One of the biggest challenges in service work is keeping all the job information organized and accessible. In field services, for example, office staff capture customer info and job details. Then crew members on the field interact with the customer and document what’s been done. How can you connect two (or more) teams, working in different places, so everyone has the information they need?
Disorganized information leads to inefficient work
When there’s not a systematic way to capture all the details and documents of a job, people tend to rely on whatever is easiest. Unfortunately, what’s easiest depends on the person capturing the information and the type of information it is. For someone in the office, it’s simple to type emails and print documents. For someone in the field, it’s faster to use their phone or make handwritten notes on whatever’s handy, like the back of the work order.
So the job info might be captured, but it’s not organized and it’s not even accessible to everyone. The ad-hoc capturing methods lead to inefficiency and added work:
- If all the job info isn’t accessible from the field, crew members have to call into the office to get details or updates.
- If documentation isn’t done on the job, it’s another task for crew members to complete afterward.
- If office staff don’t get photos and notes from crew on the job, they have to chase it down later.
- If supervisors and sales reps don’t have real-time updates from crew, they can’t answer customer questions accurately and will have to follow up.
The Teamup solution for organized, accessible job information
The big challenge is connecting teams in different environments, with different roles: admin and scheduling staff, sales reps, dispatchers, production teams, in-house service techs, delivery drivers, subcontractors, and field crews. Here’s how Teamup makes it possible.
Secure and accessible job information for everyone
Teamup is flexible, so you can create a calendar structure that makes sense for the way you work. Color-code and organize teams in folders for easier visual scheduling. You can rearrange the built-in fields and add your own custom fields to capture text or numbers, select options, and share links. Upload the files pertaining to the job as inline images or attached documents.
With central control of all access to the job calendar, you can keep information secure, share some or all of the calendar, and adjust or revoke access as needed via shareable link or user account. You can share the jobs with read-only access for folks who don’t do the scheduling: crew members, subcontractors, installers, so on. They can still access the information and add comments without being able to make any changes to the schedule.
Stay synced with automatic updates across devices
With Teamup, changes to a job will sync automatically across platforms and devices. If the office staff reschedules an afternoon stop, the field crew will see the updated schedule on mobile. If a crew member uploads a photo of finished work, it’s immediately available for the supervisor. Everyone is working from the same information source, even from different places.
Keep accurate records with on-the-job photos and notes
The best documentation happens when the job is being done. Even if crew members snap photos, a delay between taking the photo and documenting what it’s about will lead to inaccurate or lost details. With Teamup, field crew can use event comments to upload photos and make notes so what’s going on gets documented onsite, in the moment. Real-time records mean that admins, sales, and supervisors don’t have to wait for information. Plus, with a searchable system, they can always find the documentation later if it’s needed.
Improved efficiency and better documentation
An organized, accessible system for all job-related information brings a lot of benefits. You’ll save time when everyone can access the job info they need and eliminate those information bottlenecks that lead to miscommunications and inefficiency. Crew members can review plans and work orders at the site without interrupting office staff with questions. And instead of making a phone call to describe a complex problem, crew members can just upload photos. The supervisor can see what their crew is seeing, provide feedback and direction, and keep jobs moving forward.
On-the-job documentation means better records, too, which helps resolve conflicts and ensure accuracy with invoicing. And the job info won’t get lost in a paper shuffle; it stays on the calendar and you can export it as needed. Over time, you’ll be able to use that data to identify patterns and opportunities to improve operations. Imagine being prepared for that seasonal slump, or sorting quickly through records to compare month-by-month service demand, view departmental hours, or track customer value. See how to set up a calendar for sharing information securely with multiple teams.
