Why Frontline Software Could Save Your Field Service Teams
Every business relies heavily on its frontline employees. Since these are the people who customers initially interact with, frontline workers have the honor to create first impressions… and we all know that first impressions matter a lot!
In a certain sense, frontline teams are their respective business representatives, so it’s crucial that they’re engaged and confident about their work.
To top it off, it is often overlooked that frontline employees are literally omnipresent. When customers need help, they reach out to them. With the development of new tech, customer support agents are available via phone, social media, and in person.
All the more reason to mourn the fact that the significance of frontline employees is underrated. Namely, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, there are around 11 million vacant positions in the United States alone that are somehow connected to frontline employees. The openings encompass jobs in manufacturing, hospitality, healthcare, transportation, and warehousing.
How did it come to this tragic situation?
According to numerous studies, the main reason why frontline workers are unsatisfied with their jobs is poor relationships. Frontline managers often lack practical knowledge of frontline processes and that needs to change fast.
Other notable concerns include rigid working schedules (solvable by applying hybrid work models) and various misunderstandings in the workplace (solvable by applying job management software).
The latter is the focus of this article, so let’s see how internal communication software can help businesses keep their frontline employees and how they can actually start enjoying their jobs.
What is Internal Communication Software?
Basically, internal communication software equals business communication apps.
You may have heard the term “digital workplace,” which has been hyped of late but, sadly, no one can tell you what it really is.
It depends on who you ask, so feel free to interpret it however you see fit.
Using internal communication software is one of the rare elements of the digital workplace everyone agrees on.
These apps focus on connection and alignment, and their main aim is to reach out to the entire workforce.
Typically, these mobile apps bring together all employees and managers in one central location where communication is being handled on the overall organizational level. Because of that, they’re usually more than simple communication tools.
Scilicet, in addition to their chief purpose, these apps serve as platforms for company updates and feedback.
One notable benefit of internal communication software is interaction streamlining, which enables every employee to connect with anyone else in a matter of seconds.
Typical Internal Communication Channels
Since the functions of internal communication apps go beyond the usual chit-chat, it’s not surprising that various alternatives are being used by businesses.
Some typical internal communication channels include:
- Chats (text, video, and audio)
- Messaging
- Facebook groups (private)
- Intranets
- Bulletin boards
- Management apps (Asana, Trello, and similar)
Obviously, not all of these channels offer the same alternatives, so businesses should choose wisely which ones to use and what to use them for. E.g., private Facebook groups may be beneficial for sharing impressions, while Asana is more suitable for private meet-ups, messaging, and project management.
How to Choose the Best Internal Communication App
Due to all these reasons, deciding on a single app may prove difficult. On the other hand, relying on too many apps will overwhelm the employees and make things more complicated rather than easier.
First of all, look for alternatives that are secure, trusted, and regulated. This is business communication we’re discussing here, after all, so you wouldn’t want to deal with safety issues and similar.
Next on, look for apps that allow for communication streamlining and workflow integrations. Optimally, they should also feature video and audio chat as these solve issues faster than messaging.
Finally, the apps need to be user-friendly. Overly complicated solutions are certain to frustrate employees, which is never a good sign as this software is to be used regularly.
Benefits of Internal Communication Apps
There are multiple benefits to internal communication, the most notable of which we’ll briefly explain below.
Team Alignment
For one reason or another, “alignment” is the second most popular term these days (the first one being “digital workplace”).
Needless to say, the two are closely linked as digitalization (which includes remote work and international teams) calls for rapid alignment across the board.
Not only do business processes need to be modernized, but they also need to be streamlined. Alignment is usually achieved by bringing the workforce together via internal communication platforms. These are perfect as managers may easily share updates with everyone with a single click. This is a far better solution than using email (which was common practice before modern communication apps emerged), as the message is clearly visible to everyone.
Employee Engagement
Employee engagement is one of the most common topics in business circles, so we will explain why it is important briefly.
Engaged employees are involved and perform better as their tasks fulfill them. This sense of purpose and self-accomplishment is what drives businesses forward.
Internal communication apps boost employee engagement in a simple way: they include everyone in discussions that matter on the organizational level. In this way, every single employee feels their efforts are being valued, which, in turn, drives their engagement.
Better Collaboration
Alignment and engagement naturally lead to better team collaboration.
Not only do people feel more motivated, but they can also collaborate more efficiently thanks to the apps’ functionalities.
Some of these include seamless file transfer, real-time communication, and multi-channel communication.
Better Transparency
In a similar fashion, internal communication apps enhance transparency.
Communication platforms play one immensely important role within a business — they build trust. In the long run, this translates into a strong workplace culture where diversity is the main driving force.
Transparency is the power behind the process as the days when high brass kept important information all to themselves are long gone. Nowadays, everything is being shared with the workers, which makes them value their jobs more.
Due to all these benefits, internal communication apps have become integral to business processes, so you should keep an eye on the developments as new advancements keep popping up all the time. Regardless of that, streamlining interactions should be the main aim. In this way, processes will remain unchanged regardless of the communication channel being used.