Top 10 Frustrations Field Service Engineers Know All Too Well (And How We’re Solving Them) 

Field Service Engineers (FSEs) are highly trained calibration professionals who operate in some of the most demanding, precision-driven environments, ranging from life sciences labs to aerospace facilities and defense manufacturing lines. There’s little room for error here, and even less for inefficiency. 

But despite their expertise, FSEs encounter preventable challenges daily. These things slow them down, complicate their work, and introduce compliance risk—and they happen a lot. They’re documented, systemic issues that stem from gaps in planning, coordination, and support. 

At SIMCO, we believe that if something consistently disrupts an FSE’s day, it shouldn’t be considered “part of the job.” It should be a call to improve the process. 

We’ve compiled the top 10 frustrations Field Service Engineers face in the field, paired with the concrete steps SIMCO is taking to eliminate them. Because when FSEs are set up for success, so are the customers and industries we serve. 

1. Chasing Down Calibration-Expired Tools

Nothing disrupts a job faster than realizing mid-task that a reference standard or tool is overdue for calibration. 

SIMCO’s Solution: To prevent avoidable downtime, SIMCO equips FSEs with fully verified toolkits before deployment. Each standard is checked against calibration intervals using centralized scheduling tools, ensuring that only up-to-date, compliant equipment goes into the field. Expirations are proactively flagged well in advance—no mid-job surprises. 

2. Unclear or Missing Asset Information

Inaccurate equipment lists, outdated records, or missing asset histories increase the risk of delays and rework. 

SIMCO’s Solution: FSEs rely on SIMCO’s digital asset management platform, powered by CERDAAC, to access complete, real-time asset records, including calibration history, serial numbers, location, and required procedures. This ensures field teams can arrive informed, execute efficiently, and complete work with full traceability. 

3. Last-Minute Schedule Changes

Rush orders, cancellations, and route reshuffles disrupt workflow and reduce field efficiency. 

SIMCO’s Solution: A dynamic dispatch system is invaluable. It allows the operations team to communicate real-time schedule updates with mobile-enabled notifications. FSEs receive revised work orders, site contacts, and equipment details immediately, ensuring they’re never caught off guard by a change in plans. 

4. Poor Documentation from Previous Calibrations

Missing “as found” data or incomplete adjustment records force technicians to spend time revalidating past work. 

SIMCO’s Solution: Through standardized documentation practices and automated certificate generation, SIMCO ensures each calibration event is captured with full “as found” and “as left” data. FSEs can quickly retrieve prior work in CERDAAC, enabling faster decision-making and continuity across service events.

5. Equipment That’s Inaccessible or Unprepared

Delays occur when equipment isn’t ready, locked away, or still in use during a scheduled visit. 

SIMCO’s Solution: Mitigating avoidable delays is simple once equipment readiness checks become part of your process before each visit. Our customer coordination protocols include pre-visit check-ins, asset availability verification, and automated reminders to ensure calibration can begin promptly upon arrival. 

6. Unreliable or Uncalibrated Reference Standards

Technicians must be able to trust the accuracy of their tools. If standards are questionable, so is the outcome. 

SIMCO’s Solution: SIMCO’s metrology labs operate under stringent ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, ensuring all reference standards are traceable to national measurement institutes and verified for accuracy before use. FSEs receive tools they can trust, because our customers trust them too. 

7. Excessive Paperwork and Manual Data Entry

Handwritten forms and manual entry increase the risk of error and slow turnaround time—especially under audit pressure. 

SIMCO’s Solution: By replacing manual workflows with digital tools, SIMCO eliminates the burden of paperwork. FSEs capture calibration data electronically on-site, which feeds directly into CERDAAC for instant certificate generation and secure digital storage. The result: faster throughput and fewer errors. 

8. No Clear Point of Contact On-Site

Technicians arrive on-site only to discover no one knows they’re coming, or worse, can’t locate the equipment. 

SIMCO’s Solution: Each job is assigned a verified customer point of contact, confirmed ahead of the visit, and shared with the FSE along with access instructions. This eliminates confusion at the start of a job and keeps the day on track from the moment of arrival. 

9. Inefficient Communication with the Lab or Office

Delays in approvals or missing documentation from headquarters can stall progress in the field. 

SIMCO’s Solution: FSEs are supported by direct, real-time channels to SIMCO labs and operations teams. When they need procedural clarification, document access, or urgent feedback, support is just a call or click away. This minimizes delays and maximizes productivity. 

10. Underappreciated for Keeping Things Compliant

FSEs role in customer compliance is crucial, but a common job satisfaction complaint is that their contributions often go unnoticed—unless something goes wrong. 

SIMCO’s Solution: We believe compliance starts with the field. SIMCO actively tracks and highlights the value our FSEs bring to regulatory success. We connect their work to audit outcomes, operational uptime, and customer satisfaction. Internally and externally, we recognize their critical role in delivering quality and confidence. 

Setting Field Teams (and Customers) Up for Success 

Field Service Engineers are the frontline of SIMCO’s promise to deliver precise, compliant, and reliable calibration services. But even the most skilled technicians can only perform at their best when they’re equipped with the right tools, information, and support. 

That’s why we don’t just focus on the calibration itself; we focus on removing every barrier that slows it down. From digital documentation and real-time scheduling to proactive communication and verified reference standards, SIMCO is committed to giving our FSEs what they need to succeed in the field. 

Because when our field teams are empowered to work efficiently and accurately, our customers benefit with higher compliance confidence, faster turnaround times, and a smoother path through every audit. Fixing frustrations is important, but raising the standard for what calibration services should look like is even more crucial.  

Ready to Eliminate Downtime and Stay Audit-Ready?

Discover how SIMCO’s Field Service C.A.R.E. Package keeps your teams moving with calibrated, compliant tools, before their current kits expire. Designed for high-stakes industries like Life Sciences and Aerospace & Defense, this turnkey solution ensures seamless tool rotation, reduces downtime, and simplifies compliance. Let SIMCO handle the logistics so your Field Service Engineers can focus on what matters most: precision, performance, and productivity.