Remember back in the old days when cell phones had one function and it was to make a PHONE call? It changed our lives forever…who thought we could ever have the ability to make a phone call anytime and anywhere? Then came the Smartphone. I think they called it the Smartphone because if we were smart enough to figure it out, we could get our email and sync our calendar to it. And, if we were patient enough, we could even browse the web on it. Granted, it was so PAINFULLY slow that only the super-geeks would actually attempt it. The rest of us would just go home to our computers and connect to the internet via our 56K modem to check movie listings or sports scores. But the point was that we could. And it was a big deal.
Now look at us! Now. We want it now. Now, now, NOW! We can do almost anything on our phones. We can check email, look at social media sites, check the weather, navigate our cars, listen to music, play games against our friends, deposit checks into our bank accounts, the list goes on and on and on….
So how is it, that in a society where we’ve become so accustomed to being able to do almost anything on our phones, that many companies still operate primarily using paper-based systems? It may be surprising to you, but EVERY SINGLE DAY we talk to customers, both large and small, who have a model similar to this:
· End customer calls to request a service, order something for delivery, request an inspection, etc.
· Operator uses a desktop application to enter customer and business critical information in a local database.
· A work order of some sort is created and printed out of said application.
· A mobile worker comes into the office and picks up the work order and heads out the door for the day.
· Work is completed out in the field and data is collected on paper.
· The mobile worker drives back into the office at the end of the day to drop off paperwork.
· A data entry clerk enters information into the desktop application.
The results from this type of model? Old data, unnecessary miles, inefficient processes, and, in the end, unhappy customers. The crazy thing is, that while these mobile workers are out and about doing their jobs via pen and paper, many are carrying a Smartphone that is being paid for by their employer. If you’re already paying for cellular service for your mobile workers, why not give them a tool that will help them do their jobs better and save you money? Extending your business to the field through a mobile application can provide you with the following benefits:
· No more “roaming” employees - GPS tracking can let you see where your workforce is. Face it, some people need a big brother.
· Keep your workers working – no more driving back to the office to get the next assignment. Work. Sync. Repeat.
· The dog can’t eat it – no more lost paperwork or follow up calls to get the information that should have been collected the first time. No coffee stained work orders or illegible handwriting.
· Instant results – rather than waiting until the end of the day to run reports, you have a constant stream of data coming in. This allows you to see where improvements need to be made and react immediately.
· The bottom line – who doesn’t want that number to be bigger? Save money on paper, data entry wages, gas, and, and, and….
Does this story sound all too familiar? Is your business experiencing some of these struggles? If the answer is yes, you might be asking yourself “IS there an app for that?” The answer is…absolutely! And if there isn’t? I bet I know somebody that can help you build one….
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