call an expert
Optic Works streamlines its service processes and eliminates invoice errors with FieldBuddy Go
insight into projects and technicians
invoices, always correct and on time
with AFAS
- Route Optimalisation
- Customer Portal
- Preventive Maintenance
- Inventory Management
- Service Contracts
- Asset management
- Checklist
- Digital Work Orders
- Maintenance
- Installation
- AFAS
Challenges
- Outdated software with a lot of duplicate, manual actions
- Poor AFAS input led to incorrect invoices
- No real-time insight into projects or technicians
Solutions
- FieldBuddy Go with full two-way integration with AFAS
- Dashboards for real-time project and team insight
- Self-configurable platform, no consultant needed
Benefits
- Always correct and timely invoices
- Real-time visibility of projects and technicians
- Less administrative burden for technicians
Looking for better
Outdated software, duplicate and manual actions, and human errors. Not to mention lengthy invoicing processes and a lack of insight into business operations. Those were the reasons Roeland de Groot, senior technical specialist and manager at OpticWorks, went looking for new field service software. His main wish? A package that lets him collect more data, streamline processes, keep customers happy, and integrate with AFAS.
And that’s how he ended up at FieldBuddy Go. “I was looking for an intuitive system that both my planners and technicians could work with easily.” How that search went and how he experiences FieldBuddy Go? He tells all in this interview.
Serving opticians
OpticWorks specializes in machines for grinding lenses and making frames. Those machines need to be installed, but also maintained. “We support our customers in every way. We train their staff on how to use the machines, help with preventive maintenance, faults and connecting machines to each other. And if a customer is renovating their shop or workshop? We remove the machines and put them back once the renovation is done.”
Outdated software
For such a complete service process, you need complete service software. “OpticWorks is part of an international holding with multiple subsidiaries worldwide. That holding developed its own service software, which was strong on CRM but left a lot to be desired when it came to planning. Especially in the area of field service software, it felt like they thought: ‘this is fine, no need to change anything.’ But that’s not how our world works.
That resulted in a lot of duplicate, manual actions, very frustrating and, above all, very error-prone. But the biggest obstacle was that so much had to be manually adjusted during the process that nobody could track what input our ERP system had actually received. Everything took too long, customers got incorrect invoices and there was no insight. That really couldn’t go on. Because yes, you can have the best ERP in the world, but if your field service software doesn’t provide good input, you’re getting nowhere.”
FieldBuddy: the best of both worlds
So Roeland went looking for new field service software. But the search didn’t take long. “Honestly, I knew right away that I wanted to go with FieldBuddy. I’d worked with Way2Connect before and was very happy with them. They merged with FieldBuddy and together created FieldBuddy Go, a system that, in my view, truly combines the best of both software packages. So the decision was made quickly. It’s very intuitive, which is especially great for planners. Because let’s be honest: planners aren’t technicians. They don’t want to puzzle with settings, they want results.”
Measure to manage
“FieldBuddy also offers us a lot of room to grow as a company. For example, the dashboards let us see exactly how efficient we are as a business. Before, that took a lot of time and effort. Now I can see it in seconds.
With FieldBuddy Go, we now have much better insight into ongoing projects, that’s a real step forward. I know exactly where all my technicians are and I have an up-to-date status overview of projects. Scheduling a new job is also a lot more user-friendly and straightforward than before. So we respond better to new or open jobs,” he says.
The deciding factor
But what really convinced him? “The fact that FieldBuddy Go lets us fine-tune everything ourselves, I think that’s fantastic. FieldBuddy’s philosophy is that users should be able to do a lot themselves. I like that, because even though the base of FieldBuddy Go is very solid, I can now configure everything exactly the way that works best for us, without needing to bring in a consultant.”
Integration with AFAS
Alongside FieldBuddy Go, OpticWorks also works with AFAS Profit. Roeland explains how the two packages work together: “Before, we could only connect with AFAS in one direction. With FieldBuddy Go, we wanted to fully integrate the two modules so that data syncs both ways. FieldBuddy and AFAS worked together to figure out the best way to streamline our processes. I expected it to be a complex process, but FieldBuddy had prepared so thoroughly that activating the integrations turned out to be straightforward.”
Happy employees and happy customers
With FieldBuddy Go and the AFAS integration, Roeland and his colleagues do far less manual, duplicate work. “It’s also just a lot more workable, for both planners and technicians. A technician wants a screwdriver in his hand, not a laptop. With FieldBuddy Go, they experience less administrative burden, as it should be.
But most importantly, our customers benefit greatly from the new software. Putting out fires? No problem, we schedule it quickly. We pick up questions faster and send invoices sooner, and they’re always correct. Because the saying is true: the customer is king.”
Want to deliver even better service?
Like Roeland, do you want to deliver even better service to your customers? Discover how our software helps during a personal demo. In one hour, we’ll show you everything FieldBuddy Go has to offer. Schedule yours now!
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