Notify customers via SMS when a fieldworker is on the way to their location

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Notify customers via SMS when a fieldworker is on the way to their location

The OctopusPro app offers an optional feature that enables fieldworkers to inform the office when they are heading to their scheduled appointment. This information is then relayed to the customer via SMS, which includes an estimated time of arrival and the ability to track the fieldworker’s route through GPS.

If your business has a digital phone system integrated into your account, the SMS notifications will be sent using your company’s digital phone system. This provides a more professional and consistent customer experience, as the SMS will appear to come from your business’s phone number. However, if your account does not have a digital phone system integrated, fieldworkers will send SMS notifications from their personal phone numbers.

Customers appreciate being kept informed about the status of their appointment and the estimated arrival time of the fieldworker. This can lead to higher customer satisfaction and increased loyalty. However, if you prefer not to send SMS notifications to your customers, you can easily disable this feature in the app. 

Table of contents

Introduction

Overview of the feature

When the flag is turned on, customers will receive an SMS notification informing them that the fieldworker is on their way to their booking. This notification includes details such as the worker’s name, contact information, and estimated time of arrival. This feature can help improve customer satisfaction by providing them with real-time updates on their service appointment and reducing the likelihood of missed appointments.

Benefits of the feature
  1. Improves Communication and Enhances Customer Experience
    With this feature, fieldworkers can easily send updates to the office regarding their travel status and expected arrival time. The office can then quickly send a notification to the customer, letting them know that the fieldworker is on their way and providing an estimated time of arrival. This keeps the customer informed and minimizes the need for them to contact the office to inquire about the status of their service appointment.
  2. Provides Transparency and Builds Trust
    Customers appreciate transparency, and the ability to track their fieldworker’s progress in real-time can go a long way in building trust. By providing the customer with a live tracking link, they can monitor their fieldworker’s progress, and make arrangements to ensure that they are available to receive the service.
  3. Reduces Late Arrivals and Improves Time Management
    By providing customers with an estimated time of arrival, they can prepare for the service appointment and ensure that they are available when the fieldworker arrives. This reduces the likelihood of late arrivals and helps fieldworkers to manage their time more effectively.
  4. Enables Efficient Resource Allocation
    This feature also allows managers to monitor their fieldworker’s progress and make informed decisions on resource allocation. By tracking the travel time and route, managers can identify areas where they can improve efficiency and reduce travel time, ultimately improving the overall service quality.

Setting up the Feature

Enabling the feature

To enable this feature in your OctopusPro account, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your OctopusPro account and navigate to the “Settings” section.
  2. Click on Booking Settings > Fieldworker Permissions
  3. Scroll down to the relevant flag “Notify customers by SMS when fieldworkers are on their way” and enable it.

Once the flag is enabled, your customers will be informed by SMS once the fieldworker is on their way to the job with an ETA. 

Steps for integrating a digital phone system into your account

In order for this feature to work, you need to have a digital phone system set up in your OctopusPro account. 

You can set up the settings of the digital phone system to use Twillo in the “VoIP call”, and you have the choice to buy a Twilio number so that all your fieldworkers and customers can communicate using your Twilio company number. To learn more about setting up the digital phone system feature, click here.

Configuring SMS templates for customer notifications

You can customize the text of the SMS message that is sent to customers to include the fieldworker’s name, address details, and the estimated time of arrival, or you can edit the template to add or remove additional text. 

To edit the SMS template, go to Settings > Communications > Templates & Canned Responses

Then click on SMS. Search for the template “Fieldworker Is On The Way” and click on it to edit its details. You can edit the text of the template how you want and then click on Save. To learn more visit Edit SMS Templates.

Using the Feature

To use the feature, follow these steps:

Step 1: When a fieldworker is heading to a scheduled appointment, they can navigate to the job from their calendar, dashboard, or booking listing page within the app, click the “I’m On My Way” button, and confirm the time. 

Step 2: The fieldworker will receive a popup message to notify the customer via SMS, they should click on Send.

Step 3: If you have a digital phone system integrated into your account, SMS notifications will be sent using your company’s phone number. If you do not have a digital phone system integrated, fieldworkers will send SMS notifications from their personal phone numbers.

What happens when the feature is disabled

The OctopusPro app allows your fieldworkers to inform the office when they are on their way to their bookings. By default, this also notifies the customer by SMS that the fieldworker is on the way to their booking, gives them an ETA on arrival time, and allows them to track their route by GPS. If you want to stop this SMS from being sent to your customers, when fieldworkers are on their way to the booking then you should disable the flag for it. 

  1. Go to Settings > General Settings > Fieldworker Permissions 
  2. Scroll down to the relevant flag “Notify customers by SMS when fieldworkers are on their way” and Disable it. 

Once the flag is disabled, your customers won’t receive any SMS messages when fieldworkers are on their way to bookings. 

Best Practices for Using the Feature

To make the most of this feature, consider implementing the following best practices:

  1. Train your fieldworkers on how to use the feature effectively and encourage them to update their status in the app regularly.
  2. Use SMS templates that are clear and informative and provide all the necessary information for the customer to track the fieldworker’s progress.
  3. Integrate a digital phone system into your OctopusPro account to send SMS notifications using your company’s phone number, which enhances your professionalism and customer trust.
  4. Monitor your fieldworkers’ progress and use the data to identify areas where you can improve efficiency and reduce travel time.
  5. Communicate proactively with customers to minimize the need for them to contact your office for updates and to build trust and transparency in your service.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues or errors with the feature, try the following troubleshooting steps:

  1. Check that the feature is enabled in your OctopusPro account and that fieldworkers have the necessary permissions to use the feature.
  2. Verify that the SMS templates are set up correctly and that they include all the necessary information for the customer.
  3. If you are using a digital phone system, ensure that it is integrated correctly with your OctopusPro account.
  4. If you are still experiencing issues, contact OctopusPro support for further assistance.

Conclusion

The “Notify customers by SMS when fieldworkers are on the way to their bookings” feature in the OctopusPro app is a powerful tool that can improve the customer experience, build trust, reduce late arrivals, and enable efficient resource allocation. By following the steps outlined in this user guide, you can enable the feature in your OctopusPro account and start using it to enhance your field service operations. Remember to follow best practices and to communicate proactively with your customers to maximize the benefits of this feature. If you have any questions or encounter any issues, do not hesitate to contact OctopusPro support for further assistance.

If you have any questions or concerns about this feature, please don’t hesitate to contact our support team for assistance.

For more information, please visit the Octopuspro user guide and subscribe to our youtube channel.

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