Cellular phone calls are a universally accepted form of communication. Phone calls, along with emails and text messages, are how a majority of the modern corporate world communicates. Even industries that have a field or frontline workforce like construction, mining, emergency services, security services, etc., have moved past the age-old two-way radio communication and have started to make use of slick smartphones to connect over phone calls. They say some things never go out of style, they simply evolve. We now have walkie-talkie apps, an evolved form of push-to-talk (PTT) technology.
But they say some things never go out of style, they simply evolve. The push-to-talk (PTT) technology that once laid the foundation for two-way radio communication has now evolved into walkie-talkie apps. Like any other mobile app, walkie-talkie apps integrate seamlessly with smartphones and offer instant push-button connectivity to users.
Walkie-talkie apps make the ideal communication tool for the field and frontline employees who work in dynamic environments and need reliable and speedy communication. But to efficiently use a walkie-talkie app, employees must first be aware of the best practices.
This article highlights the dos and don’ts of using a walkie-talkie app.
For starters, let’s delve deeper into the importance of walkie-talkie apps for modern businesses.
Why Modern Businesses Need Walkie-talkie Apps?
Walkie-talkie apps enable users to use the half-duplex mode of communication using cellular networks like 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi. It is called push-to-talk over cellular (PoC) communication. PoC is ideal for field and frontline communication because phone calls, emails, and text messages have limitations of speed and simplicity.
The reason mine workers, firefighters, police officers, and even the military preferred two-way radios over phone calls was the easy press-button connectivity. Unlike phone calls that require tedious dialing procedures, push-to-talk technology allows you to connect simply by pressing a button. PTT technology plays a crucial role in emergency communication and enhances the safety of employees.
Modern push-to-talk apps are highly compatible with smartphones and offer features beyond voice communications such as multimedia messaging, location tracking and corporate directory integration. Businesses can save costs on expensive dedicated devices or tons of licenses and permissions and employees get to use a reliable communication tool with a minimal learning curve. In addition to communication, modern businesses also benefit from using tools like an explainer video maker, which can simplify complex processes by turning them into easy-to-understand video explanations. This is particularly useful for training frontline employees or ensuring that important instructions are communicated clearly across distributed teams.
Walkie-talkie Apps Best Practices: Do’s & Don’ts
Walkie-talkie apps help users turn their smartphones into walkie-talkies, which means your smartphone mimics the exact function of a walkie-talkie. We live in a mobile-first world where even children know how to use a smartphone and make phone calls or video calls. But few know how to use a walkie-talkie, the etiquette, and the best practices.
Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts when using a walkie-talkie app:
The Dos:
- Use clear & concise messages: Walkie-talkie apps function using the half-duplex mode of communication wherein only one user can speak at a time. It is important to keep the conversation clear and brief.
- Use group communication: Although PTT calls are instant, calling multiple individuals to convey the same message may waste time. It is advisable to create dedicated channels on your push-to-talk platform for efficient group communication.
- Broadcast channels: Most modern PTT apps offer broadcast messaging to improve organization-wide communication. Field and frontline employees are almost always engaged in manual tasks. Broadcast messages are announced loudly as and when they’re received. Communicating updates as broadcasts ensures that every member of the team is informed.
- Learn to use the SOS alert: Push-to-talk apps are designed to improve employee safety and crisis communication. Most PTT apps have a built-in SOS feature to send quick emergency alerts to various teams. Make sure you know the emergency drill and have your SOS button handy.
- Leverage PTT history: PTT apps offer employees much more than just voice communication. You can revisit PTT call histories and replay previous messages. Make sure you never miss out on any important updates by visiting the PTT call history regularly.
- Monitor employees virtually: Managing a distributed workforce can be challenging if supervisors and control centers do not have visibility of their employees. PTT apps allow supervisors and admins to view their employees’ locations, track performance, and gain deep insights into their activities. Make sure that you leverage the analytics and insights from your push-to-talk console. This minimizes the need to frequently call your on-site teams.
- Simplify contact management: Always sync your corporate directory with your walkie-talkie app. This helps your employees spend less time searching for contacts and get in touch with anyone in the organization instantly.
The Don’ts:
- Hear and speak at the same time: The art of half-duplex communication is that one user gets to speak at a time. It may take a short while to get used to the functioning of a walkie-talkie app. But you must take care not to hear and speak simultaneously on a PTT call.
- Use long messages: PTT calls are short and clear. Sending long messages with too many instructions in a single go can create confusion and cause the recipient to lose other incoming calls.
- Don’t interrupt others: Always wait until the recipient finishes transmitting their messages, especially in a group PTT call. Pause before you speak to ensure you do not interrupt others.
Closing Lines
The push-to-talk technology is known for its convenience and ease of use. It may take a short while to adjust yourself to the lingo and etiquette of using a walkie-talkie app, but it is the best way to keep your field and frontline employees connected. If you are in search of a powerful walkie-talkie app to streamline your remote communication, you can try NuovoTeam PTT. NuovoTeam offers an extensive feature set and an easy interface with secure and reliable communication.
