Decision Engine for Proposals
- Anastasia Medovkina (Deactivated)
- Anastasia Simonovich
- Veronika Maishutovich
Decision Engine is currently available for US-based companies only.
Decision Engine helps you make informed decisions as you approve or reject proposals. Pulling data from ServiceChannel Analytics, Decision Engine accumulates key data points in one place, including the invoice price benchmarking, provider’s performance data, similar work orders and proposals, as well as linked asset information.
With Decision Engine, you can easily compare the proposed cost of work against historical invoice data and get confidence-based recommendations along with supporting information.
On the proposals list, Decision Engine enables the Supporting Intelligence and the Asset Intelligence sections along with the recommendation to approve or reject the proposal. By expanding these sections, you get proposal-related analytics across your locations.
- Provides transparency into how costs align with historical data.
- Reduces risks of overpayment and supports stronger vendor accountability.
- Streamlines the decision-making process and ensures that decisions are informed and fair.
Look for the Supporting Intelligence and the Asset Intelligence sections in the proposal list view. Expand the sections to review the analytical data.
Behind the Supporting Intelligence section, you will find the proposal price benchmarking, service provider performance, recommendation to approve or reject the proposal, similar WOs and proposals, as well as asset data.
Quick Navigation Across Supporting Intelligence
Here you will learn how to navigate throughout Supporting Intelligence on proposals and explore accumulated analytical data. For a deeper dive into each block of data, read Supporting Intelligence Sections.
- On the proposals list, locate the proposal you need to take action on.
- Expand the Supporting Intelligence section.
- Review the information presented.
- Expand the Similar Work Orders and Proposals section. Click the proposal or work order link to view detailed information.
- Expand the Asset Intelligence section to view data on the asset associated with the proposal. Available only when there is an asset linked to the proposal/work order.
Supporting Intelligence Sections
Benchmark Comparison Section (Your Cost vs Benchmarked ServiceChannel Data)
The chart shows how the proposal cost compares to the invoiced costs for the same trade across the ServiceChannel platform so that you can evaluate whether the pricing is within a reasonable range.
The most recent update to Supporting Intelligence introduces the ability to analyze proposal costs based on historical data across the entire ServiceChannel clients' base as opposed to your company’s data only.
The date above the chart shows the time when the chart was updated. We update the chart data once a month (first Sunday of each month).
The chart was built taking into account the following criteria:
- Invoices of the same trade as the proposal trade
- Data over the past year
- Approved and paid invoices only
- Internal providers are excluded
- Only repair work orders
- Only US-based companies
An arrow marks the current proposal amount. The currency used in the chart reflects the currency of the proposal. Pay attention that the chart displays the currency chosen by the provider when they are creating a proposal.
Colors in the chart highlight standard quartiles:
- Minimum (Min)
- 25th Percentile
- 50th Percentile
- 75th Percentile
- Maximum (Max)
When the current proposal cost falls within the min benchmark (green zone), the cost is considered fair, and this proposal is likely to be recommended for approval. Should the proposal cost be approaching the max benchmark, you will most likely get the recommendation to reject the proposal.
Min and max amounts reflect min and max costs of invoices belonging to the same trade as the current proposal. This data is calculated based on the invoice data collected over the past year across the entire ServiceChannel platform as opposed to being limited to your company’s data only.
Service Provider Performance Section
It shows the performance metrics of the service provider associated with the proposal, so that you can make informed decisions based on their historical reliability.
Available metrics:
- Percentage of work orders with negative feedback or recalls
- Provider's compliance percentage
Our Recommendation Section
ServiceChannel delivers an automated recommendation for proposal approval based on historical data and benchmarks, so that you can use it as a guide for decision-making. Any recommendations made by ServiceChannel Decision Engine are based on analysis of your historical data across the platform, and for informational purposes only. This recommendation does not take into consideration all factors, and the final decision is always yours to make.
You can approve a proposal even when Decision Engine recommends that you reject the proposal.
Next to the Reject button, click More and select Approve.
Similar Work Orders and Proposals Section
Find related work orders and proposals, so that you can review historical data for better context.
Up to 5 work orders with the most recent call date as well as up to 5 proposals will be available under this section.
Similar work orders include service requests where the provider, location, trade, and category are the same as on the work order associated with the proposal in question. Work orders in the Void status are excluded from this list.
Asset Intelligence Section
When the proposed work is for an identified asset, the asset data will be displayed under the Asset Intelligence section along with work orders and proposals that have been created for this asset. This information helps you determine whether it is cost-effective to proceed with work on this asset.
Asset Intelligence will only appear if there is an asset associated with the proposed work.
You can easily review pertinent information about an asset, including, but not limited to:
- Initial cost
- Total amount spent on repairs
- Warranty expiration date
- Condition
- Links to past work orders
- Links to past invoices
The information provided is useful for determining whether or not an asset needs to be retired or kept in use. Additionally, Asset Intelligence keeps you informed of the asset’s warranty period and expiration date. Knowing that an asset is under warranty may determine the service provider selected to service the asset as well as determining who the service charge is billed to.
Clicking the asset name or tag ID will open the asset record in a new tab. Asset Intelligence also lets you review all Completed Work Orders and In-Progress Work Orders for this asset, as well as All Proposals for this Asset.
Action Section
After reviewing Supporting Intelligence information and the recommendation, you can take immediate action on a proposal, such as approving it, rejecting, or accessing more options, so that you can efficiently manage your workload.
In the lower-right corner of each proposal, you will see either Approve or Reject, based on Supporting Intelligence.
You may approve, reject, or place proposals on hold for further conversation with your team and/or provider. You may also assign the proposal to another person within your organization.
You may approve a proposal based on your business practices, even when Decision Engine shows the recommendation to reject. Click the More button, and then select Approve.
Read our article about Taking Action on Proposals to learn more about available actions.
