How to evaluate labor marketplaces in an outsourced landscape

Are you looking to outsource your field-service labor? With field service subcontractors, third party vendors, on demand staffing, and other labor options at your disposal, it’s important to know how to measure a field service marketplace against the alternatives you’re considering.

To make your decision easier, here are the eight key criteria to consider along with a coordinating checklist designed to make comparing your options easier and to guide your desired business outcome.

1. Quality control

Quality concerns are among the top reasons companies hesitate to use contingent labor. Some businesses worry about a lack of control over who performs the work. Others fear that workers may have inadequate training, experience, or qualifications.

By connecting directly with independent technicians on a field service marketplace, you maintain full control over the vetting and selection process.

How Field Nation helps

• Our marketplace includes comprehensive vetting tools such as star ratings and reviews. Businesses can easily filter technicians by quality score, experience, location, skillset, ratings, certifications, and more.
• Field Nation’s PQAP (Provider Quality Assurance Program) identifies and addresses potential technician quality issues within our marketplace. The program reviews actions such as service provider cancellations, low ratings, and blocks to effectively enforce quality standards.

 

2. State and municipal tax compliance

Whatever labor option you choose, it’s crucial to consider state and municipal tax requirements to meet your tax obligations. Failing to do so can result in penalties, fines, and potential legal consequences. 

But with the right support, you can navigate this situation effectively.

 

How Field Nation helps

• We collect sales and use tax on your behalf, or you can provide us with your Resale Exemption Certificate.
• We provide guidance to prevent labor misclassification. Our marketplace includes features that track technician usage and re-usage, as well as reporting capabilities.

 

3. Growth opportunities

Having transparent and readily available information on pricing and coverage can allow field service businesses to quickly assess the feasibility of potential projects and make informed decisions.  Consider a labor option that provides data analytics that identify market trends and emerging opportunities.

By doing so, you can expand your business, enter new markets, and stay ahead of the competition.
How Field Nation Helps

• MarketSmart™ Insights aggregates pricing and coverage data from millions of service jobs across the Field Nation talent marketplace, providing easily accessible data that empowers businesses to win more work. Access data such as the number of skilled professionals available that fit with your needed work type, average pay rates, and more.

 

4. Ease of implementation

Establishing processes and requirements for any outsourced labor option requires careful planning. Choose an option that offers quick onboarding and integration with your existing workflows, so you can start realizing benefits without unnecessary complications.

How Field Nation helps

• Robust training and implementation services help you realize value quickly. These services include a dedicated Implementation Specialist to lead you through the implementation experience, multiple training and configuration sessions for account setup, and multiple consultation and transition sessions to ensure continued success. 
• Our software is purpose-built for IT field services, and is continuously updated to be user-friendly for businesses and technicians. 

 

5. Project turnaround time

Managing client requests quickly and efficiently is a critical factor for success. Ensure your labor choice allows you to respond promptly to client needs.

How Field Nation helps

• Skilled technicians on our Field Nation marketplace have a 12-minute average response time to work posted. In fact, 35% of the work volume on Field Nation is break/fix work consisting of 4-hour, 24-hour, and 48-hour SLAs.
• Our talent sourcing and vetting features enable companies to quickly create custom talent pools with the skill sets, screenings, and equipment to support their unique work needs. Customizable, pre-assignment surveys ensure techs have the necessary skills and equipment before they get to the job site.

 

6. Technician breadth and coverage

Broad availability of skilled IT service professionals across a wide range of locations is critical for addressing your customers’ requirements. Ensure you can access technicians with the skillsets you need in your desired geographies.

How Field Nation helps

• Discover technicians with expertise in networking, cabling, point of sale, digital signage, security, computers, printers, and more.
• On average, contractors on Field nation have over 15 years of onsite IT experience.

7. Pricing

When evaluating labor options, carefully assess their pricing structure and fee models. Consider factors such as contract commitments, after-hours penalties, SLA requirements, and subscription plans. Determine which option offers the most transparent pricing and aligns best with your budget and financial goals.

How Field Nation helps

• Gain visibility into market rates by geography, allowing you to price your services competitively.
• Your company retains complete control over setting technician pay rates.
• Realize cost savings as your volume increases.

 

8. Customer support 

To determine the level of support available, look for reliable support channels, such as phone, email, or live chat. Also, check if your labor provider has a reputation for being responsive and helpful, particularly in times of crisis.

How Field Nation helps

• We provide 24/7/365 support to help you whenever you need it.
• Our team provides liability claims mitigation, communication, and support. We manage your technician claims, no matter what insurance you use.
• Mediation assistance helps resolve disputes before they become a larger issue.
• Dedicated Account Managers and Customer Success Managers deliver personalized support and guidance, fostering a successful partnership.