Beyond customer experience: How last-mile tracking benefits field staff

These days, transparency is king. Customers want to be able to track their delivery driver or field service worker on a map and know when — down to the minute — they’ll arrive. But if they feel kept in the dark, customers get stressed and frustrated.

Both businesses and households depend on field service operatives, so real-time communication and visibility make for a significantly better customer experience (and relieve everyone’s anxiety). 

But, importantly, last-mile visibility also has a positive impact on technicians in the field.

Here, we’ll look at the benefits of increased transparency, and how it can make the jobs of mobile workers better — without compromising their privacy or control.

Why is visibility essential for customers?

The Uberization of everything has been upon us for a while now — we track our Deliveroo drivers on a map until they’re at our flat with takeaway Thai, and we know the exact window in which our Amazon parcel will land on our doorstep. 

This visibility and control are now expected from companies of all stripes, including those in field service. 

In fact, when customers don’t receive reminders about appointments, don’t get notifications about technician ETAs, and can’t view an operative’s location in real time, they experience high levels of stress and anxiety — 71% say they feel physical and emotional disturbance around scheduled appointments.

But equipping customers with the visibility they desire is easy, and it requires minimal effort from technicians — helping your organisation provide exceptional customer experiences and improve your workers’ day-to-day.

The benefits of last-mile tracking for mobile field staff

It’s vital that field service businesses focus on how visibility impacts their customer experience, but it’s important not to discount how it benefits field service technicians, as well.

Here are some of the advantages of field service tracking and last-mile delivery tracking for mobile field staff:

• Less multitasking on the job. The last mile is where customer engagement can really shine, and it’s where you can streamline an operative’s job. Instead of a tech calling or texting while driving to provide a customer with their ETA, one-click notifications allow them to inform customers they’re on the way.
  
  Notifications can be sent automatically based on geolocation triggers with Localz’ platform — a safe and efficient way for them to keep their phone numbers private and their focus on the road while offering customers the reassurance they’ll be there at the appointed time.

• Customers are ready when you arrive. Slow or no access to the property leaves operatives frustrated and unable to complete the day’s assigned jobs. And the cost of missed appointments is high: They add to the service backlog, increase costs for facility managers, reduce customer lifetime value, and lower customer satisfaction — leading to poor reviews and a bad reputation.
  
  With Localz’ field service tracking software, you can send an automatic reminder on the day of the appointment, followed by a message that includes an estimated 15-minute arrival window based on the operative’s location and, if you choose, a live tracking map. You can also trigger a geofenced message when the technician is about to arrive. The best part? It’s all automated or one-click, ensuring customers are home and ready so operatives can comfortably and efficiently complete their tasks.

• Technicians can access vital information. Often, customers have helpful information they’d like to share with technicians such as access codes or that they need extra time to get to the door. With Localz’ Track My Appointment, customers can inform their operative of these details and, likewise, technicians can let customers know if they’re experiencing a delay.
  
  And because this communication happens through the Localz platform (via a customer portal or SMS) neither technicians nor customers need to share their phone numbers. Localz’ apps for service technicians also allow mobile workers to view crucial job information like customer details and a route map with turn-by-turn navigation.
  
  

Customer engagement with technicians in mind

A happy mobile workforce is key to delivering an exceptional customer experience. Field service tracking software and last-mile delivery tracking from Localz empower operatives to do their best job while remaining safe and focused.

Here’s why it works:

1. It integrates with your existing technology and processes. Localz’ solutions are designed to respect technicians’ time and fit easily into your current processes. Access our customisable features through the app, via a no-touch background app, or integrate them into your existing tools. Our platform already plugs into top field service management platforms, so there’s no steep learning curve for staff.
   
   

Download your free copy of Localz’ guide to integration.

2. It’s designed for mobile field service. Operatives can use one hand to operate our app and one click to trigger “On My Way” notifications. It’s a small action with a big impact: Drivers stay safe on the road and efficient on the job, and happy customers are ready to meet them upon arrival.

And because we built Localz to meet the challenges of a workforce on the move, our technology is designed so that if a tech encounters patchy network service, the app’s core functionalities are cached offline and will sync with our platform upon reconnection. You can also automatically hold or cancel customer notifications if an operative has entered the geofence for the appointment.

3. It protects control and privacy. Increased visibility is important, but it raises privacy concerns for drivers and technicians. That’s why Localz created different levels of information transparency.
   
   Our options include:

• Place in queue only
• Place in queue, plus ETA
• Place in queue, plus ETA and location 
• Place in queue, plus ETA, location, and route planning

Operatives are empowered with total control over when their location is shared, while customers still get that transparency they demand. And, no matter what, customers always know what their place in the queue is, have access to their appointment details, and can reschedule if necessary.

The value of customer-centric service delivery

When you put customers first and make visibility a priority, you also make life easier for field technicians. The Localz platform is built with your mobile workforce in mind, with tools that fit easily into their routines and empower them to provide better service by reducing multitasking, increasing access, and setting up a comfortable working environment.

To find out more, get in touch with us today!