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In one of our blogs we have already discussed about how to choose the best Field Service Management Software explaining the importance and benefits of a Custom Field Service App. In this post, we’ll discuss about the overall field service software cost and the factors that influence it.

You must have noticed that the price of a field service app greatly varies from app to app but what does it all mean? Why is this so? Well, this is because of the various parts that make up a field service app. There are so many different structures, types and features of the costs involved that it’s a bit hard to tell the exact cost of a field service app, upfront. But, to give you a detailed idea, we have listed the various factors that influence the overall cost of a custom field service app.

Factors that influence the overall cost of a field service software:

1. List of features required: The overall field service app cost will depend upon the number and types of features required in the App. You should have a good idea of what all is needed by you before you get a quote from any app development company.

2. Mobile App Platform: Second factor is to choose the platform for which the Mobile App is required. For e.g. whether the app needs to be developed for iPhone or Android compatibility or both the platforms. Now this again depends upon your requirement and maybe your customers whom you want to target.

3. Modules required: The five modules of a field service software are Work order creation, Notification Manager for Field Executive, Order Execution by Field Staff, Proof of Delivery and Feedback & Ratings. Out of these five Modules, which all modules you require is also a major determinant of the field service app cost. Maybe you don’t want the POD and feedback integration. So this will definitely cost you less.

4. The type of company / agency do you choose: Another major factor that affects the cost of a field service app is the development company that you choose for your project. Some companies have got a pre-built IP (Intellectual Property) and others will build everything from scratch. Hence the core capabilities of a company play an important role in the app pricing factor. We at Debut Infotech would suggest you to go with a company having pre-built IP.   

Coming to the exact pricing, about how much does a custom field service app cost, we have digged a little deeper with some examples. Read on!

What US based app development companies charge?

The cost of app development is much higher in the USA as compared to other countries. We did a comparative analysis of the prices charged by some US based app development companies in San Francisco, Atlanta, California, Los Angeles, New York & other major cities of US. Along with this, we also found out the approximate hourly rates of freelancers or small agencies. Here we go.

If you want to choose a freelancer or some small agency, then cost to develop a field service app would be something like this (Hourly Basis):

Austin: ~$50.
Atlanta: $55-60+.
Boston: ~$75.
New York City: $75.
San Francisco: $90-$160.

Below is the table of hourly price charged by the company vis-à-vis its number of employees.
 

It clearly shows that area plays a major role in the app development pricing and as we mentioned above a company that has to build a field service app from scratch will cost more as compared to an app development company that has a pre-built IP.

Will your Field Service app be worth the money you spend?

To ascertain whether your Field Service app is worth the money you spend, you would need to study your field service business model and understand what all you need in an app. Let us thoroughly understand the 5 modules that make up the field service app and decide which all you need in your app.

1. Work Order Management:  A good Field Service Software should help the business manage the creation, assignment, execution and closure of field work orders internally. Analyse if you need to have the functionality that empowers your employees to create work orders and your customers to get push alert notifications.

2. Notification Manager for Field Service Employees: Ask yourself if you need the functionality of notification alerts in your field service Mobile app that help staff to immediately react to particular event/action.

3. Order execution by field staff: Do you want Enhanced and efficient control of time & materials and want to give your field executive full visibility of the assigned job, its geological location, logistics requirements and equipment.

4. Proof of delivery: Do you want your app to give you the proof of delivery? Do you need an Integrated with Bar code or QR code scanner to scan the invoice and update the delivery status? Or do you want to capture the employee location and time stamp for each delivery?

5. Feedback and rating: This model helps build trust among customers and facilitate the employers in accessing the quality of services being delivered by their field service executives.  Ascertain if you really need this feature and will this actually be used in your field service business?

There is no use of wasting your hard earned dollars on features that will never or rarely be used in your field service business. Many app development companies or freelance agencies will try to sell you a field service app with complex functionalities just to increase the number of hours and ultimately the development cost. So, make sure you do not spend for what you do not need.

So, what’s the best custom Field Service solution out there?

A company which has already tailored custom field service app for numerous clients and has already invented the wheel can be your best bet instead of a company that will make everything from scratch. Work order creation is the base for every app. Pricing depends on various parameters that make up the entire journey of that work order.

Below is the detailed pricing structure for a field service app with details of some functionality.

Price of Proof of Delivery module & Rating/feedback module that complete the following features (iPhone/Android app):

Pricing:
Back end and API cost: $ 4,000
I phone app cost (Driver): $ 7000
Android app: $ 8000
Custom UI/UX: $ 1500

Features:
 a) Geofencing and Geotagging: Ensure all deliveries go to the right place every time, and proof of delivery is recorded.
 b) Maps & Navigation: Increase driver efficiency with GPS route navigation, and eliminate the need for additional GPS hardware.
c) Enterprise-Grade Barcode Scanning: Scan packages with the speed and precision of a dedicated barcode scanner, using a smartphone.
d) Electronic Proof of Delivery with Signature & Photo Capture: Improve existing processes and increase visibility by tracking deliveries from a lightweight mobile device.
e) Real-Time Notifications of Expected Delivery Time: Increase customer satisfaction with up-to-date expected delivery times based on driver location.
f) Driver Performance Tracking and Delay Alerts: Track driver performance and gain insight to improve processes with our analytics dashboard.
g) Offline Operation: Operate offline and work efficiently to record deliveries in areas without network connectivity.
h) Data Security (HTTPS and 256-Bit Encryption): Secure Proof of Delivery app data with 256-bit encryption, keeping things private and protected.
i) Feedback: Customer can give feedback to the drivers (email alert will be send to the customer after job is completed)
j.) Admin Interface: Robust Admin interface (feature can be provided based on the requirements)
We can customize the product if client require less features or more features and accordingly the field service app cost would vary.

Conclusion

In order to navigate the array of pricing possibilities, analyse the various requirements of your field service business. Try to understand the basic needs and decide that which modules you need in the field service app customised for your business. Each feature is a cost driver and thus, depending upon your requirements you can well know what all is required in your custom field service app and how much will it exactly cost to manage your field service business.

For a custom quote on how technology can enable your field service business, feel free to get in touch with us.