Can You Optimize Your Team’s Work Performance? We Tell You How

2018-10-19

Are you sure you’re giving your clients the best possible service and value for money? You know improving your service delivery won’t simply benefit your customers; you’ll also see the effect in your bottom line.

 

Of course, this is often easier said than done, mainly because you’re not on site at all times. You need to trust your field service agents to give their best at all times. Are you one of the managers for whom this is a daily source of stress?

 

We’re about to make it easier for you. A few adjustments in how you manage your off-site teams can make all the difference: For you and your clients.

 

Manage Your Current Team Better

It’s up to you how your team functions on site. Yes, they have personalities, their own work ethic and habits, but you may underestimate the effect you can have in their daily tasks.

 

Managers who attend to these matters often get better results.

 

1. Are They Trained?

Do they know what they’re doing every day? When your business grows or changes it’s easy to forget how this affects the people you don’t see every day. Regular training—about your business vision as well as tasks at hand—is essential to keep service delivery optimal.

 

In addition, you may think you’re helping them by giving them new equipment (see below), but did you set aside time for training? You risk damage to tools, injury and ineffective operation if staff doesn’t know how to use advanced tech correctly.

 

It’s your responsibility to get this right, not theirs.

 

2. Do They Have the Right Equipment?

Even your workers who want to give their best can’t do it if you don’t provide them with the right tools. If you’re expecting more than they’re able to achieve—because of worn, outdated or broken equipment—you’re not only limiting their performance; you’re also breaking down morale.

 

Workers view too high expectations as unfair working conditions. When you empower them they know they can’t deliver sub-par work.

 

 

 

Here’s another thing that comes from using high quality equipment: Pride for the brand.

 

Who doesn’t want to work with the latest technological features? We all love having it in our homes and your workers will be proud to work with it on site. If you’re the market leader it sets them apart from their peers doing similar work for your competitors. It’s how you breed loyalty while getting excellent productivity.

 

3. Enhance Communication

Most of your concerns may be alleviated if you enhance one single thing: Communication.

 

Think how much of your concern relates to:

• Misunderstandings
• Schedule changes
• Shift swaps
• No access to job ticket or client information
• Clients who don’t know when to expect your team

 

Much of this can be solved with an effective communication platform such as management software. View Serfy’s products as examples of tailormade products for field service.

 

Imagine a day where:

• Everyone has access to the schedule via mobile.
• Questions, feedback and chats all happen on the same platform so everyone stays informed without anyone making a call or sending long emails.
• You can update the schedule and everyone gets notified instantly.
• You get feedback on jobs without making a call.
• Clients get notified of arrival times automatically via mobile.

 

 

High tech driven communication isn’t a luxury anymore. It’s a necessity if you want to stay ahead in the modern field service market.

 

But don’t stop there. Whether you’ll keep going strong for the next decade and more depends on who you hire next.

 

Design Your Future Team

Why face the same problems in future that you do today? Changing your hiring process can be the key to minimizing stress and optimizing results.

 

4. Pick the Right People

How often do you analyze your workers? The past century produced high volumes of research regarding what makes work forces function well. The results include:

• Personalities
• Work ethic
• Skills
• Training
• Motivation

 

Here’s your good news: AI can analyze Big data that you compile about your current workers. You can determine what enhances your teams and what limits them. Now you know which features you need in your next employee.

 

Once again: Technology makes business better if we utilize it properly. And yes, it may cost you a bit more, but don’t you want your employees to be assets, rather than hampering your growth? That makes this research a long term investment.

 

5. Prioritize Effective Onboarding

When you’ve found the right employee you can’t accept he or she will fit in automatically. A systematic onboarding process is essential to make him or her part of your team.

 

Of course, it’s more difficult doing this with remote workers. It’s worth it to use unique ways of making them feel that they belong. Here’s an example: Welcome them with merchandise, not only for them, but for their entire family. They’ll appreciate the gesture which creates more motivation (an essential component as mentioned above), leading to great momentum at the outset of their career with you.

 

Do Performance Management the Right Way

Sooner or later you’ll have to assess your old and new employees’ performance. Doing this with field service agents is more challenging since they often don’t feel as connected to you as office workers. From this perspective it’s difficult to accept criticism as constructive input, rather than attacks.

 

So, here’s what you can do:

• Talk about your company goals (a lot) so workers understand why you expect certain things. This also helps them feel part of a bigger legacy and purpose.
• Don’t simply talk about what’s going wrong. Always give credit where it’s due and congratulate them on work well done.
• Make time for each worker individually to show them their value. This creates trust and loyalty.

 

[Conclusion]

Does that seem attainable? Of course it is. This is how the pros make it work, while keeping smiles on clients, workers and their own faces. Now you can do it too.