It’s so simple. Start on time. So why do so many field service managers miss out on this incredible productivity opportunity?
So many managers are holed up in their offices scrambling with paperwork and exceptions while technicians mill about the facility looking for parts, orders, chatting with dispatchers or colleagues or arguing about the day’s schedule and who has a tougher day.
Don’t get me wrong, there is a great benefit to bringing technicians together with their admin counterparts to share and learn. But if you’re doing that every morning you’re no longer learning, you’re just wasting time.
Define a “day-starter” policy, train it and coach it until it becomes second nature.
Get started by answering the following questions:
What is your vehicle policy?
Are they taken home or left on site (don’t forget that there are tax implications). I highly recommend take home with strict rules about personal usage.
What time is the technician expected to pick up the vehicle at the office, or start their day at home?
A good approach is to base it on the drive time to the first call. The first 20 minutes are on the tech, the rest is on the company. So, if the first job site is a 30-minute drive from the technician’s home, they should be enroute 20 minutes before their shift start and arrive 10 minutes after. This provides a great incentive to schedule work close to the technician’s home, which improves productivity.
Should the tech visit the office to pick up parts or paperwork?
If that’s required more than once a week, you’ve got some room for improvement. Schedule your weekly technician meetings on that day to maximize the value of having everyone onsite. Build proper truck stock inventories to minimize the one-off parts orders and maximize scheduling flexibility.
Do you start the day with a team huddle?
Having the team around the phone for a quick call is a great way to start the day and to maintain focus on key objectives. Schedule a 10-minute conference call 20 minutes prior to shift start when technicians are in their vehicles and enroute to their first appointment.
If you implement just one of these suggestions, you will see an immediate improvement in productivity. Does your day-starter routine drive maximum productivity?
Share your experiences online and learn more about field service transformation with Chapman Management Solutions at www.chapmansolutions.ca.
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