Owning a business that requires field workers can be stressful. You need to know that every worker is going to be out doing the jobs they have scheduled in the most efficient manner with all the tools they could need. Here are some of the best ways you can ensure that all your field workers are managed in the best way possible.
Uniform Tools & Equipment
One of the first ways you can ensure that your workers are always going to be the best they can be is to make their tools and equipment uniform across the company. By choosing one brand and making it company standard, you will know that all employees will be able to deliver the same minimum of service.
This can extend from tools they use to complete jobs to the vehicles they use to move around.
If you are choosing to outfit a fleet of company vehicles for your employees, for instance, you should look into fleet insurance. A policy from quotezone.co.uk (who compare cheap insurance quotes) can help to protect the vehicles that you have acquired for your employees.
The same vehicle for everyone is another simple uniform standard to help make a minimum performance level for your workers.
Invest in an App
There are many worker apps on the market that let you input your employee’s schedule for the day. This can also be updated in real time, so if a new job crops up, your employee will be able to see this job as soon as it is added to their schedule for the day. This helps them know where they need to be all throughout their shift; no matter how far they might be from their home base.
The advantage of these apps is that they often come with an employee tracking system too. This means that you can monitor where employees are. If they are taking too long on one particular job, you will be able to see that. You will also be able to see whether or not they take “the scenic route” when moving between jobs, potentially wasting time.
Open Communication
Though you do need to track performance in the field, you should also make open communication a priority with your field workers. If they arrive to a job to discover that it is much more than they originally anticipated, they should have no problems relaying this to your base. This will give them the time they need to properly assess the situation at hand, while you adjust their schedule and potentially send them a helping hand.
Open communication is an important quality to have, especially when you have workers all over the map and potentially far away from base. Make sure that they understand that it is alright to call back to the office with an issue; they may otherwise make a costly error when trying to complete a difficult job within a certain timeframe.
Managing your workforce in the field is key for a productive and efficient business. Identify some areas of your business that need improvement today and start implementing changes now.