Field Service Management

1. 1

   Confirm which features work

   Test each feature in your field service software before you build your process around it. Plans differ, and a feature shown in a sales video may not be on your tier or may not work the way you expect.

   Run one fake job from start to finish. Create a customer, send an estimate, turn it into a job, schedule it, assign a tech, close it out, invoice it and take a test payment. Note what works, what costs extra and what is missing. Software such as Jobber or Housecall Pro offers trial periods, so test before you pay.

   • List the features you need day to day
   • Run one test job from estimate to payment
   • Note what is missing or costs extra
   • Decide on a plan only after testing
2. 2

   Services and pricing

   Load your services and prices into the software before you create any estimates. Use the same service names you use on your website and Google Business Profile so customers see one consistent list.

   Add a clear description, a unit such as per hour or per job, and the price for each item. Group add-ons and materials separately. Set the right sales tax for each item, since taxable services vary by state. Ask your accountant which of your services are taxable where you work.

   • Match service names to your website and Google
   • Add a price and unit to every service
   • Set sales tax by item with your accountant
   • Review prices at least once a year
3. 3

   Estimates

   Build estimates from your saved service list so pricing stays consistent across the team. Include what is included, what is not, how long the price is good for and your payment terms.

   Send estimates by email or text with a link the customer can approve online. Many tools let customers pick options or sign right on their phone. Set a follow-up reminder for estimates that sit unanswered for a few days. A quick, polite check-in wins work that would otherwise go to someone else.

   • Use saved services for every estimate
   • State what is included and excluded
   • Turn on online approval and signatures
   • Set reminders for unanswered estimates
4. 4

   Jobs and work orders

   Turn each approved estimate into a job so nothing gets retyped. The job, or work order, should hold the address, contact, scope, materials, photos and any special notes such as gate codes or pets.

   Add a simple checklist for each job type so techs follow the same steps every time. Ask crews to add before and after photos and notes before they close the job. Those records answer customer questions later and help if a warranty claim or dispute comes up.

   • Convert approved estimates into jobs
   • Add access notes, scope and materials
   • Use a checklist for each job type
   • Require before and after photos
5. 5

   Scheduling and dispatch

   Put every job on one shared calendar inside your field service software. Block time for travel between jobs, and group work by area so crews are not driving across town and back.

   Set a standard length for each job type so scheduling is quick and realistic. When a job runs long or someone calls in sick, move it in the software so everyone sees the change at once. Avoid side calendars and paper lists. One schedule is the only way the office and the field stay in sync.

   • Keep all jobs on one shared calendar
   • Set standard lengths for each job type
   • Group jobs by area to cut drive time
   • Make every change inside the software
6. 6

   Technicians and assignments

   Add each tech as a user with their own login and the right permission level. Field crews usually need to see their jobs, notes and checklists, but not company pricing or reports.

   Track skills and licenses for each person so the right tech goes to the right job. Have techs use the mobile app to clock in, mark jobs started and finished, and add photos. Remove access the same day someone leaves. Their login should never stay active after their last shift.

   • Give each tech their own login
   • Limit what field users can see
   • Record skills and licenses per tech
   • Remove access on the last day of work
7. 7

   Invoices and payments

   Create the invoice from the finished job so it matches the work done. Send it the same day while the job is fresh, with a link to pay online by card or bank transfer.

   Connect the software to your accounting system, such as QuickBooks or Xero, so payments post without retyping. Turn on automatic reminders for unpaid invoices. Decide your terms in advance, such as deposit amounts and due dates, and print them on every estimate and invoice so there are no surprises.

   • Invoice the same day the job finishes
   • Add an online payment link
   • Sync payments to your accounting software
   • Turn on reminders for unpaid invoices
8. 8

   Customer notifications

   Turn on automatic messages for the key moments of each job. A booking confirmation, a reminder the day before, an on-my-way text and a thank-you with an invoice cover most needs.

   Keep messages short and use your business name so customers know who is texting. Get consent before sending marketing texts, since texting rules are strict. After the job, send a request for a Google review with a direct link. Happy customers will often leave one if you make it easy.

   • Send booking and reminder messages
   • Add an on-my-way text for techs
   • Get consent before any marketing texts
   • Send a Google review link after each job

General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. See the Disclaimer.