Productivity is the combination of intelligent planning and focused efforts, but if your mobile team is lacking in productivity, disaster can strike. By identifying productivity weaknesses within your mobile team, you could help break the cycle. If you feel your mobile team is facing a productivity crisis, now is a good time to take a step back and look at the processes, tools and management techniques that could be hindering your team’s progress.
Using the Right Tools within your Mobile Workforce
Every day businesses are learning more about the ways mobile technology can be used to strengthen their productivity and gain increased profitability. Handheld technology solutions can help employees to use company data and resources without being tied to a single location, which can prove an ideal functionality if staff are travelling to various destinations to visit vendors etc. within their working day.
Operational Benefits of Using the Right Tools
As more businesses implement mobile workforces, supplying employees with the right tools to complete their job is essential. Work management tools in the shape of portable software solutions can help by providing the following operational benefits:
1. Increased Cash Flow
The sooner your business gets paid for the products and services it provides, the more profitable and competitive you will be. Mobile payment collection aligns the cash cycle by reducing hold-ups of payment. Your business will be paid as quickly as the same day it delivers products or services. Real-time invoicing allows for shorter lead time to Cash.
2. Streamlining Processes
Scheduled jobs can be provided direct to the worker’s device at the start of their shift. This means jobs can be prioritised based on their location, the proximity of the team, the Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and the manual overrides.
3. Real-Time Updates
Jobs can be signed on the device by the customer and automatically marked as completed on departure, then transmitted back to headquarters in real-time. This means fewer hours wasted for mobile teams, lesser mileage, more productive time on the clock and better customer service.
4. Reduction in Delivery Disputes
Greater accuracy and quality of documentation reduces customer queries and delivery disputes.
5. Improved Route and Schedule Controls
Portable devices can allow for quick view information in real-time and can include traffic based alerts systems as well as tracking daily schedules.
6. Greater Visibility of Mobile Workforce
Know the whereabouts of your drivers at all times, as well as your vehicles and other company assets such as trolleys and pallets.
7. Reduced Duplication and Manual Data Entry
With the assistance of portable software, less time is spent on manual data entry, tracking compliance and paperwork. Having a database that houses all documentation also lessens the chance of duplication.
8. Guide Users through Daily Processes
Workflow processes not only provides easier instruction and training for your workforce, it allots different workflows for individual customers. This is an ideal facility when using agency or temporary staff.
9. More Time for Increased Deliveries Per Vehicle
Automated processes help to reduce time spent at each delivery, enabling opportunity for increased numbers of deliveries per vehicle.
10. Workflow Process Prompts Vehicle Checks
Driver sign off improves due diligence and can allow faster processing of compliance requirements such as roadside inspections and VOSA/DVSA regulations.
11. Empowers Workforce to Update Information On-Site
Real-time data capture allows two way information flow, recording any information changes.
12. Real-Time Delivery/Collection Confirmation
The accuracy and quality of data collated by drivers is improved, while the real-time communication system enables dispatch to more efficiently distribute orders to the fleet. Real-time confirmed delivery also helps to enable earlier invoicing.
13. Improved Stock Controls
Stock information is always up to date, so the driver knows exactly what stock is available in the van to sell.
14. No Need for Paper Forms
Keeping paperwork up-to-date is never easy, but it is crucial to your service operation. Automation of forms on a mobile device can be a huge time saver for your business. Additionally, less paper means less printing costs.
Smart Mobile Devices for Businesses
The use of smart mobile devices for businesses on the move, across a range of industry sectors, provides many advantages. At EDG, we’ve designed a unique software management system specifically for the mobilised workforce. It can be tailored to your business as a complete end to end mobile data solution, helping to increase productivity of your mobile teams, streamline operations, and maximise profit margins.
