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Remote workers are more common than ever in the U.S., with a recent Gallup survey finding a 4 percentage point increase in the number of employees engaging in some level of remote work over the past several years. Not only are more Americans working out of the office, but they are also doing it more frequently, with a 7 percent increase in the number of respondents working remotely four to five days a week.
Looking at the workforce as a whole, the total number of telecommuters has increased 115 percent over the course of the last decade, according to the 2017 State of Telecommuting in the U.S. Employee Workforce report. Why? For one thing, many employees want the flexibility that comes with remote work. In fact, offering remote work as an option helps many companies attract more qualified candidates.
Many roles also require remote work. This is particularly true for growing businesses that need to get maximum productivity out of a smaller staff. Roles that call for client meetings or attendance at promotional events keep employees on the go, making remote work unavoidable.
While studies have shown remote workers can actually be more productive, distance does create communication challenges. Remote employees need seamless access to all tools and resources to perform their jobs no matter where they are. This is especially true for mobile remote workers who move from one client site or event to another.
Cloud-delivered mobile business apps provide the ideal solution for remote worker management. To see how this plays out in the real world, let’s zoom in and see how one growing industry – craft brewing – depends on remote workers for success and how a mobile business application gives employers and employees alike everything they need to stay connected.
Craft Breweries Keep Remote Workers on Tap with a Mobile Business App
A craft brewery’s success relies on remote workers performing to their fullest potential. At smaller breweries especially, some of the most common and important jobs include brand ambassadors and account managers.
These employees do the majority of their work remotely, running beer tastings and promotional events to increase sales and working with local distribution partners. Social media is a prime channel for customer engagement. Employees may work nights and weekends to accommodate special events. Hours may even fluctuate with the seasons, increasing during peak beer season in the summer.
Account managers need instant access to promotions, pricing and detailed information about the product. Without a business mobile application, these employees would be disconnected from headquarters and unable to perform their jobs. A mobile communications app gives craft breweries everything they need to manage remote workers efficiently, including the ability to:
Future proof their current on-site communications solution investment by enabling it to work seamlessly with a mobile business communications app.
Keep employees connected no matter where they are, whether that’s moving from one distributor to the next or switching between events. Mobile employees can have seamless access to the same features as those working behind a desk.
Make it possible for remote workers to never miss a call from a partner or prospect with an app that allows them to answer calls from multiple lines. If someone’s on hold, anyone with the app can take the call, avoiding missed opportunities.
Provide a voice-centric solution offering business-class quality to support remote workers with a reliable solution, whether they’re at a crowded tasting event or driving from one distributor to another.
Enable remote employees to get instant answers through group calling and chat features, offering them a space to ask questions related to the latest brews or discuss negotiations.
Support breweries and other growing businesses with a scalable system, making it simple to add users as required. Seasonal ebbs and flows are just as easily supported.
In short, simple + cost-effective = the perfect brew.
Cloud-based mobile apps make management simple and effective. An intuitive system requires minimal training and reduces IT requirements for maintenance and support.
Paying for unnecessary functionality can be avoided with a business mobile application that delivers only those features that growing small-to-medium businesses need to succeed. One craft brewer saw a 38 percent cost savings with a unified communications system that supported their ever-changing needs.
Since a communications system is the hub of a successful team, cloud-delivered business mobile applications extend the workplace to remote employees. By ensuring they can be reached anywhere and anytime – whether they’re on the road, with a client or at an event – businesses keep remote employees connected, informed and part of the team.
