeat dispatches per month:
- 15 avoided repeat dispatches x $250 = $3,750 in monthly savings
- Total Monthly Savings:
- $5,000 (from avoided rolls) + $3,750 (from repeat dispatches) = $8,750 per month
- If using pre-dispatch assessments helps you avoid 15 repeat dispatches per month:
- If remote visual assistance helps you resolve 20 issues per month that would have otherwise resulted in a dispatch:
This is a powerful illustration of how these technologies directly impact the bottom line. By implementing these strategies, a field service organization can realize tens of thousands of dollars in savings annually.
Putting it All Together
Budget control is about strategic investments that improve efficiency and reduce waste. By embracing solutions that allow you to eliminate unnecessary truck rolls, make every dispatch more effective, and standardize workflows, you can stop the budget bleed and build a more profitable service operation. Plus, you can close out the work order more quickly and if the support call was billable, improve the “service-to-cash” rate metric. Solutions like CareAR Assist, a powerful remote visual assistance tool, and CareAR Instruct, a versatile digital work instructions solution, provide the essential capabilities to achieve these goals and transform your field service operations.
If you would like to discuss possible cost saving strategies for your field service team, contact us.