Best Practices: For Installation Technicians

Best Practices: For Installation Technicians

SiteOwl Mobile enables your Technicians to be more efficient and effective in the field by providing them with the information they need to do the job right the first time and eliminating the need to contact the office.

Just as important, the way in which Technicians use SiteOwl Mobile can accelerate projects, improve quality and increase customer satisfaction. To make the most of these benefits, it’s important that you provide Technicians with usage guidelines in the following areas:

Capturing Images

The ability to document physical security system design, installation and service phases using images is one of SiteOwl’s most valuable features. When Technicians capture images of their completed installation work, it provides multiple benefits, including tracking project progress, identifying quality issues early, and capturing evidence that can be used in disputes with general contractors and end users.

Provide your Technicians with guidelines for capturing images based on Device Type, for example:


Device Type

Images

Camera

  1. Installed Device

  2. Approximate field of view

Panel

  1. Panel closed

  2. Panel opened

  3. Wiring diagram

Door

  1. Entire Door - Inside

  2. Entire Door - Outside

  3. Electrified Lock Hardware

  4. REX [if applicable]

  5. Etc.

Using Flags

SiteOwl’s Flag feature is simple, yet powerful. Using it, Technicians working in the field can quickly and easily update office staff on issues they’ve encountered. If you’re not familiar with this feature, you can learn more in this short course:
Using SiteOwl Flags 

Provide Technicians with instructions on how best to use the feature. We recommend making decisions on the following items and educating Technicians as needed:

  1. Decide who should receive Flag notifications
    The Project Manager assigned to a SiteOwl Project will receive alerts when Technicians add a Flag to a Device or Task. Make sure that you have a team member selected.

  1. Define what types of issues require that a Flag is added to a Device/Task
    Typically Technicians are instructed to add a Flag when they are blocked from performing work. Examples of this might be that cabling hasn’t been run as expected, or they don’t have the inventory required.

  1. Establish what detail should be provided in the Flag Note
    A Flag is only as valuable as the information provided. Guide your Technicians to provide enough details for staff in the office to take steps to correct the issue.

  1. Establish when a Flag should be removed from a Device/Task
    Instruct Technicians to remove the Flag to indicate that the roadblock to completion has cleared or the issue is resolved.

Using Installation Status and Operational Status

SiteOwl enables you to track the progress of each Device at a detailed level. Each has an Installation Status and an Operational Status setting. The latter is displayed after the Installation Status is set to Installed. The flexibility these settings provide is powerful, but it’s important that you instruct Technicians how to use them by providing some guidelines, such as:

Device State

Installation Status

Operational Status

Work has not begun.

Planned

 

Work has started, but hasn’t been completed.

In Progress

 

Physical installation has been completed but other steps, like programming, haven’t been completed.

Installed

Non-Operational

Physical installation has been completed. Programming, testing, and other tasks have begun but haven’t been completed.

Installed

Semi-Operational

Device is fully functional and has passed testing.
No further work to be performed.

Installed

Operational




    • Related Articles

    • Best Practices: Devices and Tasks

      When using SiteOwl, you’ll find that there are various fields available for each Device and Task included in a Project or Live Site. While many of these fields are self-explanatory, we’ve found there are some fields which can be used in different ...

    • Wise Guide: Installation Technician Onboarding

      As you integrate SiteOwl across your organization, this guide will take you through the process of bringing your Installation Technicians onboard. You’ll begin by selecting and preparing an initial Project, then training your Technicians to use ...

    • Best Practices: Installation to Service Hand-Off

      After Installation is complete, it’s time to transition the project to the Service team. Much like the project hand-off from Sales to Operations, having comprehensive and accurate information is critical to ensuring the receiving team can perform ...

    • Best Practices: Service Ticket Workflow

      There are numerous ways to configure your Service Ticket workflow. Consider what’s right for your organization and your accounts. Below is a guide to the decisions you'll want to consider at each point in a Ticket’s lifecycle. Ticket Stage ...

    • Sales and Technician Implementation Guides

      Rolling out a software application across your organization can feel like a daunting task. SiteOwl Wise Guides are designed to make implementation easier by helping you identify process changes and key areas for the development of best practice that ...