As a business owner, you’re probably accustomed to using smartphones for communication and research on the job site. But what about smartwatches? These devices are smaller, handy and attached to you at all times. Here are a few ways to determine if adding smartwatches is a good idea for your contracting business.
Is Your Smartphone Accessible During Work Hours?
Before you make another device purchase, it’s worth considering how you use the ones you already have. If you’re like most people, you and your employees have a smartphone. You might use it to pull up information about a project that you’re working on, communicate with other people on your team, or let clients know about your timing. If your smartphone is easily accessible while you’re working, you might not need to add another device. However, if you’re constantly finding that you missed a call or an important reminder because your phone isn’t where are you can easily get to it, a smartwatch might be a worthwhile investment.
What Do You Need to Do With the Smartwatch?
There is a pretty wide range of smartwatches on the market. The right one for you depends on the tasks that you need to do with it. On the lower end, some offer little more than telling you the time or covering distance. They may be rugged and built for heavy use, but they might be more practical for hikers than the construction site. On the other end, smartwatches may be able to meet most of the functions you get from a smartphone, such as:
- Tracking calendars
- Communicating with clients via phone, text or email
- Looking at construction plans
Keep in mind that the most capable smartwatches may have a variety of features that seem interesting but that you don’t need. If you’re going to buy one in particular, make sure that it can do everything that you are most likely to use it for.
How Would You Use a Smartwatch During Regular Tasks?
Using a smartwatch is supposed to be a lot easier than working with a smartphone, especially if your hands are busy when you get an important phone call. It’s worth testing out different options to see how they would work while you are engaged in particular tasks. For example, if you want to be able to receive reminders so that you don’t miss an important meeting, a smartwatch connected to headphones may be quite useful. If you wouldn’t be able to hear someone talking due to the noise from the equipment, then you might not be able to take phone calls with it. Don’t forget that the clothing and protective gear you wear may affect how you interact with a smartwatch. You might need to purchase gloves that will allow you to operate the watch while wearing them.
Do You Need to Sync the Smartwatch with a Particular System?
As you’re looking at all the tools that smartwatches can give you, you need to make sure that you have the right equipment or system to make them work. Some watches will work with either iOS or android. That gives you a lot of flexibility, especially if you’re considering the same watch for multiple people. Others require you to sync them with a particular smartphone in order to access those features and services. If you’re just buying for yourself, it could be easier to make a choice. If you’re considering them for your company and team, you might want to call for some collaboration, so that you get an option that everyone can use.
Smartwatches are just one tool that contracting business owners used to keep every aspect of their business is running. To find out more of what it takes to become a licensed contractor, contact CSLS today!