The idea of workforce management software has allowed companies to change the ways that they use their available labor in core operations. Specifically, mobile workforce management software has revolutionized the ways in which workers go out into the field to deliver products and services, complete key tasks, and deal with customers.

Usually deployed as an app for various mobile devices, mobile workforce management encompasses a broad array of tools with a general purpose: to support field service workers wherever they may be.

Any Device, Anywhere

The best mobile workforce management solutions operate on the principle of universal access to information. These platforms use smartphones and other mobile devices to connect employees and managers all over their business territory. Most mobile workforce management technology is supported by cloud technologies that keep data in vendor storage facilities, and stream it out to where it’s requested.

With easy-to-use interfaces, the best workforce management systems allow efficient and effective real-time communication between individuals working on key business goals. The idea of self-service is important in mobile workforce management — the idea is that a salesperson or a field service technician can get on his or her device and digitally link back to the office. This way they always have access to all kinds of work-related information in real time, and can report what’s going on in the field.

One common example is where the inspection of a field property aids a business in providing higher quality customer service. In this scenario, field service workers may upload pictures and notes to the company office for reference, or download data for the customer to show service options and pricing. All of this digital activity helps to serve both parties: the business and its customers.

Task Management

Many mobile workforce management tools offer a range of task management solutions. For example, if your field service worker is an estimator, they can use the self-service tool to report when tasks like inspections are completed. If it’s a sales job, then salespeople can use the platform to report accomplishments such as lead nurturing benchmarks, pre-registration, or closing a sale.

Time Management and Productivity Monitoring

Most of the top mobile workforce management software also provide time management tracking. Employees can enter their own hours, or the system automatically keeps track of the hours that they’re logged in. This provides the ability to build business intelligence on absenteeism, turnover and individual time off requests for vacation, sick time and personal time. All of this data gets funneled back into a central repository, so that business leaders can see how their field service workers are performing, and make management decisions from there.

Another feature of mobile workforce management software packages includes the ability to budget labor. Scheduling technology is key — mobile workforce management scheduling eliminates the tedious and labor-intensive complexity of manual scheduling. By tying that schedule to monetary amounts, these tools also help businesses make sure that they stay on budget while directing work activities.

Payroll, Tax and Benefits Platforms

Many of the most popular mobile workforce management systems integrate with payroll, tax and benefit systems to manage these financial human resource jobs through a centralized, easy-to-use interface. For example, ADP, a popular third party payroll firm, offers its own mobile workforce management app to customers. In addition to ADP’s core services regarding payroll issuing and tax accounting, many of the above field management features are also built into the platform.

These modern mobile workforce management systems turn any mobile device into a full-fledged business computer. Just a few years ago, salespeople and technicians walked around carrying briefcases full of paper. With this modern technology, workers have access to more information in real time while they’re in the field. In turn, they can provide much more information to their customers and report back to the company in much more versatile ways. All of this is a key part of the mobile workforce management solutions offered by a range of tech vendors, as well as major telecom providers like Sprint and Verizon. Compare packages and services to find the best management tools for a given enterprise.