subject: Tips And Tools To Help Your Field Staff Stay Productive And Efficient [print this page] Contrary to popular opinion, productivity can only be accomplished when both management works together with its workers. While it's the job of your employees to provide internal motivation for themselves, it's your responsibility as employer to give them all the external motivation they need. This is, however, more difficult when we're talking about the field staff since you can't be physically on hand to supervise them. But it's not impossible and here are several tips and tools to help you ensure the productivity of your field staff.
Tip: A Happy Staff is a Productive Staff
Many employers believe that financial incentives alone can ensure the productivity of their employees, whether deskbound or assigned with field work. This is true only to a certain extent. When motivation offered is purely material, you're training your staff to attach a dollar price to every thing they do. But if you show a genuine interest in the happiness and well-being of your employers, they will show the same care to your business, motivated to do their best not for the sake of compensation but only to please you in return.
To start making your field staff happy, here's what you can do.
Show your appreciation
Field assignments are rarely pleasant. Work in the general sense is intellectually challenging, but add the field factor to it and it also becomes physically draining. That's what your field staff has to go through all the time so be sure to express your appreciation for the work they're doing.
Words of appreciation are only the first step. Make sure that proper recognition is also given to them from all levels of the business. Naturally, the extra effort they're exerting must be properly reflected on their paychecks as well.
Make field work comfortable
If you can afford to give them better transportation and accommodations then do so. We assure you that your rewards will be more than what you've initially invested.
Tool: Service Manager Software
Lastly but not the least, use service manager software to monitor the progress of your field employees no matter where they're assigned or what they've been tasked to accomplish. With service manager software, creation and scheduling of work orders is automated. The program may also be configured to perform other functions including but not limited to sending notifications to the appropriate users, provide online access to the program's database, monitor inventory, and make automated service dispatch and service calls.
