It’s one of those well-worn business phrases: “If you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind”. But it’s also a management truism which has never been so relevant as it is today.
The world of work has changed more over the past 10 years than it has during the previous century. This is thanks to the combined advance of digital and cloud technologies.
The ‘game-changing’ tech has helped to create a new generation of business tools which are rewriting the rulebook when it comes to the management of field workers.
Growing numbers of companies in the UK are now discovering the advantages of moving over to workforce management software – a powerful cloud-based system to manage and monitor the work of mobile workers.
Here’s a look at exactly how mobile workforce management software provides these businesses with a competitive advantage:
1. Manage your workers in real-time
How do you effectively manage a mobile workforce when, for the majority of time, you don’t know where they are, what they’re doing or how they’re performing? This is the fundamental problem faced by companies using old management methods.
For companies who move to workforce management software; it’s like ‘switching on the lights’. The manager is able to monitor in real-time exactly where each employee is, their current task status and feedback on the quality of work.
2. Free your company from paperwork
The constant battle to keep up to date with paperwork can have a stifling effect on business growth. Having to process and store reams of reports, schedules and job sheets is a slow and inefficient resource hog.
But it’s a problem which belongs to a bygone age; up to 85% of all paper processes can be eliminated by the use of workforce management software. The cloud-based software allows mobile workers to access all of the information they need in digital form; allowing for fast and seamless integration with office systems.
3. Connecting with your customers
The first sign of customer dissatisfaction for companies without workforce management software are often complaints and falling sales. This is a result of the difficulty and expense involved of obtaining proper customer feedback.
It’s something that gives workforce management software companies a significant advantage. A good workforce management software system will give customers the ability to leave service ratings using the mobile workers’ handheld device. This feedback allows issues to be identified and dealt with before they become damaging customer complaints.
4. Maintaining company compliance
One of the critical advantages that workforce management software provides to companies is a much improved ability to maintain legal and safety compliance. The cloud-based system allows a manager to integrate compliance confirmation screens and policy notices into the working routine.
If an employee needs to use a business vehicle, the system can require them, at the point-of-use, to confirm that they comply with company policy. It helps businesses to protect employee safety whilst also minimising the risk of costly prosecutions and fines.
5. Attracting the best employees
It’s estimated that there are now 1.19 billion mobile workers in the world. That’s 34.9% of the workforce! It’s part of a fundamental shift in the way people work, with the office-based world of the 9-5 becoming an increasingly outdated institution.
For a new generation of workers, they are looking for employers who can offer them flexibility when it comes to when and where they work. A company using workforce management software ticks this box; employees are able to operate from wherever they have a mobile phone connection.
