How Much Does Service Request Software Cost?

by George Rogers on April 15, 2015
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Cost containment and revenue growth are the two primary objectives of most organizations today. To achieve these goals, the facilities management team must develop programs to respond to workforce needs expeditiously and with ease. As leaders seek out innovative solutions for growth and increased productivity, the need for agile, reliable, and responsive service request programs has grown exponentially. For many, investment in Service Request software is the long-term answer for meeting these demands. Sounds expensive, right? It doesn’t have to be. Through research and aligning yourself with the right vendor, your return on investment will far outweigh any costs associated.

What is a Service Request?

Service request, facility maintenance, work order, maintenance request – the name varies from company to company. The definition, however, remains the same. It’s the means by which you communicate with your servicing maintenance department and technicians, primarily when regular maintenance, repair, or How do you submit service requests if you don't have iOffice?installation of equipment is requested. For added efficiency, work order requests should include an ongoing preventative maintenance (PM) plan, as well as repairs of downed equipment. Whether handled by email, phone call, or FM software, your requests should include scheduling and documented work order details, so service calls are handled appropriately and with ease. Methods should be user-friendly and leave no room for error, as even the smallest oversight stands to eat away at the organization’s bottom line.

Your Service Request Software Should Aid Your Organization in Achieving Business Goals

When considering your options for facility maintenance software, it is critical you align yourself with a vendor who understands the business’ dynamic, ever-changing needs and is equipped to support those needs long-term. Your FM team must develop a solid, detailed servicing plan, with a catalogue of requests that is both complete, yet simplified. Once the catalogue is complete, this information can be entered into your software solution, where it starts working for you.

Your maintenance software should have the following capabilities:

  • Accept user requests for equipment servicing
  • Dispatch detailed requests to relevant technician
  • Monitor and communicate status of service request
  • Manage and dispatch preventative maintenance requests automatically, based on standards you define
  • Analyze and report on work order requests
  • Evaluate and report on performance

Regardless of the details of the business you manage, the goals for service request management remain the same:

  • To provide responsive, quality service to your workforce, so downtime is minimized
  • Catalog standardized services for increased efficiency and ease of use
  • Automated and consistent processes preventative maintenance requests
  • Develop a flexible, yet dynamic solution that supports the company’s rapidly changing business needs
  • Gain access to valuable service metrics, ensuring responsiveness aligns with business goals

Regardless of how extensive your maintenance plan is, every company stands to benefit from a well-thought-out work order process in which requests are addressed to ensure minimal downtime.

How Much Does it Cost?

The cost of maintenance software varies, depending the vendor, as well as your company’s individual needs. There are companies that offer free tools to help you manage service requests; but consider the old adage “you get what you pay for.” Do you really think such a solution will offer you everything you need? Some vendors offer what looks like affordable solutions to lure you in, only to hit you with hidden costs in maintenance, support, and training, after the fact.

At iOffice, we believe in full transparency; there are no hidden costs. We quote all services up front as well as provide a flat fee for creating interfaces with other third party systems. Our goal is to furnish you with the tools you need, without bogging you down with unnecessary modules. While you will receive a discount should you choose to bundle modules, you will never be forced into buying a product you don’t need.

On average, our service request module has a one-time implementation fee and a monthly charge that varies depending upon how many centers you have. In some circumstances, we have created automated interfaces through API’s with the customer’s IT help desk system like Remedy or ServiceNow. If this is a requirement we quote a competitive, flat fee.

With an effective and user-friendly service request system in place, your company will stand to gain quite a few benefits, from various portions of the organization. Your workforce will maintain productivity and workplace satisfaction, as the equipment and assets are properly maintained and utilized by the team. This productivity will lead to increased revenue, which is good for the bottom line and the C-suite. Additionally, the ability for the workforce to create service requests and schedule regular maintenance ensures that smaller problems are headed off at the pass, before they become bigger problems. Make sure your maintenance requests are properly handled to keep your team on the trail. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

George Rogers

George joined iOffice in February of 2006 as a Regional Account Manager, then served as the Director of Customer Support, and now is our Channel Account Executive in Business Development. George serves our current and future channel partner customers, seeking solutions that best fit their workspace needs.

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