In 60 Seconds
- •Windshield Time = Death: Every minute a tech spends driving is a minute they aren't billing. Your goal is to minimize 'Inter-Job Travel'.
- •Zone Dispatching: Divide your city into Zones (NW, NE, SW, SE). Assign Tech A to Zone NW. Do not send him to SE unless it's a dire emergency.
- •Skill-Based Routing: Don't send the 'Apprentice' to the 'Complex Boiler Repair'. The software should block that assignment.
- •The 'Arrival Window': Stop giving exact times ('10:00 AM'). Give windows ('8-12', '12-4'). It gives the dispatcher flexibility to shuffle the Tetris blocks.
- •GPS Integration: Tracking the trucks ensures you know who is *actually* closest, not just who is scheduled to be closest.
In the Service industry, Logistics is Profit.
If Tech A drives 15 minutes between jobs, he profits. If Tech A drives 45 minutes between jobs, he breaks even.
Dispatching is not just "putting a name on the board." It is an optimization problem.
The Strategy: Zone Defense
Do not treat the city as one big blob.
- Create Zones: Zip code clusters.
- Assign Primaries: Tech Mike owns the "West Side." Tech Steve owns the "East Side."
- The Rule: If a call comes in for the West Side, Mike gets it. If Mike is full, push it to tomorrow. Only cross the lines for "VIP Emergency" calls.
Capacity Planning (The Heatmap)
Modern software (ServiceTitan/Sera) has "Capacity Planning."
- Green Day: Schedule is open. Open up wide windows.
- Red Day: Schedule is tight. Shrink windows. Increase prices (Surge Pricing).
Skill-Based Routing
You have 3 types of Techs:
- The Seller: Closes big estimates.
- The Fixer: Solves deep technical hurdles.
- The Rookie: Does maintenance and filter changes.
The Workflow:
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Call comes in -> Tagged "New Install Quote" -> Auto-routes to The Seller.
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Call comes in -> Tagged "Leak Search" -> Auto-routes to The Fixer.
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Call comes in -> Tagged "Tune-Up" -> Auto-routes to The Rookie.
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Mistake: Sending The Seller to a Tune-Up is a waste of sales talent. Sending The Rookie to a Quote is a wasted lead.
Verification Checklist
- Home Warehousing: Do techs take trucks home? Route their first job near their house to start the day.
- Traffic Data: Does your routing software use Real-Time Traffic (Google Maps API)?
- Debrief Time: Did you budget 15 mins for the tech to write notes? If you stack jobs back-to-back, data quality suffers.
Common Mistakes
[!WARNING] The "Favor" Dispatch Dispatchers often play favorites. "I'll give the easy jobs to Mike because he brings me donuts." This destroys profitability. Use the algorithm, not feelings.
- Pinballing: Sending a tech North, then South, then North. It kills morale and burns gas.
- Overbooking: "Just squeeze it in." Now the tech is late for the next 3 customers, and you have to issue 3 refunds.
FAQ
Q: Should I track my techs? A: Yes. GPS vehicle tracking (Verizon Connect/Samsara) is mandatory. Not to spy, but to verify arrival times and protect against liability.
Q: How do I handle emergency calls? A: Leave 1 "Floater" tech unassigned each day. He takes the explosions. If no explosions happen, he helps the others.
Sources and References
- Verizon Connect: Fleet Management Trends - Routing efficiency data.
- Sera Systems: Efficiency in Field Service - The "time-slot" problem.
Changelog
- 2024-07-20: Initial publication.
Read Next in This Hub:
- Technician App Logic - The other side of dispatch.
- Job Costing - Measuring the profit.
Related System:
- Automation Architecture - The software setup.