- VIIZR is a new Software as a Service tool that brings together
Ford Pro, Ford’s commercial vehicle and service business, and
Salesforce Field Service, to provide small businesses with a
powerful digital tool to maximize productivity and better serve
their customers
- Built on Salesforce Field Service, VIIZR is a custom solution
to help tradespeople schedule field appointments, send invoices and
manage customer relationships from one integrated, cloud-based
platform
- Ford Pro delivers solutions to commercial customers of all
sizes to increase fleet productivity, improve uptime and lower
operating costs through connected services and work-ready internal
combustion and battery electric vehicles
- 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 companies1
Ford today announced the launch of VIIZR, a new field service
tool built on Salesforce and designed to meet the needs of the
small business owners that keep America running – such as plumbers,
electricians, and heating and ventilation technicians. VIIZR will
help small businesses simplify key commercial activities such as
invoicing, scheduling and managing requests, so they can focus on
serving their customers from anywhere.
“For more than 100 years, Ford has been the backbone of
commercial business,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said. “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.”
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 trades2.
VIIZR is built on Salesforce Field Service, a complete solution
for managing mobile workforces and providing onsite support, and
was developed specifically for trade businesses by Ford, America’s
#1 in commercial vehicles for 36 consecutive years. There are
currently 675,000 small and medium business in service &
maintenance and construction vocations in the U.S.
“Small business owners are the foundation of our communities,
and every day across America plumbers, electricians and landscapers
step into their Ford vehicles to build our economy,” said Marc
Benioff, chair and co-CEO of Salesforce. “We're thrilled that our
incredible new partnership with Ford will help energize millions of
entrepreneurs in the trades with the power of Salesforce so they
can deliver for their customers and take their businesses to the
next level.”
Modernizing and Simplifying
A recent study found that only one in five small business owners
are satisfied with the way their businesses managed customer and
employee relationships. Only 10% believe today’s business
productivity software tools are designed for businesses of their
size, with most believing that such solutions are built for much
larger companies. Salesforce Field Service already helps companies
around the world realize significant productivity gains, with
customers reporting 36% improvement in scheduler and dispatcher
productivity, and a 28% decrease in work order scheduling time.
“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.”
“Effective field service requires companies to match the
expertise of their workforce with their customers' requirements,
and manage the complexities of scheduling – and for many small
business trades today, managing customer interactions and mobile
workers involves time-consuming, manual processes done on paper,”
Paul Whitelam, SVP & GM, Field Service Management at Salesforce
said. “VIIZR is helping tradespeople digitize their businesses,
empowering them to focus less on back-end processes and more on
their craft.”
For businesses with less than 20 employees, VIIZR could reduce
back-office work by more than 40% or about 25 hours a week3.
VIIZR provides affordable, advanced field service tools with
subscriptions starting from $39 a month per user, which 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.
Technology-Led, Sustainable, Built for the Commercial
Customer
Ford is committed to supporting American businesses’ move toward
more efficient and sustainable practices, from shifting to fully
electric vehicles such as the F-150 Lightning Pro and E-Transit
full-size van to adopting digital tools for managing their vehicle
fleets and customer interactions. VIIZR helps the trades eliminate
waste from their business by boosting productivity – real-time job
scheduling can save time and fuel; digital invoicing saves paper
and ink; and a more efficiently run business ultimately saves
money.
As part of Ford Pro’s ongoing efforts to evolve with the
requirements of their customers, VIIZR is looking for trade
businesses to pilot the platform on a complimentary basis ahead of
its official launch in the first half of 2022. To learn more about
the Early Access Program and to be considered for inclusion, visit
VIIZR.com.
1Based on Morning Consult, U.S. Omnibus Survey, November 19,
2021.
2Based on 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.
3Estimated time saved is calculated based on a 40 hour week, 22
day month, 48 week year.
Salesforce, Salesforce Field Service and others are among the
trademarks of salesforce.com, inc.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in
Dearborn, Michigan, that is committed to helping build a better
world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.
The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines
existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships
with customers to enrich experiences for and deepen the loyalty of
those customers. Ford designs, manufactures, markets and services a
full line of connected, increasingly electrified passenger and
commercial vehicles: Ford trucks, utility vehicles, vans and cars,
and Lincoln luxury vehicles. The company is pursuing leadership
positions in electrification, connected vehicle services and
mobility solutions, including self-driving technology, and provides
financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs
about 184,000 people worldwide. More information about the company,
its products and Ford Motor Credit Company is available at
corporate.ford.com.
For news releases, related materials and high-resolution photos
and video, visit www.media.ford.com.
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Martin Gunsberg mgunsber@ford.com 313 316 5319
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