Nicole Ervin, Business Systems Manager at EnerSys, explained the challenges faced in communication and reporting. “It’s not uncommon for our field service technicians to be away for three or four weeks at a time, completing many different jobs. So, in the past when they completed job reports they wouldn’t be submitted until they reconnected with our systems,” said Ervin.

Operators needed more immediate transparency from what was happening in the field as well as additional information it could report back to customers. Communicating via email and spreadsheets simply wasn’t efficient and there was a risk of information and paperwork being lost or forgotten.

EnerSys needed a better way to manage field service and speed the flow of information. Salesforce Field Service Lightning was ideal as it empowered them to act, manage and report on their jobs from their mobile device.

Now all field service jobs at EnerSys are created as Salesforce work orders and back office teams assign these to the field technicians based on location and skill. Field technicians can then open the Field Service Lightning app to view their appointments for any given day and make sure that they’re prepared with the right equipment.

Field technicians can also use the app for directions and check into the job once onsite — the latter of which supports EnerSys to monitor employee safety.

“In the past, a lot of things went undocumented and nothing was in real-time like we have now. So, we wouldn't know whether a field technician had made it onto a site or whether they had the right equipment,” said Ervin. “Salesforce gives us that line of sight and makes a huge difference when it comes to tracking and productivity.”

Field technicians can now also report on jobs right from their mobile device. Using the Field Service Lightning mobile app, they can go through a checklist to provide details such as how long the job took and what equipment was used. They can also take photos to demonstrate what’s been done.

Some sites are so remote that field technicians may be the only ones to visit year after year, making the information and photos captured via the app crucial to maintenance. “If a site is overgrown with bushes or trees or needs repainting, we can recommend that these issues be fixed. It provides an amazing experience for the customer while creating more opportunities for work,” said Ervin.

Adding to this proactive service, EnerSys now sets reminders in Salesforce to alert customers when shelters and equipment need to be checked or replaced in the future. This takes only seconds and helps assure the network resilience of critical infrastructure.

Streamlining reporting and giving field technicians more information to manage jobs and equipment has reduced the average time between opening and closing each job in half. Additionally, it has helped to strengthen the connection between head office and EnerSys’ 60 field technicians, ensuring a faster and more accurate exchange of information.

It has also improved processes including invoicing, and therefore cash collection, as the business is able to provide customers with a more detailed breakdown of costs and in days not weeks. Ervin said that these details were especially important when unexpected work or equipment increased anticipated costs.

“Salesforce has increased our own visibility into the field 100% and allows us to offer that same transparency to our customers. It helps to drive better conversations and create trust about what’s happening now and what needs to happen in the future,” said Ervin.