Written by Sarah Nicastroof, Future of Field Service
This year has been marked by volatile and often frightening extreme weather – from massive floods in the northeast, wildfires in Canada, the western U.S. and Hawaii, to record-setting heat waves across the country. In late July, people were dying from extreme heat in Arizona while skiing in California. Faced with these unpredictable conditions, companies that rely on field service technicians need a field service management solution that efficiently supports a mobile workforce, maintains operational efficiency and adapts to challenging circumstances for both employees and customers. Service management software that provides real time updates, tracks fluctuating time rates and enables field service operations is now essential to keeping operations running smoothly.
A recent article in the New York Times highlighted the challenges extreme heat poses for air conditioning repair companies, focusing on José Guerrero in Phoenix. Guerrero runs a small company with mostly family members and has struggled to keep up with demand while working in attics where temperatures have exceeded 150 degrees. There are times when work simply cannot continue, risking fainting or worse. This scenario underscores the importance of management software solutions and mobile app capabilities for service teams. Real time communication between field technicians and dispatchers, combined with an efficient service management system, enables companies to balance workloads, protect personnel, ensure customer service and maintain operational efficiency even during surges in demand.
With weather extremes increasing throughout nearly every season, field service companies need technology that factors weather and other considerations into planning and scheduling optimization. By integrating predictive maintenance features and scheduling tools into daily operations, companies can create a more resilient approach that safeguards customer satisfaction and technician well-being. Field service solutions also support operations by leveraging real time data on road closures, heat alerts and other hazards, helping organizations make pivotal decisions quickly.
Extreme weather events are not just driving up the number of calls for HVAC repair teams and utility companies; they are also making it difficult for technicians to reach job sites. In Vermont, flooding washed away major roadways. In the west, wildfires can make areas inaccessible. While weather forecasting has made some conditions – like snowstorms or heavy rain – more predictable, the aftermath of these events can increase service demand and make customers much harder to reach. Deploying field service software with inventory management and real time updates helps reduce delays, uphold customer experience and coordinate with stakeholders during critical operations.
These conditions can disrupt routing and scheduling and put employees at risk. Planning and scheduling solutions must be agile enough to reroute work, even as ground conditions constantly change. Comprehensive management platforms with field service mobile apps provide seamless communication across business teams, giving technicians and dispatchers real time visibility of routes, weather conditions and safety protocols. This empowers service management strategies to shift priorities promptly when needed.
Weather can have a significant impact on service delivery in several ways:
Demand: When a heat dome spreads across the American west and south, demand for HVAC repair and electrical utility service calls spikes; the same happens during frigid winter temperatures. Planning solutions must ramp up rapidly to accommodate increased volume, and companies need to deploy more technicians on short notice. An agile service software approach with scheduling and dispatching capabilities is key to scaling field service operations. Advanced software can help reassign technicians, factor in time data and increase customer satisfaction by keeping communication open.
Routing: Severe weather events like flooding in Vermont or wildfires can force utility technicians to work alongside first responders in disaster zones. Routes may be blocked by traffic or impassable roads. Technicians should be able to communicate these obstacles back to dispatch and have them incorporated into routing technology, then inform customers (and possibly emergency personnel) about delays. This requires agile mobile technology and intelligent routing solutions. Platforms designed for field service management and scheduling can recalculate routes quickly while enabling real time communication via mobile app, maintaining operational efficiency and meeting customer expectations.
Safety: In emergencies, safety can be overlooked but remains crucial. Routing a technician safely to a customer does not mean they should work on an asphalt roof in 120-degree heat or remain in the path of fire or floodwaters. Technicians need plans for hydration and breaks, appropriate clothing and safety gear, and the ability to communicate concerns to customers and supervisors without fear of reprisal. Incorporating repair protocols into service management systems ensures field teams follow safety guidelines.
Safety planning can go further. On the Gulf Coast, many companies keep provisions on hand in case workers are stranded during hurricane season – food, blankets, beds, life vests and more. For service teams operating in severe weather zones, this planning becomes even more vital as conditions worsen. Equipping technicians with a mobile workforce solution supports them in difficult scenarios and reinforces customer service by allowing them to prioritize tasks without compromising safety.
Planning and scheduling optimization tools use multiple parameters to route technicians — experience, client requirements, drive times and traffic. Weather is harder to predict, but as conditions become more severe, field service companies and software providers must do a better job incorporating weather data to ensure technicians reach customers quickly and safely. Leveraging platforms like Salesforce Field Service or similar management solutions highlights the benefits of robust weather data and dynamic rerouting capabilities.
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