Why We Chose Salesforce for Field Service Management

Our recycling and sustainability company, TOMRA Collection Australia (TCA), was gearing up for a period of rapid expansion, but our old-school processes were slowing us down. We were using 25 different programs and tools, and even a whiteboard. We were ready for something more efficient.

The team at TCA considered all of the big players, including Salesforce, IFS and Microsoft. In the end, the decision to go with Salesforce Field Service was a clear one. Here I’ll explain how we evaluated the competition, made the decision to go with Salesforce, and share some of the powerful results we’re seeing play out.

Table of contents:

• What TOMRA Collection Australia does
• Our field service management needs
• Vendor evaluation
• Why we chose Salesforce
• Quick implentation and powerful results
• Scaling with Salesforce and AI

What TOMRA Collection Australia does

TCA is the Australian arm of a global company that makes what we call “reverse vending machines.” It’s exactly as it sounds like. Instead of putting money in to get a recyclable item out, our machines accept empty containers and in return you get a credit — for a digital payment or a voucher.

Our operation consists of a few main steps. We find out where to place collections sites, maintain the sites, and provide the service support to keep them running properly. To us,  success boils down to one thing: Uptime. The more often our sites are fully operational, the better service we provide to our customers.

With an eye on efficiency, the other is looking toward expansion on the horizon. TOMRA currently collects over 2 billion containers a year. We manage over 500 return points nationwide, many of which are fully automated. By the end of 2025 we expect to be operating in all Australian states and territories. (Back to top)

Our field service management needs

Operating across different Australian territories and states can present challenges. Each jurisdiction comes with its own rules and requirements. Our team needed better tools to handle the complexities of the job.

As the head of TCA’s Core Service team, I was charged with defining exactly what we needed from a field service management platform. Three needs stood out immediately: 

• A single source of truth —  Our data needed to be consistent. Customer and case information had to be visible and trusted across our systems.
  
• Eliminate double handling — We had to address redundancy in our operations. Inefficiencies, such as copying information from one system to another, were time-consuming and costly.
   
• Scalability — To successfully expand our business, we needed a platform ready to grow with us, right out of the gate. (Back to top)

Vendor evaluation

With a nationwide operation and growth around the corner, I reviewed the options diligently. Three major vendors made the final cut: IFS, Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Salesforce Field Service. A focus on the following aspects helped us make our final, informed decision.

Consulting stakeholders

We started the process by involving everyone from the beginning. We asked for feedback, pain points and concerns. Particularly helpful, technicians gave input on what they needed in the field, even sharing what worked — or didn’t — from their time at other companies. 

Looking for a 360° view

We needed a 360° view of customers, ticket management, technicians in the field and their case management. We thoroughly considered each vendor’s ability to show us the big picture of every case and customer. 

Reviewing demos

Along with several other departments, we reviewed demos from every vendor. We needed to see how each platform compared with the others regarding our use cases. 

While each vendor had impressive capabilities and its own strengths, our right choice was clear. (Back to top)

Why we chose Salesforce

At every step of the vendor evaluation, it was Salesforce Field Service that stood out. The decision to go with Salesforce came down to the following:

A vision for the future 

Salesforce brought in a team to look at our processes across every aspect of our operations. Within weeks, they shared with us a vision for our business that was clear and exciting.

Custom demos

Their team provided us with custom demos, all tailored specifically to our business. Being able to see the product in action really helped convince our stakeholders.

Online resources

Implementation would rely on effectively educating our team members. Salesforce offers online learning through Trailhead and other online resources. The knowledge is all freely available to users. 

Security 

Our IT experts put together a questionnaire on data security that we shared with all potential vendors. Salesforce’s response went above and beyond, and included pages and pages of details that assured my team that Salesforce was a partner we could trust.

There was buy-in across the organization. Salesforce Field Service was the right choice for us. (Back to top)

Quick implementation and powerful results

TOMRA brought approximately 100 users onboard and implemented everything within four months. It was ambitious, to say the least. But the vision Salesforce pitched us helped set the stage for our implementation. By seeing the destination, it helped guide the team as we moved through the journey.

Learning in the sandbox

One of the most valuable pieces of the implementation process was the use of the sandbox to explore the tools, test out new processes, and bring even the most hesitant workers up to speed. Having these new users participate in the testing was key to going live as fast as we did.

Growing into ‌features

We planned to use Salesforces’s Enhanced Scheduling and Optimization, but the tool is only as good as the data it can work with. So, we gave our team members time in the field to get more comfortable with the platform. After a few months of drag-and-drop scheduling with a Gantt chart, we implemented scheduling optimization. 

Impressive results

Since the moment we turned on Enhanced Scheduling and Optimization, we’ve seen a 26% reduction in response time. When uptime is your #1 KPI, a 26% reduction in response time is really powerful.

Our first-time fix rate has shot above 99%. Beyond being just a great metric, it’s helping reduce ‌road time and boost fuel efficiency. We’re a sustainability company, and we’re living up to our values now more than ever. (Back to top)

Scaling with Salesforce and AI

Since adding Salesforce Field Service, TOMRA has experienced rapid growth into a new market in Australia. We saw a 25% expansion of collection sites. Our call volume increased by 30%. Our email volume was up nearly 200%.

This is where the Salesforce platform really shines.

• The automation built into Salesforce Service and Field Service reduced the amount of touch points needed for our team to do their jobs. 
• We wound down ten old systems programs in favor of one — our new Salesforce platform. 
• With the efficiencies gained through the platform, we were even able to grow with only a minimal increase in our headcount. 

With our new tools, our staff was able to get more done every day. Pre-Salesforce, a team member would have to touch six different systems to create a work order. Now, those six touch points have been worked down to just one.

Looking forward to Agentforce

Any new tool that can help us deliver better service to our customers is worth considering. Seeing Agentforce, this new suite of AI agents revealed at Dreamforce, looks promising. For instance, case summaries and work order summaries would really add value to our teams.

TOMRA is already using AI for scheduling optimization. Now, we’re starting to have discussions with our Salesforce account executives on taking the next step with integrating Agentforce. It’s all part of that vision Salesforce shared with us. (Back to top)