ZOHO FSM - Field Services Management
The basics of Zoho FSM
Keywords Zoho FSM
Module available with Zoho FSM, which you want to be accompanied in the deployment of your Zoho solution:
Zoho FSM is a cloud application that offers a global solution to manage the entire lifecycle of processes involved in managing and executing services in the field.
All processes essential to field services are automated, such as:
- Managing work orders;
- Planning;
- Distribution;
- Tracking service appointments;
- Billing;
This eliminates the burden of paper and any data entry to a software that are tedious manual tasks that generally prevent field service activities.
By providing a unified platform that allows users to move through different processes in the field, Zoho FSM helps users perform their tasks efficiently.
With Zoho FSM, the benefits are multiple, mentioning a few below:
Streamline field operations
Automation of work orders streamlines service requests and eliminates manual work.
Improve technician productivity
The FSM mobile app for technicians helps them:
- Follow the details of their appointments;
- Create service reports;
- Increase the bill;
- Receive payment.
Effective team management
Zoho FSM offers a multi-user environment based on a profile:
- Administrator;
- Customer service agent;
- Distributor;
- Field technician.
Impress your customers
You can interact with customers across multiple channels, including email, phone and web.
Customers can make payments for services rendered online.
Process KPIs dashboard
Maintaining optimal values for key performance indicators is crucial for any business.
How does Zoho CRM - Zoho FSM - Zoho Books for Service People simplify your life and reduce your recurring operating costs?
Highlights of Zoho FSM's features
- Manage your workforce
- Personalize FSM for your business
- Multi-channel support
- Plan and ship efficiently
- Managing work orders
- Estimates, billing and payments
- Managing customers
- Engage your staff
- Service analysis and reports
- Integrations
- REST API: Incorporate using APIs to start syncing work orders between services in real time.
Manage your staff: Zoho FSM allows you to set up your field service organization by defining your administrators, dispatchers, customer service agents and field technicians.
You can also add relevant details about the territories in which they work and the technician’s skills.
Zoho FSM offers a multi-user environment by supporting different profiles. A profile defines all permissions and accessibility within the application. There are four profiles built into the Zoho FSM application: administrator, customer service agent, dispatcher and field technician. When adding a user, the appropriate profile must be assigned to them. This way, you can regulate your users’ access to the app’s features and data.
Profiles
A brief description of the Zoho FSM profiles is given below:
The administrator will have creative/reading/editing/deleting access to all data and configuration in Zoho FSM.
The customer service agent will have creative/reading access to all standard modules and will modify/delete the data to which they are assigned as an owner.
The Dispatcher will have creative/reading access to all standard modules and will edit/delete the data to which they are assigned as an owner.
The field technician will only have access to the data that is manually assigned to him by the data administrator. They will only have access to the FSM mobile app.
The diagram below describes the permissions that each profile is allowed to have:
Personalize FSM for your business: Zoho FSM is designed to fit the unique requirements of your organization.
You can customize your account to add industry-specific data components and specialized workflows. It is also possible to integrate Zoho FSM into any third-party service.
Page configuration settings
You can customize some modules and pages in your app based on the needs of your organizational process. You can choose the fields essential to your process, define their properties and location in the module or page.
Multi-channel support: Zoho FSM has built-in features that allow you to receive incoming service requests from each source.
Channels
The following channels are available for users to create requests:
- Email analyzer
- Web form
Email analyzer
Using an email analyzer, you can automatically retrieve data from emails you receive and add them as records in your Zoho FSM solution. Using an email analyzer, email details can be directly added as a record in your solution, eliminating the need to do so manually. The various steps including creating and setting up an email analyzer are described in the sections below. We’ll explain how, using the email analyzer, you can extract details from requests received via email and add them as records in the Requests module of your Zoho FSM solution.
Naming and selecting the module
An analyzer email address will be generated when creating an analyzer. This is the address to which the email to be analyzed must be sent.
Prepare the model for analysis
For the content of the emails to be analyzed, it must be in a specific type of model. In this step, you will provide an example of email content that will be used as a template to analyze all emails. There are two types of templates that you can use to analyze your data: the key-value pair and the paragraph format. In our example, we will use the key-value pair format.
Key-value pair: A pair consisting of a key and a value, which are separated by a delimiter. The key is a unique identifier for certain data elements. For example, first name or e-mail. These keys will have associated values. For example Sam for first name, sam.neil@gmail.com for e-mail, etc. A delimiter is a separator used to indicate the beginning or end of your data. The delimiter can be a two-point (:), an equal sign or a dash (-).
The key to the key-value pair is mapped to the request fields. If field mapping is not done automatically, you can select the appropriate field.
The table below contains details of the request module fields to which the key-value pairs must be mapped.
|
Key
|
Value | Map to Request field |
|
Subject
|
Sample Request
|
Subject
|
|
Description
|
Sample for Request from Email parser
|
Description
|
|
First Name
|
Robin
|
–
|
|
Last Name
|
Ellacot
|
–
|
|
Email
|
Email
|
|
|
Priority
|
Normal
|
–
|
|
Phone
|
1234567990
|
Phone
|
|
Preferred End Time
|
10/09/2019 12:00:PM
|
–
|
|
Preferred Start Time
|
10/09/2019 2:00:PM
|
–
|
|
Street
|
200 Dewitt Ct
|
–
|
|
City
|
Sacramento
|
–
|
|
State
|
California
|
–
|
|
Zip
|
95838
|
–
|
|
Country
|
USA
|
– |
Select fields to update
When adding a record, you can mention a value with which a particular field of the module needs to be updated. Use the symbol /to add or delete entries.
Assign the owner of the registration
You can select the owner of the registration. In Assign based on, choose a user or role and click Next. If multiple users are added, the turn-of-the-tasking method will be used.
Add approved email addresses
Create a workflow
A workflow rule must be created to update contact details in the newly created request record. To create the workflow rule:
Create a custom feature
A custom function must be created to perform the following:
- Get the coordinates of the newly created application registration.
- Look for a contact with an email address such as the newly created application registration module in the Contact module.
- If a match is found, the newly created application record will be updated with the details of the existing contact.
- If no matches are found, a new record is created in the Contact module and the newly created request record will be updated with contact details.
Web form
To receive service requests through your web channel, you can use web forms. You can create and integrate application forms into your website. The steps of creating and integrating an application form into your website are described in the sections below:
Specify the details of the form
Add specific form details to your needs. In the Form Details page, add the following details and click Save:
Incorporate the form
You can generate the code for the application form. To get the code to integrate into your site:
Plan and ship efficiently: intra-day programs over several days can be created.
Use Zoho FSM’s integrated Gantt and map views to manage your work requests, schedule appointments, and assign the right field technicians based on their skills and location.
Distribution console
The dispatch console is the task table for planning and distributing service appointments. It contains all the information a dispatch console would need to assign a service appointment to a field technician or team. The Dispatch Console has the following features:
Work voucher management: a myriad of work orders can be managed, whether they need to be assigned to multiple technicians or a team.
It also allows you to schedule appointments over several days and create a service report once the work is done.
Work voucher setup
Before you create a work voucher, you need to set up certain settings. Details of these settings are listed in the sections below.
Mapping work requests
When you choose the Convert to Work Order transition in a request, the Create a Work Order page appears with pre-filled field values. Using the work order request mapping setting, you can determine which request field values you want to pre-fill the fields on the Create a Work Order page.
Managing the type of work
The type of work is a model for services in a work voucher. Use these templates to quickly add services to work orders and avoid repetitive data entry. One type of work will be used in the Services and Products module to link skills and products to a service.
Automation of work orders
A work order is a record created to execute a contact service request.
A work voucher can be created in one of the following ways:
From requests: Using the convert transition to work order in an application, a work order can be created for the application. When you choose this transition, the Create a Work Order page appears with pre-filled field values. Using the work request mapping setting, you can determine which request field values you want to pre-fill the fields on the Create a Work Order page. See this page for more details.
From the estimates: Using the transition Convert to work order in an estimate, a work order can be created for the estimate. When you choose this transition, the Create a Work Order page appears with pre-filled field values. Using the Estimate on Work Order mapping setting, you can determine which Estimate field values you want to pre-fill the fields on the Create a Work Order page. See this page for more details.
From contact phone requests: The customer service agent creates work orders for contact requests received through phone calls.
Estimates, billing and payments: Zoho FSM allows you to create detailed estimates and invoices that match your company's brand image.
To facilitate billing, billing and payments, Zoho FSM has an integrated integration with Zoho Books. Your field technicians can create invoices and make it easier to pay for appointments online.
Estimates
An estimate provides an approximate figure for the cost of providing the services requested in an application. Once an application is approved, the estimate can be created for the application. Based on an estimate, the contact may decide whether or not to continue the service request. The contact may accept or refuse the quote on the portal.
Billing and payments
Create an invoice
An invoice can be created for a service appointment whose status is terminated.
Making payments
You can save the details of the payment made for an invoice.
Engage your staff: Turn your technicians into a great field unit with the Zoho FSM mobile app.
It can be used to check their schedules, navigate accurately to service locations, record authentic field data, including attaching photos and adding notes, be equipped with the right equipment, create a service report and easily collect payments online.
Zoho FSM mobile app
The Zoho FSM mobile app provides on-the-go field technicians with all the information they need to be effective at work and delight contacts at every appointment.
This helps them to be on time for their appointments, to attend more appointments in a single day and to finish their appointments in a single visit. It also allows them to update their appointment status as they progress through their work.
Key features
- Real-time notifications to field technicians informing them of their service appointments and any changes in their work schedule
- Easily manage the day’s appointments in a simple view of the calendar
- Field technicians can find accurate navigation to the venue using Google Maps
- A detailed view of the services to be performed and the products required for the service
- You can contact contacts by call, email and SMS
- Instantly create a service report and capture the contact’s signature once the work is done
- Easily capture the time it takes
to complete each appointment Making changes to the services rendered and the products needed before billing - Capture photos/files from the location of the service and add them as notes in the service appointment
- Create a follow-up work voucher and an estimate for a service appointment
- The field technician can create trips that follow the distance travelled by them and the route taken for each appointment
- GPS tracking for field technicians
- Record the time spent working on an appointment using timesheets.
Service analysis and reporting: Use more than 20 built-in reports and dashboards to improve service performance.
You also have the ability to create customized reports to track KPIs, identify weaknesses, and make smarter, data-based decisions.
Dashboard
Follow the steps below to create a dashboard:
Once created, you can add new components to the dashboard. You also have the option to make changes to components added to a dashboard.
commerce
Reports help you get summary data on work orders and territories and statistics relevant to analysis and decision-making. Data from the following reports are displayed in the dashboard:
|
Name
|
Description
|
|
Closed Work Orders This Month
|
Displays the count of completed work orders
|
|
Open Work Orders This Month
|
Displays the count of work orders which are in progress
|
|
Past 6 months comparator
|
Shows details of work orders processed in the past six months and the revenue generated from it
|
|
TOP 5 Territories
|
Lists the top five territories with the maximum work orders
|
|
Territory and Status wise Work Order count
|
Illustrates the number of work orders in a particular status as well as the territories they belong to
|
|
Work Orders Completion Rate
|
Shows the number of new, in-progress and completed work orders and the transition rate from one status to another
|
|
Critical Tasks in each territory
|
Displays the count of all the tasks in each territory with the “Critical” status
|
In addition to the reports mentioned above, you can create additional reports by choosing what data is included in your report and how it is presented. Once the report is created, it can be manipulated and shared as needed.
Types of reports
- Tabular Report: In this report, data from selected fields in one or more modules are shown in columns. The computational functions can be applied to the data in each column. For example, a report on the number of requests created in a day.
- Summary Report: In this report, you can group data based on field values in one or more modules and also apply computational functions to column values. For example, a report containing details of work orders earned during the current month.
- Matrix Report: In this type of report, you can apply computational functions to certain field values in your module and see the results by both line and column. For example, a report on all scheduled appointments with participation.
Integrations: Zoho FSM can be integrated into any service that supports token-based authentication or OAuth.
For example, it can be integrated with an SMS provider to send SMS messages to customers to keep them informed of any changes to the service request. It can also be integrated into any accounting solution.
Zoho FSM pays taxes for your transactions, with regional-specific tax rules. Tax properties can be added for services and products, contacts and companies. These values will be used when creating quotes and work orders.
Incorporate your Zoho CRM account into FSM and help your sales and service teams collaborate with each other. By making it easier to share data between teams, you can ensure that good communication occurs between teams, data duplication is avoided, and you save time that is otherwise spent managing data in silos.
What edition of Zoho FSM should I use?
For customization to work, you need to subscribe to The Company Edition of Zoho FSM.
How do I open a Zoho CRM account?
You can sign up for a free trial here. Note: this will be the standard Zoho CRM when you sign up, not the custom version for manufacturing.
Why can't we customize Zoho FSM ourselves?
You can of course! However, there will be a huge learning curve. We bring together our experience of implementing Zoho FSM – Zoho CRM in hundreds of companies and help you take advantage of this application as quickly as possible.
How much does Zoho FSM cost and what do I get?
Zoho FSM offers usage-based pricing. The monthly fee will be based on the number of appointments made during this month. The billing for the previous month’s usage will be made during the first week of each month.
Can I customize Zoho FSM more in the future?
Yes, I do. You can do it yourself OR hire us at an affordable price.
Can I have a demonstration before I buy a manufacturing CRM?
Yes, I do! Of course. You can schedule your session here.
What is the delivery time?
We’ll deliver the custom version of Zoho CRM – Zoho FSM – Zoho Books within 30 business days of the deployment of your integrated solution.
Am I a prisoner with Zoho?
No, no, no, no, never. You are not locked into long-term contracts. You can pay monthly or annually, depending on what works best for you.
What support can I get once I'm online?
You receive telephone and email support from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from OceanData with online support services. On top of that, you get Zoho’s 24/7 phone support or via LiveChat and email.
