What Is Mobile Workforce Management?

Keeping mobile workers engaged and performing at their best is critical for maintaining your business’ competitiveness, especially now that customer expectations are higher than ever.

Cloud-based software can help you improve your mobile workforce management strategy, boost organizational efficiency and profitability and delight even your pickiest customers.

An Introduction to Mobile Workforce Management

First, let’s define the term “mobile workforce.” Also known as “deskless work,” mobile work is any job where an employee’s primary responsibilities occur outside an office. Their jobs typically involve being on the go or performing physical tasks away from a desk.

Some examples of mobile workers include:

Public safety officials
Sales representatives
Truck drivers
Regional managers
Ride-share drivers
Construction workers

Managing a mobile workforce can be challenging due to employees’ geographical distribution, especially if you don’t have the tools or infrastructure to gain complete visibility into your workforce. Some typical challenges involved in mobile workforce management include:

Effective long-distance communication
Accurate time tracking
Scheduling issues
Lack of transparency
No integration with other systems

A digital workforce management solution can help you identify practical, cost-effective solutions to these challenges.

Mobile Workforce Management vs. Field Service Management

You should also understand the distinction between mobile workforce management and field service management, even though the two may seem identical at first glance.

Field service is a specific type of mobile work involving technical services, such as installing or maintaining equipment at a customer’s site.

Several industries rely on traditional fieldwork, including:

Telecommunications
Facilities management
Manufacturing
Logistics
Utilities
Commercial HVAC

On the other hand, mobile work is a more expansive category that includes all the above plus non-technical workers.

What Is Mobile Workforce Management Software?

You can use technology to simplify the responsibilities of managing a mobile workforce. Centralizing all your employee data under one digital roof enables easier access for efficient analysis and real-time updates. Enhanced visibility into your workforce’s locations and performance can ensure your team delivers the highest-quality results possible.

Some also integrate with your customer relationship management software to provide more transparency into customer behaviors and preferences, which can help you enhance your services and overall performance in the future.

6 Benefits of Mobile Workforce Management Systems

An effective mobile workforce management solution improves operations for everyone in your organization.

Here are the top six benefits of adopting mobile WFM software.

Efficiency and productivity boosts: An integrated WFM solution automates time-consuming administrative processes like scheduling, task assignments and payroll. Your employees can do more in less time.
Business agility: WFM software provides real-time visibility into your entire mobile workforce, so you can resolve issues as soon as they arise.
Streamlined communication: Mobile workforce management tools often come with built-in messaging features that enable you to instantaneously connect with your employees, whether they’re in the office or on a job. Conversely, your employees can reach out to you anytime they need help.
Empowered employees: Giving your employees access to features like schedule updates, management notifications, shift change requests and PTO lets them concentrate more fully on their day-to-day operations, which can improve job satisfaction and reduce employee turnover.
Data-driven decision-making: Advanced data collection, analytics and reporting capabilities can help you uncover inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement, directly contributing to better customer and employee experiences.
Enhanced customer experience: The data you collect from customers and employees can identify ways to optimize your services, so you can better meet today’s rising customer expectations.

Finding a tool that fits for your unique workforce is crucial for realizing these benefits, as software is not a one-size-fits-all solution. You’ll want to shop around and do plenty of research to find a system that integrates seamlessly into your organization’s workflows and existing tech stack.

8 Features of Mobile Workforce Management Solutions

If you’re shopping for a mobile workforce management solution, choose one with efficiency-boosting features and a reputation for excellent customer support and service. Here are some leading features to look for.

Time tracking: Compatibility with web-based timesheets, mobile apps and point-of-sale devices ensures accurate tracking of hours worked, and advanced automation sends that data to payroll for you.
Absence management: Quick access to PTO balances and comparisons with industry benchmarks enable your managers to track and manage attendance, including extended leave requests.
Labor forecasting: Accurate labor forecasting helps you determine how many workers you’ll need to meet customer demand while maximizing your bottom line.
Scheduling: Use an integrated, cloud-based solution to create schedules that align with your labor forecasts and employee availability. You could also allow your employees to swap shifts for last-minute coverage.
Overtime management: WFM software can notify you when employees are approaching overtime, so you can authorize or deny extra hours before you encounter a problem.
Regulatory compliance: Some WFM solutions allow you to set custom work and pay rules for streamlined compliance with labor laws, union contracts and internal policies. Additionally, a solution that automatically logs timecard documentation provides helpful evidence for managing disputes.
Advanced analytics: Interactive dashboards and rich reporting features can uncover issues that may have previously gone unnoticed, enabling managers to take a more proactive approach to improving their operations.
Integrated mobile app: Mobile accessibility significantly improves agility by allowing managers to fill open shifts or make other adjustments with just a few taps.

PenguinData’s mobile workforce management module comes with all these features, and deep integrations with our other modules create a streamlined data flow across your organization for enhanced visibility and management processes.

Enhance Your Mobile Workforce Management Strategy With PenguinData

If you’re looking for a turnkey solution to help you manage your mobile workforces, choose PenguinData’s WFM module. Its 100% mobile interface provides a single source of truth for your entire organization, enhancing efficiency and enabling truly data-driven decision-making.

Automated time tracking and payroll processes free your employees from laborious, mundane tasks like data entry and calculations. Plus, fully digital work orders enable you to track, monitor and process operations at any time, saving you money on paper documentation and creating a more sustainable business model.

Schedule your free demo today to learn more about supercharging your mobile workforce with PenguinData.

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