What Does it Mean to Be an Innovative Field Service Business?

1. Careful planning and attention

Where in your business is there room for growth or improvement? This is where you’ll want to start to begin making changes. And remember, you aren’t just looking for a quick fix to make processes faster. You are looking for ways to completely alter your process so that they are more streamlined, efficient, and can ultimately improve your bottom line.

2. Awareness of innovation blocks

Do you have staff who aren’t willing to change or systems that are outdated? These things can hold you back from implementing new systems or from thinking beyond what’s right in front of you.

3. Willingness to step outside of the norm

When looking for ways to revolutionise your own business, consider looking for examples of innovation outside of your industry or region. You may find inspiration to think outside the box when you look at organisations vastly different from your own.

4. Don’t make assumptions

Never assume that processes in your business are as good as they can get — maybe they are, but be willing to evaluate other options. As Harvard Business Review states, “At its heart, every operational innovation defies an assumption about how work should be done.” In other words, are there areas in your business where you have assumed that your current processes are the best way to do things? By thinking outside the box, you may surprise yourself and find a way to innovate when you stop assuming that your processes can’t be handled in a different manner.

5. Ask probing questions

Sometimes, the best way to break out of the mundane is to ask yourself (and your team!) questions that help you think in a fresh, new light. Are you doing the bare minimum to share information about schedules, invoices, and job details with your customers, or could you improve? Innovation could look like changing the way you interact with your clients to not only improve their service, but also to reimagine what is possible. How do field staff in your business record job details? If those notes are scribbled on a sheet of paper or sent over in a text message, is that really the best way to communicate? Think about changing the way your field staff relay their job details as that will make life easier and cut down on miscommunication for managers, office staff, and other staff on a job.