Why is mobile workforce management important?
Simply put, businesses cannot stay competitive today without using technology well. Customer expectations continue to rise, anchored by fast-moving companies whose success hinges on using technology to create exceptional experiences. As a result, every company that wants to stay competitive must consider new approaches and systems to adapt.
Meeting these new customer expectations means examining internal processes with a critical eye—and being prepared to make changes. The tools that you used in the past may not be suited for the workforce (and customer expectations) of the present and future.
The right mobile workforce management system will give you the tools to tackle three major challenges in today’s marketplace:
1. Schedules and office hours are no longer predictable
Traditional work hours, and the traditional field service tools that managed them, are becoming a thing of the past. Many companies use a blend of full-time employees, part-time employees, and 1099 contractors to serve their customers, and schedules are much more fluid than they used to be.
This flexibility often leads to better worker availability—and in turn, better customer service—but it cannot be managed with a traditional calendaring tool. With a dynamic, shifting workforce, you need a workforce management system that can keep up.
2. Real-time scheduling and dispatching requires sophisticated tools
Today’s field service landscape is more complex than it used to be. The tools of the past, like spreadsheets and paper calendars, are no longer enough to meet the needs of deskless workers. In addition, customers expect mobile workers to arrive sooner, be better prepared, and work more efficiently than ever before.
Companies who rely on mobile employees are shifting toward cloud-based tools that can reach mobile workers anytime, anywhere. With these tools, back office administrators can send new work assignments, up-to-date schedules, and important customer information right to the employee’s mobile device. This real-time data sharing gives the mobile employee everything they need to serve the customer, which leads to satisfied customers and happy mobile workers.
3. Increasing efficiency and profitability requires accurate data
Without the right data, your company could be making key decisions based on faulty assumptions. Inaccurate or incomplete data can lead to all sorts of challenges, including inaccurate predictions of demand, inability to meet service-level targets, and escalating service costs.
A key advantage of a mobile workforce management system is its ability to centralize data. An intelligent mobile workforce platform collects data from the field and instantly shares it with your CRM or other system of record. Your mobile workers can record key metrics like time of arrival and time of job completion, giving you the data to estimate daily capacity and set accurate appointment times. With a wealth of data at your disposal, you can make decisions that increase efficiency and ultimately profitability.
What does your mobile workforce management system need to be successful?
Not all mobile workforce management systems are created equal. Depending on the nature of your mobile operation, you may need specific features, like offline functionality or recurring appointments, or support for specific devices. The best workforce management systems are flexible, scalable, and user-friendly enough to be easily adopted by your workforce.
Before choosing a solution for your business, you’ll need to evaluate each mobile workforce management system to find the ideal fit for your business.
A successful workforce management system:
- Is mobile-first, and works seamlessly with all your devices.
- Can match the right worker to the right job based on skills, certifications, availability, location, customer preferences, and other important qualifiers.
- Can notify mobile workers of new jobs and appointments.
- Offers integrations with other tools for extra functionality
To thoroughly evaluate your mobile workforce management software options and ensure you’re selecting the best fit, use our mobile workforce checklist.
Download our eBook: Best Practices for Choosing a Mobile Workforce Management Solution
Skedulo for Intelligent Mobile Workforce Management
Skedulo offers a modern, robust solution for organizations looking to more efficiently manage their deskless workforce. With automated scheduling, real-time communication, optimized routing, and more, our mobile-first software is designed to boost your mobile workers’ efficiency.
Learn how to choose the right mobile workforce management solution for your business, or book a demo to see how Skedulo’s mobile workforce management software can help your teams succeed.
