When it comes to fieldwork management, smartphones are the perfect way to expand an employee’s capabilities in the field. After all, instant access to important apps and real-time company data is more than a productivity boost: at scale, it can transform industries.
But as technology becomes more advanced and central to fieldwork, companies naturally want more visibility into how these devices function in action, including if they’re doing more harm than good to the daily workflow.
As any business knows, data is paramount. It can prove pivotal in the IT department, which aims to keep the technology operational, or in the C-suite, where detailed data can shape the big picture.
The good news is that smart devices, especially those equipped with tools offering detailed device analytics, can help your business fill this data gap.
Table of contents
- The importance of mobile devices in fieldwork
- The benefits of device analytics for fieldwork devices
- Leveraging mobile data analytics for a competitive edge
- Knox analytics support fieldwork productivity
The importance of mobile devices in fieldwork
Fieldwork refers to the tasks performed outside of a central office or workplace. Whether a factory, retail store or construction site, each has unique needs that benefit from specialized mobile devices.
Devices that offer unique features specific to fieldwork, allow employees quick access to important data, the ability to communicate efficiently, and the capacity to get work done on the fly, thereby improving productivity while saving time and money.
These features include programmable keys, such as push-to-talk, enabling seamless field communication, and integration with applications for tracking inventory, scanning barcodes, and managing last-mile customer delivery. Additionally, features such as Gorilla Glass Victus screens provide military-grade durability for those operating in tougher workplaces.
But devices are only part of the equation. To fully leverage the potential of mobile devices, IT departments also need mobile data intelligence to understand how these devices are performing in real-time, so they can respond accordingly.
The benefits of device analytics for fieldwork devices
Device analytics offer an in-depth look into device performance, usage, and behavior. They provide valuable data that allows enterprises to optimize device management, improve employee experiences, and support decision-making.
It’s important to look for a device manufacturer and a software provider with the necessary elements to help your field teams operate at peak capacity. One that enhances your enterprise by providing the following benefits:
Reduced mobile device downtime
When device downtime occurs, your team faces growing obstacles that can disrupt their ability to focus on critical tasks. Sometimes, the issues are as simple—and as preventable—as team members forgetting to charge their devices.
Samsung Knox Suite - Enterprise Plan excels at managing these problems as they emerge, especially when it comes to battery life. For example, suppose a battery is experiencing an abnormally fast drain. In that case, the analytics capabilities of Knox Suite - Enterprise Plan can generate warnings that help pinpoint different types of battery drain events, such as heavy use or low battery life.
If something seems significantly out of the norm, the data reflects it, and IT teams can act by charging devices that need to be functioning—and even determine if a device needs to be replaced.
Knox Suite - Enterprise Plan can also detect and even mitigate application issues by keeping an eye out for crashing or battery-draining apps. If an app proves troublesome, IT admins can remotely block its use. And because your team may not be working 24/7, IT admins can also set work shifts, limiting tracking time to certain hours.
Knox Suite, through its inclusion of Knox Asset Intelligence, allows IT teams to respond swiftly to emerging issues. It enables you to set thresholds for field devices, track performance in real time, and analyze data on the fly. When thresholds are breached, your IT team is instantly notified, allowing them to take proactive action.
As a field management service, Knox offers more in-depth visibility into how applications, wireless connections, and battery life are used daily making it easier to diagnose and even treat potential headaches.
Enhanced enterprise productivity
While access to device analytics primarily benefits the IT department, other departments can also uncover efficiency opportunities, particularly in the form of productivity.
One emerging area is people analytics—the practice of combining human resources data with operational data to generate actionable insights.
Despite its potential, many organizations are falling behind in adopting people analytics. For instance, a 2021 HR Research Institute study sponsored by Oracle found that only about a quarter of surveyed companies excelled at implementing it, while 39% reported struggling to build traction.
Ian Cook, a workforce analytics expert for the Society for Human Resource Management explains that much of this data is often presented at a later date, in reports for executives, rather than being used in real-time.
Samsung Knox addresses this gap by providing actionable real-time data on employee devices. This all-in-one solution enables companies to monitor key metrics such as device locations and battery life. These insights can populate dashboards, offering immediate access to critical data rather than waiting for monthly reports.
With Knox Suite, managers can proactively address issues with employee devices, like connectivity challenges or unexpected device downtime, resolving potential productivity roadblocks before they escalate.
Enhanced visibility into system data
Knox Suite - Enterprise Plan offers enhanced visibility into device system data that might not otherwise be accessible, such as application usage, battery health, and Wi-Fi usage
This data enables teams to more effectively detect and analyze issues as they occur. For example, if a team in the field has to constantly force-quit mission-critical applications, you don’t have to wait for them to inform management. Knox Suite - Enterprise Plan allows IT admins to detect issues on the fly. Even though your IT team isn’t in the field, they have real-time eyes on the devices. Thus, they can work on fast solutions to keep the field team focused.
Likewise, if there are levels of high latency between your applications in the cloud and your devices on the ground, IT can respond accordingly.
Leveraging mobile data analytics for a competitive edge
Giving your employees highly capable mobile devices is only one half of the equation. Simply put, these same devices, equipped with mobile data analytics, can open up analytics capabilities that were once impossible to quantify.
Those capabilities, combined with strong asset management, can do more than give your team members access to critical data in the field— they can save enterprises time and money by cutting down on ‘busy work’.
It plays into existing organizational goals. Unified Endpoint Management (UEM), the concept of managing technology through a single centralized interface, is an important goal for many companies, especially given its security benefits, such as remote device wiping and limits on third-party applications.
Gartner, a data-driven consulting firm estimates that nearly 90% of their enterprise clients will use cloud-based UEM tools by 2025. When implemented at scale, it will allow IT departments to more effectively automate device management.
Knox Suite - Enterprise Plan unlocks numerous proprietary data points here—such as app not responding (ANR) messages, forced closure, battery health checks, and latency between the application server and user devices—that companies can then use to manage device fleets.
Knox Suite - Enterprise Plan leverages its data analysis capabilities, including mobile data intelligence, to detect issues before they escalate, providing a competitive advantage by reducing costs and preserving productivity.
Knox analytics support fieldwork productivity
Ultimately, if your business wants to ensure it’s making the most of both its employees’ time and the devices they use, Knox Suite, with the help of Knox Asset Intelligence, can help uncover new productivity opportunities.
With fieldwork management, device analytics represent more than just mere data points. When applied to areas like IT security, business intelligence, or people management, they can change the way your organization operates—while serving your customers faster and more effectively than ever before.
Get the most out of your devices in the field; contact our sales team or a reseller partner today.
