Dispatching keeps your field services business moving. So when there’s a bump in your dispatching process, your entire business falls behind. To minimize disruptions, looking at dispatching software for small business options is a great place to start.
In this article, you’ll learn why dispatching is the key to successful field service operations and discover the best dispatch software for your business.
What is service dispatch software?
Field service dispatch software facilitates how you assign your field techs to incoming jobs.
Dispatching software for small businesses isn’t only useful for dispatch services. The right tool affects every aspect of job management, such as:
- Creating work orders for dispatching.
- Efficient job scheduling.
- Preparing invoices once the job is complete.
When searching for the best service dispatch software, there are a few key features to look for. Let’s discuss what they are.
What to look for in the best dispatch software
In general, dispatch software serves one main purpose: assigning jobs quickly and efficiently. However, no two software solutions are the same. It’s important to spend time choosing the solution with the features you need for your business.
Here are the features to consider when choosing the best dispatching software for small business.
Automation
In order to keep up with industry-standard, automation is a must.
There are several aspects of your business that need your attention daily, so spending hours on manual work is not an efficient use of time.
When you automate repetitive tasks, you free up your time to do more meaningful work, such as building relationships with your customers.
With the right dispatch software, you can automate tasks, such as:
- Job scheduling.
- Routing.
- Invoice reminders.
Easy to use interface
When looking at dispatching software for small business, you need solutions that make your life easier. So you don’t want a complex field service software solution with a steep learning curve.
Instead, choose a solution that has an intuitive and easy-to-use interface. For the best insights, check out reviews to see how other users feel about the solution.
It’s a bonus if your solution is easily customizable so that you can mold it to better suit your business needs.
Job tracking
Assigning techs to a job is only the first step. The real work begins when they arrive at the job site.
Your techs are tasked with making sure the job goes smoothly, and rely on you for backup if anything goes wrong.
The best dispatching software simplifies communication between your field techs and your office team. This way, you can keep track of job progress and receive real-time updates from your techs.
If something does go wrong, your techs can let your office team know right away so that a solution can be reached quickly.
Route optimization
Understanding routes is a key component of dispatching, but routing is a challenge for many field service businesses.
There are several consequences to inefficient routing, including:
- Field tech downtime.
- Delays in getting to the next job.
- Increased fuel costs.
Luckily, the best dispatch software solves this problem with optimized routing.
As a result, your dispatcher no longer has to spend time figuring out the best route. The software takes over that role, allowing you to dispatch jobs quicker.
This is especially helpful if the solution has a mobile app that integrates with tools such as Google Maps or Waze.
Let’s take a look at your options for the best dispatching software for small business needs.
The 7 best dispatch software for small business
Now that you understand what the best dispatch software solutions have in common, it’s time to choose the one that will strengthen your dispatching process and boost your team’s efficiency.
To help you choose, here are the top 7 dispatch software solutions to integrate into your small business.
Method:Field Services
First on our list of the best dispatching software for small business is Method:Field Services.
Method:Field Services is field service management software that has the features you need for efficient dispatching, including:
- Optimized routing to boost efficiency.
- Automated scheduling for better organization.
- Mobile time tracking so you stay in the loop.
- The ability to customize and automate your workflows.
- A mobile app for streamlined communication.
But what sets Method apart from other dispatching software is the solution’s two-way QuickBooks sync.
The best work order scheduling and dispatching for QuickBooks users
Method:Field Services instantly syncs key information to your QuickBooks account to speed up your billing process and eliminate double data entry for good.
Take time tracking. Once a job is dispatched and your technician arrives at the job site, the Method mobile app allows them to track their time spent on the job within the app.
When the job is complete and your tech submits their time entries, it only takes a few clicks for you to approve and sync those time entries to your QuickBooks account. It’s now ready to be used for payroll and customer invoicing.
Get started with the #1 dispatching solution for QuickBooks users with a free no-commitment trial.
mHelpDesk
mHelp Desk is another field service management software solution that automates your repetitive tasks, such as dispatching.
This solution integrates several areas of your business to keep it organized. One of the most noteworthy features of mHelpDesk is that it allows you to dispatch jobs over text message.
Some of the other key features of mHelpDesk’s dispatching capabilities include:
- Automated assignment notifications.
- Google Calendar integration.
- Drag and drop scheduling.
10to8
Next on this best dispatching software for small business list is 10to8.
10to8 is primarily a job scheduling software, but since scheduling and dispatching go hand in hand, they have dispatching capabilities suitable for any small business.
Some of 10to8’s key features include:
- Cloud-based instant updates.
- Live dashboards.
- The ability to handle recurring work orders.
It’s important to note that since 10to8 isn’t specifically field service or dispatching software, it lacks some core capabilities, such as time tracking.
CoConstruct
CoConstruct is one of the best dispatch software solutions for construction management.
This solution’s strength lies in its job tracking capabilities. The mobile app allows your field team to log what happens throughout the day.
Using CoConstruct’s iCal integration, you can schedule your team and set up alerts to ensure that your crew gets to the right site on time.
What’s more is that your team members can easily “clock in/clock out” through the app, eliminating the need for spreadsheets.
Other CoConstruct key features include:
- QuickBooks integration.
- The ability to share photos and files.
- To-do lists.
As is the case with 10to8, CoConstruct isn’t specialized dispatching software and is not as effective for non-construction field service companies.
ServiceTitan
To continue our list of the best dispatching software for small business, we have ServiceTitan.
ServiceTitan is made with service businesses in mind, which means that it offers dispatch solutions.
Built for several industries, ServiceTitan facilitates dispatching by having customers confirm appointments before dispatching, minimizing the number of no-shows. Once confirmed, the job is funneled straight to your dispatch board and ready to be assigned.
ServiceTitan has several other features that simplify dispatching, such as:
- Optimized scheduling and routing.
- Job histories view.
- Real-time dispatch updates.
It’s important to note that the mobile version of ServiceTitan is limited to techs on the field, so other members of your team wouldn’t be able to use it.
FieldEdge
FieldEdge is an all-in-one field service software for businesses to connect teams.
FieldEdge allows you to see your active work orders on a single screen, categorizing them as unassigned, assigned, and completed.
The software allows you to assign techs to jobs based on availability and experience.
Additional features include:
- Simple job assignment with drag and drop.
- Real-time visibility into the job.
- Map-based scheduling.
FieldEdge’s reporting capabilities and limited, so If you’re looking to gain insights from your work orders, this may not be the solution for you.
Housecall Pro
Last on our list of the best dispatching software for small business needs is Housecall Pro.
HouseCall Pro is a popular home service dispatch software solution with all the features you need, including great dispatching.
With HouseCall Pro, you can instantly text your technicians with new job information and use GPS tracking to ensure they make it to the site on time.
From there, you can keep in touch with the in-app chat. Your customers also stay in the loop, with an automated “on my way!” text and a notification once the job is complete.
HouseCall Pro also lets you:
- Set custom arrival windows.
- Manage job details and online payments.
- Request customer reviews.
Recap: Best dispatching software for small business
You can’t underestimate the power of efficient dispatching on field service businesses, which is why you need the right contractor dispatching software.
The best dispatching software for small business satisfies your dispatching needs and enhances all other aspects of your business.
When choosing your next software solution, remember to pay special attention to these features:
- Automation.
- Routing.
- Job tracking.
- Ease of use.
Kickstart your dispatching with a free trial of Method:Field Services!
Image credit:Tima Miroshniche via Pexels
