Trimble, Rail Road Maintenance and Asset Management

Trimble announced a new joint venture with China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co. Ltd (CREEC). The company noted that the joint venture, 50% owned by Trimble and 50% owned by CREEC, will leverage Trimble's commercial positioning, communications and software technologies and CREEC's expertise in rail design and construction to develop and provide digital railway solutions that address the design, construction and maintenance for the Chinese railway industry.

We have also been involved in numerous projects (here in Australia) that involved how to effectively manage rail road maintenance projects and tasks using mobile handheld computers and wireless maintenance and work order management software applications. Any large company with assets and properties spread across a wide geographic area must find a way to effectively track and maintain them.

I remember riding in a train that was crossing Europe and seeing large amounts of materials and equipment disappearing beneath growing briar patches. I wondered who had originally placed the materials and equipment there, and then who had forgotten about it.

Large quantities of materials, supplies, assets and properties must be effectively managed through powerful asset management and asset tracking applications in the office. These applications in turn must synchronize with mobile handheld applications that can be used to document the GPS coordinates and condition of assets in the field.

We are experts in this field. Please contact us if you would like to discuss any of these issues.

Mobile Applications for Estimating Jobs, Service Tickets and Saving Time

Most small services companies create job estimates. These are basically inspections that result in a bid for the work. This is a very important part of the sales process, but it can also waste a lot of time. Why? Often the services companies are sending out their most experienced person to inspect the job site and prepare the bids without really knowing if the customer is serious.

Google Maps provides satellite and street views for many locations. A function of the satellite view is the ability to click on one location and then click on another and see the distance. If you zoom in on a house or property from the satellite view. You can measure the fence lines, size of the driveway, size of the yard, etc. It is accurate to within a few feet. Landscapers, concrete repair companies and fence building companies could all benefit by being able to quickly give a job estimate by zooming in on the location and measuring things via the measuring feature and the satellite images.

If the customer is good with the broad estimate, then you could schedule to inspect the job site and give a detailed and precise estimate.

Here is another area where the field services industry could be more efficient. I remember calling a plumbing services company to do some work on my house. I told them I could save them a trip by sending them a digital photo of the work space and task. They had no idea how to use a digital photo to help with job estimating. Instead, they drove all the way out to my house, spent 2 minutes looking at the work required and then drove all the way back to their warehouse to get the parts. They wasted at least 1 hour, plus fuel, and likely lost the opportunity to complete additional service work for another customer.

The plumber himself drove out, then returned to his warehouse to get the right equipment and parts. Wouldn't it have been less expensive to have a lower paid assistant drive the parts out to the job site so the plumber could do his work?

Mobile software applications now have the option to be able to play videos. They can play audio files, and they can request and receive technical manuals wirelessly. Some ruggedized mobile handheld computers also have video cameras. All of these features enable service technicians to bring a library of information with them on job sites.

If a junior field services technician needs advice from the senior manager in the office, send a quick digital image to the manager. Show the manager what the situation looks like. Provide the manager with a satellite view of the job site and a photo. There are many mobile tools available that enable the service technician to share information from the site of the work, and to document any problems.

As digital video on mobile handhelds becomes widely available, I can foresee situations where the service technician sets up a tripod and digitally record the work so a remote supervisor could provide real time advice.

Nearly all mobile handheld devices include the ability to record and listen to audio files. These can be organized to provide specific instructions on how to do various job tasks. They can also be recorded in multiple languages. If your service technician is new, and the job requires a set of specific safety measures, let them select the appropriate audio file on the mobile handheld and listen to the step by step instructions.

All of the above features are available today, but few people have considered how to bring them all together and organize them to provide value to the small field services companies.

If you would like to discuss any of these mobile applications and feature in more detail please contact us.

Mobile Software and Score Cards for Field Services

Business intelligence and dashboard applications for mobile workers is an interesting concept. It is not hard to develop mobile software applications that can show all field service technicians how many service calls and product/service sales all of the other service technicians have completed for the week. Management can tie good performance with variable compensation for those with the best scores. Let peer pressure and visibility to job performance help your service technicians improve their own performance.

The above score carding data is available in most work order management applications, however, it is rarely shown to the field service technicians. If the mobile workforce does not see it, then it can not be used for performance improvement. If the manager let's the field services teams see their performance and see how it rates against all others, they will often be motivated to improve their personal performance.

The concept here is to provide mobile software with performance score cards that field service technicians see daily. This data can be synchronized to the mobile devices from the ERP or company accounting software. Create a performance and profitability dashboard for mobile handheld computers that encourages the field services team to compete with each other, and published industry benchmarks. Encourage good performance, with bonuses and other rewards, that deliver long term profitability. Let your teams become part of the solution, and correct their own issues through visibility and peer pressure.

Contact us if you are interested in mobile field service score carding applications or other mobile software solutions.

Mobile Business Intelligence Apps Linked to GPS

In an article I wrote last week called Integrated Solutions and Mobile Software Applications for Route Sales, I discussed the value of integrating CRMs (customer relationship management) applications with mobile business intelligence applications, mobile software and Smart Phones for mobile salesforces. This week I learned that much of this technology already exists, at least for iPhones, in a company called QlikView.

They have a true business intelligence client solution designed from the ground up for iPhones. It connects with the QlikView server in the office, which performs the business intelligence, and provides the information wirelessly to the iPhone.

Based on the GPS coordinates of the iPhone, the QlikView application can be configured to automatically provide customer sales information to the iPhone.

There is a free demo version available for download here.

Very nice concept!!!

Integrated Solutions and Mobile Software Applications for Route Sales

I read several articles recently about strategies for improving the efficiency of mobile sales and route sales people. These strategies involved integrating several different kinds of central office software applications and then synchronizing the data to a mobile handheld or Smart Phone. The purpose of these strategies is to help the sales teams sell more product faster. Here are the links to the articles:

• The Future of Mobile and Route Sales Applications for Smart Phones, Part 1
• The Future of Mobile and Route Sales Applications for Smart Phones, Part 2

These strategies are very interesting as they help businesses realize how much more efficient they could be. So many of the activities that sales people do are not selling product, but conducting all the background research and preparation for the sales calls. All time not selling in front of customers must be considered an investment. Is the investment a good one? Not if it is simply busy work that does not help close deals.

Mobile sales people and route sales people should be out with the customers. Anything the company can do to make that time more efficient and increase sales is a good idea.

Mobile software applications don't have to be expensive. They can be done in phases so the business can start receiving value immediately. Each phase of a mobile software project can build on the last until you have a powerful solution that helps sales team maximize their sales.

If you would like to discuss mobilizing your business processes please contact us.

48 Questions to Help You Select the Best Mobile Handheld Computers

There are a large number of very good handheld computers, PDAs, Tablet PCs, laptops and Smart Phones to select from, however, the key is to research the business purposes and the environment in which the solution will be used before making a selection.

1. What environment will you be working in - is it hot, cold, wet or dusty?
2. Are there explosive vapors or explosive powders?
3. Is it a clean office environment, or a muddy and rugged outdoors environment?
4. Is the user in and out of vehicles all day?
5. Is your software application focused exclusively on bar code scanning, RFID reading, GPS, or do you need a multi-purpose data collection device?
6. Will the hardware configuration ever need to be changed? Some handhelds can be configured at will; others are locked and can only be used with the original configuration.
7. Will the device be used as a primary phone, or is it focused on data collection?
8. What hardware requirements does your mobile application require?
9. Will the battery last long enough to complete your daily work between charges? Do you need back-up batteries? Can you use batteries purchased at the local market, or are they vendor specific?
10. What is your budget? What does the value of using a handheld computer justify spending?
11. Do you have enough budget to purchase or develop the mobile software and hardware you need?
12. Does your budget only allow for low cost consumer devices?
13. How many replacements(of a consumer device) does it take to equal the cost of a ruggedized handheld?
14. How do you replace broken devices? Can you get a replacement service in 24 hours, or must you wait a week?
15. What kind of support contracts and warranties are available?
16. How long will your new handheld computer be supported, serviced and manufactured by the vendor? Is it near end of life and being discounted for a reason?
17. Can you upgrade the operating system when Microsoft releases a new version of their mobile operating system?
18. Can you use standard laptop data cards in the handheld, or do you need to pay for high priced vendor specific cards?
19. Can you view the screen effectively in the sunlight?
20. Does the bar code scanner work effectively in real-world environment? Some scanners cannot scan effectively through glass or plastic.
21. Is the size and weight of the handheld appropriate for the user and environment?
22. Can your handheld computer support all the add-ons you require at the same time? Some devices can only support a specific number of add-on components so you are forced to choose. Some cannot support both a GPS and a data card at the same time. Some devices cannot support both a bar code scanner and a GPS add-on. This is an important consideration.
23. Do you need only a touch screen and navigation pad, a number pad or a full QWERTY keyboard? This is very important for user acceptance.
24. Is the handheld device also going to be used as a phone? Is a 2 pound industrial grade handheld really a usable phone?
25. Does your low cost consumer grade PDA need a rugged case like the ones Otterbox sells?
26. If you only have a budget for a low cost device, does it support the battery life and add-on components you require?
27. How will the device be transported around a job site? Will it strap to a belt, swing from a shoulder strap, sit in a holster or be mounted to the dashboard of your truck? Does your device support your chosen method?
28. Where is the closest inventory of extra handheld computers? Where is the closest repair depot?
29. Will your vendor loan you a device on trial?
30. Can you rent the handheld if you only need it for a short-term project?
31. Does your vendor take trade-ins on your old handheld computers?
32. Can you get the same exact handheld, under a different brand name for less?
33. How will your handheld computer send data back to the office? Cradle sync, WiFi, bluetooth, wireless data card, GPRS/GSM, CDMA?
34. What size screen do you need? Some devices like the Jett-Eye have a "landscape view" others a "portrait view" many have different sized screens. What do you require?
35. Do you need an integrated digital camera? Do you need a low or high resolution camera and does your device support it?
36. Does a refurbished device from Ryzex make better sense that a new device?
37. Where is your vendor's office? Are they in the neighborhood or on the other side of the planet? Does their location offer you the support and attention you deserve?
38. Does your handheld computer run on the same operating system that your mobile software solutions requires? I have had customers order Windows CE devices for their Windows Mobile application. It did not work.
39. Does your handheld computer come with a pistol grip or other straps that help you avoid dropping it?
40. Can you comfortably hold the device in your handheld and complete your work? Some devices have scanners on the side, on the end or underneath.
41. Can you effectively view the data you need? Some jobs simply require a full keyboard and a full screen for viewing large CAD files or Maps. Does your screen size match your requirements?
42. Where will you store the device when you use the washroom? One of my customers used Tablet PCs and they kept breaking when they slipped off of the sinks in the bathrooms.
43. Does the mobile device you select support the RFID reader you need for distance and accuracy?
44. Does the battery in the mobile handheld last long enough after you have added on all the additional hardware accessories? Each added radio uses more energy.
45. If you have dozens of handheld computers, how will you charge them all at the same time? Do you have a docking station that allows for all of your devices to both charge and synchronize at the same time?
46. Do you need wireless data plans, or does batch synchronziation after each shift work?
47. What wireless carrier and data plan provides the best service and cost for you? Does that wireless carrier support your mobile device?
48. Does the wireless carrier have sufficient coverage for your workers?

If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail please contact us.

Mobile Software Applications - 58 Questions the IT Helpdesk Needs to Know

Often the focus of a mobile software project is on gathering the functional requirements, designing, developing and deploying the mobile solution, but little or no advanced focus is given to the question of how to support it once it is deployed. The following list contains many of the questions your IT helpdesk and support department will want to know:

1. Who does the field worker call if there is a mobile device problem?
2. Who does the field worker call if their mobile application is not synchronizing?
3. Who trains new employees on how to use the mobile application?
4. If there is a mobile software problem, who fixes it - IT, consultant, contractor, or your systems integrator?  How do you get in contact with them?
5. Who does the field worker call if the mobile application needs edited or upgraded?
6. If the user downloads a new version of the mobile operating system and the mobile application doesn't work, who will repair it?  How do you prevent mobile users from downloading new software applications that might break the system?
7. Who defines the business process you are mobilizing? They may need to approve any changes to the business process.
8. Who controls the security of the device? How do you set-up a new user to securely access the enterprise database? What kinds of security rules must the field user follow? Do different users have different security profiles? Is there a standard set of rules for mobile devices across the enterprise?
9. Who controls access to the enterprise database application (a DBA)?
10. Will the Database Administrator allow you to synchronize data directly to their enterprise database application, or do they want a "staging database" or API layer to review all data before it is loaded to the enteprise database application. They will likely be involved in any future changes to the mobile application.
11. How many different enterprise database applications are synchronizing with a mobile device? If there is a sync problem, how do you know what database applications may be impacted?
12. If you hire an additional field worker, how do you order an additional mobile device? Whose budget covers this? Who is the vendor?  What support plan or insurance plan should be included?
13. Who decides if the new mobile device needs to be ruggedized or a consumer grade? What level of ruggedness is required for the specific user?
14. Do different job functions require different devices, carriers and wireless data service plans?
15. Who decides what brand of mobile devices are going to be the company standard?
16. Where do you purchase your mobile devices if one breaks or you need to add one to your inventory? Do you have a corporate discount or volume discount?
17. How do you control the variable costs of using a data plan from a local wireless carrier? What happens if the costs of the data services gets out of control? Who pays for it?
18. Are the mobile devices or the mobile software solutions under warranty?
19. Is there a yearly support contract IT needs to know about? How much? Whose budget?
20. What is the account number the warranty is under?
21. How do you set-up a new data plan with your wireless carrier? Who does that in the company? What is the account number so you can add subscribers? Whose budget pays for it?
22. What happens when Microsoft releases a new Windows Mobile operating system and you can only purchase mobile devices with the new OS on them? Who is going to upgrade your mobile software solutions so they work with the new OS?
23. What happens when the field engineer tromps off across 2 miles of muddy field to work at a construction site, but the battery on his handheld computer is not fully charged and it dies about 10 minutes after he gets there? What is the backup battery plan?
24. What happens when text messages, photos, videos, music, and 97 saved solitaire games claims all the memory on the PDA and the Construction application becomes either too slow or unreliable because of low memory?
25. How do you know when your mobile workers are synchronizing the latest information? You don't want mobile workers going days without synchronizing their device.
26. When you send an updated software application to your mobile workers, how do you know who is using the new application and who is still on the old?
27. How do you disable synchronization on a lost mobile device?
28. How do you kill and/or protect your data on the mobile device if it is lost or stolen?
29. How do you keep track of which workers are using which mobile devices? If there is an operating system update, or firmware update, how do you know who needs it?
30. What is the process for bringing mobile handhelds into the IT department for repairs and upgrades?  Is there a central location, or should various locations be scheduled on specific dates.
31. If you are taking care of many different mobile field workers and many different mobile devices with a variety of operating systems and screen sizes, how do you track who gets what?
32. If you have a project manager that requires visibility to more data than other workers, how do you manage different views on the handheld computer?
33. Some mobile projects require different levels of security, for different levels of data visibility. How would you manage and track that?
34. Some applications require barcode, RFID, GPS, digital camera and other specialized data collection accessories, while others don't. How does the IT Helpdesk track the brand, version and other details of these accessories?
35. If a dump truck backs over your supervisor's $1800 ruggedized computer and crushes it into hundreds of unidentifiable pieces, how do you get a replacement out to the supervisor with the exact application and data that is required?
36. If a mobile device needs repaired - what is the process for keeping your field workers operating without it? Do you have a stock of spare mobile devices?
37. How do you deploy new mobile applications to your 1,300 mobile device users? Must they bring all their devices back to the IT department, or can you publish new applications directly to the handheld computer?
38. How do you support the mobile device, when the user has limited computer knowledge and is sitting on the top of a utility pole? What tools can the IT Helpdesk use to help diagnose problems?
39. How do you recognize a defective mobile device that is being shared by 12 different mobile workers? Do you have a method of identifying which problems are being reported on a particular device or are you logging support calls only by users?
40. What is your process for dispatching work orders to service technicians when they are disconnected or out of range of cellular and wireless networks? A process needs to be defined.
41. What is your synchronization plan for each mobile worker? Can they sync in the morning and evening at their office desk, or do they need to sync every 5 minutes or in real-time?
42. What is the synchronization plan for a service technician that rarely has wireless network access? Does it justify a satellite up-link? (Sears Service Technicians use both)
43. How do you know when information was successfully synchronized with a mobile device in the field? Can you see and determine the success of the synchronization from the IT Helpdesk?
44. What is an acceptable synchronization time? Is it 20 seconds, 2 minutes, 20 minutes? Does the IT Helpdesk know what times are acceptable so they can consider this when configuring a new user?
45. How much data can be synchronized in a given period of time on the chosen connectivity option? Is that an acceptable speed for the task at hand?
46. Who determines the hardware requirements that support the mobile application and desired synchronization speeds?
47. When a new mobile software application is developed, who tests its operating speed on different devices, processors, memory levels and connectivity options to determine what is acceptable and what is not?
48. When you are updating or reconfiguring an enterprise database, how do you know what mobile applications and mobile users will be impacted by these changes? How do you manage this update process?
49. How does the IT Helpdesk know which one of the 17 mobile applications on the handheld computer is having a synchronization problem?
50. If you are supporting 174 work crews and their mobile devices around the globe, how do you know where they are located, and who is responsible for them?
51. How does the IT Helpdesk know if a mobile device is using a cradle, modem, bluetooth, wireless, USB, satellite or Cellular connection to synchronize? The IT Helpdesk really wants to know before they begin working on the issue.
52. What wireless carrier, technology and through-put speed is the mobile device using? Is it GPRS, GSM, CDMA, Edge or some other network configuration?
53. Do you need to stagger the synchronization times?  One of my clients had a problem with 300 mobile workers downloading large product catalogs all at the same time each month.  The first Monday of the month.  This caused a bottleneck and slow downloading time.
54. What do you do with old and retired mobile handheld devices? Companies like Ryzex buy back old handheld mobile devices and recycle them.
55. What rugged or semi-rugged cases are required to protect the mobile device?
56. What add on assessories are supported on the mobile device?  Ear pieces, GPS, add-on RFID, barcode scanners?  Who supports these and where do you order replacements?
57. Does the same mobile application work on rugged mobile handhelds as mobile consumer devices?  What employees get the different levels of rugged devices?
58. Do you have a corporate account with a mobile device reseller that will repair all of the different mobile devices or do you work with many different vendors with different support and warranty plans. 

These questions are very important and need to be answered upfront.  If you would like to discuss this subject in more detail please email.

SAP ERP and Mobile Applications for IT

The following press release was issued today concerning Redwood Software's announcement of a mobile application for IT staff to receive and respond to real time alert notifications on their mobile devices. This software application works with SAP and other ERP systems. This announcement follows an earlier one that is stated to be the first iPhone business application for enterprise process automation. I am a strong believer that the future of enterprise mobile applications must include a business process automation component as discussed in this article.

MORRISVILLE, NC -- 08/17/09 -- Redwood Software, an industry leader in delivering enterprise and mobile software, today announced immediate availability of the Cronacle Mobile(TM) Alerting Service for the iPhone(TM) and iPod® touch. The Cronacle Mobile Alerting Service enables IT staff to receive and respond to alert notifications in real time on their mobile device. With Redwood's new service, customers' IT departments using SAP® solutions gain unprecedented portability, visibility and control of business processes and the enterprise systems that underlie them.

Today's announcement of the Cronacle Mobile Alerting Service follows Redwood's recent launch of Cronacle Mobile, the first iPhone business application for enterprise process automation and job scheduling. The Cronacle Mobile Alerting Service extends the capabilities of Cronacle Mobile by taking advantage of the new Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) to deliver time-critical system information immediately to the iPhone or iPod touch.

"We are very excited to deliver a solution to our customers that is as mobile as they want or need to be," says Tijl Vuyk, CEO and president of Redwood Software. "With our new alerting service we extend our mobile platform so customers can monitor their systems, and receive real-time notifications wherever they are and whenever issues require their attention."

Cronacle Mobile Alerting extends the benefits of mobility and remote management to any back-end systems which run Redwood's industry leading process automation and job scheduling solutions, including Redwood Cronacle® and the SAP Central Process Scheduling application by Redwood. All SAP and Redwood customers can use Cronacle Mobile Alerting to manage their entire enterprise landscape, including both SAP and non-SAP applications.

If you would like to discuss this topic or other custom mobile applications for SAP please contact us.

Mobile Applications - Hosted or Not?

Many companies have asked whether a hosted or non-hosted enterprise mobile software application would be best for them. The answer may be best determined by the following questions:

1. Is the enterprise software application that you want to connect to your mobile handhelds, an off-the-shelf application like SAP, SAGE, MS Dynamics or Quickbooks?
2. Is the mobile software application simply a mobile front end (GUI) to the back-office application? Does it do basically the same thing you would do on the office application, but in a mobile environment?

If the answer is NO to any of the above, then you are into a custom development environment that is difficult to support in a hosted model. Companies that host applications need volume and reusability. Custom projects may be uploaded to a hosted data center, but there is no business case for the software vendor/developer to pursue this as a business model. However, if the mobile software application is custom, but the database application that it synchronizes with is sold as an off-the-shelf application, then there may be a business case.

Here is a real life scenario. SAP ERP does not handle work orders or service tickets well if they are not associated with a pre-approved purchase order. This is a problem in the oil fields as contractors and service technicians are often called to perform unanticipated work to fix or repair items. Since SAP does not like to receive unexpected invoices, Field Service software vendors have responded to this need by developing applications that convert these unexpected invoices into acceptable SAP formats that are integrated with SAP using standard integrations. These same vendors have created mobile work order applications that synchronize with their work order management systems. They have a standardized model that can be sold in a hosted environment.

Since the work order management application was an off-the-shelf software package, with a standardized integration to SAP, it could be offered in a hosted environment with a good business model.

If the work order management system was custom, and the back-office application or ERP was custom, then the mobile software application would need to be custom and there is no efficiencies in this scenario for a hosted solution.

If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail please email.

The ROI for Mobile Software Applications

The ROI (return on investment), in this context, is the term used to describe the value of a mobile software solution relative to the expense of designing, developing and deploying it. If a mobile solution cost $145,000, how do you justify the investment? Management needs to see that their investment will provide a quick and positive return. The following list contains some of the most common justifications for mobilizing business processes:

1. Eliminate time spent in the office re-typing data collected in the field: Enable field service technicians to synchronize information directly with the office database.
2. Eliminate time spent on the phone dispatching service tickets or work orders. Both the time of the dispatcher and the time of the service technician: Dispatch electronic service tickets direct from your work order management system in the office with the mobile device of your service technician.
3. Save time finding each work location: Send driving directions, or links, in the electronic work order that work with the GPS and mapping software in the mobile device.
4. Avoid the high fuel costs incurred delivering paperwork to the office and picking it up: Synchronize the data direct from the field to the central database application.
5. Avoid the time cost transporting paperwork from the field to the office: Synchronize the data collected from the field with the push of a button.
6. Save time and provide better customer service by providing real-time access to enterprise parts, orders, and inventory data while in the field: Enable mobile access to customer history, product documentation, warranty information, inventory information, time sheets, work schedules and much more.
7. Save time with field data collection by using barcode scanners and barcode labels, or RFID readers and RFID tags on assets: A quick scan with a handheld computer can automatically display all stored information related to the asset for quick review, edits and additions.
8. Save time and reduce admin costs by creating and scheduling new service tickets direct from the field: Provide immediate invoicing for faster collections and better cash management: Allow field tech to print the invoice on a mobile printer at the job site.
9. Save time and postage costs: Print the invoice and leave it with the customer at the job site, rather than wait and bill later from the office.
10. Document proof of work completed to reduce invoice disputes: Leave a GPS audit trail of where work was performed and include a time and date stamp. Digital photo evidence of before and after work is also useful.
11. Reduce the introduction of errors: Paper based systems are inherently slow and error prone due to human interaction, copying and re-typing. The more human hands that touch a paper form and add or edit data, the more chances that errors can be introduced to the data which will cause invoice disputes, inaccurate records and confusion.
12. Reduce administrative costs by ensuring complete data is sent from the field, as incomplete or inaccurate field data can take hours of work to track down and correct: Send data from the field and ensure it is complete with data integrity features on the mobile handheld computers and rugged PDAs.
13. Reduce administrative costs by avoiding errors and misinterpretations due to poor or misread handwriting: Create electronic forms with pre-made options, check boxes and lists, and by using onscreen digital keyboards.
14. Reduce administrative costs by ensuring the accuracy of data: Validate answers in the mobile software application on the handheld PDA.
15. Reduce time on the phone and dangerous note taking while driving: Push documents directly from the office to the handheld.
16. Save time and fuel by providing electronic dispatch and least cost routing: Use vehicle and/or handheld GPS tracking to view your workforce locations. Handheld computers with GPS functionality can integrate with GIS and display the location of the field worker to help managers better organize service responses.
17. Save time by developing computation and analysis features on the rugged handheld in the field: Programmed analytics can help field users make quicker and more accurate decisions and job estimates.
18. Save time in the field by automating business processes in the mobile software: Mobile application can be configured to perform all kinds of automated business functions, queries, computations and analytics.
19. Ensure quality work habits: Automate “best practices” into your mobile software application and provide visibility to managers.
20. Automate quality and best practices - Activate the appropriate business process based upon the data entered: A specific answer can trigger the required business process.
21. Reduce inventory loss - Avoid undocumented inventory usage and unbilled time: Enforce real time data entry before clock out or work order completion.
22. Improve job estimates: Require clock in and clock out on work to document and analyze the accuracy of work estimates.
23. Improve technician training: Train new service technicians and inspectors with audio memos or video clips in the handheld computer application.
24. Reduce disputes by documenting deliveries and work with digital signatures, date and time stamps and barcode scanners on the handheld computer.
25. Save travel time and fuel cost: Query available inventory in nearby company vehicles.
26. Increase profit per customer: Use information on handheld computers to up-sell more products and services while onsite with the customer.
27. Provider quicker and more accurate estimates: Query latest shipping status, schedules or inventory levels via handheld computers while onsite with customer.
28. Increase warranty revenues: Include updated customer information on the handheld computer so the service technician can sell warranty and maintenance plans, new products and upgrades.

These are just some of the common areas where enterprise mobile applications have been found to provide significant value.  If you would like to discuss this subject in more detail or discuss an upcoming mobile application project in Australia please contact us.