FieldWeb aims to drive growth for MSMEs with its field service management app

Until recently, business owners and managers had to manually track the work of their field workers like electricians, plumbers, etc., over phone calls or WhatsApp messages. They had to constantly get an update on service durations, billing details, turnaround times, etc., which was a laborious process.

Business owners who had to manage 5 to 100 repair workers had to bear the weight of overseeing numerous requests and frantically try to keep everything in order. Yet, the inefficiencies persisted, causing them to lose track of inbound service requests. Consequently, they would end up either missing out on valuable customer inquiries or unintentionally assigning duplicate tasks.

Recognising this challenge, Amit Dhawan, Founder and CEO of Corefield Technologies, an IT solutions company, worked on a solution that could streamline these processes. In 2020, he created FieldWeb, a field services management application, built primarily for small and medium businesses (SMBs). 

Dhawan says that the highest level of digitisation in the field service providers space till now has been WhatsApp. The sector is highly-unorganised and dependent on manual and paperwork. With the FieldWeb app, the burden that have long plagued field workers and business owners can be alleviated, he adds. 

FieldWeb enables business owners to manage all kinds of business activities from a single app like hiring staff, generating leads, managing staff and customers, buying or selling inventory, or even getting finance for their business. 

Till now, FieldWeb has garnered around 10,000 clients. According to the company, the high engagement has resulted in more than 33% revenue growth for its clients, a 39% decrease in customer churn rate, and a 43% increase in workers' productivity over a period of time.

Organising the field services market

FieldWeb operates across an extensive range of 50 segments, catering to repair services of air conditioners, lifts, CCTV installations, electrical appliances, home appliances, water purifiers, air purifiers, and more. 

The company ties up with master repair or distribution franchises associated with well-known brands like Samsung, LG, IFB, and others. Through the FieldWeb app, it facilitates these franchises in embracing digital transformation, empowering their field executives with advanced digital tools and capabilities.

“Our hero feature revolves around tracking field executives, complemented by task and work management, CRM, and financial functionalities, among others. The master franchises associated with renowned brands face immense pressure to deliver swift turnaround times, even as they manage their own array of services. By streamlining operations, they are able to optimise workflow, significantly reducing turnaround time (TAT) while enabling clients to efficiently handle multiple tasks simultaneously," Dhawan explains. 

According to Allied Market Research, the global field service management market was valued at $5.2 billion in 2021, and is projected to reach $29.9 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 19.2% from 2022 to 2031. Experts say that field service providers are shifting from traditional way operations and modernising their business processes. However, in India, the adoption rate is too slow, says Dhawan.

Further, he says, it is very difficult to explain the advantages of adopting tech to these businesses as they have been managing everything over a phone call and via pen and paper for years now. 

FieldWeb offers a free trial subscription to these businesses for 7 to 15 days to help them witness the increase in productivity by themselves, and 70% of customers become FieldWeb’s regular clients, says Dhawan.

“There is an addressable market of five million small and medium businesses by 2025 and we have tapped over 10,000 SMBs so far. There is a long way to go,” Dhawan emphasises.

Companies like Unolo, Salesforce, etc., are in the same business. However, Dhawan says that FieldWeb stands out in the way it targets a specific industry and is also constantly evolving in terms of features and services. 

Talking about the investments made in the business, Dhawan says he has invested Rs 7 crore out of his personal capacity. While the business started making money by 2021, it has been able to achieve profitability by remaining bootstrapped. As of March 2023, the company made an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of Rs 3 crore, says Dhawan. 

The way forward

FieldWeb charges Rs 500 per technician per month to the company. Additionally, the company has extended its operations to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where it charges approximately $10-$12. Dhawan highlights that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) represents another significant market for them, and FieldWeb is actively planning to expand its presence in this region.

Speaking about future plans, Dhawan reveals that the company is currently developing an app for retail customers. The app will enable customers to directly request repair services from their respective service providers. This approach will not only streamline the service request process but also grant service providers direct access to customers, which will provide a significant boost to their business.