Today’s must-do list for field service management software Challenge #4: give me a 360-degree view of my projects

When you either bid on a project or quote on a job, that’s your best estimate of how to complete the work and what you propose to charge. Still, how many projects goexactly to plan? How many end up costing youprecisely what you figured?

Fact is, every time you start a project, there’s a lot you don’t know.

How will labor hours align with your projection? How much overtime will you need to pay? How will equipment usage square-up with your estimate? Will you need to rent equipment to complete the work? Before you even start the project, do your people have all the certifications they need to work on the jobsite?

There’s one sure way to know the answers to these questions. Wait until the project is complete. Tally up those paper field tickets, add in any extra rental charges, subtract your expenses from your revenue and see where you land.

Of course, settling-up at the end can produce an unpleasant surprise. If your costs were higher than expected, you could lose money. If your people or equipment didn’t have the right certifications, your reputation can suffer.

For many years in this industry, that’s just how it was. As more customers shared this experience with VistaVu Solutions, we knew there needed to be a better way. So, we built it.

Our all-in-one, field service management software solution is called FieldVu. Built to integrate with SAP Business One, Quickbooks® and now SAP Business ByDesign, it’s specifically for energy services companies. FieldVu gives you unprecedented visibility into your projects, as they happen.

With FieldVu’s electronic field ticketing, if labor costs are trending high, you’ll know it today, not in a month. If some of your people need additional certifications, FieldVu can tell you before they get sent home from the job site. If you need more equipment, FieldVu can tell you which pieces of yourequipment are available and inspected, so you don’t need to rent. If you incur third-party costs for a project, FieldVu makes sure they’re on the customer’s invoice, so you’re not stuck holding extra costs.

With the 360-degree perspective of FieldVu, you have a constant view of the progress and profitability of any project. When it goes according to plan, and costs the same as your quote, that’s not luck. That’s your good management, with a little help from FieldVu.