Appliance company taps ClickSoftware for solution to manage field service reps, processes nationwide
Burlington, MA — April 29, 2004 — The service unit of appliance manufacturer Maytag has rolled out a field service scheduling system from ClickSoftware in a bid to establish a real-time service appointment process.
Maytag has deployed Click's ClickSchedule solution, which makes real-time decisions based on multiple variables, such as travel time, resource load, work priority and each technician's specific area of expertise and training.
According to Click, the solution enables Maytag Services to use one application nationwide to manage hundreds of field service resources. The new system can devise the most efficient sequence of repairs for each technician, cutting down the total mileage traveled and ensuring they have the resources to complete the service call.
In addition, by using the system, Maytag will be able to offer reliable appointment slots to its customers at the initial point of contact, whether that is the phone or the Web, according to Click. By increasing the efficiency of Maytag's field service operations, the solution will help the company to make the transition from "next day scheduling" to "real time scheduling" and support the shift from servicing only Maytag products to servicing multiple brands.
"Our appliances run smoothly year-after-year, but whenever there is a problem we want to ensure any inconvenience is minimized, so we have implemented ClickSchedule, which now positions us to provide real time service appointment scheduling," said Dale Reeder, vice president of field services at Maytag, adding that he believes the new solution will offer Maytag a competitive advantage.
In addition to ClickSchedule, Maytag has purchased ClickAnalyze, which will provide real-time feedback on service performance to the company's senior management and service directors. ClickAnalyze provides analytic reports on workforce utilization, workload peaks and performance impact, as well as data on mean time to repair.
Reeder said that Maytag selected Click largely based on the provider's experience and references. "Through speaking with their many national and international customers, we were able to gain a level of comfort that their solutions were both field proven and effective," Reeder said.
