Zinc & Field Technologies Announce Findings From New Report "Effective Enterprise Communication: The Foundation Of Strategic Field Service"

90% Indicate Real-time Communication Is Either Mission-critical Or Very Important;

23% Are Using Consumer Messaging Apps - I.E. Text, Whatsapp, Groupme, Etc. - Posing Risks With Security And Privacy;

Zinc Celebrates Deskless Worker Appreciation Month in September

SAN FRANCISCO - SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 - Zinc, the company providing a frictionless way for field workers to get the knowledge they need in real time, and Field Technologies Online, the premier industry resource for learning how to best optimize field workers, service, and assets, today announced findings from their new report “Effective Enterprise Communication: The Foundation Of Strategic Field Service,” which examined how effective enterprise communication enables field service organizations to be more intentional and strategic in their service delivery.

Field service, and deskless workers, comprise anywhere from 72-80% of the global workforce, or about 3 billion people. These workers include field service technicians, hotel staff, utility workers, flight crews, warehouse staff, manufacturing plant engineers, etc. As these workers are always on the go and not sitting at a desk, the tools and technologies they use to communicate in real time on the job are explored in greater detail in the report.

For the report, Field Technologies conducted a survey of 100 field service leaders in organizations that employ 50 or more field technicians to gather insights on how field service organizations are communicating today, how effective they feel these methods are, and to determine the opportunity that exists to enable teams to communicate more efficiently and effectively. Among some of the key findings from the report:

• 90% of survey respondents indicated that real-time communication is either mission-critical (50%) or very important (40%) to their field workers being able to do their jobs effectively.
• 70% of field service organizations surveyed say their visibility into field operations could use improvement.
• 23% of respondents are using consumer messaging apps - i.e. text, WhatsApp, GroupMe, etc. - which pose risks with security and administration.
• More than half of survey respondents (53%) reported that their field workers are only somewhat engaged or even somewhat disengaged. Further, 50% of respondents said that they need to improve upon their methods of enabling field workers to provide feedback to management.

“The findings from the report reinforces what we already know. Real-time communication drives measurable results for field teams, yet deskless workers aren’t armed with easy to use technology built with their unique needs in mind. ,” said Stacey Epstein, CEO, Zinc. “Innovative field service organizations who embrace a communication platform built for deskless worker will improve the productivity of their workforce by giving them real-time access to the information and resources they need to get their jobs done.”

“With customer demands on field service organizations continuing to grow, there is no tolerance for communication inefficiencies. Effective, reliable, secure communication that is easy for the field worker to conduct is essential in being able to deliver on today’s service demands,” says Sarah Nicastro, Editor In Chief of Field Technologies. “I think field service organizations can get caught up in their ‘business as usual’ ways and overlook the fact that there are more advanced tools that can make a major difference in how field workers communicate and collaborate, as well as set a solid foundation for further technology use.”

To download the report, click here.

Throughout the month of September, Zinc will celebrate Deskless Worker Appreciation Month,  shining a light on this often neglected workforce demographic by featuring the many ways that deskless workers are excelling in their field. No matter the industry, these deskless workers are united by the fact that their work doesn’t happen in front of a computer. Instead, they are working with their hands or directly with a customer. They are often on-the-go and rely on real-time communication and tribal knowledge to tackle new challenges and get the job done. And unlike desk-based workers, deskless workers have historically not had access to new technology that helps them communicate and collaborate while on the job.

Zinc is asking for suggestions on rockstar deskless workers who should be recognized during Deskless Worker Appreciation Month. If you are, or someone you know, excelling in their field as a deskless worker, tweet Zinc at @Zinc or email marketing@zinc.it, and be sure to include what makes the deskless worker you know so amazing. Those selected will be featured on Zinc’s website, blog, and Twitter.

About Zinc

Founded on the belief that deskless workers need a better way to communicate, Zinc provides the only All Mode Communication Platform bent on driving business results. With access to real-time communication any time on any device, Zinc truly transforms the way businesses run. Loved by users and trusted by the enterprise, customers include GE, Hyatt, BlueLine Rental, Vivint, and Gaylord Hotels. Visit www.zinc.it and follow @Zinc on Twitter.