A repair that needs a part not on the van is marked waiting for part in the field service app. The order is tracked from supplier confirmation to the store's goods-in scan, and the customer books the return visit on WhatsApp the day it arrives.
Typical results
≈60%
Fewer customer calls asking about their part
Same day
Part ordered after the first visit
≈5 hrs/wk
Office time saved chasing suppliers and customers
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
About one repair in five needs a part the technician does not carry, such as a control board or a specific valve. The request goes to the office by phone, the order is placed a day or two later, and the part then sits in the store until someone notices. Customers wait almost two weeks and call repeatedly to ask.
Before and after
Days from first visit to return visit
−33%Customer calls asking about a part per week
−60%Arrived parts waiting 3+ days for a booking, per week
−87%The automation
The technician marks the job as waiting for part in the field service app, with the part number and a rating plate photo. Purchasing orders it the same day, and AI reads the supplier's confirmation email for the order number and delivery date, which the customer receives on WhatsApp. When the store scans the part in, it is reserved for the job, and the customer gets a link to pick a return slot, booked with the original technician where possible.
How it works
- 01
Job marked waiting for part
The technician marks the job as waiting for a part in the field service app, with the part number, the unit and a photo of the rating plate.
- 02
Order placed and tracked
Purchasing gets the request at once and orders the part. AI reads the supplier's confirmation email for the order number and promised delivery date.
- 03
Customer kept informed
The customer gets a WhatsApp message with the expected delivery date, and another one if the supplier moves it.
- 04
Arrival opens booking
When the store scans the part in, it is reserved for that job, and the customer gets a WhatsApp link to pick a return slot.
- 05
Return visit booked
The chosen slot is booked with the original technician where possible, and the job card shows the part's shelf location for pickup.
Starts from
- Job marked waiting for part
- Supplier order confirmations
- Goods-in scan at the store
Delivers
- Status updates to customer
- Return visit booked
- Part reserved on the job
The impact
Return visits happen about four days sooner, around 8 days after the first visit instead of 12. Customer calls about parts drop by about 60%, and arrived parts no longer wait in the store for someone to book the visit. The office saves around 5 hours a week of chasing suppliers and customers.
Questions about this automation
What if the supplier's delivery date slips?
A new date in a supplier email updates the job and sends the customer a short WhatsApp message with that date. A part not scanned in by its promised date goes on purchasing's overdue list, so they can chase the supplier or source it elsewhere before the customer has to ask.
Does the same technician do the return visit?
Where possible. The return slots offered to the customer come from the original technician's calendar over the next few days. If none fit, the customer can choose any slot, and the job goes to another technician with the same skill, along with the first visit's notes and photos.
Does it need a connection to our suppliers?
No direct connection is needed. Most suppliers already send order confirmations by email, which AI reads for the order number and date. The field service app holds the jobs, the store's goods-in scan marks arrival and WhatsApp handles the customer side. It's a multi-step build, usually rolled out in stages.