Five Strategies For Maximum Productivity In Smart Field Devices
By David Corey, VP, IT Managed Services for Advanced Technology Services, Inc.
Field service personnel, from repair techs to salespeople to delivery drivers, are more reliant on smart devices than ever before. And those smart devices are changing.
In ever greater numbers, companies are moving away from laptops and dedicated, task-specific devices to tablets, and even smartphones, as platforms of choice for their field service workforces. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), after a lull in interest, is back as well; MarketsandMarkets, a global research firm, predicts that the worldwide market for BYOD and enterprise mobility will reach $73.30 billion by 2021.
Yet for all their advantages, smart devices face challenges in field service deployment. Application and data management, security, and training are only a few of the continuing factors impacting smart device proliferation. Maintaining productivity amid the shifting technology and business landscape requires strategies that are as smart as the devices they cover. Here are five of the best steps any organization can take to maximize their smart field device investments:
Utilize the cloud as much as possible. Whether BYOD or company-owned, the trend toward thin endpoints is increasing as organizations limit the amount of data and software stored on mobile devices. In this environment, the flexibility and cost-efficiency of the cloud is an ideal solution.
Maintaining apps and data in the cloud has multiple benefits. Onboarding and offboarding is simplified, since less digital information must be loaded onto devices. Not only does storing data in the cloud improve security, but downtime due to hardware/software conflicts is lessened as well.
Use agents to monitor endpoint devices. SPM (System Performance Monitoring) agents on devices can be invaluable for determining, in real time, if a device is malfunctioning. The real benefit of SPM agents is speed; operations centers or other monitoring organizations can be notified immediately if performance thresholds are not met, so remedial action is not delayed. Wise organizations make SPM a part of their endpoint network as a cost-effective way to ensure maximum uptime.
Strong security is essential. In an era when major data breaches occur almost daily, it’s remarkable that many companies focus on the cost-reduction benefits of BYOD—with security barely given consideration.
Obviously the more data that sits on a device, the costlier a loss or hack can be. Yet there’s more to consider; if a device is connected to an internal network, it becomes a gateway for those with malicious intent to look for vulnerabilities. Enterprises should consider solutions that can lock down the device, and/or wipe data, via remote command. Software is also available to track mobile devices via GPS, making recovery much more likely.
Consider outsourcing the service desk. User self-help resources are common and deceptively attractive solutions—but they’re not a good use of your employees’ time. Unlike the service issues they may encounter off-the-clock and at home, when your employees are consumed with fixing devices while on the job, they are not making their companies money. It’s that simple.
One hour of lost productivity certainly exceeds the cost of a quick fix made possible by good service desk support, so it’s a good idea to put the best experts on the job, even if outsourcing is required. That way, when a problem occurs, the employee can simply access a fully-trained technician who can triage the problem immediately.
Good service desk support is as much a matter of morale, as it is productivity. Studies have shown that a good service desk can generate not only a 20% increase in field service productivity, but also user satisfaction ratings as high as 98%. The key, however, is the skill level of the service desk; look for answer times within 60 seconds and first-contact resolution scores of 80%. The goal is to have issues resolved, and your people back in service, in 15 minutes or less.
Keep in mind that your workers are not IT specialists. Field service professionals are highly trained and know their jobs well. The job of the smart device at their sides is to help them do their jobs, not slow them down.
Devices in the field should be easy to use, bug-free, and fast. Maintaining the health of these devices is a mission-critical task for any organization—as important as keeping your employees on the job. Malfunctioning smart devices are, at best, a nuisance; at worst, a cause for a full work stoppage that can impact hundreds, if not thousands, of workers.
A comprehensive device management program—one backed up by robust monitoring, tight security, expert service desk support, and extensive use of cloud resources—is one of the best investments you can make. Whether for BYOD or company-owned devices, maintain your mobile device infrastructure well and you’ll reap the profits both now, and down the road.