Harnessing Data from Field Personnel for Competitive Advantage
Resource Management
Effective resource management means that the planned workforce is appropriate for the anticipated workload and is
the most efficient resource allocation within the constraints of company policies and union rules. Resource
management is a pre-requisite for efficient assignment of work to workforce—the work assignment process cannot
effectively assign work if the scheduled workforce is a poor match for the workload. Resource management not only
provides the framework for minimizing overtime and meeting appointments, it also identifies resource under
utilization. This creates the opportunity to perform more work or reduce the resource profile within the bounds of
organizational work practices. This is particularly important consideration for contractor workforces.
The resource management process involves allocating technicians and equipment to work areas and shifts based on
historical workload (e.g., what happened last year), planned workload (e.g., building a new subdivision), and
expected but unpredictable events (e.g., a bad storm). Resource management defines, plans, controls and tracks the
technicians and crews that perform work and their attributes that affect work assignment. It addresses the long-term
allocation of resources to locations, crews and shifts, the short-term adjustment of resource allocation to address
unexpected conditions such as sickness and unplanned work, and the real-time tracking of resource status and
location.
Order Management
Orders management cooperates with enterprise applications such as Customer Information System (CIS) create,
manipulate, control and complete work. Order management automates the work order life cycle from the time the
service orders are released from the CIS until they are completed by technicians. It provides technicians with timely
access to all the information they need to complete work right the first time. It collects accurate and timely work
results from the field. It provides stakeholders in the order process (e.g., technicians, call takers, managers,
customers) with real-time information on service order requirements and work results.
Order management provides a platform for viewing and manipulating work spanning the entire enterprise. In
combination with resource management and scheduling this represents a tremendous opportunity to more effectively
manage work. It separates work orders attributes that affect assignment and control of the work from those that are
instructions to technicians responsible for performing the work.
Dispatch Management
Dispatch management is the real-time monitoring of the work force as it processes work requests. Timely feedback
of work status and work results minimizes end-of-day effort, increases the accuracy of the information, informs
dispatchers of work progress, and alerts them to unusual circumstances requiring attention. When the work force is
ahead of schedule, timely feedback provides a means to make the necessary adjustment to offer more service
appointments to customers. Likewise if the work force falls behind schedule, the adjustment of appointment
offerings, overtime, and/or changing the sequence of the load is necessary to meet customer expectations and cost
constraints.
Dispatch management delivers both a macro view of the progress of work across the organization as well as a
detailed view of the status of individual work orders. It is real-time status information on technician activities and
order status drives workload balancing. Unusual or high priority events requiring special handling (e.g.,
emergencies) are dealt with expeditiously.
Time Reporting
Time reporting is the tracking and adjustment of employee time information for export to enterprise applications
such as payroll and billing. Time reporting is all about accountability. It is the basis for accountable work practices
and billing. Tracking actual employee time stamps as work progresses encourages timely updates of technician
status. Allowing audited adjustments of actual time stamps allows technicians to explain deviations from standard
work practices (e.g., why it took longer than normal to travel to a job). Accurate and accountable time reporting is
critical when performing billable work or when working with contractor workforces.
Operations Analysis
Operations analysis is the on-line tracking, monitoring and study of key business indicators to aid management
decision-making. The goal of Operations Analysis is to increase the effectiveness of the decision-making and
direction setting process related to workforce management. Operations Analysis allows companies to improve
insights into trends in their operations and increase the accuracy of forecasts and plans.
Mobility Management
Mobility management is about eliminating the barrier between field resources and the corporate information they
need to perform their work. It deals with the unique problems of operating remotely in a wireless environment. In
addition to providing field workers with access to workforce management capabilities, it enables access to other
corporate applications, manage connectivity to handle wireless constraints, and present an integrated mobile desktop
for the field worker.
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