Choosing the right mobile app can be absolutely transformative for field service businesses. But with hundreds of field service apps on the market, it’s difficult to figure out which is the best for you.
If you’re shopping for field service apps for the first time, or looking to switch to a new app from your current mobile solution, this article will help you narrow your options and better understand what you should be looking for.
Below we’ll explain the six core qualities that service businesses should look for in a field service app — each based on the needs of real businesses we work with and on-the-ground insights from the field service industry experts on our team (veterans who run successful HVAC, plumbing, and electrical businesses).
Then, we’ll walk through how our app works, showing how we’ve built it with those key qualities.
Finally, we’ll wrap up with sharing seven other field service apps to consider. In total, we’ll cover:
Want to see how ServiceTitan works to streamline your service business operations? Schedule a call to get a free, live, one-on-one walk-through of the features we describe throughout this article.
6 Key Qualities to Look for in Field Service Mobile Apps
Through our work serving more than 100,000 contractors, we’ve learned that the following six qualities are essential for service companies to have in their field service app:
1. Organization and Ease of Use
A key benefit of using a field service app is to eliminate lost, sloppy, or disorganized paperwork. Apps should host and organize every relevant document and piece of information that your technicians need.
It’s also important that the app is easy and enjoyable for techs to learn and use. If it isn’t, techs will often resort to their traditional handwritten paperwork, bringing back key issues that an app is meant to solve.
2. Real-Time Access to Key Job and Customer Information
The speed and ease with which job and customer information can be accessed or updated is a key consideration.
If technicians aren’t handed or emailed every document they need for a job, this can create delays or mistakes. In addition, if techs aren’t provided with customer histories and past service reports, they can mistake a longtime customer for a new one, or try to sell an upgrade for a product that’s already been installed — both of which are surefire ways to harm customer relationships.
Apps should provide up-to-the-minute information about all current jobs, as well as detailed service histories and records of any previous work done for a customer.
3. Centralized and Seamless Communication Between the Field and Office
Prior to onboarding a field service app, communication between back-office and field staff often takes place in a variety of disconnected channels. They collaborate through miscellaneous calls, texts, and emails that make it difficult to track which messages have been received, as well as where to find relevant updates and job information.
A field service app should centralize all communications between your office and field staff and facilitate seamless communication, whether it relates to a technician’s status on the job, last-minute requests by customers, or on-the-fly schedule changes.
4. Sales Enablement
Service technicians historically have not enjoyed the process of selling. They didn’t get into the trades to be sales people, but to be trades people. And yet, service businesses want their techs in the field to spot upsell opportunities, increase average ticket prices, and contribute more to profitability of the business.
The field service app you choose should solve each of these problems: It should make it easier for technicians to generate more revenue while also relieving them of the need to be “salesy.”
5. Accountability Enablement
The nature of field service work is that once technicians leave the office, managers and business owners can only hope that their technicians will follow best practices and standard operating procedures in the field. But relying on hope is an uncertain and painful experience, leaving room for shortcuts, mistakes, and missed opportunities.
A well-designed field service app should help foster accountability among technicians while they’re in the field, and also make it easier for techs to provide the best possible customer experience.
This can bring peace of mind to both service teams and managers, allowing everyone to feel confident that they’re following best practices.
6. Customer Experience
Finally, in a competitive environment, providing top-notch customer satisfaction is essential for maintaining and growing a customer base. As consumers have come to expect convenience and seamless customer experiences, it’s important to choose an app that’s easy for them to use, empowers them to make educated purchase decisions, and allows them to complete transactions on the spot.
Now, let’s look at how ServiceTitan’s mobile app works to facilitate each of these key functions.
ServiceTitan’s Mobile App for Field Service Businesses
ServiceTitan’s mobile app, compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems, offers an intuitive user experience that techs love, beginning with the home screen dashboard:
From the dashboard, techs can quickly and easily see the jobs they have scheduled for that day, each presented as a job card with basic information such as:
Customer’s name
Scheduled date and time
Address
Arrival window
Tags identifying other key job information (e.g. potential member, replacement opp, etc.)
Then, each card can be tapped to pull up a dedicated page with further details about that job, as shown here:
This page will display further information such as:
Detailed work order descriptions
Distance to the job site
Ability to get directions
Access to the call recording between the office staff and customer
And as the job progresses, any new assets that are created — such as images of the job site or installation, recommended estimates, pinned notes, or purchase orders —are automatically stored through that page, easily accessible at any time (by anyone in the company who may need to see them).
If enabled, techs can dispatch themselves when they’re ready to head to the job, and office staff will receive automated notifications as they reach the job, begin work, or complete work. Alternatively, businesses can adjust settings so that only dispatchers, office staff, or certain team members have the ability to dispatch techs.
From each job page, techs can also access the other essential tools they need throughout the lifecycle of a job. Via the left sidebar, they can view and utilize:
Customer History: Techs can see previous estimates, recurring services, existing equipment, previous invoices, photos, and videos from previous jobs, and more.
Job Forms: Techs can access job forms that require customer signatures such as warranty agreements, as well as forms that foster accountability and better customer service (such as service and installation checklists, or pre-appointment customer experience checklists).
Estimates: With seamless pricebook integration, techs can build attractive estimates and multi-option proposals on the fly, right from their mobile device. Or they can select and customize pre-built estimate and proposal templates built by the back-office team. (We’ll discuss this more below.)
Invoices: Techs can easily generate invoices and send them to customers in a variety of ways.
Closeout: Once they complete a job, techs can accept payments on the spot from customers via check or credit card.
Notably, our app has offline capabilities, so all of these features and workflows are available even when techs are outside of zones with cell service or internet connectivity (a key feature that not all of our competitors offer).
Now, let’s zoom in on our mobile estimates feature as it plays an integral role in many key facets of a field service app: tech experience, customer experience, sales enablement, etc.
From the estimates tab, you can view any previous estimates that have been quoted to that customer, or create a new estimate for that specific job. When creating a new estimate, you can use a template or configure it from scratch by selecting items from your pricebook, as shown here:
The pricebook categories and search bar make it easy to find what techs are looking for, and each item can be tapped to see more relevant information about that product. For example, detailed product descriptions, flat rate price, member price, pictures and videos, and warranty information.
Techs can then tap “Add to Option” to add that equipment to one of their estimates in a Good-Better-Best-style proposal.
Once a proposal is ready, techs can tap “Present” to enter a presentation mode built for providing a clean yet detailed customer experience, while also taking the burden of “selling” off of the technician.
Customers can tap into each option for more details, view pictures of equipment, and even see rebate and energy savings data. Once they’ve selected the right option for them, they can apply for financing through one of our financing partners, if needed, or close out on the spot.
At that point, field technicians can collect payment however customers want to pay, whether through cash, check, or credit card. (They can scan checks right from the mobile application, reducing your need to visit the bank to deposit checks.)
When the job is done, dispatchers can be automatically updated on their tech’s status, and techs can move on to their next job (or take their break, follow up on unsold estimates, clock out, etc.).
Want to See These Features in Action?
In reality, ServiceTitan’s mobile app is just one side of a more holistic field service management software, which also includes extensive desktop features for business owners, CSRs, dispatchers, and managers.
For a live, one-on-one walk-through of the features we’ve discussed throughout this article, and a look at how the mobile and desktop sides of our platform work together, schedule a free demo today.
The #1 newsletter for the trades.
Other Field Service Software with Mobile Apps
Understandably, many service businesses want to explore multiple apps and software options before choosing one for their business. However, when looking at the software available, it’s difficult to tell the differences between products because—on the surface—they tend to offer the same sets of features.
So, to help you understand the differences between ServiceTitan and other popular field service software on the market, we’ve written detailed comparison articles on many of our top competitors, which you can find here.
We’ll share 7 of these competitors below, a brief description of the differences between our products, and a link to read the in-depth comparison article.
HouseCall Pro
Housecall Pro is a mobile field service management solution for home service businesses. Similar to ServiceTitan, it offers a wide range of features outside of invoicing, such as scheduling and dispatching, estimates, QuickBooks integration, and more.
However, when compared to Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan offers:
Deeper native pricebook functionality.
Ability to drill down further into reporting metrics and trust your numbers.
Automated tagging features that help increase revenue.
Gated work sequences and customizable forms to facilitate accountability across the organization.
Offline functionality that allows techs to use our mobile app when out of cell service zones.
For more details on these differences, check out our complete comparison article: Housecall Pro vs. ServiceTitan.
Service Fusion
Service Fusion describes itself as an “All-In-One Field Service Management Software.” Like ServiceTitan, they offer a wide range of features, including estimates, invoices, customer management, scheduling and dispatching, and more.
However, when compared to Service Fusion, ServiceTitan offers the following as a part of our base product (while Service Fusion charges extra for many of these features):
Robust membership billing capabilities (bulk membership billing, and automated monthly or annual billing options).
Scheduled report automations.
Call booking automations for easier job booking and better customer experiences.
Property data to spot sales opportunities and drive revenue.
For more details on these differences, check out our complete comparison article: Service Fusion vs. ServiceTitan.
FieldEdge
FieldEdge is a field service management software and field service app for service businesses. They offer a wide range of features like ServiceTitan, including functionality for quotes and invoicing, scheduling and dispatching, service agreements, and more.
However, when compared to FieldEdge, ServiceTitan offers:
For residential service businesses:
Integration with Google Local Services Ads.
Seamless access to membership information during call booking.
Adjustable capacity planning to optimize schedules for max profitability.
Real time technician tracking.
Greater customizability and drill down capabilities for reports.
For commercial service businesses:
Ability to create customer specific pricing.
Built-in customer portal with base subscription.
A suite of project management and project tracking tools for longer term projects.
Dynamic form capabilities that ensure staff follow best practices and improve data quality.
Native equipment tracking and inventory management.
For more details on these differences, check out our complete comparison article: FieldEdge vs. ServiceTitan.
Successware®
Successware® is a business management solution for the trade industry, serving HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and other trade businesses. Their platform offers features such as call booking and CRM, dispatching and scheduling, a mobile app, and other tools for running a service business.
However, when compared to Successware®, ServiceTitan offers:
Integrations with top accounting software used by service businesses such as QuickBooks and Intacct.
Clean, reliable, easily accessible data through practical and customizable reports (e.g. employee performance scorecards, service agreement reports, call conversion reports, etc.).
Robust customer experience features such as technician GPS tracking, technician bios, and SMS text updates that can be automated or managed through the dispatch board.
Marketing ROI reports that show which campaigns, geographic areas, and incoming calls are generating the most revenues.
A customer support team focused on building businesses — not just answering software questions.
For more details on these differences, check out our complete comparison article: Successware® vs. ServiceTitan.
Kickserv
Kickserv is another field service management software offering a variety of tools for large and small businesses. Like other FSM software, they provide a mobile app as well as desktop features for job management, scheduling, managing your workforce, and more.
However, when compared to Kickserv, ServiceTitan offers:
Mobile app with customer convenience features with stable offline functionality.
Customizable forms and pricing tools in the field.
Two-way SMS texting for customer inquiries and scheduling changes.
Pre-appointment GPS Tech Tracking for accurate arrival times.
End-to-End presentation mode: A visual pricing tool and estimate builder with good, better, best options.
And more.
To view these and other differences, check out the feature comparison chart on our comparison page: Kickserv vs. ServiceTitan
ServiceTrade
ServiceTrade is a field service software specializing in supporting commercial service businesses. Like other FSM software, they offer tools for scheduling and dispatching, a mobile app for technicians in the field, analytics for business management, and a variety of other tools for running operations.
However, when compared to ServiceTrade, ServiceTitan offers:
Robust features for residential service businesses whereas ServiceTrade is primarily commercial-focused (i.e. we’re more suitable for hybrid shops).
Greater capabilities to drill down into reporting data.
A more streamlined call booking process with additional features (such as access to property data).
Deeper pricebook functionality that’s natively built into our software.
For more details on these differences, check out our complete comparison article: ServiceTrade vs. ServiceTitan
ServiceMax
ServiceMax, like other field service solutions, is designed to provide better visibility into your field service operations. They offer a number of products, such as Asset 360 for Salesforce, ServiceMax core, ServiceMax FieldFX (their mobile app), and ServiceMax Engage (for customer engagement).
However, when compared to ServiceMax, ServiceTitan offers:
The ability to toggle smoothly from one feature to another without the hassle of opening multiple windows, programs, or add ons, which can disrupt workflow.
Advanced customer communication features included in our base subscription (ServiceMax requires an add-on fee).
Highly customizable visual pricebooks that help grow average ticket prices and increase close rates.
Service agreement features that are more tailored for service businesses.
For more details on these differences, check out our complete comparison article: ServiceMax vs. ServiceTitan
ServiceTitan Software
ServiceTitan is a comprehensive software solution built specifically to help service companies streamline their operations, boost revenue, and substantially elevate the trajectory of their business. Our comprehensive, cloud-based platform is used by thousands of electrical, HVAC, plumbing, garage door, and chimney sweep shops across the country—and has increased their revenue by an average of 25% in just their first year with us.
