Very often, the field visit is seen as just another inconvenience; just another thing to take up the manager’s time and patience. It’s a huge misnomer that the field visit process is a checklist item. The field visit officer came, they wrote notes, and now check, we’re done.

Field visits are created to protect your brand, improve customer service, identify issues and reinforce successful actions and behaviors. There is a real connection between quality field visits and profitability. The problem is getting over the hurdle that years of traditionally ineffective, paper-based field visits have built between managers and the field visit operations process.

Convey the Necessity of Brand Consistency

You get it; you understand that in order to foster brand awareness and eventually, loyalty, you have to have consistency. When a customer walks into your Omaha branch, they should have the same stellar experience they have at your Hastings branch. We know you get it, because if you’re reading this blog, it’s your job to get it. Do they?

It’s not a hard concept, however, if no one explains the absolute necessity of a consistent brand experience to your leaders, it’s not even on their radar. Context couldn’t be more important in the field visit process. The why we do it this way and why it matters.

A great way to start the dialogue and build context here is to inquire about your manager’s favorite brick and mortar brands. Ask what they like about them – logo, store layout, unique offerings, great customer service? This will help make the connection between where they spend their money and why, so they can use this knowledge to make that connection for their customers.

Highlight the Return of Valuing Great Employees

“So jazzed to go into work today and train another group!” -Said No Manager Ever

Turnover is extremely costly. Beyond the financial damage turnover can cause, it is a complete time suck on your managers. When hiring becomes a revolving door, there is very little time to invest in the business. That means the good employees you and your managers should be focused on encouraging and mentoring, very likely have one foot out the door.

We can’t promise you rockstar employees, but we can promise that when Field Visits are carried out with the right tools, like the Action Card app, managers can spend more time where it matters most. When you take the traditionally paper-based process into the digital age, your data becomes actionable. Managers can now identify top performers and invest in retaining them, as well as catching problem employees faster.

Frame the Field Visit as Their Strongest Tool

At the end of the day, everyone wants a high-profiting store; it’s important to believe and remember that. They just need the tools and leadership to get there. When conducting field visits, be sure to link profitability and other success factors like employee engagement or customer satisfaction to whatever it is you’re reviewing. When the connection between these things is communicated and repeated with every visit, it sinks in. Your managers will start to see how every action affects the bottom line.

Action Card helps give your managers context, which means they are able to understand the how and why behind field visits and reviews. It can be hard to build back up the confidence that years of ineffective field visits have torn down.

You can get manager buy-in back by proving to them that the field visit process is in place to support them and their staff, improve the customer experience, and ultimately make the entire organization more profitable. Find out how we can help get your managers engaged and invested in the field visit process with Action Card.