Talk to anyone who runs a fleet and you’ll hear a similar story. You want the team to perform better, jobs to run smoother, and customers to rave about your service. You also don’t need a spreadsheet nightmare to get there. 

This is where smart KPIs come in. Knowing which numbers to track can open your eyes to what’s working and what’s stalling your business.

Let’s walk through the four KPIs every field service owner should watch. 

The Four Numbers You Can’t Ignore

Here are the four field service KPIs that make the biggest difference.

1. First-Time Fix Rate – Are techs solving the problem on the first visit? Divide the jobs fixed on the first try by the total jobs completed in a week.
   
   If your number dips below 80 percent, it might be time to check your parts inventory process or technician training.
   
2. Technician Utilization – How much paid time is spent really working on jobs, rather than driving or waiting? Use a formula like this: technician hours spent on jobs divided by total paid hours.
   
   Many fleets hover around 60 percent but top teams push past 80.
   
3. Cost Per Job – Add up wages, parts, travel, and everything else for each job. Then divide by jobs finished in that same time frame. Regular tracking helps spot when gas prices or overtime sneak up.
   
4. On-Time Arrival Rate – Customers care about punctuality, so should you. Track the number of times a tech arrives within the promised window, divided by all visits. Missing the window drags down trust, and fixing it often starts with better scheduling or route planning.

How to Feed the KPIs With Great Data

Weekly Review Habits Worth Building

It’s not enough to look at numbers every quarter. Get in a rhythm and check these four metrics at least every week. Use your morning meeting to look at last week’s numbers, spot trends, and ask your team for ideas on improvement.

Data Sources That Fuel the Numbers

All four KPIs rely on good information from the field. 

GPS tracking shows arrival times and driving patterns. Job status updates from the app let you see which fixes took one try versus two. Expenses flow from your accounting system or FSM platform logs. 

Stop chasing numbers in emails. When data feeds into one dashboard, you are ready to react fast and see results.

Not Just Numbers: Turning KPIs Into Growth

Here’s where tech and people meet face to face. 

Think about a fleet using a modern FSM platform that blends GPS mapping and job tracking into one playbook. Instead of asking techs to call the office for updates, managers see everything live on the platform. 

This saves time, money, and keeps unexpected problems down. Plus their dashboards let you spot gaps or wins as they happen.

Data That Drives Results: See What’s Possible

Tracking things like first-time fix rate and on-time arrival does more than check a box. These numbers show you if your fleet runs smoothly and if your customers are truly happy. 

With GPS, job logs, and cost data feeding live dashboards, you leave old paperwork behind. Technology turns hard work into smart work, and it is as simple as reading a text.

Real fleets are getting big wins right now. 

One HVAC team cut 25 percent off its road time by following on-time arrival trends. A plumbing company found and fixed repeat call issues within weeks by checking weekly stats. When a solar group saw rising part expenses, tracking cost per job helped them adjust supplier deals and save money.

In these modern days, your data becomes your roadmap to growth.