If you own a business, there are many ways you can improve communication, and save time and money in the process. Two-way radios are fast becoming the preferred method of communication over cell phones, and this is mainly due to the fact that they're more efficient and effective, especially if your employees work in large buildings or warehouses. There are plenty of benefits to using two-way radios, which include fast communication and durability.
What are the reasons why businesses are switching over to two-way radios? Below we have listed 12 benefits of using two-way radios instead of cell phones for your business.
- Durable
- Low Cost of Ownership
- Fast Communication
- Communicate one to one or one to many
- Good in rural areas
- Less distraction
- Peace of mind
- Longer battery life
- Better during emergencies
- Don’t require a lot of training
- Additional Accessories
- User Friendly
Durable
Cell phones are easily breakable and prone to water damage if dropped in water. With how rugged job sites can be, two-way radios can withstand accidental drops on the ground, weather like rain and snow, drops in mud or dirt, and force.
Low Cost of Ownership
Yes, two-way radios are initially a costly investment, but they do end up being cheaper in the long run. Cell phones have monthly service charges and data plans that are costly to businesses. Two-way radios typically pay for themselves in less than 18 months with no monthly recurring fees.
Fast Communication
No waiting around for the person to answer the phone. With two-way radios, you’re instantly connected to your team anytime at the push of a button. Get the answers you need quickly.
Communicate One to One or One to Many
Two-way radios have talk groups that let your employees talk to others one to one or an entire team at once. With cell phones, if you need to get information to an entire team, you’ll have to call everyone one at a time costing you time.
Good in Rural Areas
Cell phones depend on signals from a cell tower to operate. If you’re in rural or remote areas, chances are you’ll run into service issues. Although two-way radios don’t work long distances, they’re great for keeping everyone connected in remote locations.
Radios operate in UHF or VHF frequencies. Depending on where you plan to use the radio depending on which operating frequency is best. UHF is better for indoor use around buildings and cities, while VHF is better for outside wide-open spaces like fields.
Less Distraction
Between social media, gaming, apps, and texting, cell phones can be a distraction. Two-way radios don’t have this, so you’ll keep everyone more engaged during the workday.
Peace of Mind
Some two-way radios have a “Man Down” feature. This feature can detect if a worker needs help and automatically dispatches an emergency notification to an appropriate individual who can then locate the worker. This reassures workers that they are protected if an emergency should happen especially when working alone.
Longer Battery Life
Two-way radios have a noticeably longer battery life than cell phones. With continuous use, cell phones typically don’t last the entire day. Two-way radios have twice as much battery life and with replaceable batteries, you can swap out for new ones if the radio starts to die.
Better During Emergencies
During natural disasters, like hurricanes or bad storms, power can be out for days as well as cell service. Your cell phone will be useless without service to make calls or the ability to charge your phone.
Don’t Require a lot of Training
Two-way radios are relatively easy to use and don’t require a lot of training. If you are considering using two-way radios, take a few days to introduce your employees to how they work and the proper etiquette for good communication.
Additional Accessories
Two-way radios have additional accessories that help enhance communication. With the help of speaker microphones, you don’t need to pick up the radio every time you want to hear or respond to transmissions. The audio comes through the speaker mic, usually placed on your shoulder, so you can hear and respond with its PTT button.
You can also pair the speaker microphone with a receive-only earpiece to silence the audio coming from the speaker and hear transmissions directly in your ear. This is good for users who want covert communication.
User Friendly
If you’re using gloves, it can be hard to touch the screen and unlock the phone on a cell phone to respond to a text or phone call. Two-way radios have large push-to-talk buttons and knobs that are easy to touch when wearing gloves.
First Source Wireless is a leader in the industry’s largest communication products and two-way radios. Ready to introduce two-way radios to your business? Let First Source Wireless help you get the right communication equipment that’s right for your team. Give us a ring at 800-991-4569 to discuss available options for you.
*This post was originally published in May of 2019. It has since been republished with updated information.
Is there a future for two-way radios
