New IFS Metrix Service Management 5.5—A New Standard for Intuitive Field Service Management Software

ITASCA, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IFS, the global enterprise applications company, presents IFS Metrix Service Management version 5.5. The new version, formally released today at the IFS World Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden, includes enhanced features for intuitive usability by technicians in the field and mangers in the office.

“Field service management software needs to be intuitive, and it needs to anticipate the needs and problems of technicians, dispatchers, and management”

IFS Metrix Service Management is recognized by analysts and the market alike as the best of breed software application of choice for companies managing a field service workforce. It includes everything service organizations of all sizes need to profitably serve customers and is available on-premise or in the cloud. Standard functionality covers the entire field service lifecycle from customer relationship management, scheduling and mobile service to contract pricing, warranty repair and parts management. Available extensions include schedule optimization for large field service workforces and enterprise functionality from IFS Applications including maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO).

Important new capabilities of IFS Metrix Service Management include:

Advanced Repair and Service Functionality

Technicians performing component repair can now use IFS Metrix Service Management to automatically identify parts that are frequently serviced or replaced for a given piece of equipment -- or for a given symptom or problem. This will increase the likelihood the technician has the right parts to complete a repair the first time.

Visualization Enhancement

For technicians completing reverse logistics and repair, IFS Metrix Service Management 5.5 offers a media carousel to illustrate repair procedures and processes for each item. This is also useful in a receiving environment to allow visual confirmation that the correct item has been received.

Schedule Board Visualization

New scheduling features make the dispatching function more efficient and intuitive. Dispatchers can now, for instance, visually differentiate jobs that need to be completed by two people or have been assigned to a technician under a different team. As same-day emergency calls are scheduled via drag-and-drop, the dispatcher also gets a visual alert if any open preventive maintenance (PM) or engineering change order (ECO) visits exist at the site. This may allow the same technician can do the work while onsite and avoid multiple trips.

Instant Customer Intelligence

Business intelligence charts are now built into the summary page on each customer. Someone interacting with that customer is immediately informed of open, urgent requests the customer has, existing sales opportunities and open escalations.

Part Availability Mapping

If a technician in the field doesn’t have a particular part, he can use a new feature in IFS Metrix Mobile for Android to determine where he can get it. The technician can easily select a part number and use the new “FIND NEARBY” feature to show where the part is in-stock and on-hand on Google Maps. Parts may be located in a mobile truck, field office, warehouse, repair center, drop box location or even at a customer sites with consigned inventory – all based on the user’s current GPS location.

“Field service management software needs to be intuitive, and it needs to anticipate the needs and problems of technicians, dispatchers, and management,” IFS North America Vice President of Engineering Tom Bowe said. “We have been in the industry long enough, and work with our customers closely enough, to understand how we can best leverage technology to solve the most commonly experienced problems our customers have. That is our goal with every new release, and IFS Metrix Service Management 5.5 is no exception.”

About IFS

IFS is a public company (OMX STO: IFS) founded in 1983 that develops, supplies, and implements IFS Applications™, a component-based extended ERP suite built on SOA technology. IFS focuses on industries where any of four core processes are strategic: service & asset management, manufacturing, supply chain and projects. The company has 2,000 customers and is present in approximately 60 countries with 2,800 employees in total.

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