Operating a mobile team has its challenges, especially because you can't always have eyes on what's going on like you would if you were managing a team within an office environment.

With that being said, there are plenty of ways in which you can help manage a mobile team, particularly those that serve clients all over the country – and in some cases, the world.

Managing your mobile team takes a lot of organization on your part but once you've mastered the basics, everything becomes a lot easier as a result.

Here are some top tips to help manage a mobile team in 2023 and to do it effectively.

Set clear expectations and objectives daily

Firstly, it's important that when it comes to managing your team remotely, you're setting some clear expectations and objectives on what you require as a manager. Whether that's having a morning call-in with the team to achieve X amount of successful deals or clients served throughout the day.

Having clear expectations and objectives is a good way to keep everyone motivated and to ensure everyone remains on the same page. The last thing you want is to have one rule for one team member and another rule for another. It's important that these expectations are clear and fluid throughout the entirety of the team.

As a manager, it shows organization and a drive that you're doing everything to set those expectations to get the best out of your team.

Check-in regularly

It's important to check in regularly when it comes to your mobile team. As you can't see them all the time, you don't actually know what they're getting up to or equally, how they may be feeling within their roles.

With that being said, it's important as a manager of a remote team, that you're checking in regularly. This is something that you'd do anyway when it comes to managing a team but it's an absolute must-do for those who are operating in a mobile team particularly.

By checking in with your team members, you'll be able to understand what problems are occurring and what might not have been realized before you had these interactions with staff members. Even though you've got a mobile team, problems can still occur just like in a typical office environment.

Make use of a field service management platform

When it comes to managing a mobile team, there are a lot of software options out there that can be highly effective for use in your business. For example, a field service management platform is a great choice for those who want to improve their team management efforts.

A tool such as this one is great for storing customer data in a shared space and helping your team navigate their day effectively. You can assign certain jobs to different levels of skill sets depending on who is available, which makes it useful for those businesses that work in the labor industry.

Investing in a field service management platform is definitely worth doing if you're a business that has a field service team that relies on remote-beneficial software such as this one.

Focus on quality of output over quantity

When it comes to business in general, it's important that the output of your teams is driven towards quality over quantity. When you've got a lot of clients who are relying on your business to meet their needs, you want to be meeting those needs to the highest expectations.

Of course, focusing on quality might mean that the number of clients you serve daily, weekly, or monthly will reduce. However, churning out more positive-led experiences for clients is what will keep them coming back for more.

That return clientele is something that is priceless as a business. It's something that you definitely want to focus on achieving, rather than having just a load of singular transactions.

Allow for flexibility where possible

Flexibility is an important one, especially when it comes to remote and mobile team members. Whether they're out on the road or working from their home, it's good to be flexible in your management. Not everyone is going to have the same lifestyle outside of work, which might mean that you need to adapt and be flexible with each member individually.

Of course, that difference in lifestyle shouldn't change how hard they're working but it can be helpful for the staff member's job satisfaction to know that they are supported by their manager.

Ask your team what they need when it comes to flexibility and try to work it in the organization of the working day or week. That flexibility is going to go a long way in improving employee turnover because it's still important to create the right environment for your team, even when they're on the road.

Get feedback on management styles and approach

There are some people that were born to manage and others that can achieve quality management skills with training. However, there are others that were never meant to be managers or supervisors in the first place.

If you're one of the first two, then it's always good to be proactive in getting feedback from your employees. Are they happy with your management style and approach? Do they have any problems that they feel comfortable bringing up? Perhaps you're a senior manager of other managers and there's been feedback that a manager is simply not managing effectively.

From delegating tasks equally to treating staff without having a power trip, feedback is important to get from your staff. When it comes to your company's management team, it's highly beneficial that you have the right people in place, conducting their management style in the right manner.

If that's not the case, then you need to take any feedback seriously and make corrections where necessary.

Create structures that work for every individual

Every individual team member is going to be different from the next. Some might need a little more help when it comes to completing their projects, while others might have worked there long enough that they are able to work without needing much support.

It's important to focus your attention on every individual but approach your management with a slightly tweaked style for each. Not every staff member is going to require the same level of help but when they do, it's important that you're creating structures within your relationships.

This structure is going to help that staff member a lot more than just assuming they can get on with it without any direction. It'll also help strengthen your communication and relationship so that if they are struggling, they feel confident that they can voice that concern straight away.

Have well-documented procedures and policies in place

Finally, when it comes to managing a mobile team, it's more important than ever to have well-documented procedures and policies in place. As many businesses work in a digital and technology-heavy domain nowadays, it's easier to have these documents and policies readily available for view.

However, you don't get the benefit of having them available and put up around the office when you've got a mobile team. Ensure you place these visuals in a accessible location, whether it's at home, on the road, or in digital files for easy access. From a legal standpoint, this is a critical feature that you'll need to have in place.

Managing a mobile team does present its own set of challenges but with these tips, you should be able to do it all efficiently in 2033.