Supplier demos rarely stress-test the things that actually break in the field. Our selection guide sets out what to probe before you shortlist anyone.
- Offline capability, defined properly. Not just closing existing jobs. Can engineers raise new ones, pull full asset history, read site hazard notes and customer comments while disconnected? Test it somewhere with genuinely no signal
- Scheduling logic. Real road travel times rather than straight-line distance, certification matching, hours already worked, parts availability, and gap-filling between bookings. One worked example cuts response times from 4.2 hours to 1.8, and fuel costs by 18%
- Asset records holding installation dates, warranty, parts fitted, recalls and recurring faults, so the knowledge survives an experienced engineer leaving
- Native links versus third-party connectors. Ask outright whether the Xero, Sage or QuickBooks integration is built in or routed through Zapier. Middleware-based links tend to fail quietly and leave you with duplicate invoices
- Costs. Indicative per-user ranges for mobile and office seats, module uplifts, one-off integration setup, implementation, plus support billed as a percentage of licence fees
- Contract traps. Hourly phone support buried deep in the terms, training charged per session, three-year lock-ins with no way out
There’s also a KPI baseline set to measure before and after, and a pre-signature checklist covering reference calls and trialling the mobile app with your least technical engineer.