Field Service Accessibility: Why it Matters and How to Achieve It

Have you ever considered how accessible your mobile field service solution is? If not, this is the time to do it. Accessibility is crucial for businesses that want to focus their energy on creating an inclusive environment for all their users. Be it someone with mobility issues, vision impairment, hearing loss, visual impairments, or any other form of disability, you must ensure that your solution is accessible to everyone.

In this blog, we will look at the necessity of accessibility for everyone and how it can be achieved in field service management systems. So, whether you are a business owner, a service provider, a customer, or in itself someone with any disability, join us as we dive into the world of accessibility in mobile field service solutions.

Why Accessibility Matters in Mobile Field Service Solutions

Accessibility in mobile field service solutions encapsulates the design and development of solutions that enable all workers, including those with physical, visual, auditory, or cognitive disabilities, to access them effectively.

In a survey conducted by the American Institutes for Research, 75% of people with disabilities said they had difficulty accessing information online, which can include mobile field service solutions. Therefore, it becomes crucial to make mobile field service solutions more accessible.

Features that Improve Accessibility in Mobile Field Service Solutions

Here are some of the features of field service management system that should be on every business’s priority list to increase the accessibility of their services:

1. Voice Recognition:

Users can control the mobile field service solutions by giving voice commands, scheduling appointments, or dictating notes, among other things, through the voice search optimization and recognition feature.

2. Screen Magnification

This feature enables the users to magnify the screen, making it easier for people with visual impairments to read.

3. Text-to-speech

This feature is a boon for people with dyslexia or visual impairments as it allows the mobile field service solution to read out text on the screen.

4. Captions

Users with hearing impairments can read the text captions for audio and video content, making it easier for them to access the content.

5. High Contrast Mode

It increases the contrast between the text and the background enabling people with visual impairments or color blindness to read without any difficulty.

6. Alternative navigation options

Some mobile field service solutions offer alternative navigation options, such as keyboard shortcuts, for people with mobility or dexterity issues.

7. Alternative input methods

Users can input information using alternative methods, such as speech-to-text or scanning barcodes, which can be useful for people with physical disabilities or limited mobility.

Benefits of Prioritizing Accessibility in Mobile Field Service Solutions

Accessibility can provide several benefits to both the customers and the service providers. A study by Accenture found that businesses that place a high priority on accessibility and inclusiveness are 30% more likely to outperform their competitors in terms of revenue.

Some of the key benefits include:

1. Better User Experience

Features such as voice recognition, screen readers, and high-contrast colors can improve the user experience for everyone, including people with disabilities. These features make mobile field service solutions accessible, more efficient, and easier to use.

In a Nielsen Norman Group study, participants with and without disabilities completed tasks more quickly and accurately while using a website with good accessibility features vs a website with poor accessibility features.

2. Enhanced Engagement

Companies can considerably increase their user engagement and satisfaction, thus leading to higher adoption rates, increased usage, and, ultimately, improved business outcomes. In a survey by the American Institutes for Research, 71% of people with disabilities reported that they have left a website that was difficult to use. This suggests that making mobile field service solutions more accessible can help to retain users and improve engagement and performance.

3. Legal Compliance

Many countries have laws that require companies to make field service solutions more accessible to people with disabilities. Failed compliance can result in fines, legal actions, and damage to the company’s reputation.

For example, in the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses and organizations to provide equal access to services for people with disabilities. Failure to comply with the ADA can result in legal action and financial penalties.

4. Ethical Responsibility

Companies have the ethical responsibility to make their services available to all. By making their services more accessible, companies can show their commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility. Almost 1 billion individuals, or 15% of the world’s population, have disabilities, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report. This suggests that accessibility is an important ethical issue that affects a significant proportion of the population.

5. Competitive Edge

Companies prioritizing accessibility in their mobile field service solutions can gain a competitive edge by appealing to a broader customer base, including people with disabilities. A report by Salesforce found that companies using mobile field service solutions experienced a 46% increase in productivity, as technicians could complete more jobs in less time.

Exploring the Challenges to Accessibility in Mobile Field Service Solutions

Mobile field service solutions are gaining traction among many industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, and utilities. According to MarketsandMarkets, the global mobile field service market is predicted to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.2% from $2.8 billion in 2020 to $5.9 billion by 2025. These solutions enable workers to access timely information, complete work hours, and seamlessly communicate with their team.

However, the inaccessibility of these solutions can negatively impact a business by reducing customer satisfaction, increasing the resolution time, decreasing productivity, and impacting data analysis, thus leaving it behind its rivals in the market.

For businesses that don’t want to be left behind, there should be some way to keep up with the competition. Well, that way is carefully addressing the challenges to accessibility in their mobile field service solutions to ensure that they are widely used by everyone regardless of their disability.

Some of the most significant challenges to accessibility in mobile field service solutions include the following:

1. Connectivity Barriers

Field Service Management App Solution rely on proper connectivity, which can be challenging in some locations. For example, suppose a technician works in a remote area with poor cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. This can make accessing crucial information and communicating with their team difficult. Solutions that include offline functionality or support for multiple connectivity options can help to overcome these barriers.

2. Language Barriers

Many mobile field service solutions are designed to function in multiple languages; however, language can still be a critical challenge. For example, if a technician speaks a language different from the system’s default language, it might be challenging to use the system effectively. Then what could be the solution for this challenge? Well, including language translation or interpretation features could help overcome this barrier.

3. Physical Barriers

Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets can be complicated for people with a physical impairment, such as limited mobility or dexterity. Touchscreens can also be a challenge for people with motor impairments. To counter this challenge, businesses can deploy voice recognition software and additional hardware, such as specialized keyboards.

4. Visual barriers

People with visual impairments may have difficulty using solutions relying on visual information. For example, if a technician needs to read a small text on the screen and interpret diagrams, it can be a severe challenge for someone with a visual impairment. To address this challenge, the business can include features like screen readers or high-contrast settings to make the solution more accessible.

5. Cognitive barriers

Some users with cognitive disabilities like learning disabilities or attention deficit disorders can find it extremely difficult to understand complex instructions or navigate complex user interfaces. The solution to this challenge includes simple instructions and intuitive interfaces.

After identifying these challenges, the question arises how can a business address them? The answer is simple. By deploying best practices while designing accessible mobile field service solutions, a business can ensure that the solutions are usable by everyone.

To know more about these practices you can refer to the features that businesses must prioritize to improve accessibility in mobile field service solutions mentioned above.

Conclusion

In conclusion, accessibility in mobile field service solutions is essential to ensuring that all users, including those with specific disabilities, can use the software effectively and benefit from it. It is crucial for various reasons, including compliance, efficiency, and inclusivity.

A robust accessibility testing process, assuring compatibility with assistive technology, using clear and consistent language, offering alternate text and captions, and integrating keyboard accessibility are all necessary for achieving accessibility.

Using these strategies, any business can significantly boost productivity, improve user experience, and give all employees an equal chance to work productively. Thus, to ensure that mobile field service is accessible, it is critical to prioritize accessibility from the beginning of the app design process and continuously develop accessibility features.