The evolution of mobile phones has shaped our interconnected world. Everyone across the globe can connect via text messages, emails, or voice calls. Yet, some industries such as public emergency services, transportation, warehouse and logistics, etc., conducting time-critical missions do not lend themselves well to these conventional methods of communication. Sending a text message takes a reasonable amount of time per se. Consider then, how much faster would we be able to deliver the same message over a phone call!
However, placing a phone call has its own set of limitations. It is impossible to connect to multiple people at once in a corporate meeting set up unless you have set up a conference bridge. Also, there is no possibility of knowing beforehand whether the person you’re calling is available at that particular time to respond or not.
Having a streamlined communication tool setup is prime in specific industries such as construction, transportation and logistics, public-emergency services, etc., employing on-field workforces working across geographies for the growth of an organization. The implementation of a consistent communication channel can promote field team collaboration and eradicate costly errors. Push-to-talk technology is an excellent example of how this can be accomplished.
Stopping the current operational task to respond to incoming messages or phone calls by an on-field employee is highly distracting and time-consuming. As a result of its instant PTT message exchange and team collaboration through channels (Public or Private), PTT has been the de facto standard for communications in diverse industries for years.
In addition, the technological landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. Businesses that use smartphones and tablets are increasingly finding legacy PTT services inconvenient and obsolete due to limited exclusivity, limits to distance, interference and annoyance due to background noise, limited coverage, lack of discretion, etc. Considering this perception, many wireless carriers and service providers such as Verizon, T-Mobile, Dish wireless, etc., have been investing time and effort into transforming the legacy PTT technology with Mobile App development to match the needs of 21st-century employees.
But that’s just the start. By choosing a solid and reliable PTT application, businesses can expect more than just instant communication. How much more? Here are 10 primary stuff you need to know about the PTT application.
Group Call Capability
Do you need to communicate with a large group of people simultaneously? Compared to traditional communication methods such as voice calls, text messages, and emails in the business scenario, the push-to-talk (PTT) application can save organizations a significant amount of time with instant group communication.
Most PTT applications in the market empower administrative users across different industries such as transportation, warehouse and logistics, construction, public-emergency services, etc. The ability to create multiple channels, such as public groups (one-to-many) and private chat sessions (one-to-one).
As a result, recipients will not have to set up and dial into a conference bridge to establish instant group communication or manually invite other parties to a phone call one by one.
Following these simple steps can facilitate instant group communication between participants in most of the PTT apps:
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Tap on contact (for individual chat session) or channel (for group communication)
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Press and hold the PTT button
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Start talking (be blunt, conscience and to the point)
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Release the PTT button when you’re done
The barge call will broadcast live in one go regardless of whether there is just one listener or a group of people among participants.
Instant communication
Facilitate instant communication via a Push-to-talk application integrated into a smartphone – irrespective of whether there are users in a small group, targeted group, or an individual.
With PTT, the end-user can select a contact or a group/channel, press the PTT button, and speak. Once the Recipient releases the PTT button, their voice message gets delivered instantly and broadcasted live on the receiver(s) smartphone.
Additionally, the Push-to-talk application benefits remote workforces across different industries by enabling them to connect with their peers and supervisors in an emergency or instances where traditional communication methods are not feasible.
With a high-performance PTT application, you can meet the demands of instant communication by sending/receiving PTT messages in a matter of seconds and achieving ultra-low latency.
The convenience of Barge Call to the Recipient
The main aim of modern PTT applications is to establish instant communication between the organization and its remote workforces without disrupting them from the present tasks at hand.
An employee working on a construction site, for example, will find it more convenient to hear the incoming PTT messages broadcast live through the smartphone rather than setting down tools and removing gloved hands to attend a traditional phone call.
Push-to-talk (PTT) application enables the end-users to hear the incoming PTT message broadcast live on their smartphones the moment it arrives. As a result, they can listen to the barge call in a hands-free and eyes-free manner (without triggering any actions in the smartphones) while continuing their operational duties so that the level of productivity is not impaired.
Say No More Than Necessary
Due to its simplicity, PTT calls usually last less than a minute, far less than regular phone calls. They omit the typical greetings and endings protocols that are part of everyday phone call conversations. By disabling the greeting protocol, PTT applications enable the workforces to communicate more blunt, short, precise, and mission-specific.
As per a study, PTT can save an employees‘ time by up to 49 minutes in a typical 8-hour workday – approximately 16 minutes can be held on 50 one-to-one calls and 33 minutes on approx. Twenty group calls & meetings. This subsequently benefits both the organization and the remote workforce greatly since calls per day are drastically cut.
When the end-users exchange PTT messages, they can assert themselves less, which improves the workforces’ productivity correspondingly.
Cost control
A smartphone equipped with a reliable PTT application can easily replace expensive and dedicated walkie-talkie devices in most organizations.
Organizations across different industries can lower their investments primarily spent to obtain dedicated Land Mobile Radios (LMRs) and realize genuine cost savings by investing in readily available consumer-based smartphones.
Most PTT apps also empower the administrative user’s functionality over and above the traditional walkie-talkie devices such as workflow management, assigning specific groups (or communication channels) based on objectives, roles, geographies, etc., apart from instantaneous communication at low cost.
Maintain an archive of all PTT communications
In today’s fast-paced world, it can sometimes become a challenge for remote employees to mentally retain the mission-specific details generated by meetings, memos and other conventional communication methods. Push-to-talk application bridges the gap by enabling the end-users to keep track of all the incoming and outgoing PTT messages right at the palm of their hands. Modern-day PTT apps maintain the archive of all the PTT messages exchanged over channels, no matter public or private and enable the end-users to access the history of PTT communications.
The recording of PTT messages not only allows organizations and employees to capture the vital details that they might need in the future; it can also enhance operational efficiencies during a similar mission in the future.
Worldwide coverage
The Push-to-talk application facilitates real-time communication and collaboration between remote workers and critical staff members regardless of their geographical boundaries.
By contrast, PTT apps integrated with smartphones can harness the use of cellular data/3G/4G and WiFi, something that traditional walkie-talkie devices can’t offer. PTT apps can leverage WIFI even if the phone reception is limited.
This won’t deteriorate the quality of the PTT messages nor shall restrict any features of the PTT application that can limit its usability.
Recipients Management with streamlined communication
Since the Push-to-talk application in smartphones mimics a traditional walkie-talkie, administrative users can import the unified corporate directory into the PTT app and create separate groups specific to departments for fewer or no miscommunications.
Traditional communication methods are often plagued with no reception, delayed acknowledgement of messages, cluttered mails, and a slow response time.
Since all the employees working in the organization shall be consolidated and imported into the PTT app, the addition of pre-approved users empowers the organizations with limited instances of miscommunication.
PTT apps broadcast incoming PTT messages live and empower the on-field workforces dispersed across geographies to respond quickly. No matter your project’s size, complexity, or objective, the PTT app keeps everyone in your organization on the same page.
MDM integration and an application running in the background
One of the main characteristics that distinguish most PTT applications available in the market is the seamless integration with Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions.
A modern PTT application will cater to the need of establishing mission-critical communication and collaboration objectives among workforces dispersed across geographies, irrespective of whether an organization plans to leverage its own devices or adopt a Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) policy.
Keeping the communication chain uninterrupted during on-field tasks, most PTT applications run in the background even if your app isn’t open and will broadcast incoming PTT messages live to reduce any chances of miscommunication.
Media collaboration
The best Push-to-Talk apps available in the market are more than just a communication tool. On-field workforces can leverage their smartphones as an instantaneous communication tool integrated with PTT. However, most PTT apps empower them with additional administrative and workflow management functionalities as well. With media collaboration into the mix, they can share media files such as images, videos, and data files and collaborate with the team through the channels created, whether a public or private channel under a single app.
Closing lines ¦
While Push-to-talk technology has the potential to be revolutionary, it is only possible to reap the benefits of the Push-to-talk application if there are features available above and beyond standard cellular communication modes.
Developing and implementing a tool that enables rapid communication between different departments in the organization or between other industry domains with a single press of a button is crucial.
Push-to-talk eliminates the burden without tiring yourself with the hope of lack of communication, follow-up calls, texts, and emails for any priority level of communication.
NuovoTeam is one such PTT app that is complementing the rising prominence of instant communication over other solution providers available in the market. NuovoTeam PTT is not only streamlining instant business communication across diversified departments but is also providing robustness, scalability, and uptime as a prerequisite for emergency and mission-critical operations being conducted in industries such as transportation and logistics, warehouse, public emergency services, etc.
