Fire, Safety, and Security Systems: Top Challenges They Face

The fire, safety, and security systems industry protects the health of millions of people, and the responsibility to install, maintain, and repair its technology falls on field service organizations (FSOs).

However, FSOs face many challenges, both on- and off-site.

These challenges range from slow internal processes and client conflict to dangerous misdiagnoses and disastrous malfunctions.

Here is a brief overview of some of the challenges field service organizations face every day and a common solution that is transforming how FSOs operate.

Challenges in Off-Site Planning

Clients rely on field service operators to keep their fire and safety systems functioning and compliant. However, this often comes with its own set of challenges.

First, the services an FSO offers are usually very diverse and can therefore be demanding for a single field service technician. If the wrong field service technician is sent to the job, it could result in a second visit, lowering the company's first-time fix rate.

Additionally, service calls have various levels of urgency, so prioritizing emergency calls while still serving regular maintenance and routine repair calls in a timely manner can be tricky. Without the proper field service software, it's easy to double book technicians or give them timeframes that are impossible to meet.

You can learn about how to leverage the many components of field service software to automate these kinds of scheduling challenges here.

Challenges in On-Site Execution

Once a field technician is on-site, there are many other obstacles to navigate.

Given the dangerous nature of the industry, the fire, safety, and security industries are heavily regulated. Therefore, it can be challenging for technicians to stay up-to-date with current regulations from local, state, and federal authorities.

Additionally, a technician may not have access to all of the tools or information that they need to complete the assignment.

Having the proper software system that can improve data sharing and communication is essential to improving first-time fix rates and a host of other on-site challenges.

Challenges in Off-Site Follow-up

Once a job is complete, a technician needs to report on the job. This may include written documentation or photos that can be sent to clients or documented in company records. If there is no central location to store all of this information, it's easy to lose the records.

If the technician does not accurately record the work done, the office won't know what to bill the client. This not only leads to a dissatisfied customer, but it also creates problems internally as it could lead to lost revenue.

The Solution

Fortunately, there are solutions to automate all of these challenges and more. Investing in a field service management software solution will enable a 360-degree view of all touchpoints for both field technicians and off-site employees. 

This will increase accountability, reduce confusion, and improve customer satisfaction. In addition, you won't have to expend as many resources on tedious and repetitive tasks that software can automate for you.