While finding and keeping good workers has always been an issue, the job market has currently reached a crisis with labor shortages, affecting all industries, but particularly service and hospitality. Although this presents new challenges, there is one tool you may not have considered to address the issue: two-way radios.
Not only are they rugged and have a very low cost of use, two-way radios can help extend your staff even if they are less experienced, with minimal training and effort. As a Motorola dealer with over 40 years experience with two-way radio deployment, here are a few thoughts about how two-way radios can help with your staffing issues.
Increases Productivity
Extend your existing staff by helping them stay on the job and at their task at hand. Rather than running all over a job site to locate supplies, employees, or provide changes in direction, one quick broadcast delivers a message to an entire team, helping ensure it quickly gets communicated to the intended recipient(s).
With the addition of text messaging that many radios now provide, your staff are more connected than ever while in the workplace.
Helps with Training Issues
A key pain point with staff shortage is getting new hires up to speed, which can involve staff for instruction and job shadowing. Cut training periods and increase efficiency by using two-way radios to answer on-the-job questions and get staff to work more quickly without cutting quality assurance.
Increases Satisfaction
Your employees want to succeed, and as a thriving business, you want to enable their success, which increases job satisfaction. Staff with radios have increased communication, get questions answered more quickly, can call for assistance without leaving their post, resulting in a more efficient, higher-performing staff who feel confident in their roles.
Job satisfaction reduces turnover, increases performance and customer satisfaction, all of which benefit your bottom line by improving your workplace while you grow your business.
Cost Effective/Lasts Longer
Two-way radios do not include monthly fees, and the equipment is built for durability. There are a variety of options for workers and rugged conditions, plus accessories to help protect radios and allow users to hear and answer without handling the radio itself, which in addition to convenience can further extend equipment life.
It’s easier to ensure equipment is charged up and working by having a central equipment station where your staff pick up and drop off equipment every day. Equipment is flexible and can be used by any worker, so it is easily replaced if a unit does get damaged or loses power for any reason.
Two-way radios will last longer, be more flexible, and provide a lower cost of ownership than other communications equipment
How Rentals Scale on Short Notice
As mentioned above, traditional wireless may need to buy new phones with contracts and plans. Each user or phone is then tied to a number that must be managed and communicated to staff. Lost or damaged equipment is cumbersome and takes time to replace, requiring sourcing and activation of new equipment.
With two-way radios, scaling up for temporary staff increases can include leasing units and returning them when done. Rental radios are also an option for immediate needs while waiting for purchased equipment to arrive.
Whether you are ramping up permanently or temporarily, two-way radio rentals and purchases are an excellent option for addressing your staffing issues. If you are interested in putting together a solution, contact us for a custom proposal.