Interchange launches a new "On Demand" business solution for Service Companies

Making it easier and more profitable for field service and solution providers to run their businesses, UK based service industry and ICT systems specialist Interchange Group has today announced the release of a new on-demand software service comprising a set of hosted Field Service applications together with a range of associated business process outsourcing options for field service organisations that want to provide high quality service for their customers and the most effective communications tools for their users without the hassle of installing and maintaining software or hardware or the high upfront software and IT infrastructure investments that traditional field service systems incur.

Available immediately, the new on demand, hosted service is an upgrade to its existing Interchange Service Management Suite and provides web based access from any location - whether in an office or wirelessly from the field and is designed to capture service calls, manage engineer schedules, control assets such as field stock, speed up revenue generation and optimise IT field service workflow - all from one database, accessible to employees, anywhere, anytime.

Customer service professionals can use the system to control contracts; allocate the best resources for a service call based on a technician's availability and skills; manage multiple service calls to achieve specific service level targets; schedule and dispatch a field visit; capture accurate time and billing; as well as generate comprehensive statements of work. Their customers can also access the system in a secure mode to log incidents or queries and get a real time view of progress on any particular call. The resulting benefits include improved customer satisfaction, lower levels of unproductive time, cash flow improvements and identification of incremental profit opportunities.

Because the solution can be pre-configured, the traditional lengthy implementation time for a service management system can be reduced from months (or even years) to weeks enabling customers to benefit from a rapid and measurable return-on-investment.

In addition to the on-demand software system, the Interchange service also includes options for service providers to outsource Call Response Centre and Customer Care functions or access experienced Field Engineering Resources. Interchange's state of the art IT system will then enable businesses to manage outsourced service work as if they were managing their own service staff to provide level of customer service that is tailored to the individual needs of each customer.

Delivered on a hosted basis with a low-monthly subscription fee, dedicated servers or lengthy downloads are not required to run the system - all functions are web-based software solutions that are accessible 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week from any Internet or mobile wireless connection.

"The new on-demand Interchange Service System isn't just software, it's a more effective way of doing business," said Peter Neville, Business Strategy Director for Interchange. "Solution providers now have instant access to the five most critical business processes: Customer care; Service scheduling and dispatching; Field asset management; Contract and SLA management; Time and attendance tracking; and Billing and reporting. In addition if they can get expert assistance with core customer service business processes - for example to help smooth out peaks and troughs in demand."

"Interchange has been supplying software solutions and outsourcing services for the Customer Service Management market for over 25 years and is the most experienced supplier in Europe. In 1998 Interchange launched an outsourced service solution that won industry recognition and was used by companies such as T-Mobile, Samsung, and Ziff Davies. "

"Unlike most competitors Interchange believes that it is essential to offer a comprehensive range of flexible business services, as well as best in class software based processes, to provide the best possible fit to the customer's needs and deliver maximum benefit. Users are therefore able to select from a range of options and services as part of the hosted service."

"For example, the Samsung solution required a qualified engineering service team; customer call centre and warranty management processing as well as customer service software. Today, this type of service will be enhanced with web access, wireless despatch and real time updates from the field as well as customer access via the web. Additional web portal reporting facilities would enable senior management and engineering / manufacturing functions to access critical customer and product life-cycle data to improve product reliability and customer satisfaction."

The solution can be designed to include all expenditure that would hitherto have needed extensive up-front capital investment - even down to wireless handheld devices such as BlackBerry or PDA for engineers in the field.