Introduction
Today’s enterprise landscape displays dynamic customer demands and tremendous competition. This is the reason why focusing on operational efficiency has become very important for the future. Statistics show that 86% of the employees believe that lack of effective collaboration and communication is the main reason for workplace failures. The field workforce is a vital part of every organization. They face your customers, represent your brand and communicate the real-world challenges that can give an edge to your business. Several businesses worldwide are trusting Push-to-talk apps to streamline their field communication. But what are push-to-talk apps and how do they impact your business’s operational efficiency? Let’s understand.
What are Push-to-Talk Apps?
A Push-to-Talk (PTT) app is software that allows you to turn your smartphones into walkie-talkies. Traditional push-to-talk devices such as two-way radios, walkie-talkie radios or land mobile radios use radio frequencies to transmit messages. Such two-way radios present several limitations in terms of network coverage area, audio quality and security. With PTT apps, your business need not invest hefty amounts of money in purchasing dedicated handsets and the associated licenses. You can enable your field employees to use their smartphones as walkie-talkies. Since PTT apps can be integrated into smartphones to leverage cellular connectivity, it negates all the drawbacks of radio communication. You can experience crystal clear audio with the global network coverage. Additionally, most cellular networks provide encryption of 128-bit to 256-bit, which makes it a secure choice.
How Do Push-to-talk Apps Streamline Operational Efficiency?
Adopting Push-to-talk solutions for your field communications offers several advantages that contribute to enhanced operational efficiency.
#1 Press-Button Transmission
They say time is money. Push-to-talk apps help your business achieve this quite literally. Your field employees can leverage the simple and fast push-button connectivity straight from their smartphones using PTT apps. How does this save time? Compare it with your regular phone call, email or text message procedures. The mainstream business communication methods involve tedious dialing and typing steps that take up a lot of time, especially when you are working in a time-critical environment. Push-to-talk solutions deliver instant connectivity. This helps the field workforce take decisions, gain information, and do work faster. The efficacy of Push to talk solutions can be easily compared to Frejun’s click to call and autodial feature. Both offer one click solution to connect with another person, thus saving the caller’s time.
#2 Group Connectivity
Businesses constitute diverse teams that take care of various operations. Every organization requires seamless networking between teams for the business to run smoothly. Push-to-talk solutions allow your field employee to not only connect with anyone from your organization one-to-one but also conduct group calls. Team discussions lead to better decisions and ensure that everyone is on the same page. This saves massive amounts of time spent on calling people individually and ensures that employees have a clear goal.
#3 No Radio Fatigue
The biggest challenge in streamlining operations for your field workforce is to ensure that there is no siloed information. Traditional PTT devices such as walkie-talkies present a great amount of radio static resulting in unclear transmissions. Your field workforce usually engages in customer-facing activities and high-risk environments where crystal clear communication is a must. Modern-day solutions use cellular networks that are clear and offer global coverage to ensure that there are no barriers to seamless communication.
#4 Hands-Free Communication
Field employees that work at remote locations such as mining sites, construction sites, manufacturing plants, etc. sport bulky protective gear all day and operate heavy-duty equipment. Similarly, fleet drivers constantly have to keep their eyes on the road. Picking up phone calls, checking emails or replying to text messages is near impossible for these employees. Thankfully, push-to-talk apps extend the barge call functionality which enables employees to hear the messages as and when they are received. You need not manually receive a call to hear the message. This ensures maximum safety for your employees and allows them to stay updated without leaving the task at hand.
#5 Easy to Use
Modern-day Push-to-talk apps are simple and intuitive. You do not need to conduct lengthy training sessions to get your field workforce accustomed to the interface. When emergency strikes, field employees should not be required to undergo complex procedures to communicate updates or receive instant help. The easy push-button mechanism is devoid of any complexities and helps the field employees communicate course changes and emergencies. Most modern-day PTT apps like NuovoTeam allow businesses to integrate their corporate directory with the PTT app so that no employee has to hunt for contacts in a time-critical situation.
#6 Global Connectivity
One of the biggest advantages of the modern-day Push-to-talk over cellular is that it is free of boundaries. Unlike walkie-talkie radios that offer limited coverage over a specific area, and require a clean line of sight to communicate, cellular PTT calls can be made from anywhere in the world. You need not worry about distance, licenses or interference when it comes to modern-day Push-to-talk apps. This plays a big role in streamlining on-field efficiency since workers and site managers can easily connect with their superiors and office staff to discuss critical matters and make informed decisions.
#7 Greater Visibility of Field Workforce
Businesses that have a field workforce would agree that gaining visibility of their on-the-move and remote teams is quite a challenge. Seamless field communication, keeping employees informed, and tracking their whereabouts can be a cumbersome task that makes it difficult for supervisors to guide their employees effectively. Push-to-talk solutions allow supervisors and office staff to regain the visibility of their field workforce. You can leverage location and GPS tracking capabilities which help you gain insights into your team’s performance, time spent at various locations and much more.
Closing Lines
In times when every organization is gradually stepping out of rigid office spaces to explore uncharted territories, having a platform that drives seamless connectivity between your field workforce and the office staff is a must. NuovoTeam is one such powerful Push-to-talk app that facilitates speedy and secure communication for your business.
A writer/business analyst, who enjoys expressing creativity through painting during leisure hours. Embracing the 'Workcation' philosophy, he seamlessly blends the craft of writing with the allure of exploring new destinations.