What is Dispatch Management? How It Works and Why You Need It

December 20, 2024
Content at a glance:
  • Dispatch management is the comprehensive process of evaluating, assigning, and tracking field service requests to ensure jobs are completed successfully.

  • Dispatch management matters because it directly affects the quality, efficiency, and timeliness of field service operations. Excellent dispatch management means workers are matched to the right jobs, arrive quickly, and have higher first-time fix rates.

  • Scheduling and dispatch software and related field service technology replaces manual dispatch management processes with more accurate and efficient workflows.

Field service takes on many forms: deliveries, sales calls, maintenance work, emergency response, home healthcare, appraisals and assessments, product installations, and more. It’s up to dispatchers to accurately prioritize customer needs, match the right person or team to the job, and monitor ongoing field service operations. 

Managing dispatch operations with whiteboards, spreadsheets, or standalone communication systems poses costly risks: an under-utilized workforce, limited visibility into field service operations, wasted resources, and poor customer satisfaction. With the right dispatch software and user-friendly mobile apps, field service companies can streamline job matching, resource management, and other elements of dispatch management.

Read on to learn about the field service dispatch process, the value of dispatch management, and where to start.

What is dispatch management?

Dispatch management is the comprehensive process of evaluating, assigning, and tracking field service jobs.

Field service dispatchers coordinate the people, materials, equipment, vehicles, and services necessary to fulfill customer needs. The goal of a dispatch manager is to make the dispatch process as efficient and effective as possible, ideally with the aid of field service technology. This requires navigating many variables at once: workers’ qualifications, new and urgent jobs, service level agreements (SLAs), customer requests, unexpected absences, job delays, and more. 

Dispatchers are the nexus of customers and field service. They bring agile, strategic guidance to the complexities of scheduling, which means their judgment needs to be data driven and accurate. Dispatch management gives field service staff the info, workflow, and technology they need to be successful. 

What is the field service dispatch process?

Whether it’s providing critical care, delivering timely maintenance repairs, or installing a new product, the field service dispatch process follows these key steps: 

  • Intake – Field service dispatch starts by gathering job details, such as location and service requirements, when the customer makes their initial request. 
  • Assignment – Dispatchers match the job to a qualified worker with the appropriate skills, equipment, and availability (and certification/license, if applicable) to deliver the necessary field service. 
  • Scheduling – Schedulers and dispatchers schedule the job based on priority, as well as the availability of the customer, service provider, and any other resources necessary to complete the work. 
  • Routing – Dispatchers determine optimal routes and delivery times, factoring in traffic, weather, and relevant safety considerations as field workers move to and between scheduled jobs. 
  • Tracking – Dispatchers monitor ongoing field service to ensure it’s optimally completed and that any variances from estimated job times, unsuccessful first-fix attempts, or safety concerns are immediately addressed. 
  • Communication – Dispatchers push job details and updates to field workers in real-time before, during, and after field service appointments. 
  • Evaluation – After service delivery, dispatch managers review relevant performance KPIs, including job completion rates, average resolution and response times, and customer satisfaction and retention rates. These findings inform improvement opportunities and forecasting. 

High-performing dispatchers optimize the dispatch process using custom automations, active AI assistance, and seamless integrations with other platforms, like ERP and CRM systems.

Why does dispatch management matter in field service?

Dispatch management matters because it has consequences for both internal and external stakeholders: it can drive or impede the growth of business, and it can delight or disappoint customers. It can make an impact on field service operations in several ways, including:

  • Efficient workforce utilization – Dispatch management uses intelligent job matching to reduce unnecessary downtime and travel time to make the best use of workers’ time. 
  • Smarter, faster scheduling – Dispatchers can be sure workers are best distributed to effectively meet customer needs. 
  • Optimized routing and accurate delivery times –  Field service staff get where they need to go safely and on time, and customers get prompt service. 
  • Better job prioritization – Dispatchers are empowered to consistently balance scheduled, recurring, and urgent service requests. 
  • Increased agility – Dispatch management tools help field service teams pivot when conditions change without major operational disruptions. 
  • Streamlined administrative workflows – Field service dispatchers can spend less time on routine tasks and administrative work, leaving more time for complex, strategic, and customer-facing work. 
  • Increased worker safety – Dispatch management apps keep field workers informed of real-time transit conditions and help minimize distractions on the road.

What are the benefits of dispatch management?

When asked about their biggest challenges, deskless workers say workload management is their top concern, followed by limited flexibility and insufficient technology. In a 2023 survey, field service engineers said their least favorite parts of the day are tackling administrative work and hunting for information.

An effective dispatch process helps address these challenges by distributing work more effectively, adapting to changing circumstances, reducing manual administrative work, and delivering relevant information to the right worker(s) at the right time. 

Here are some of the most important benefits of dispatch management: 

Efficient field service operations

When dispatch management matches the best worker to each assignment, more work gets done on the initial visit, boosting critical field service KPIs like first-time fix rate and average resolution time. Workforce utilization improves when smart scheduling minimizes travel time and idle time. And when the dispatch process is effective, workers spend less time fielding customer calls about delayed, missed, or incomplete jobs.

Sustainable cost savings

Key operational expenses, like fuel costs and travel time, come down and stay down with the right dispatch process and technology. Better coordination among workers, dispatchers, and managers reduces the chance of miscommunications—like traveling to a rescheduled, reassigned, or canceled job. More efficient travel, better job matching, and smarter scheduling all add up to more productive and profitable field service operations. 

Greater customer satisfaction

Customer expectations are higher than ever, and dispatchers must deliver an outstanding experience. This requires a deft balance of customer service and strategic resource allocation. Dispatch management schedules new jobs faster and minimizes the impact of last minute changes, cancellations, or resource constraints. High-quality job matching means field service technicians are ready and equipped to do the job right the first time. The right dispatch software helps balance field service priorities—like quick response times, on-time arrivals, and effective job visits—to deliver excellent customer service. 

Reduced carbon footprint

Decreased fuel consumption and better resource management reduces emissions and waste across the business. For example, scheduling software and field service apps reduce paper waste by offering digital schedules, forms, and customer signature workflows in a secure interface. 

The first step to unlocking these benefits? Replacing manual dispatch management processes with field service technology.

How field service technology improves dispatch management

Manual dispatch management creates information silos, repetitive tasks, and endless paperwork. Deploying field service management (FSM) software improves dispatch measurably. 

A 2023 report from Verizon found 65% of fleets that replaced manual dispatch processes with FSM software improved operational efficiency. 57% reported improved scheduling and communication with technicians and drivers. Fleets that implemented GPS tracking within their FSM solution reported that they accomplished more of their productivity, routing, maintenance, fuel consumption, and customer service goals year over year. 

These results come fromFSM and dispatch software features like: 

  • Scheduling and dispatching dashboards – With a user-friendly system, dispatchers view and filter available workers by criteria including qualifications, experience, location, and availability. They can make changes as necessary and communicate with field technicians from one simple view. 
  • Automated scheduling and AI assistance – Dispatchers customize scheduling priorities based on unique business requirements, such as prioritizing travel time over worker experience. Automation expedites scheduling and AI optimizes it by incorporating real-time conditions, like an unexpected absence or an equipment malfunction. Dispatchers and schedulers are freed up to tackle more complex, urgent work. 
  • Integrated systems and centralized data – FSM software breaks down silos by accommodating a company’s existing tech stack and consolidating cross-functional data. For example, CRM integrations align customer needs with workers’ skills and schedules for optimal job matching. HR integrations factor technician availability, hours, and qualifications into schedule design. Workers also get the tech support they need, like documentation and troubleshooting guides, via mobile-first access that keeps them more effective on the job site. 
  • Robust data analysis and reporting – With field service dispatch software, businesses gain visibility into the entire dispatch process and integrate with thousands of other data points from across the organization. Performance KPIs can be translated into strategic improvement opportunities, recurring and one-time reports, and a range of forecasts. 

Mobile-friendly scheduling and dispatching – Empowered workers view schedules, get real-time route optimization, and receive live notifications on their mobile devices as job details evolve. Empowered dispatchers push these updates immediately, without the need for phone calls or emails that might get missed. Both teams enjoy a paperless approach to administrative tasks. Mobile services stay available and secure even when connectivity is down, so nobody misses a beat.

How Skedulo improves dispatch management

The right approach to dispatch management improves the customer experience, worker satisfaction, and overall field service operations—but it requires the right technology.

The Skedulo Pulse Platform is a powerful and customizable solution for field service dispatchers. Schedulers and dispatchers use Skedulo to match workers to the right jobs, manage last-minute changes, and push real-time schedule updates to workers. Leaders use Skedulo to turn business priorities into custom parameters for automated scheduling and schedule optimization. 

Implementing Skedulo makes a huge difference for dispatchers: Skedulo users report a 21% increase in productivity and 28% increase in visibility of work execution. See what makes Skedulo a Leader in Field Service Management Software according to G2, the world’s leading B2B technology review platform.

Older post

Related Posts

The Role of Dispatch in Operations Management

Read more

Skedulo’s Newest Product Release is Here!

Read more