Are you looking to outsource your field-service labor? With third parties and other labor options at your disposal, it’s essential to know how to evaluate a marketplace and weigh it against the alternatives you’re considering.

To make your decision easier, here are the eight key criteria to consider.

1. Service quality control

Service quality concerns are among the top reasons companies hesitate to use outsourced labor. Some businesses worry about a lack of visibility over who performs the work. Others fear that service professionals may have inadequate training, experience, or qualifications.

By connecting directly with technicians through Field Nation, you guide the vetting and selection process from start to finish based on your standards.

How Field Nation helps:

• Our Marketplace features comprehensive vetting tools, including the Provider Success Score, a predictive signal that identifies technicians consistently delivering great outcomes. This allows businesses to quickly identify reliable techs, avoid costly missteps, and scale their network without compromising quality. In addition to the Provider Success Score, businesses can also filter technicians by screenings, experience, location, certifications, and more.
• Our Marketplace relies on all users having a shared standard of respect, professionalism, and compliance with the law when interacting with each other. To safeguard the health of the Marketplace, buyers and technicians are encouraged to report conduct that does not meet these standards through our User Report Events process.

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: 

• Field Nation handles the sales/use tax rate calculations and collections for technicians, so businesses can be confident they are being charged the correct tax based on the labor option selected.
• Businesses who are resellers, or exempt organizations, can upload their state certificates once, and Field Nation ensures they aren’t charged tax until the certificate expires.
• Businesses can see real-time tax calculations on the WO, including whether a valid exemption/resale certificate is applied, making it clear what tax is being applied and ensuring compliance with state rules.

3. Business growth opportunities

Having transparent and readily available information on pricing and coverage allows you 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 may be better positioned to 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 marketplace, providing easily accessible data that empowers businesses to potentially win more work. Access data such as the number of skilled professionals available who fit your required work type, average pay rates, and more.

4. Ease of implementation

Establishing processes and requirements for any outsourced labor option requires careful planning and consideration. Choose an option that offers quick onboarding and seamless integration with your existing workflows, allowing you to 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 guide you through the implementation process, multiple training and configuration sessions for account setup, and regular 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 in achieving success. Ensure your labor choices allow you to respond promptly to client needs. 

How Field Nation helps:

• Skilled technicians on Field Nation have an average response time of 12 minutes to work posted. In fact, 35% of the work volume on Field Nation consists of break/fix work, which includes 4-hour, 24-hour, and 48-hour SLAs.
• Our technician 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 arrive at 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 clients’ requirements. Ensure you can access technicians with the necessary skill sets in your desired geographies.

How Field Nation helps:

• Tap into a vast network of over 30,000 skilled technicians across nearly 30,000 zip codes nationwide.
• 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 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.
• Access to a feature set that allows you to set rates, negotiate technician counter-offers, and account for additional charges after assignment.  
• 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.
• We provide a variety of channels to communicate with our Support Team including chat, phone, and in-platform case creation.
• Our team will investigate and provide support on all reported property damage or injury incidents that may occur during a work order.
• Mediation assistance helps resolve disputes before they become a larger issue.
• Dedicated Customer Success Managers deliver personalized support and guidance, fostering a successful partnership.

Interested in learning more about how a marketplace like Field Nation can help you optimize your IT field services? Contact our team today!

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