A major role of a Field Service Technician is to provide service and customer support during field visits by managing on-site installation, repair, maintenance, testing, error diagnosis, technical problem solving and determining proper solutions.
In a highly competitive labor market where it is increasingly difficult to recruit field service technicians, retaining technicians is more important than ever. Companies need to put strategies in place to show technicians they are valued and develop their sense of loyalty and belonging in the company.
Companies have been struggling with a shortage of field service technicians for several years. Competition for available technicians is high. Many positions remain unfilled and technicians can often choose among multiple job offers. Technician aging and turnover is one of the four main issues facing service companies. Additional reasons include job roles and responsibilities, salary level and career development prospects.
Recommended tips to retain your field service technicians include:
- Offer competitive pay for your technicians
- Provide career development opportunities
- Utilize the right technologies
- Make team spirit part of your corporate culture
- Offer training and support
Field technicians spend the vast majority of their time alone in the field. To help them feel part of a team, it’s important to develop a corporate culture that fosters engagement, growth and team spirit:
- Maintain regular communication with field technicians and ensure there are times when they can have in-person exchanges and contact with other team members
- Take into account their feedback on how their service calls went
- Ask them what they like and do not like about their job
- Put measures in place to reduce on-the-job frustrations and, when this is not possible, talk to your teams to make sure they understand the reasons
Field Service Technicians at Douglas Machine Inc.
Field Service Technicians are an integral part of Douglas. They are responsible for providing unparalleled technical support to our customers. When we invest in technician training, we’re investing in the long-term success of our employee-owned company.
Many technicians want to evolve to take on more advanced roles and responsibilities. If they can’t expand their knowledge and grow within an organization, they’ll move to a competitor that offers better opportunities. We feel the best strategy is to establish training plans that keep our teams educated and informed about the latest advances and best practices.
With the right training, teams feel more fulfilled and confident. They will have the skills and expertise needed to take on more complex jobs and increase customer satisfaction. Our technicians also receive customer service skills training.
Douglas Service Technicians are trained with a combination of classroom, hands-on and on the job training. To ensure complete training of our technicians, Douglas has two training facilities:
- A lab with PLC modules from a variety of different types of electronic platforms for programming, electrical and hands-on training
- Talent Development training center with two focuses:
- Mechanical and electrical build with no power or motion
- Motion – this area teaches technicians how to create motion with electrical, mechanical and programming skills on our equipment and robots
Our technicians are cross-trained in mechanical, electrical, programming and troubleshooting. They are equipped with the latest portable computers and remote software. They are available for preventive maintenance, machine surveys, machine modifications and routine or emergency service work. It is imperative to provide excellent onboard and ongoing training for our field service technicians.
Customer Driven Service & Support
Douglas’ Technical Service sets us apart from our competition. When you choose Douglas, you’re getting more than a quality product, you’re gaining a complete Customer Driven experience. In every aspect of your relationship with us, our friendly and skilled employee owners are 100% committed to provide you with valuable and effective collaboration, innovative solutions, responsive support and more. At Douglas, it’s not just what we do. It’s who we are. Contact our Technical Service department today to discuss how we can partner with you.