10 Tips for Transforming Your Two Way Radio Communications
If you’re a manager or supervisor, you know the impact that poor communications can have on your work environment and the efficiency of your team. If employees are not in contact, the effects are felt across the board, and throughout the workplace.
With efficiency affected, productivity lessens, and the impact is felt on both your bottom line and in the experiences you’re providing to your customers. And, without proper communication, safety can also take a hit – and the last thing you want is an employee hurt on the job because communication wasn’t at the forefront.
In a number of workplaces, there are a variety of people and teams that use two way radios for communication – whether it’s for managing workloads, or for safety.
Here’s a top 10 list to transform your workplace communication:
- Decide your requirements – You need to determine how you plan to use your digital two way radios and what your goals are or the problems you are looking to solve. All organizations that use two way radios are looking to have effective operations, increase safety, improve customer service, or a combination of these.
- System Design – Your radios will only work as well as the system and frequency they are operating on. Do you need a simplex system, conventional repeaters, wide area systems, onsite trunking system, or a combination of these systems for your operation? Is VHF or UHF better for your organization? You should consult with a trained two way radio expert for this step. They will be able to guide you on what the different systems are, and why they recommend one option over another.
- Training on the systems – We have found training is the #1 factor in the successful use of a two way radio system. Proper training in advance enables colleagues to understand how to use the system and gain a personal understanding of its benefits to operations, safety, or customer service.
- Simplify communications – Keeping messages short and sweet enables effective communication among team members. If you’re trying to gather your thoughts, for example, remove your hand from the PTT (Press to Talk) button, and allow other team members to communicate. Once you know what you want to say, make it clear and concise.
- Determine the need for calls – Team members should consider whether their message should be relayed individually or through a group call. If relaying a message in either form, it’s important to keep your message simple and effective to avoid confusion and increase clarity for employees. If you make a conversation private, make sure you’re making an effort to switch back to the public channel, to ensure you’re hearing necessary messages when they come through.
- Choose the right devices – Someone working in an office space could certainly benefit from a different two way radio than those working on the manufacturing floor, for example. Having different models of two way radios in the workplace does not mean communication cannot occur among the full team – in fact, different models can easily communicate together.Whether you’re working in a rugged Canadian industry, with exposure to indoor and outdoor elements, or tucked away in an office, there are options for everyone. We know environments across Canada differ greatly and, when you’re making the decision for two way radios, it’s important to speak with people who know and understand the needs of your industries.
- Use the radio as it’s intended – The two way radio is a professional communication tool for the workplace, and not something to be messed with and fooled around with. These radios are put in place for reasons of productivity and safety, and having employees tying up the line with needless information is unnecessary.
- Explore more than just talking – The latest in digital two way radio technology includes advancements that allow it to be used for more than just voice communication. Features like Lone Worker and enabling an emergency button on some models help to get the full safety benefit from your radios.
- Determine accessories – Using your two way radios effectively can also include doing so with accessories. From headsets and speaker microphones, to batteries with longer daily life and antennas for increased range, Nova has anything and everything to help benefit your team.
- Think long-term – Not only do you want a two way radio system that will work for your needs now, but also work for your company’s needs in the future.
It’s not only your staff that will benefit from some of the tips above. In the end, your level of communication will ultimately drive your operation to achieve your collective goals – a win-win for all.
With appropriate safety measures and steps, and following some of the tips we’ve just mentioned, your efficiency and productivity excel. Often times, to keep safety and of course productivity and efficiency top of line, training is necessary to ensure your team is on the same page with two way radio use. Doing so means everyone takes advantage of the tool and the technology it offers within the workplace.
If you’re a two way radio user who has considered upgrades to your existing system, now may be a great time to make that move. With more than 30 years in the business, Nova Communications has the knowledge and expertise to help you find the best radio for your business needs.
We also have a number of great promotions to check out at any time on our site, including trade-in deals and discounts off multiple radio purchases – https://www.rocknetworks.com/promotions/
Want to learn more about how two way radios can help you in your workplace? Speak with one of our two way radio experts today. Contact us for more information.
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