The time has come to evaluate your field service tech stack, but can you evolve your operations without disrupting your independent pros and end-customers?

Why Is Implementation important? 

When a company invests in new software they’re taking a big risk. Implementing new software can take a lot of time and money and software vendors often over-promise and underdeliver on how smooth implementation will actually be. 

It’s not uncommon for companies to buy software and spend way more time and money getting it up and running than initially anticipated. When companies rely on third-party contractors, that implementation becomes even more challenging because you have little control over what your third-party contractors do. 

There are two common pitfalls that companies often face when implementing new software: adoption and integration. 

One of the biggest risks you’ll take is spending a significant amount of money on new software, for your third-party network not to adopt it. Maybe they have their own software and don’t want to use another. Maybe they’re low tech and using any software at all seems like an inconvenience. Whatever the reason, contractors that don’t want to adopt your software can cost you money. 

When it comes to integration, you have to make sure that this new software integrates seamlessly with your existing tech stack. Your CRM, ERM, FSM, and other software all need to be able to communicate with each other so your team has all of the information they need to do their jobs effectively. After you’ve already purchased new software is the wrong time to ensure that all of your software will play nice with each other. 

How to Make Sure Implementation Goes Well 

Have a plan/timeline

The worst thing you can do is go into implementation without a plan. Having a plan and timeline for implementation and getting buy-in from all stakeholders, including the software company you’re purchasing from is very important. If participation is needed across teams for a smooth implementation, then making sure everyone knows what role they play is critical. 

Make sure every stakeholder is included in implementation:

As previously mentioned, getting everyone on the same page for implementation is crucial for success. The software company may work closely with your IT team to successfully implement your new software, but there may be other departments or teams that have a prominent role in the success of your implementation. 

Understand how this new software will integrate with other software 

Making sure your new software will play nice with other software your organization already uses is an often overlooked part of software shopping. Think about what it will take to get the new software integrated with your current software, whether it be homegrown or purchased. If your new software needs to integrate with existing software from another company be sure to loop in the existing company’s support team when deciding on your timeline/implementation plan. Forgetting to include them in the planning process can lead to your implementation timeline being blown or going over budget. 

Don’t fix what isn’t broken

When it comes to your independent service providers, they may not want to adapt to your systems when doing work on your behalf. Working with independent resources means you need to be flexible – make sure you implement a system that can communicate with the field service software your pros are already using.

Do you need specialized resources to help you integrate? 

Some software might require you to hire a consultant or someone with a specialized knowledge of that software to implement it. If so, your team will need to include the interviewing and hiring of a consultant in your timeline and budget.

Dispatch has an entire team dedicated to a smooth implementation and adoption of our software. Our Professional Services team will work directly with you to make sure Dispatch integrates and communicates seamlessly with your existing systems, and our Contractor Engagement team will make sure Dispatch is adopted and used by your independent pros.

In addition, we’re purpose fit to integrate seamlessly with other software you may already be using. If your company is currently software shopping don’t forget to ask about implementation so you can get your new tool up and running smoothly. 

Learn more about our enterprise and FSM integration partners.