The 7 Best Field Service Dispatch Software Solutions for 2024

Field service businesses can sometimes seem to be one dispatching disaster away from losing a customer.

And with 67% of clients wanting (and expecting) faster response times, those who still rely on manual processes are in for a rude awakening.

Field service dispatch software minimizes scheduling and routing inefficiencies to ensure technicians complete assigned work orders on time.

In this article, we’ll explore the best field service dispatch software to help your team avoid logistical nightmares and keep them operating at peak efficiency.

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Top Picks

Below, you’ll find a summary of each app we’ve reviewed, with our scores, each app’s ideal use cases, its pricing, the availability of any free trials or free tiers, and the platforms on which the app is available. Each app has been thoroughly investigated and analyzed for users like you, with pros and cons, key features, integrations, and real user reviews.

Let’s take a look…

EDITOR’S NOTE: We created Workyard – the first app reviewed here – to address issues we encountered while struggling to track and manage construction payrolls for over 700 workers in over 50 construction businesses. We built the Workyard app from the ground up to support construction companies like yours, with industry-essential features like the industry’s most accurate time clock app with GPS and geofencing, intuitive contractor scheduling, construction cost tracking tools, and more.

Learn more about how Workyard works on our main website, or sign up for a 14-day free trial today to see what Workyard can do for your business.

Dispatch, track, and manage your field team with Workyard

See how it works

Scoring

Key Features

• Drag-and-drop scheduling calendar

• Appointment reminders and “on my way” messages

• GPS-enabled route tracking for technicians

• Insight-generating reports and dashboard

• Integrated communications suite

Highlights

Workiz allows you to set up various automation rules for different tasks, such as sending automated messages to your team, notifying clients about new promotions, or following up on outstanding invoices.

In addition, Workiz can automatically send personalized booking links to clients whose calls you missed, ensuring you never lose a potential job.

Another highlight is its service plans feature for Ultimate plan users, which simplifies recurring service management.

For instance, if you’re tasked with servicing a client’s garage door several times a year, Workiz can automatically generate invoices based on the number of scheduled visits within the service period, allowing you to focus on your work while ensuring timely payments.

However, Workiz lacks an arrival window feature, which would help set more accurate client expectations.

Moreover, Workiz falls short in task management as it doesn’t allow adding checklists to each scheduled job. This can be a significant limitation for project managers and contractors who need to ensure all job steps are meticulously followed.

Reviews

Workiz has an overall better reputation compared to some of its competitors. However, its customer service is hit-or-miss, while bugs and glitches keep lowering its Google Play Store rating. Let’s check some of Workiz’s recent reviews:

Rolling out updates is not as simple and clear-cut as it seems. In the case of the iOS user below, recent changes to Workiz’s scheduling tool made what’s supposed to be a simple task more complicated.

iOS Review:

Back to previous layout -⭐⭐ 
“I enjoy using the Workiz platform, truthfully. That was before the update. The new update makes it very challenging to keep up with. It crunches all of our scheduled services together even if the dates are different. It really makes our organization suffer.”

Workiz’s developers regularly release updates to improve the app’s navigation, but initial releases rarely work perfectly, as the Android user below reported.

Google Play Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
“Feedback on the new UI. * Scrolling jobs by day (schedule) now easier, but it’s very hard to keep track of the boundaries; adding a separator (line or larger space) would improve clarity. * Can’t paste texts into job notes text field. The cursor jumps to the very beginning when calling the context menu (copy, paste, select all..). * (old deficiency) Incoming message phone number is not shown; can’t identify sender among client’s multiple numbers. Replies might go to wrong number. Pixel 7 pro”

While Workiz’s search feature isn’t as robust as the office manager expected, the app succeeded in helping their company simplify and streamline its operations, giving them a competitive advantage.

Capterra Review:

Workiz is a game changer – ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
“Being able to have client/job information at our fingertips has transformed how our business is able to function. Before Workiz, job & client information, as well as job scheduling, was a manual process. With WorkIz, every one on our staff, from people in the office to staff out in the field, is able to access job & client information from their phones or laptops. Sending estimates to clients has enabled us to add photos and other information with our quotes. This has really set us apart from our competitors. Online payment capability is a real plus, as some clients don’t feel comfortable sharing their credit card information.”

Pricing

Scoring

Key Features

• Schedule and assign unlimited appointments across all plans

• Customer communication through email, SMS, or chat

• Technician location tracking with ETA estimates for customers

• Integrated invoicing and payment processing

• Branded online booking platform for customers

• Integrations with QuickBooks, Zapier, and CRM platforms

Highlights

Dispatch’s GPS location tracking can provide route suggestions based on current traffic conditions and travel distance, helping technicians reach their job sites promptly and safely.

However, one significant downside of using Dispatch is the bugginess that can slow down its scheduling page, especially when handling large amounts of data. This often happens when attempting to view all appointments across the entire company for a week at a time.

To mitigate this, users might need to clear their browser cache frequently and filter the data into smaller, more manageable chunks, such as viewing a single day or fewer technicians at a time.

Another limitation is the non-real-time display of technician locations.

Updates occur only after a technician moves 100 meters or when they’re actively traveling. This can be a bit frustrating for managers who need precise, real-time tracking, particularly in fast-paced environments like HVAC or electrical services, where timing and quick response are critical.

Reviews

While Dispatch has robust features that can be extremely helpful when they work, the app is too unstable to work optimally all the time.

Users across the three review platforms below noted that the app is riddled with bugs and glitches, so completing a task, even as simple as uploading a picture, can take a lot of time.

Real-time push notifications are vital in ensuring field technicians always complete scheduled work orders on time. The iOS user below didn’t get this type of notification from the Dispatch app, which can potentially lead to missed appointments.

iOS Review:

Not terrible but definitely could improve – ⭐⭐⭐ 
“With my new job I’ve been using this job every day as a technician. It works well and I’m sure is great for our secretary also. I would really like to see an update that notifies me of new jobs that are added to my schedule. Sometimes I’ll get a job in the late afternoon and not know it. We are supposed to make contact the night before.”

Unlike most Android users, who left very low ratings for the Dispatch app, the user below was generous enough to give it four stars despite the app’s bugginess, which forced the user to restart the phone repeatedly.

Google Play Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
“App has its ups and downs like all apps. Been using it for three months and the only issue I have had is the fact of uploading photos at times it consistently gives me an error. So I have to restart my phone. Besides that this app is great.”

The office manager below uses Dispatch for scheduling. Although the app has decent overall performance, its extreme glitchiness prevents users from accomplishing their tasks quickly and accurately.

Capterra Review:

I work with this software daily to schedule clients – ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
“Pros: I like that it’s compatible with AHS and the clients come across easily. I also like that they have apps because i travel a lot out of the office.
Cons: I don’t like that the software can be extremely glitchy. While it does allow you schedule it changes the name of clients if it feels they are similar creating a lot of work if you have to enter them individually. We recently have also had scheduled clients not show up on the scheduled dates. This creates issues when your workers rely heavily on this software to keep them on track and on time.”

Pricing

Scoring

Key Features

• Simple dispatching board with color-coded jobs

• Easy job status changing with customer notification

• Real-time work order update and close-out

• GPS-based equipment and vehicle tracking

• Integrated billing and invoicing through QuickBooks

Highlights

As a direct add-on to QuickBooks, Smart Service allows you to import your existing customer data effortlessly and schedule and dispatch jobs without any hassle.

Smart Service plays well with QuickBooks, whether you’re using Premier, Pro, Enterprise, or Online.

However, Smart Service’s most glaring issue is its outdated and clunky user interface. The software’s design is reminiscent of Office 2007, which can be off-putting and makes navigating the features a bit cumbersome.

Many users have expressed frustration with the complexity of accessing some functionalities, which can be a time drain when you’re trying to manage a busy schedule.

The dull color scheme doesn’t help either; a brighter, more modern interface would go a long way in improving the overall user experience.

Reviews

Smart Service’s mobile app has a different name (i.e., iFleet), so searching for it can be a little bit tricky.

While dispatchers generally love its simple dispatching software, a significant number of users across all platforms have noted Smart Service’s outdated and clunky user interface.

So far, the app has earned these reviews:

The iOS user below gave Smart Service’s iOS app a good rating but also provided a list of missing features developers can add to further enhance user experience.

iOS Review:

Would be nice to have this enhancements – ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
“On settings: -to have an option to disable delete confirmation of Job Items… -An option to enable or disable the autosync after sending an email When filling job items: In the Description be able to write without double tapping like in the rest of the text boxes of the job items Be able to enable or disable the job notes from the PDF”

Like the Android user below, other users also noted Smart Service’s complex user interface, which is worsened by an outdated design reminiscent of old-school technologies from the early 2000s.

Google Play Review:

⭐ 
“Probably the most user unfriendly app I’ve ever used. Horribly designed interface. Making notes is a chore and more often than not they don’t save properly and have to be rewritten from scratch.”

The pest control business owner below likes Smart Service’s highly customizable app, but its complex setup and user interface may require a steep learning curve.

Capterra Review:

Smart service for pest control – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Overall: It’s been a long and arduous process learning to work with the software and customize it to fit our needs.

Pros: The software is very customizable. It has the features we need to apply data to ensure consistent service to our customers.

Cons: Due to the customizable design it requires admins that are highly skilled in software use and development. Not easy to navigate, conflicting layers/windows for data.”

Pricing

Scoring

Key Features

• Up-to-date list of service requests requiring work order processing

• Drag-and-drop dispatching board with technician availability

• Scheduled jobs color-coded by type and status

• Map integration with real-time job site and technician locations

• Labor and resource tracking to optimize field operations

Highlights

By leveraging their devices’ GPS receivers, FieldConnect offers real-time tracking of technicians.

The tracking feature is not limited to personnel; it extends to equipment and vehicles as well. Businesses can monitor the location of their assets, reducing the risk of theft and improving overall asset management.

The GPS routing function combines tracking data, traffic information, job priority, and technician availability to generate optimized routes, which technicians can access directly through their dashboards.

Unfortunately, FieldConnect lacks a dedicated mobile app for Android and Apple devices. This can be a significant inconvenience for teams relying on smartphones and tablets in the field.

Without a mobile app, accessing the software’s full range of features on the go can be cumbersome and less efficient.

Reviews

FieldConnect has been around for a while, so it’s strange to learn it has no available mobile app for either Android or Apple devices. The app also has an insignificant number of Capterra reviews, making it difficult to know what it’s like to use the app from a user’s standpoint.

FieldConnect doesn’t have a dedicated mobile app and users can only access its features through a mobile browser. This works against the app, as users struggle to perform even a simple data entry task in its clunky interface.

Capterra Review:

Used to change our plumbing/HVAC service company paperless, and speedy invoicing ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
“The cons would be that there are a few clunky aspects to the online component that the techs have to work with. On computers there is no issue, but once the service is opened online through a smartphone, some difficulties arise. The screen rotation is hard to work with, there’s times the screen doesn’t size right, sometimes entering text is hard for less tech-savvy individuals, and there are other difficult-to-use features that have been annoying to our technicians. Overall it is a great product, and I would recommend it to anyone, but not without a heads up to some potential annoyances with parts of the online component to the software.”

Pricing

Scoring

Key Features

• Drag-and-drop scheduling with simple appointment creation

• Color-coded jobs for a quicker view of technician availability

• “On the way” button to provide the technician’s ETA

• Automatic repeat of schedule for routine maintenance tasks

• Seamless synchronization with Google Calendar for a better view of the team’s appointments

Highlights

mHelpDesk integrates everything from dispatching to billing into one cohesive system. The ability to define and monitor each stage of the customer journey gives you unparalleled control, reducing the chances of tasks slipping through the cracks and ensuring your team stays on top of its game.

However, mHelpDesk’s limited out-of-the-box integrations might be a dealbreaker for some. Currently, it only supports QuickBooks, Google Calendar, and Home Advisor, which means if you rely on other software tools, you have to jump through the hoops to connect them.

Additionally, the absence of transparent pricing on their website hints at a potentially high cost, making it less ideal for very small or bootstrapped businesses.

This lack of upfront pricing information might make you wary of hidden costs or expensive subscription plans that aren’t immediately obvious.

Reviews

Despite its user-friendly features, mHelpDesk keeps crashing. This makes it impossible for service techs to complete their tasks, hence the low rating on both mobile app platforms. Let’s see what other users have to say about mHelpDesk.

Few things can be as frustrating as seeing important business data disappearing each time the app crashes. The iOS user below experienced the same nightmare, prompting the company to possibly switch to another software.

iOS Review:

Do not use – ⭐ 
“This app is a waste of time and money. I have sent screen recordings to tech support and they still can’t fix the issues. Our techs with iPhones and androids are having multiple issues. App crashes all the time. Items take forever to populate. Scope of work deletes its self in the middle of your report. I have finally talked my boss into getting a different program. I have never had this many problems with an app before. I have been using different apps for over 15years and this is the worst. I have used better performing apps on old blackberrys that worked better. So disappointing.”

mHelpDesk’s Android users are bearing the brunt of the app’s glitchiness. The app frequently crashes, and users have to repeatedly restart their mobile devices, driving people like the user below extremely mad.

Google Play Review:

⭐⭐⭐ 
“I have been having issues using the mobile app on Android. iOS is much better. I see a lot of good reviews and some bad I wonder if all the bad are Android users because I want to throw my phone when the app starts acting up on my phone. Samsung Galaxy and Motorola Droid have same issues so it’s an Android related issue. The desktop version on the browser works great and is very useful. Needs work on the Android quirkyness fast because that’s what I use the most and my patience are wearing thin. I shouldn’t have to uninstall and reinstall to get something working and I keep losing data it’s crazy.”

The Capterra user review below pointed out mHelpDesk’s positive features while also mentioning the app’s weakest points, which the developers can choose to improve on.

Capterra Review:

Streamlined daily tasks and schedules – ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
“Pros: Some features can streamline your daily tasks like scheduling, routing and invoicing, which are particularly beneficial for field service businesses or IT services. It has a user-friendly interface and its scheduling capabilities are efficient enough to enhance our user’s overall user experience.
Cons: Some areas of improvement can be the reporting (need more in-depth offering of analytics and insights), the import/export (we had errors leading to data loss during the process) and the pricing structure (lack of volume discounts).”

Pricing

Final Thoughts

With service technicians always racing against the clock, the least business owners or managers can do to help them is to employ field service dispatch software with a track record for fast, efficient scheduling.

A flexible, GPS-guided scheduling tool is what moves the needle for field service businesses. It enables service technicians to get to their customers on time and complete work orders accurately, all while keeping business expenses under control

By replacing its old, clunky scheduling platform with Workyard’s more robust scheduling tool, Synaptic Solar was able to streamline its operations, saving the company as much as $5,000 per week on payroll costs.

Workyard combines high-accuracy GPS location tracking and an intuitive scheduling calendar to help dispatchers assign jobs to the right workers at any given time. Learn more about how Workyard’s features can optimize your field service business, or sign up for its 14-day free trial to start testing its features at no cost.

Our Scoring System Explained

Our 8-part scoring system was created to help you understand the potential value of any software we review simply and fairly.

We created it after reviewing dozens of software products, which we covered in depth, but without providing a direct and simple way for readers to compare products on their merits – without spending a lot of time looking through our articles for the information they needed to make an informed decision.

Every app we review will include Customer Support and Company scores, which we’ll explain in more detail below. Many of the factors reviewed in this article will also be consistent across most (or all) of our software reviews, with some differences:

The 8 factors assessed and their contribution to a product’s overall score may differ slightly from product to product based on various factors, such as the use case we’re reviewing for, the type of business these products are tailored to, and other considerations. However, all reviews will feature an 8-part score, weighted and combined to calculate each product’s overall score.

How We Score Software

All factors in our reviews are scored on a 10-point scale – technically 11 points – from 0-10. However, we only give products a score of 0 if it does not include an essential feature at all, and we try to avoid giving out 0 scores if a product can demonstrate any functionality in line with the specific factor being reviewed.

In general, the 0-10 range translates as:

• 9.0 – 10 – One of the absolute best in its category (amazing).
• 7.5 – 8.9 – Very good, but with some minor issues (very good).
• 6.0 – 7.4 – Mediocre performance with notable shortcomings (average).
• 3.0 – 5.9 – This feature is not ready for prime time (borderline).
• 1.0 – 2.9 – This feature actually makes its product worse (unacceptable).
• 0 – The product doesn’t include this important feature at all.

How We Calculate Overall Scores

The 8 factors reviewed are weighted based on an overall total of 100%:

• Ease of Use: 20%
• Time Tracking Accuracy: 20%
• Scheduling Features: 15%
• Job Tracking: 15%
• Integrations: 10%
• Customer Support: 15%
• Company: 5%

Methodology for Each Factor

Ease of Use

We evaluate a product’s ease of use based on three main considerations:

• How easy is it to set up this app?
• How easy is it for managers to use the backend dashboard?
• How easy is it for frontline workers to use the (mobile) app?

These three considerations cover the main ways you and your team would use the software being reviewed – when you first obtain it, when someone (a manager, executive, team leader, or similar role) needs to use it to manage people, money, data, and other things, and when workers you’re tracking use the app (usually a mobile version of the software designed for frontline and/or field team members) to clock in, clock out, record time worked, or address other day-to-day needs.

Time Tracking Accuracy

Every minute matters when you’re trying to control payroll costs. This factor accounts for various features and common needs in time-tracking apps, such as…

• How accurate or precise is its GPS tracking capability?
• How accurate – and how customizable – is its geofencing feature?
• How accurate is its travel and mileage tracking (if available)?
• Can it automatically clock workers in and out based on the above?
• Can you set and/or restrict rules for clocking in and out?
• Can the app continue tracking workers while offline?
• How easy is its mobile app and/or kiosk for frontline workers?

Scheduling Features

Many construction businesses prefer to manage as many aspects of employee labor activity as possible in a single app, which is why many time-tracking apps also include worker scheduling as a core feature.

When we consider a product’s scheduling features, we look at:

• Its dashboard customizability (daily, weekly, or monthly views).
• Its project-based scheduling and visibility.
• Its real-time updates and notifications for workers.
• Its real-time map views of worker locations for best-fit scheduling.
• Its recurring schedule (copies to subsequent weeks, etc.) functionality.

Job Tracking

This factor helps you understand if the software can also provide insight into specific projects, which is particularly handy when your business deals with many customers or clients who generally need shorter-term work. Effective job tracking typically also includes accurate job costing functionality for construction companies.

We assess several things when calculating a product’s job tracking score:

• Its project-based tracking for multiple projects per day/week/etc.
• Its ability to track multiple / many projects simultaneously.
• Its use of (and your ability to customize) construction cost codes.
• Any built-in job costing views.
• Any integrations for cost coding (QuickBooks etc.)

Integrations

No business can operate on a single app, which is why integrations with other apps and tools are such important aspects of modern business software.

To calculate a product’s integration score, we’ll examine:

• How many native integrations (the simplest connection) does it offer?
• How effective and easy-to-use are its integrations with payroll software?
• Does it have robust data import and export features?

Customer Support

Learning how to use a new app can be frustrating, even if it’s meant to be the most user-friendly app around. That’s why great customer support is so essential when considering which time-tracking app to use.

Customer support scores are calculated based on:

• Live support channels available (phone, email, chat, etc.).
• Live support hours (business hours only, 24/7, etc.).
• The strength of the product’s online help center and/or FAQs.
• What other users say about support in online reviews.

Company

A great company with a highly customer-friendly approach can often make up for shortcomings in their software products – at least up to a point.

When assessing this score, we’ll examine:

• Transparency (easy-to-find pricing, etc.)
• Trial period (duration, feature availability, credit card requirements, etc.).
• Subscription flexibility (contracts, required durations, etc.).
• Ease of cancellation or pausing subscriptions.
• Customer perceptions (online product reviews).
• Website (a minor consideration, but great companies tend to have great websites).

Any questions about our scoring system? Have any suggestions on how we could make it even better? Click here to send us your feedback – we’d love to hear from you!

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