Why Real-Time Parts Tracking Facilitates First-Time Fixes

It’s the holy grail for validating field service success – the first-time fix. And it goes without saying that field service businesses factor it into their work orders.

But picture this: your field technician identifies an equipment issue at the customer site, only to realize that he doesn’t have the necessary parts in his van for repairs. He’s now faced with a first-time fix failure, and a secondary visit to a dissatisfied customer who’d expected their problem to be resolved in a single call out.

Unsurprisingly, there’s a growing demand from customers for a prompt resolution of service issues. This need, based on efficiency and safety reasons, has caused service organizations to increase their focus on service parts management – making parts tracking a determining factor in achieving a successful first-time fix.

Moreover, the inability to resolve service issues in the first visit also has a negative impact on revenues.

Eliminate inventory oversight with smart data capture enabled parts tracking

While oversight may have been a contributing factor to the missing parts that the technician needed in our example, this could have been avoided if smart data capture enabled smartphones were in place.

Had the technician relied on manual processes, he would have phoned in the warehouse from the site to check if the serial number from the malfunctioning part was in stock. Alternatively, if he used an e-commerce website to reorder parts, he would have to key in a 14 digit long code, a tedious process prone to errors.

Both processes are time-consuming, necessitating a secondary customer visit. With a smart data capture enabled smartphone, the field technician could have eliminated these inventory inefficiencies and delivered a first-time fix.

Scandit Smart Data Capture enables any smart device to interact with physical items by capturing data from barcodes, text, IDs and objects with speed, accuracy and intelligence.

In advance of his visit to the customer site, the field technician, and anyone involved in field operation workflows at the warehouse or the customer service center, could have located and verified parts and tools needed for the work order with a simple barcode scan using a smartphone.

Improve customer satisfaction with real-time insights

A scanning-enabled smart device enables inventory information to be easily accessed from anywhere. So field technicians, warehouse employees, and relevant teams can leverage customer data from existing business systems to enhance operational efficiencies.

For instance, in addition to checking parts and stock availability remotely in advance of customer visits, field technicians and service teams can capitalize on augmented reality (AR). Using AR they can review customer service history and preempt maintenance issues, warranty claims, details about parts that need replacing and more, easily actioned via visual overlays on the device screen.

See how augmented reality works to deliver proactive field service:

Transform field operations with fast, accurate scanning

An integrated inventory view promotes proactive field operations where jobs are delivered fast, first time, saving customers time and money.

Superfast smartphone scanning offered by Scandit, enhanced with MatrixScan and AR offers service businesses several benefits:

• Real-time visibility into van stock and inventory – including the ability to scan multiple barcodes simultaneously
• Improved field technician productivity, as they are equipped with the correct parts every time
• Reduced need for safety stock and truck rolls
• Eliminate the costs associated with unnecessary parts purchase and revisits
• Help organizations adhere to SLAs (service level agreements)

Watch this video to see how instant inventory visibility increases first-time fix rates.

Gain additional insights into how you can deliver first-rate customer service with a first-time fix. Get our Fast track Field Technician Efficiency with a Smart Device Pocket Assistant guide.

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