First of all, kudos to you for making such a great career choice. You wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t want to work as a field service technician. If you are wondering how to become a successful field technician, you have come to the right place.
Before we begin, let us give you a brief overview of what a field service technician’s job looks like.
Field service technicians are experts who oversee the technical requirements of their clients’ offices and machinery. As a field technician, your primary responsibilities will be supervising installations, repairs, and maintenance tasks and providing on-site technical support.
However, in addition to these, becoming a field technician also involves the following duties:
- Maintain and troubleshoot equipment.
- Lead initiatives to decrease manufacturing downtime.
- Provide customer support and post-manufacturing service.
- Give the builder instructions on how to install windows and doors.
- Plan and schedule extensive security, fire, and CCTV installations.
- Cooperating with technical teams and sharing information across the organisation.
- Generate departmental guidelines to assist the company in becoming ISO-certified.
- Operating vehicles and machinery in a safe manner.
- Manage and oversee LAN, WLAN, desktops, servers, applications, databases, and network security.
- Aid engineering and maintenance ensuring that electrical and other systems adhere to established requirements.
- Providing appropriate recommendations and briefing on repairs, diagnostics and equipment specifications.
Did you know that the projected growth in employment for field service technicians will be from $3.24 billion in 2021 to $8.06 billion in 2028?
The significant increase in demand for hiring service technicians can be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, which in turn gave rise to technology driven solutions like i4T Business.
The demand for field services has expanded thanks to advanced technological solutions supported by automation, IoT, AI, smart devices, etc. Thus, the global market will exhibit a significant growth rate in the upcoming years, with many field services technician jobs available.
On average, the annual salary for a field service technician is $54,339, which is $26.12 per hour in the United States.
How did you feel after reading through the main job descriptions? Are you excited or overwhelmed? Whatever it is, the journey to becoming a field service technician is not impossible.
Without further ado, here is a step-by-step guide on how to become a successful field technician.
A 6-Step Guide to Becoming a Flourishing Field Technician
Step 1: Obtain field service technician education
The bare minimum requirement for a career in the field is a high school diploma. Field service technicians typically do not need a college degree. However, obtaining an associate degree allows students to learn about cutting-edge technology and improves their employment prospects.
Based on recent market research, 36.2% of field service technicians hold bachelor’s degrees, and 3.3% hold master’s degrees.
Meanwhile, you can also work towards obtaining field service technician certifications. By doing so, it will help you stand out from applicants who are applying for the same job position. Plus, the process of getting a certification can unlock new skill levels.
You can obtain certification on any of the following:
- Master Certified Electronics Technician (CETma)
- IndustrialElectronics (IND)
- Certified Network Computer Technician (CNCT)
- Engineer In Training Certification (EIT)
- Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET)
Step 2: Apply for an apprenticeship
An apprenticeship is a stepping stone in a career with crucial on-the-job training. For the training period, you will perform routine maintenance, fix machinery, and install replacement parts for equipment and accessories.
Based on your preference, you can either do an apprenticeship while doing your education or after completing it. However, whichever it is, you will be supervised by a trained field technician.
Basic tasks would look like this:
- Replace, repair, or adjust components and systems as necessary
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of equipment changes and modification
- Learn how to adhere to all service policies and guidelines
- Complete the time logs (daily and weekly), expense reports, and work orders
- Improve your customer service skills while aiming to satisfy your clients
- Assist in delivering parts or supplies from one location to another
Step 3: Develop field service technician skills
Excelling in developing soft skills will bring you closer to achieving your dream of becoming a successful field technician.
1. Delivering top-notch customer service
Customer service is the key to attracting new business. With excellent customer service, retaining and obtaining new clients is possible. Here’s how you can improve customer service:
- By providing thorough consulting to clients regarding equipment maintenance, repair, maintenance intervals, and best applications.
- By improving customer relationships by consistently displaying a solid appreciation of customers’ needs with a customer-focused mindset.
- Maintaining better communication modes with all stakeholders to deliver quality services.
- By always being attentive to new cutting-edge solutions to improve the residential or commercial building environment.
2. Obtaining client satisfaction
This is different from customer service. The aim over here is to achieve customer satisfaction by providing excellent services. This entails actively seeking opportunities for future improvement while maintaining service and customer satisfaction.
Here’s how you can improve customer satisfaction:
- Schedule emergency repairs, manage consumables sales, and negotiate contracts.
- Resolve customer inquiries without delay.
- Work closely with technical support teams, specialists and leaders to improve overall product quality and reliability.
- Establish transparent communication modes to avoid mistakes and misunderstandings.
- Follow up with clients after completing tasks, indicating that you care about your clients.
You can easily accomplish all of these if you have technologically driven solutions like i4T Business software. The software is designed to support a seamless workflow management helping you meet client expectations.
3. Tool mastery
One of the skills you will have to possess is the ability to identify the equipment before use. Your ability to provide consultation based on your knowledge of the tools needed in the field will be demonstrated by this.
Here are some tips for enhancing your tool proficiency:
- Utilise diagnostic tools to identify faults or malfunctions and the necessary repairs.
- Before equipment delivery and final installation, develop testing tools and procedures to certify ceiling-mounted support structures.
- Carry out troubleshooting tasks utilising various hydraulic, electrical, and engine test equipment.
- Assist manufacturing by utilising several types of test equipment to find design/quality issues.
4. Technical proficiency
How effectively can you work under pressure? Field technicians must be technically competent and able to resolve challenging technical issues in order to successfully navigate any crisis or other emergencies.
To achieve this, you must begin resolving challenging technical issues and delivering thorough technical feedback reports to improve quality control.
Additionally, you can organise tasks to solve technical issues to generate income and secure contract extensions from current clients. After all, assisting with technical and maintenance tasks on-site can improve your technical proficiency.
5.Taking preventative maintenance
Did you know excellent preventative maintenance helps clients avoid future emergencies? By developing this skill, you will become a valuable, irreplaceable individual for all your clients. Here’s how preventive maintenance can be used:
- Conduct specific calibrations, process development, hardware integration, troubleshooting, and repairs.
- Ensure proper operation, and carry out programmable and functional tests on equipment operations as directed by the manufacturer.
- Perform quarterly preventive maintenance and repair equipment on the equipment.
Step 4: Determine your niche
Specialisation is the key! There are many field service jobs, but select a niche based on what you love to do. Starting out, it might take time to decide precisely what you want to do immediately. So, research, identify where your happiness lies, and then select the niche.
Step 5: Establish a solid network foundation
Communication, trust, and a great relationship are keys to survival. Building a network that includes other field service technicians and those with similar positions can help you throughout your career. You can share, learn from, and work together with a pool of like-minded individuals.
Maintaining and growing the network of suppliers, subcontractors, contractors, and other partners is also crucial. These are the individuals that will help you succeed in achieving client satisfaction.
Step 6: Create a professional profile
Market yourself as much as possible; it is essential. At the end of the day, you will have the potential to stand up for yourself and work as a freelancer. There are several online professional sites where you can showcase your skills and abilities, for example, LinkedIn.
This will help you while also creating the resume. Make sure to keep your information up to date so that hiring managers and recruiters know what you’re capable of.
Traits of a Successful Field Technician
No one gets ahead without mastering some soft skills. There are specific skills that are mandatory to practise, which can help you become better and better at your job.
- Problem-solving:
Diagnosing technical issues or errors with machinery constitutes a sizable portion of a field technician’s job description. Hence, thinking quickly, making rational decisions and managing stress while working under pressure all count. To become a problem-solving technician, you should be able to resolve any issue quickly once identified. - Communication:
A field technician’s task is to interact regularly. It is only possible to stay in the field with the ability to understand what exactly the client needs. Communication is not just talking very well but also listening to clients. - Time management:
Keeping people waiting is considered highly unprofessional. Working on time with effectiveness and speed ensures customer satisfaction. i4T Business can help you save precious time by receiving automated job leads, invoicing, quoting, real-time tracking, etc. - Attention to detail:
When working with machinery, attention to detail can be essential. Doing so guarantees that the customer won’t experience any additional issues after fixing a problem. After all, checking everything is functioning correctly before leaving the site is essential. - Perform well under pressure:
Most situations will be extremely hectic with utter chaos and frustration. Therefore, learning how to control mood swings and adapt to any environment with a positive mindset is essential. - Be open minded:
The service industry is ever-evolving. As a field technician, you must stay updated with the constant changes within the industry. It may be tools, software or keeping up with new trends.
Parting thoughts
Like all journeys, starting a new career can be exciting and scary at the same time. Becoming a field service technician is no different.
Do your research and explore different types of apprenticeships in this service sector to ensure you make the right decision. Regardless of the outcome, the time spent learning about field technicians will last forever.
Today, you can use technology to plan, manage finances, create detailed analytics and reporting, manage customers and handle inventory. Similarly, you can use services like i4T Business, a field service management software that will simplify your life.
i4T Business can help you with quoting, scheduling, workflow management, invoicing, reporting and much more. It empowers field technicians with real time information in the field and seamless communication with the office and the clients. Sign up today to see how it can help you excel in your journey to become a successful field service technician.
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