What happens when things go wrong

When you send technicians on-site, you want to make sure everything goes right. According to Field Nation data, 99% of work orders are completed without issue. But, when the 1% happens service teams need to be ready.

How To Ensure Quality

The best way to avoid problems on-site is to make sure you select the right person for the job. It’s important to vet technicians thoroughly and look at their ratings, reviews, qualifications, experience, and any other key metrics for your work.

Sometimes, even after you vet your technician, things come up that are out of their control. For example, traffic conditions can delay the work. That’s why it’s important to understand your platform’s support offerings so you know what to do if things do go wrong. For example, our 24/7 support team can help you un-assign and reassign a technician if, for some reason, they can’t make it to the job.

What to do When a Tech Doesn’t Show Up

It happens: a tech is supposed to be on-site and a half hour later they are nowhere to be found. Sometimes people can’t show up. When a work order isn’t fulfilled by a technician that said they’d be there, there are several solutions for your company to make sure the work gets done. Ultimately, you should look to your software to prevent no-shows.

For example, if a work order is marked as “assigned/at risk”–meaning the technician is assigned but not confirmed–you can reassign that work order to a new technician before the job start time. A new technician will complete the work at the original time.

If, however, the work order in question is marked as a “no-show” you can create a case with our support team to remove the current technician and assign a new one. Having a partner is key to finding a solution fast.

Broken Equipment & Unsatisfactory Work

Another common issue is work not being done to the end client’s satisfaction. The first way to prevent this from happening is by creating an accurate scope of work. The more detail and specificity you can give to the technician means the tech is likely to be successful. The second way to prevent unsatisfactory work is to ensure the technician is rated and reviewed. But sometimes accidents happen and you need to call in an expert for guidance.

If a technician shows up for a work order but the work isn’t up to par or equipment is broken on-site, there are a few things you can do to correct the issue. The first step is calling your partner. At Field Nation we aim to help both the technician and the client. We hope that both parties have a good experience. But sometimes things happen on-site that are out of anyone’s control. An important piece of equipment can be damaged, or a technician may complete all the steps of a work-order but not to the satisfaction of their client.

If this happens on-site, the Field Nation team steps in to evaluate the value of the work that was completed. Then our support specialists dig into how much it will cost to repair the work, whether that’s broken equipment or unsatisfactory work.

Finally, Field Nation calculates how much the technician should be paid for their completed work (they did complete it, after all) and how much the company should receive for the repairs and the hassle.

A Helpful Resource for Companies

When you use a platform to source your on-site workforce, you have access to a team of specialists who know what to do when things go wrong. You’ll get support and solutions so that you can spend more time on what matters: your business operations.

Plus Field Nation offers insurance on all work orders and you can find alternative technicians at the push of a button if a technician doesn’t meet your standards.

Insurance

Our insurance policies on every work order make sure you’re covered if the unexpected happens. Each work order on our platform is covered by general liability insurance to protect you from property damage or personal injury as a result of the work at hand. Additionally, our work orders are covered by professional liability insurance that provides protections for negligent services performed by a technician due to a mistake or a failure to perform work.

Finding Alternates

Another benefit of using a service platform to source work is that it’s easy to find a new technician if, for some reason, your first choice doesn’t work out. You always have access to a marketplace of talent that can help you get work done. If a technician doesn’t show or something prevents them from completing the work, you can simply reassign a new technician and make sure your work gets covered.

Field Nation Quality Assurance Policy

It’s simple to verify a technician’s credibility. For instance, Field Nation has advanced screening metrics like background checks and drug screens for technicians to complete themselves. Technician’s profiles also show their overall performance ratings and any certifications they have. Our rating system applies strict quality rules to help more experienced, professional, and punctual technicians rise to the top.

But, if something does go wrong with a technician, you can rely on the Field Nation PQAP (Provider Quality Assurance Policy) system to identify proper actions for resolving the issue. Sometimes this means their account will be deactivated for a short period of time, and–in severe cases–they may even be kicked off our platform.

No matter what, “our goal is always to maintain the integrity of the marketplace,” says Matt McEnery, our Senior Customer Resolution Specialist. That’s how service companies know they are getting the best technicians out there.

How to Prevent Things Going Wrong in Field Service

With all this in mind, there are a few things we’ve learned during our 10 years of business to help things run smoothly.

The key to preventing unsatisfactory work or miscommunications is to create a good, specific work order structure from the beginning. Before posting your work on the marketplace, we recommend double-checking for any spelling errors that could be confusing, making sure you’ve filled out all the relevant details, and outlining every specific step a technician should do on-site. The more detail, the better. We also recommend communicating with technicians before they’re on-site and during the work to eliminate any room for miscommunication.

In the end, things will go wrong in field service – you can’t deny it. What matters most is who you have to call to help when you are in a pinch. With Field Nation you’ll find a partner who is here every step of the way.