S.T. Wooten knows a bit about overcoming obstacles. The third-generation family-owned construction firm has been building roads and other projects since 1952—and the task is not always easy.
"We are like a family," said Greg Davis, Senior Network Administrator. "We are all here to help one another." Their secret to a happy family? Clear communication. Whether in the field or at the office, staying in touch is essential for keeping people connected and projects on track.
Building roads is not always a smooth journey. The company's distributed workforce relies on mobile devices to manage complex schedules, coordinate office staff and keep on-site workers connected. When phone problems arise, work can grind to a halt. And with a lean IT team, managing 400 mobile phones became an overwhelming challenge.
"With as many mobile devices as we have, it can be a struggle to keep up with the device upgrades," said Michelle Aycock, Software Analyst in S.T. Wooten's IT department. "We want to provide our people with the most appropriate device to help them be successful in their jobs."
S.T. Wooten needed a better way to streamline the management of their mobile phones and keep teams talking.
Outdated devices hinder workforce communication
"Our challenge is creating a seamless work environment," said Davis. "Whether an employee is at the home office, a remote field office, working from their truck or across the country at a trade show, we want to simplify their workload and make resources available to them."
As a Verizon customer, S.T. Wooten already had access to a reliable network. Still, the nature of the job means employees are often using their devices in harsh conditions. "In the environment our employees work in, lost and damaged phones are to be expected," said Eric Burnworth, Director of Information Technology.
S.T. Wooten struggled to maintain and keep track of over 1,000 devices across the company, including over 400 mobile phones. Standard service contracts meant that securing the latest devices for employees was difficult and expensive. To keep costs down, the S.T. Wooten IT department resorted to older-generation phones, which often lacked the features and reliability of the newer models.
High turnover rates were also a challenge for the firm. "The construction industry as a whole struggles with employee retention," said Burnworth. "It is a very competitive market. We need to make a competitive offer with a good employment package. In my opinion, that includes putting good, dependable technology in the hands of our employees," he added.
Construction crews in this rugged environment must keep in touch with each other, with office employees and with external partners to stay on schedule and minimize downtime—while keeping safety and quality in check. That meant the company needed to provide affordable, robust communications solutions that supported employees in doing their best work.
With as many mobile devices as we have, it can be a struggle to keep up with the device upgrades.
Michelle Aycock, Software Analyst, S.T. Wooten
Verizon smartphone as a service paves the way
S.T. Wooten's IT department needed a solution to streamline the management of their mobile phones and enable employees to stay better connected with better devices. They found it when they signed up to become a pilot customer for Verizon Business Complete, a new business smartphone management solution.
Verizon Business Complete provided S.T. Wooten with a new and improved way to address challenges of inventory management, staff turnover and costly downtime caused by outdated and damaged devices. This smartphone as a service solution delivered 5G connectivity, device onboarding flexibility, customer support and device protection in one package. By opting for the program's preferred tier, S.T. Wooten also guaranteed that they could provide their employees with the latest generation of devices at a set price per phone. This plan helped S.T. Wooten to satisfy their goal of providing 5G wireless service with the latest smartphone models.
"The phones have larger screens, better cameras and more storage," said Davis. "The larger screen helps to reduce eye strain," he added. "Not having a long-term contract per line also helped in the decision-making process. We occasionally hire seasonal employees, so they may be employed for six months to a year. At that point we can cancel the phone and send it back instead of shuffling the phone between users."
Through this program, S.T. Wooten also receives support for onboarding, managing and repairing or even replacing devices when necessary, easing the burden of inventory management for a lean IT team.
"The program allows us to provide better technology while helping us absorb the higher expenses associated with long-term service contracts and lost and damaged phones," said Burnworth. "We want our employees to be proud of the equipment they use at S.T. Wooten, whether it is to move dirt, haul material or, in our case, submit a form, respond to an email or approve a purchase order."
The program allows us to provide better technology while helping us absorb the higher expenses associated with long-term service contracts and lost and damaged phones.
Eric Burnworth, Director of Information Technology, S.T. Wooten
A smooth road ahead for S.T. Wooten
With Verizon Business Complete, device rollout is now easier and more streamlined. "It is making the management tasks more efficient," Aycock said.
The program also gave S.T. Wooten a better option for dealing with damaged, lost or broken devices, as well as a budget-friendly way to provide newer model devices to employees. "We discovered that by not purchasing the phone, along with the monthly rate plan, our out-of-pocket costs were kept to a minimum," said Davis.
With new tools in their hands, employees can communicate with fewer disruptions, delays and frustrations. They can get the job done efficiently, which has led to a more positive regard for the mobile technology they use at work.
"Users are excited to be able to get a newer device," said Aycock. "It definitely helps morale when users feel that the company cares enough to make sure they have the best equipment to do their jobs."
As they look down the road ahead, S.T. Wooten hopes to expand the program to include the hundreds of tablets that are also managed by the IT team. Verizon is on board, with plans to add tablets into the Verizon Business Complete offering in the future.
S.T. Wooten's pilot journey with Verizon Business Complete has improved both the overall workflow to manage their mobile devices and their employees' view of technology, allowing the firm to stay connected and competitive while retaining an engaged and productive workforce for the road ahead.