#OfflineFirst - Not all Connectivity is Created Equal

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about the idea of #MobileFirst and how developing apps and processes that are specifically tailored around the needs of 'deskless' workers can have positive business impacts on organizations. As I continued to ruminate about the broad topic of how to serve field-based or 'deskless' workers, I kept coming back to one of Resco 's biggest strengths, our #OfflineFirst approach to mobile.

We live in a world where it sometimes feels a little ridiculous to think that an offline capability should not only be considered, but should be the foundation of a mobile application. We are seemingly ALWAYS connected. Our phones, watches and laptops delivering information and notifications to us constantly. But not all connectivity is created equal.

Resco technology offers a complete range of capabilities, even when there is no wireless/wifi signal. However, some of the conversations we have with customers and partners, go a little like this:

“we don’t need to worry about offline, our field people have connectivity most of the time they are in the field, so offline isn’t really important”.?

So why should an organization care about a robust, #offlinefirst application, when they perceive that their people are connected most of the time??

1. Performance - Having a mobile client that doesn’t rely on server based logic, data or connectivity means it is much faster and more responsive for the user under ALL conditions. Even with perfect 5G wireless, a mobile app that relies on this signal to operate is still more sluggish than a full offline capable client.??
2. Consistency - it kind of ties into the point above, but a mobile experience is only as good as its worst performing scenario. Imagine you are in the field and need to update an inspection ticket, or look up a historical client work order. If you are waiting seconds or minutes until you are able to complete the task, it’s not only frustrating and inconvenient in the moment, it also erodes your confidence that the app will work in the future, which may mean a field based employee decides not to add data at all, or might decide to wait until they are back in the office/closer to a better wireless region.?
3. Convenience - Having all the functionality a field based worker needs, right there on the device, means they never have to think twice about getting the job done, with a workflow they can trust. Field based work can be challenging enough, but imagine having to tweak your workflow to get your job done, based on whether you have a serviceable wireless connection or not. With an #offlinefirst app, a worker can get their job done and let the data sync and other server side actions take care of themselves later.?
4. Efficiency - If a field based worker can have confidence that they can do everything they need to do in real time, it’s a huge efficiency driver. They are not wasting time waiting for connectivity, they are inputting data and doing their job at the optimal moment. If someone has to wait until they get back within wireless coverage or even until they are at a PC, this not only extends their working day, which can impact job satisfaction, it means there is a gap between when they do the job and when they record the full details in the system of record. This can result in details being forgotten, work being rushed, or potentially not being tracked at all.?
5. Security - For certain organizations, security is a MAJOR consideration. The ability for field based workers to be able to work with a full offline dataset and only sync when they are within a sanctioned network environment is massive. Both customer and provider can be assured that the highest data security models are being upheld.?

Can field workers complete their required work with a mobile client that doesn’t fully support offline? Maybe, but connectivity isn't always binary, where it’s either available or not, there are degrees of connectivity. Any degradation of wireless connectivity that is experienced during the course of performing work can have a major negative impact on a field based worker's experience. Some impacts are in the moment, but the more concerning ones might be the ones that erode trust in the use of the mobile application, which can undermine the overall value of what a field based worker offers to the organization.?

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic, so if you are interested in engaging, add a comment, or feel free to send me a DM or email at [email protected]