SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Field service organizations need to become more efficient, develop better time-saving approaches, and fix a problem on the first visit in order to meet customer expectations, according to a new study commissioned by Trimble.

The study, which surveyed 2,000 adults in the U.S., found that fixing the problem on the first visit was the leading factor in determining their satisfaction. Yet, nearly one in four participants reported that a return visit was required, with 49 percent attributing it to a lack of appropriate tools or parts and 42 percent saying the technician didn’t have the skills.

“Clearly, operating a skilled and efficient mobile workforce is critical to meeting customer expectations. To achieve that, organizations need real-time access to information about the performance of workers in the field,” said John Cameron, general manager of Trimble’s Field Service Management Division.

“Technology is available that provides technicians with the visibility they need to get to the right place at the right time with the information they need to do their job correctly the first time,” Cameron added. “Customer expectations are only going to increase, so having the infrastructure in place to meet and exceed these expectations is critical to keeping customers happy.”

Respondents also are not happy with wait times. More than 50 percent considered one to two hours an acceptable appointment window, yet nearly 73 percent reported wait times of more than four hours.

The independent study was conducted by OnePoll, a worldwide market research agency. For a summary of the report, visit www.pages05.net/trimblefieldservice/Consumer_Research_Results/.

For more information about Trimble’s Field Service Management Division, visit www.trimble.com/fsm.

Publication date: 4/27/2015

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