Paul works as a technician at your manufacturing site. Paul is responsible for managing and repairing equipment in various parts of your facilities. In an environment that's not in the slightest bit comfy, and a job that can require demanding hours of labor, lugging around a 5-kilo rugged laptop through the plant is surely tiring and can hamper Paul's productivity in the long run. This is pretty important because humans make errors far more frequently in manufacturing plants than machines do.
What if Paul's laptop was replaced with an alternative that was ten times cheaper, thirty times lighter, twice as fast to operate, and performed nearly all of the same functions? What if we told you that Paul had access to the alternative all this time, but did not know how to utilize it in the given context?
Mobile devices are ubiquitous and have become an integral part of people's lives, both professionally and personally. With a smartphone or tablet instead, Paul can access work orders within seconds, create reports with a few touches, take pictures of the equipment, and send all of this instantly to his supervisors without any internet connectivity barriers.
As workplaces evolve and workers become more connected than ever, smartphones and tablets are bringing people and data together in real time. Let's go through five serious benefits that mobile devices provide to establish a successfully connected worker system:
Better user experience with unmatched accessibility!
In many industries, a significant portion of the workforce operates remotely, such as field technicians, service engineers, miners, or construction workers. These workers may not have access to a desktop computer or a dedicated workspace, but they are likely to have a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet, with them at all times.
By implementing a Connected Worker Platform with a mobile-first approach, organizations can ensure that all workers have access to the same tools and resources, regardless of their location or device. This can help to bridge the digital divide between office-based workers and frontline workers and promote equal access to information and training.
In addition, mobile interfaces are typically more streamlined and intuitive, with fewer menus and options, which can help workers complete tasks more quickly and efficiently. A smooth user experience boosts worker engagement and adoption of the platform, which can lead to increased productivity and collaboration.
Enhanced productivity
Mobile devices can help to enhance productivity by enabling workers to perform tasks more quickly and efficiently. For example, workers can use mobile devices to receive real-time updates, access training materials, or collaborate with colleagues on-the-go, without having to return to a central location or use a desktop computer. This can save time and increase efficiency, resulting in a more productive workforce.
Additionally, mobile devices are often more familiar and comfortable for workers to use than desktop computers. This can help to reduce the time it takes for workers to complete tasks, and also minimize the possibility of human error.
In addition, a mobile-first approach can also make the platform more resilient to downtime or interruptions, as workers can switch between devices or networks as needed, without losing their work. This grants the entire workforce constant flexibility and mobility in their day-to-day work.
Cost savings
Another benefit for business owners to consider is the cost of hardware and infrastructure that they save to support the platform. Today, smartphones and tablets are available at very affordable prices and are considerably less expensive than desktop computers or laptops.
Along with this a lot of connected worker systems are SaaS-based which helps organizations forget about having to further invest in expensive hardware or software upgrades. Plus, you don't have to invest in cloud infrastructure or technicians to overlook the maintenance of the platform at all. Just select the features and the service you require for your business needs, and subscribe and set up on the go.
In addition, mobile devices often have longer battery life than computers, which can reduce energy costs and further increase cost savings. Overall, a mobile-first approach can help organizations to create a cost-effective and efficient system that meets the needs of both the workers and the organization.
Scalability
A mobile-centric connected worker platform also influences scalability to a great degree. As organizations grow and add new workers, it can be challenging to provide access to desktop computers or laptops, especially for businesses that operate on-site in remote or distributed locations. Mobile devices, however, are more accessible and easier to provision, making it easier and much faster to scale the platform as needed.
For example, let's consider a hotel that needs to run daily audits on all its assets in every room and every other part of the hotel. Maybe it's feasible for a hotel with a single floor and less than a handful of rooms to run its audits on pen-and-paper or carry a laptop around. But most hotels don't fall under this category and the service industry thrives on proactiveness and faultless customer experience. To achieve this, the staff needs to be equipped with mobile devices and a connected system.
In addition, the platform is also more adaptable to different devices and operating systems this way, which can help organizations to reach a broader range of workers. This can be particularly important for large organizations with a diverse workforce or those operating in multiple locations.
By adopting a connected worker system with a mobile-first approach, organizations can ensure that the platform is scalable, flexible, and adaptable to changing business needs.
Better data collection
Mobile devices are equipped with a range of sensors and technologies that can enable better data collection and analysis. For example, workers can use mobile devices to capture and share images or video footage, record audio, or collect GPS data.
This can provide organizations with valuable insights into worker performance, safety, and compliance, which can help to improve decision-making and identify areas for improvement.
Mobile devices and tablets help to leverage these capabilities and provide workers with tools to collect and share data more easily and efficiently. This can help to increase the accuracy and timeliness of data, which can lead to better outcomes and improved operations.
