Who Ya Gunna Call? Field Services!

Written Tom Paquin- Future of Field Service – October 2021

Because I’ll never pass up an opportunity to write a truly strange article, and I unironically love Halloween, let’s talk about Ghostbusters.

I’m actually surprised that I hadn’t thought of ghostbusters previously when working my way through pop culture references. It is arguably the most field service-oriented film franchise of the last 40 years.

For the uninitiated, the premise is shockingly simple: The Ghostbusters are ghost exterminators.

So let’s consider Ghostbusters in the context of modern service management technology. What are some of the biggest considerations when running a heavily need-based service business that primarily works with the supernatural? Here are some software considerations:

Service Project Management
Not all service appointments are created equal, and that is doubly true for the Ghostbusters. For every slimer that they need to clean up, which is a one-stop appointment, you’ll have to deal with a Vigo The Carpathian which takes weeks, causes ancillary appointments to crop up, and requires visits to multiple sites.
This is why, as a component of service delivery, it’s important to also ensure that you have a strong project management system in place. This will ensure that staff is deployed effectively, that you have all the proton packs and ghost traps that you’ll need without having to go back to the shop, and that even when tickets are aging due to their size and complexity, that the resolution of that job can be managed quickly, and furthermore, that any ancillary jobs be closed quickly as well.

Hazardous Waste Disposal
Apparently the Ghostbusters just store all the ghosts that they’ve caught in some kind of big metal tank. This seems find in the immediate, but having a system for offloading a full tank, managing resources, and ensuring that your ectoplasmic footprint is kept to a minimum are key.

We talk frequently about sustainability in service, and this certainly extends to busting ghosts as well. Building a solid system for reverse logistics of parts, equipment, and yes, ghosts, is imperative to avoid an issue like the ghostbusters run into in which the EPA shuts down the ghost containment. By maintaining and adhering to EPA guidelines though smart reverse logistics tactics, you can avoid excess waste, clear yourself of liability, save money on containment, and not have an increasingly large pile of ghosts in your basement.

These are just two realms of strategic service delivery that impact busting ghosts, but this is far from an encyclopedic list. With the right technology and business plan, bustin’ can make all aspiring ghostbusters feel good.

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About TimeLinx
TimeLinx delivers innovative project & service management software as a complete solution that perfects the sell-track-manage-support-bill cycle that services organizations must have to delight their customers; TimeLinx brings the cycle together in a single application that offers less frustration, better project management, complete reporting, and improved profitability – all specially designed for Infor and Sage.

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