In general, a debrief is a basic process that reviews and rehashes recent events to assess actions taken and reflect on how to improve in the future. In industrial jobs, this process can be a useful tool to help field workers manage their day-to-day tasks, as well as give workers the confidence they need to perform at their best.
The debrief process is used by many companies. Industrial companies, in particular, can benefit a lot from this process. Some basic steps of this process include:
- Collecting information about the customer and service call
- Outlining the necessary resources and tools to complete the call
- Logging inventory
- Confirmation of the service call’s completion
Following are some details to help you along each step of this process.
Confirm Customer and Call Information
First, your field worker will need to confirm the customer information and the information in the service request. This means that the field worker will need to verify details such as the customer's name, address, and other contact information; if the customer was a corporation, then, in this case, information about the corporation will be used.
It may also be relevant for the field worker to verify that the customer was a new client or a longstanding client. The field worker will also need to confirm the call information, specifically, all the services that were requested, as this will be a confirmation of why the service was scheduled. For example, if a customer called about a plumbing problem, then this will need to be noted in the invoice information.
Confirm Call Services
There are many times when a field worker responds to a call and ends up finding more issues than the customer noticed. In this case, the field worker will need to confirm all the services that were required to complete the job. This should include details about the initial request, as well as any other tasks that were necessary to provide the best service.
Confirm and Check Inventory
Because field workers often have to make repairs or replace equipment, it's necessary to confirm and check the inventory that was used for the service call. The field worker should note the tools and equipment that were used to complete the service, and should also make note of any tools that may have helped the service be completed more quickly.
For example, if the field worker did not have access to the latest equipment provided by the company, this should be noted in the inventory check, as this may indicate that workers require certain equipment for certain services.
Confirm Service Was Completed
One of the last steps of this process is confirming that the service was completed. Confirming that the service was completed will verify that all tasks for the call were finished.
This portion can also help technicians reduce unnecessary call-backs. For example, when the debrief process can verify all important information related to the call, techs at the call center can save time. For the company, this can streamline the entire debrief process and enhance customer satisfaction.
Confirm Field Worker Had All Required Resources
The field worker should also confirm that they have access to all the resources required to complete the call. For example, did the field worker have all personal protective equipment or gear designed for weather safety? Was the field worker able to remotely connect to the company, or did they have all the necessary tools? Confirming and reflecting on this information will give the company insights into resources that are required for all types of calls.
Advantages of The Debrief Process
There are several advantages of this process that can greatly benefit industrial companies. The biggest advantage of this process is the ability to provide consistency from field workers. When field workers can provide consistent service, this will elevate the reputation of a company and increase the level of customer satisfaction.
Best Practices for The Debrief Process
Of course, like any other process you plan to implement for your business, there are best practices you should commit to following. For example, field workers should complete the debrief process as soon as possible after they have completed a service call. By completing the process immediately, this will help ensure that all information related to the information reports will be as accurate as possible.
Another best practice is to use regulated forms or even software that will provide a consistent outline for how information should be reported. Software is especially beneficial during modern times as this will allow field workers instant access to this process.
Why Software Is More Beneficial
Aside from instant access, using software for the debrief process is especially helpful because it can be immediately reviewed and confirmed by management. The ability to access the software remotely also widens the ability of the technician to verify certain information related to the process. Software is a huge advantage to have on your side, even in industries such as plumbing and electricity services.
What Software Helps With This Process?
Your company will have a few options to choose from for the types of software they can use for managing processes. However, by far the most effective software to use is a job management tool, which is designed to allow management to track all work orders, schedules, and billable hours.
Let's unpack what a job management tool will be able to do for your company.
The Job Management Tool
The basic role of a job management tool is to create a consistent form that will manage and track the jobs of field workers and any associated data entry that may be related to the completion of service calls. Using a job management tool can be customized to the precise needs of your company.
Quote to Work Order
The first tool in job management software is the ability to turn a quote into a work order. A quote is the first step of ordering a service call for the customer, as this will inform the customer about the estimated price of the service that will be performed by the field worker. The ability to turn a quote into a direct work order will ensure that the service call is accurate.
Some job management tools allow work orders to be instantly transformed from quotes at the single push of a button, which speeds up the process and enhances the productivity of your company.
Work Order to Invoice
The work order is a form that logs all the work that is done during a service call, including all the tools and resources that were used to complete the call. This information is included in the work order to claim these resources for the company, usually for inventory tracking. Job management software can turn a work order into an invoice for both the company and the customer.
Even more impressively, the work order aspect of this tool will allow for the entry of time, pictures, and other attachments that may be necessary depending on the type of service call that has been completed. This prevents the duplication of any data entry and also allows field workers to be more accurate.
Invoice to Payment
This software will also allow invoices to be turned into payment links. An invoice will reflect all the details related to a service call, which will then need to be transformed into a payment link for services. Because the software uses technology, your company will easily be able to email the invoice with the payment link directly to customers, cutting down on mailing time and speeding up how quickly your company will be paid for services.
Additional Function: Track Employee Hours
Job management software has additional functions that will create more accountability in the company and also improves the employee experience. For example, the job management tool from ServiceBox allows employee hours to be tracked with GPS-enabled check-in and check-out systems to fill in timesheets automatically.
This is another way that technology can streamline the operational processes of your business. Instead of employees needing to manually check in and out, this tool records the exact date for when an employee starts a service call and when the service call is completed. This will ensure that employees are paid accurately for all time worked.
While implementing the debrief process can be a great tool, your company will benefit the most from using job management software to streamline this process and make it easier for employees to access other resources. Not only will field workers benefit from this process, but information technology employees and other management will also benefit. For more information about how to streamline your job management, please contact ServiceBox today.
