Top 8 Things to Look for in a Digital Communication Platform

It’s no surprise that communication and collaboration provide many universal advantages to enterprises. To get in on the action, businesses all over the world are looking for the best digital communication platform available. And industry is no exception.

In fact, industry’s frontline workforce has an entirely unique list of needs and issues that a digital communication platform must overcome. If it can’t, then your corporation won’t see these same advantages. Every platform says they can be used to solve any issue, even issues specific to industrial facilities and workers on the frontline, so it’s important to consider these 8 things before you make your final decision.

1. The Platform Includes Every Worker

It often goes without saying, but a digital communication platform needs to encompass every worker if it’s expected to bring success. In industry, this includes workers out in the field, in the office, subject matter experts a country or two away, contract workers, everyone. If any workers throughout your facility are left out, you won’t get the full benefit of a digital collaboration platform.

Many unnecessary issues, risks and delays in production come from leaving out parts of your workforce. Instead, weavix™ is built to unite your enterprise as a whole – contractors included. All field workers are equipped with a walt™ Smart Radio and office personnel have access to the platform through their phone with our mobile app or computer on the web console. With tools for both the field and the office in use, we create a seamless communication ecosystem without missing anyone.  

2. The Digital Communication Platform Built its Devices & Operating System

Recent legislation surrounding mobile device management (MDM) and personal privacy have made certain platforms a target for scrutiny*. Namely, the platforms that operate on a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) model. Because these platforms are using personal devices and that use other operating systems (OS), like cellphones operating on iOS or Android, they must follow strict rules and regulations regarding what information and data they can access.

But what if you don’t require them to use personal devices for work? Well, company-provided devices still require the use of an MDM to secure their worker’s privacy, even if it’s technically owned by the company.

Because of this, your use of these platforms could be restricted. Instead, weavix™ owns the entirety of our platform and walt™ smart radios, including the OS powering them. This allows us to provide your frontline with their full functionality without the use of a MDM.

3. Its Features Work for the Frontline Workforce

An office setting and an industrial facility are two very different workplaces. In many popular digital communication platforms, they are heavily reliant on text-based communication. While texting can be a valuable communication option out in the field, it’s not always the best option. Instead, you need a platform that provides suitable features for both workplaces.

For example, facility workers have relied primarily on push-to-talk (PTT) radio communication. A platform claiming to support the industrial workforce without this capability is a red flag.

weavix™ includes text-based communication, along with many other options suitable for the field and the office. One in particular that both parties find valuable is our PT3 Collaboration. With it, office and field workers can work together using PTT, picture and video messaging.

4. Your Digital Communication Platform Works on Many Devices

Enterprises have hundreds, if not thousands, of roles to fill. Because of that, not every worker uses the same tools. A desktop might be the best tool for an office employee, a regional manager might opt to use their smartphone, but in the facility, radios are the most common.

When choosing your digital communication platform, it’s important that it works on devices that are most suitable for every work environment. Field workers can use our free walt™ Smart Radio just like their current industrial radio, but that’s not the only option. With our mobile app and web console, weavix™ provides a suitable alternative option for any work environment.

5. You can Overcome Communication Barriers

Communication silos and barriers are common across the globe. When you look at your enterprise in its entirety, you might notice that the issue is more widespread than originally thought. The most obvious culprit: language differences.

A digital communication platform’s main objective should be to increase communication throughout your corporation. And it can’t do that without tackling language barriers. With weavix™, our Smart Radio™ collaboration platform includes language translation and in-line dictation. This creates a more seamless, collaborative workforce on the field and in the office throughout your enterprise.

6. It’s Fast & Reliable Throughout the Facility

Just like how we promote every worker needing access to it, your digital communication platform needs to work in every part of your facility. It’s not uncommon for facilities to have dead zones throughout their facilities, where their radios lose signal or just don’t work. To us, that’s unacceptable.

No frontline worker should expect their radio to stop working in different parts of the facility. If they can work in it, their radio can too. Using a private LTE network, our walt™ Smart Radios are guaranteed to connect your workers throughout your entire facility, no matter where they might go.

7. It Aligns with your Worker’s Needs and Enterprise Goals

Maybe you’re wanting to explore digital transformation further or achieve higher rates of productivity. Or maybe your legacy radios just aren’t cutting it anymore. Whatever the reason, it’s important to see how implementing a digital communication platform can align with your current and future business goals and objectives.

8. It’s an All-In-One Digital Communication Platform

Ease of use is key when it comes to your enterprise-wide communications. No one wants a platform that’s hard to use or even harder to implement. But many platforms deviate away from simplicity when they start relying on third-party integrations to fulfill major features of their platform.

Third-party integrations and additional licenses should not be required to perform certain capabilities in any communication platform worth having. All this does is drive up the overall price, due to needing multiple licenses, and makes it confusing and harder to manage for you and your workers. With weavix™, all key features and capabilities are available in-platform.

Not all digital communication platforms are made equal, and that’s what makes choosing one a big decision. With our reliability and advanced capabilities fit for the office and field, weavix™ is the best platform to bring you enterprise-wide collaboration. To see how weavix™ compares to other platforms, schedule a demo today.

*All information in this blog post is intended for educational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for professional legal advice.