Best Dispatch Software
One of the most challenging aspects of operating a field service business is managing appointments and routing. Without proper coordination, schedules can get mixed up, and technicians can waste valuable time commuting between jobs. Dispatch software is typically included in field service management systems. In this analysis, we did a deep-dive into the dispatch tools offered by the top field service management systems in the market.
Table of Contents
- What is Dispatch Software?
- What are the Benefits of Dispatch Software?
- Dispatch Software Features
- Best Dispatch Software
What is Dispatch Software?
Dispatch software helps service businesses operate more efficiently. Dispatch software includes tools that help office staff communicate with customers, schedule upcoming jobs, and assign the best technicians for the jobs based upon their skill sets and locations.
What are the Benefits of Dispatch Software?
Dispatch software helps service businesses streamline operations and improve communication. This helps save costs, and increase revenue. Here are a few specific benefits of dispatch software:
- Faster Scheduling: With call booking, multi-view calendars, and dispatch boards, dispatch software accelerates the scheduling process, so you can send your technicians to their jobs as fast as possible.
- Route Optimization: With GPS tracking, technician location is visible to office staff, so they can create the most efficient routes possible.
- Improved Communication: Many dispatch solutions include in-app messaging and notifications, so your office staff can easily communicate with technicians.
Dispatch Software Features
Features found in dispatch software can differ depending on the sophistication of the solution. However, there are a core set of features that all good dispatch solutions have, and we have listed them in the table below.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Dispatch Board | Dispatch boards offers an overview of your technician schedules and upcoming jobs. Good dispatch boards are easy to use and allow you to quickly assign jobs to technicians. |
| Calendar With Multiple Views | Dispatch software includes a calendar that you can use to schedule upcoming jobs. Good dispatch software have calendars with multiple types of views, such as weekly, monthly, list, and grid. |
| Call Booking | Many dispatch solutions include call booking tools that help office staff quickly input customer data and schedule jobs. |
| GPS Tracking | Dispatch software tracks the location of technicians in the field. The best dispatch software offers real-time GPS tracking that shows the exact location of your technicians. Less sophisticated solutions update technician location on set time intervals, or when they complete certain tasks in the mobile app. |
| In-app Messaging and Notifications | Many dispatch solutions include in-app messaging, so your office staff can quickly relay important job information to your technicians. Also, many platforms have notifications, so technicians are immediately alerted when a team member is contacting them. |
Best Dispatch Software For Field Service Businesses
Here are our top five dispatch software picks for field service businesses. We will discuss each solution’s pricing & features, and explain why it made our list. Also, we include links to our full reviews of each product.
ServiceTitan
ServiceTitan has one of the most robust dispatch features available on the market today. You can quickly adjust schedules and assign jobs to technicians by dragging and dropping the items on the Dispatch Board. Jobs on the Dispatch Board are color coded, and change color based on the status of the job.
ServiceTitan also includes a map with real-time GPS tracking, so your office staff knows the location of your technicians. Additionally, ServiceTitan includes a route optimization feature that helps office staff find the most efficient traffic routes for your technicians.
Ideal Company Size: ServiceTitan is best for large service businesses. Most ServiceTitan customers have 30 to 35 contractors.
ServiceTitan
Best Enterprise SoftwareServiceTitan is a popular field service management solution used by over 4,400 service businesses and over 100,000 contractors. ServiceTitan initially was used in electrical, HVAC, and plumbing, but now serves a variety of industries including garage door, chimney sweep, and pool service. ServiceTitan is best for large businesses that are willing to invest in a robust system to differentiate themselves from competitors.
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FieldEdge
FieldEdge’s dispatch features are geared for large organizations with complex jobs. In the Dispatch Board, you can place field technicians into groups that will be working on a single work order. You can also create multiple dispatch boards for specific departments and zones.
FieldEdge also includes call booking features that help office staff interact with customers and quickly dispatch technicians. FieldEdge includes call pops that show customer profiles for incoming calls, so your office staff immediately knows who they are speaking with. Also, FieldEdge reduces admin work by automatically populating customer contact information, phone numbers, and addresses, into the database.
Ideal Company Size: FieldEdge is typically used by medium to large service businesses that have 3 to 15 trucks.
FieldEdge is a popular field service management solution used by thousands of service businesses and over 15,000 active customers. About 90% of FieldEdge’s customers are in the electrical, HVAC, and plumbing industry. FieldEdge is an advanced solution that is best suited for large service businesses with more than 25 trucks, and are willing to pay a premium for a robust product.
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Jobber
Jobber is an ideal dispatching solution for small to medium businesses. Jobber includes a drag-and-drop calendar with five view types.
- Month view and week view: Overview of all jobs and employees.
- Grid view: Side-by-side overview of assigned employees and scheduled times.
- Map view: Visual overview of employee locations. Useful for creating efficient routes.
- List view: Overview of upcoming tasks organized in a list.
Ideal Company Size: Jobber is best for small to medium size service businesses. Jobber’s most popular subscription plan supports up to 7 users.
Jobber is a popular field service management solution used in various industries including HVAC, cleaning, landscaping, plumbing, and tree care. This solution includes the core set of features found in most FSM solutions, and offers several advanced automation and scheduling tools. Jobber is ideal for service businesses with a high volume of recurring jobs.
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Service Fusion
Service Fusion is a solid dispatching option for most small to medium size service businesses. This solution includes a color-coded Dispatch Board that offers a snapshot of technician schedules, so you can quickly find available technicians. You can drag and drop jobs on the grid to quickly adjust schedules.
Service Fusion offers a map that drops pins on your technicians when they take certain actions in the mobile app, like clocking in or completing a job. For more robust GPS tracking, Service Fusion offers a fleet tracking add-on that tracks:
- Driving behavior
- Number of trips taken
- Total distance driven
- Total idle time
Ideal Company Size: Service Fusion is typically used by small to medium size service businesses with 1 to 30 staff members.
Service Fusion is a field service management solution that is used by over 4,000 service companies nationwide. This solution is used in various industries including appliance repair, electrical, HVAC, and locksmith. Service Fusion is an ideal choice for small to medium service businesses that desire an FSM solution that includes unlimited users and offers a call center software add-on.
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Workiz
Workiz is a popular solution with dispatch tools that are sufficient for most small and medium size businesses. This platform includes a color-coded, drag-and-drop Dispatch Board that helps office staff efficiently dispatch technicians. Workiz also offers a map that tracks your technician’s location, and automatically updates the pins on the map as they make progress in the job. Technician locations update every 60 seconds in the Workiz map.
Ideal Company Size: Workiz is typically used by small to medium size service businesses with less than 16 employees.
Workiz is a field service management solution used by over 43,000 service professionals. This solution specializes in a variety of industries including appliance repair, carpet cleaning, junk removal, and locksmith. Workiz is best for small to medium-sized on-demand service businesses with less than 16 employees.
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