Haven’t heard about the field service company’s fact that 80% of them revealed that their customers expect more today than 18 months ago in service standards.

Field service standards are increasingly expected at a high rate. Thus, field service companies need effective field service management which lies greatly on field service teams. Here, the field service engineer plays a crucial role in building and leading the field service teams for greater productivity.

Why is field service management essential for industries?

Right-field service management systems aid an organization in managing its resources by integrating data from enterprise purchase management systems with remote data from the field, including IoT and mobile devices. 

When installing, maintaining, or repairing equipment and troubleshooting systems or assets, field service management includes sending workers or contractors to a site of the company’s property.

Field service managers oversee the work of field service technicians who offer clients specialized, technical, or proprietary services as well as the field resources of their firm.

Who are Field Service Engineers and What do they do?

Field service engineers create, install, and fix equipment in various technological domains. Their offerings include nearly comprehensive technical services and assistance with end-user client technology operations.

They can work in manufacturing facilities, the public sector, and both. They frequently have to instruct clients on the proper use of particular hardware kinds.

Field service engineers assist clients in resolving issues. While keeping an eye on current topics and occasionally working with other experts, they install new hardware, software, or systems. They also handle the administration and monitoring of recently purchased machinery and systems. 

Read here: 5 Best Field Force Management Software

Assigned activities include system installation and commissioning, calibration, scheduled and corrective maintenance, and other technical services tasks. Engineers also manage call handling. They also conduct operator-level troubleshooting and teach clients how to use equipment.

While considering, a field service engineer’s career involves interacting with somebody every day. Engineers acquire a deep understanding of computer software and technology in addition to their strong people and mechanical skills.

On average, field service engineers need to hold a bachelor’s degree in a technical field. 

Difference between Field Service Technicians and Field Service Engineers 

It is simple to understand why field service technicians and field service engineers are often used identically. On the other hand, engineers usually have additional responsibilities.

Field technicians need an associate degree, whereas a bachelor’s degree is usually required for engineers. Related technical training and experience are frequently taken into account in addition to or instead of formal schooling requirements. More strategic tasks, such as planning maintenance, enhancements, and ongoing innovation, are also more likely to be performed by engineers. However, technicians are more likely to handle equipment individually. 

Usually, the duties of a field service engineer center on how various software, hardware, and system components interact with one another. They are frequently observed doing hands-on maintenance or repairs on intricate technological devices.

Among the duties performed by field service engineers could be the following:

• Solving technical issues 
• Task assignment at every job site 
• Producing detailed technical reports 
• Carrying out emergency assistance 
• Verify that facility safety regulations are followed to the letter. 
• Instruction in the operation of the machine for others 
• However, field service technicians could also be in charge of the following: 
• Monitoring the inventory of parts 
• The timely accomplishment of planned maintenance tasks 
• Competent communication with clients 
• Carrying out maintenance and repairs that are necessary 
• Maintaining clean infrastructure and equipment. 

One of the most crucial aspects of an engineer’s professional profile is having a significant amount of soft skills. They must also possess strong interpersonal competencies, excellent communication abilities, and a deep technical understanding of how firms operate. 

While engineers are more interested in project management, technicians are frequently more hands-on.

How do Field Service Engineers Carry Out their Everyday Tasks?

Companies that specialize in onsite technical work can benefit greatly from having field service engineers on the team. Their ability to help clients manage their equipment over time makes them a vital service for any organization that runs technical facilities.

A key component of the work is facility management. Facilities management is a business practice that concentrates on offering effective and efficient support services to enterprises. It is the process of efficiently overseeing the people, technology, and physical space within a facility. 

Facility managers often rely on field service engineers to ensure that the technical aspects of the facility are operating as intended. For engineers, technical maintenance is the most frequent request made by facility managers.

Engineers may be expected to develop commercial plans or conduct analyses in addition to handling the technical and maintenance requirements of facility management. Evaluating energy efficiency and possible areas for improvement through large-scale data analytics is one of the current trends in facility management.

Also read: Field Tracking App for Plumbing Service

When establishing strategies, facility managers may ask engineers to include sensor technology in the equipment. An organization can use its equipment to establish an Internet of Things (IoT) network by utilizing sensor technology, a developing idea in facilities management.

Facilities managers can use facility management software to perform remote monitoring when such technology is extensively used within an organization.

These are only some of the tasks that a field service engineer could be called upon to complete. In addition to providing support when needed, they are frequently expected to help in the development of sustainability plans.

Of course, businesses that hire field service engineers usually offer all the assistance required, which simplifies the process considerably.

Getting Started as a Field Service Engineer 

An engineering bachelor’s degree in the relevant specialty is typically held by field service engineers, as was previously said. Many people aim for senior positions in their employment and climb the career ladder by pursuing a master’s degree. Keeping up with technology advancements is essential, even with an MSc.

The following abilities are essential for a successful field engineer, in addition to a degree: 

• Capability of having clear communication with clients and team members
• Expertise in computer hardware and software 
• The ability for analytical thinking and problem-solving 
• Proficiency in mechanics and electronics 
• Focused on details 
• The ability to handle tasks and organize resources 

There’s a widespread misperception that working in technical subjects means you’ll mostly be using machinery. As it turns out, working as a field service engineer or technician is heavily focused on people. Therefore, becoming a great field service engineer requires having exceptional customer service abilities.

Read about: 8 Proven Ways to Manage and Increase Your Field Team Performance

Having said that, technical expertise is needed for the position. A successful profession, however, requires soft skills, or “people” talents.

It follows that understanding and communicating with your client’s demands is essential if you want to climb the corporate ladder fast.

There are benefits and challenges associated with working in a technological sector. Gaining knowledge and expertise in such a fulfilling sector is highly valued by most associated industry companies. Despite the fact that the work is geographically restricted, finding employment will be considerably simpler if one is prepared to move almost anywhere in the world.

In general, field service engineers make a good living. Nonetheless, the right mix of hard and soft technical skills is needed to live up to the expectations. Engineers are undoubtedly not simple people.

Industry-specific salaries differ significantly. Mechanical engineers make far less money than computer hardware engineers, for example, who are among the highest paid. There is a good chance that the differences between these two groups exceed $40,000 annually.

The good news is that work opportunities should stay steady for some time to come, similar to most highly technical jobs. Any company that conducts on-premise work needs field service engineers.

For this reason, highly educated unemployed engineers are often in short supply, which makes them the most highly sought-after. The need to compete and provide better benefits or pay forces companies to raise their game, which raises standards across the board for the profession.

Empower the Future of Field Service Management with Lystloc

Hence, field service management is growing across the network with the help of field service teams. Whereas, we understand what field service engineers could do and their job nature. Businesses can utilize the remarkable degree of talent that a field service engineer offers them on an as-needed basis. Industries are opting for field service management software for streamlining field service operations. One such field management software is Lystloc, where abundant features are held inside for guiding the field service team with live reports. It includes location-based attendance, multiple check-ins/checkout, calculating fuel allowance, and so on.

Book your free demo here and start live tracking your field service operations!