Pushing Customer Service Downstream May Be Hurting Your Field Service Business

Anecdotally, you may know that most people own a cell phone, and most of those are smartphones. A PEW report gives us some facts to consider, with 97-98% of those aged 18-49 owning a smartphone. 

It isn’t surprising to see a rise in apps to address every aspect of streamlining service company operations, creating new gaps that may push more technicians to communicate earlier in the service cycle. Although this may initially seem like a good idea, a recent survey reports that 60% of consumers would follow an HVAC technician to another company.

Of course, a key and legitimate reason for technicians to communicate with customers prior to a visit is to update them on their arrival time. However, by assigning this responsibility to technicians, the value brought directly from the company decreases. It also places technicians and those traveling on the road with them in danger. 

What Danger? With the rise in mobile phones, there has been a corresponding increase in accidents related to distracted driving. Regardless of hands-free regulations, setting a clear message that drivers should focus on the road will help avoid accidents. 

The three pillars of distracted driving are:

1. Visual distractions, which cause you to take your eyes off the road
2. Physical distractions, which cause you to take your hands off the wheel
3. Mental distractions, which divert drivers' attention from the task
   

Completing paperwork, communicating with their manager, or the next customer are all tasks that seem simple to do while on the road, but they lead to distractions.

If you believe that having two technicians traveling to a site safeguards the company, consider a recent accident in Lima, Ohio, on September 5, 2025, where an HVAC company’s van swerved into a tree while two technicians were traveling  to another site.

Review your company’s operations and where you can enhance customer service without delegating these responsibilities to technicians while they are on the road.

Drivestream provides real-time pre-trip check-ins and trip monitoring, enabling you to update customers with real-time ETAs.

#FieldService #CustomerCare #RoadSafety

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