Reinforcement of Field Service Management System

NIX modernized a field service management system using microservices, resulting in faster development and improved performance. A new mobile app further enhanced customer engagement and operational efficiency, driving business growth.

Business Domain

Internet Services and Computer Software
Service

Mobile Development, Web Development, SaaS
Technologies

Azure, React Native

Business Overview

The client is a prominent UK company that provides a wide range of SaaS solutions such as CRM, loyalty program applications, mobile apps for consumer engagement and employee service delivery, and billing and account management services.

The client’s flagship product is an all-in-one web platform and mobile app designed for home and field service companies in areas such as HVAC, appliance repair, plumbing, and electrical work. It serves as the ultimate SaaS software for managing field operations, seamlessly integrating all aspects of the contractor’s business into one robust system.

Scope

The existing platform and mobile app faced scalability limitations due to a growing user base coupled with restricted functionality, resulting in compromised performance and decreased customer satisfaction.

To reduce expenses associated with in-house resource management and expand development capabilities, the client approached NIX to blend into the in-house team and channel forces to:

Expand the functionality and reinforce architecture of the field service management system
Develop a new mobile app from scratch based on the business logic of the existing one

Challenge

The existing system architecture featured a monolithic design with redundant connections to the service responsible for accessing information from databases. This service operated as both a bidirectional request processor and an authentication service, hampering the performance and development process.

There was also no documentation at all, which limited scalability and impeded the successful development and maintenance of the system. As a result, the web application’s performance suffered and hindered future development efforts.

Solution

Solution

In collaboration with the client’s team, we undertook a redesign of the system architecture and introduced microservices. By separating the services into two distinct entities—an authentication and a request processing service—we improved the visibility of operations, optimized data transferring, and achieved a significant boost in request processing speed. This also helped make the system more scalable and secure and simplified development and testing.

Furthermore, we undertook a thorough refactoring process aimed at enhancing system performance, alongside generating extensive documentation. As a result, we successfully facilitated knowledge transfer, extended support for maintenance and troubleshooting, and laid the groundwork for future system scalability.

NIX’s involvement in the system functionality expansion and optimization resulted in cost-effective utilization of resources and improved user support and communication process, among other benefits.

The NIX team also integrated the following solutions:

FleetSharp
GPS fleet tracking solution with real-time insights that enhanced the accuracy and timeliness of contractor performance reports. Through a comprehensive analysis of the tracking solution data, we were able to compare it with the manual data entered by technicians into the client’s system, resulting in optimized report management and valuable real-time insights on the contractors’ performance.
Quickbooks and Intacct
Integration with account systems provided access to technician account data and financial statistics, as well as the capability to store and send invoices and quotes efficiently. As a result, our client’s system achieved seamless operation through consistent synchronization, enhancing its functionalities and streamlining operations.

Mobile App for Field Service Management

The NIX team developed a minimum viable product (MVP) for the mobile app using React Native. The mobile app is tailored to subcontractors offering diverse repair services, including plumbing, electrical, cleaning, and more.

The new app allows for accelerated development, efficient code reusability across platforms, and a foundation for seamless scalability.

Key Functionality Perks

Biometric login for enhanced security, convenience, and quicker authentication.
Technician’s orders list with date and status filtering, integrated maps, and detailed order information (customer details, location, notes, task priority, deadline, etc.).
Order status options (Pending, Working, Travelling, Paused, and Complete) linked to the technician’s working time.
Timesheet feature for logging working hours, including information about travel time, downtime, and more.
Offline mode support allowing technicians to access order information and update statuses even without internet connectivity.

Outcome

Outcome

The client received a reinforced field service management system with microservice architecture and comprehensive documentation that sped up the process of new functionality development and enhanced overall performance.

Additionally, a newly-developed mobile app with responsive and accessible UX/UI boosts customer engagement and drives efficiency and accuracy, ultimately contributing to the business growth.