In industry jargon this is CRM or Customer Resource Management.
Ford Motor is launching VIIZR, a new field service tool built on Salesforce. VIIZR can help small-business owners such as plumbers, and other technicians with invoicing, scheduling and managing requests, so they can work with their customers from anywhere. In effect it’s an extension of connected vehicles and emulates what is being developed by other automakers, notably GM. In industry jargon, this is CRM or customer resource management. (BrightDrop? General Motors New Business Claims It Will Electrify, Improve Goods and Services Delivery; Ford Buys Electriphi to Provide Ford Pro Commercial Customers with Charging and Energy Management)
“For more than 100 years, Ford has been the backbone of commercial business,” claimed Ford CEO Jim Farley. “Salesforce is the global leader in CRM and together, Ford is excited to bring advanced digital tools to the trades to help drive the productivity of their business.” A recent study found that only 10% of small businesses believed today’s business productivity software tools are designed for businesses of their size; most contend such solutions are tailored to much larger companies.1
VIIZR service tools start at $39 a month per user, which it says enables trades to:
- Stay on Track: Digitize everything – quotes, work orders, invoicing and job management.
- Connect with Customers: Manage customer relationships and jobs through an all-in-one customer profile, making it easy to communicate with them and improve the overall experience.
- Streamline Operations: Scheduling, dispatching and coordination of field technicians for greater efficiency and a more profitable business.
The market for field service management is estimated at $3 billion annually in the U.S and is expected to double in the next six years as changes to consumer behavior brought on by COVID will drive high demand for trades.2
VIIZR is built on Salesforce Field Service, for managing mobile work-forces and providing onsite support, and was developed specifically for trade businesses by Ford, leading in small commercial vehicle sales for 36 consecutive years. There are currently ~675,000 small and medium business in service & maintenance and construction vocations in the US said Ford.
“Ford Pro helps commercial customers maximize productivity,” Ford Pro CEO Ted Cannis said. “We know the back office is a major pain point for tradespeople, who are often writing up paperwork from the cabin of their truck or van. VIIZR gives that time back, providing greater returns to these businesses and better service to their customers.”
1 Morning Consult, U.S. Omnibus Survey, November 19, 2021.
2 Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Field Service Management, August 31, 2021; Salesforce, What Is Field Service Management and Why Should You Care?, July, 2021; MarketsANDMarkets, Field Service Management Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis, April 22, 2021; Allied Market Research, Field Service Management Market by Component, September 2021.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Ford Testing VIIZR Field Service Tool Built on Salesforce
In industry jargon this is CRM or Customer Resource Management.
Ford Motor is launching VIIZR, a new field service tool built on Salesforce. VIIZR can help small-business owners such as plumbers, and other technicians with invoicing, scheduling and managing requests, so they can work with their customers from anywhere. In effect it’s an extension of connected vehicles and emulates what is being developed by other automakers, notably GM. In industry jargon, this is CRM or customer resource management. (BrightDrop? General Motors New Business Claims It Will Electrify, Improve Goods and Services Delivery; Ford Buys Electriphi to Provide Ford Pro Commercial Customers with Charging and Energy Management)
“For more than 100 years, Ford has been the backbone of commercial business,” claimed Ford CEO Jim Farley. “Salesforce is the global leader in CRM and together, Ford is excited to bring advanced digital tools to the trades to help drive the productivity of their business.” A recent study found that only 10% of small businesses believed today’s business productivity software tools are designed for businesses of their size; most contend such solutions are tailored to much larger companies.1
VIIZR service tools start at $39 a month per user, which it says enables trades to:
The market for field service management is estimated at $3 billion annually in the U.S and is expected to double in the next six years as changes to consumer behavior brought on by COVID will drive high demand for trades.2
VIIZR is built on Salesforce Field Service, for managing mobile work-forces and providing onsite support, and was developed specifically for trade businesses by Ford, leading in small commercial vehicle sales for 36 consecutive years. There are currently ~675,000 small and medium business in service & maintenance and construction vocations in the US said Ford.
“Ford Pro helps commercial customers maximize productivity,” Ford Pro CEO Ted Cannis said. “We know the back office is a major pain point for tradespeople, who are often writing up paperwork from the cabin of their truck or van. VIIZR gives that time back, providing greater returns to these businesses and better service to their customers.”
1 Morning Consult, U.S. Omnibus Survey, November 19, 2021.
2 Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Field Service Management, August 31, 2021; Salesforce, What Is Field Service Management and Why Should You Care?, July, 2021; MarketsANDMarkets, Field Service Management Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis, April 22, 2021; Allied Market Research, Field Service Management Market by Component, September 2021.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.