Apple Stores and Motorola MC50s

I had the opportunity to be in an Apple store in New York City last month. I was again very intrigued that Apple employees were still using Motorola handheld PDAs inside the Apple stores. I would think that Apple would want to replace these handheld PDAs that run Windows Mobile operating systems and are manufactured by their smartphone and PDA competitors. It will be interesting to watch this situation.

MobileDataforce is now developing custom mobile software applications for businesses wanting to extend the use of their iPhones or handheld PDAs into their business processes.

- Kevin Benedict

Mobile Data Collection on Handheld PDAs Drives Rational Decisions

The title of this article is a mouth full, but it is true. We have customers using mobile data collection technologies on handheld PDAs for the following purposes:

• Surveying AIDS victims, using mobile handheld computers, in various African countries to learn about habits, practices, cultural norms and other lifestyle issues. This information is synchronized back to a central research databases so analyst can learn how best to educate people on how to prevent the spread of AIDS. Real field data is critical for developing the most effective educational programs.
• Customer surveys included with Work Orders/Service Tickets. Once work is completed at a customer's location, the service technician hands the customer a mobile survey form on the handheld. The customer has the opportunity to rate the service in several different areas. This information is immediately synchronized to the office database and the manager can review the customer's responses. This is an effective way of scaling the manager/owners contact with customers. If there is a problem rating on the survey the manager can immediately contact the customer to address these issues. Having a mobile survey, also encourages the service technician to always provide their best customer support. Managers can base bonuses in part on customer survey reports.

These are just 2 areas where real-time, or near real-time mobile field data collection can enable managers in the office to make solid rational decisions based upon data gathered in far away locations.

If you are interested in more information on inspection software, data collection software or mobile software applications please visit MobileDataforce's website.

- Kevin Benedict

The Law of Mobility for Mobile Handheld PDAs and Mobile Software

The Law of Mobility states that the value of any product or service increases with its mobility. Improvements typically realized from a mobile solution include a reduction of paper, streamlining of non-value added and redundant processes, an increase in overall productivity, elimination of manual processes, reduced labor costs and overtime, and increased quality and reliability of information. ~Russell McGuire, The Power of Mobility

Russell McGuire has provided us with a concise description of the value of mobile software applications for use on mobile handheld PDAs. Here are 39 detailed reasons to mobilize your business.

Mobilizing business processes enables you to gain visibility into work done in the field, helps to ensure quality work, enables you to reduce administrative work and invoice for field services quicker.

- Kevin Benedict

Online Educational Video on Implementing Field Services Using Handheld PDAs

Educational Video on Mobilizing Field Services

For those of you interested in mobilizing your field services with handheld PDAs and mobile software, you will fine the following video informative and useful. The President of Psion Teklogix (a ruggedized handheld computer manufacturer), Ron Caines and myself explore the challenges and rewards of mobilizing field services and field data collection.

Field Services video

Apple Could Make Things Easier for th iPhone Smartphone

It is a good thing MobileDataforce's professional services organization has so much experience developing enterprise mobile software applications and synchronizing with back office systems, because Apple has certainly not offered much help in making the iPhone enterprise ready. We are developing iPhone applications now for customers and are often coding our own software to fill many gaps in Apple's SDK.

This experience is predictable when new technology is released. It takes companies like MobileDataforce to fill in the missing links. Even with these early stage issues, it is certainly fun and the iPhone smartphone is absolutely capable of being a value enterprise tool for the mobile workforce.

GPS Features on the iPhone

One of the coolest features of the Apple iPhone for businesses is the integrated GPS functionality. Companies can use these features for a large variety of purposes including:

• Adding time and date stamps PLUS GPS coordinates to work orders as a way of proving the time, data and location of work performed
• Enabling service technicians and delivery vans to be tracked in near real-time.
• Helping drivers reach their destination faster and with less fuel
• Associating job estimates to a GPS location
• Locating and identifying the location of various pieces of equipment and other assets
• Associating conditional assessments for asset management with a GPS location. This can be used to locate buildings, walls, sidewalks, sprinkler heads etc, that require repair

The list can go on forever because there is a HUGE amount of value in adding geospatial information to just about any field service activity. Including this feature on an iPhone is one more step toward making the iPhone a valueable business tool for the enterprise.

MobileDataforce is currently working on a number of mobile business applications for the iPhone.

Business Applications for Apple iPhones

MobileDataforce has just started a very cool mobile business application for use on the Apple iPhone. My team has over 50 years experience developing custom mobile applications yet are still excited about using their experience with the iPhones.

This iPhone business application involves the following:

• Login to an office database application from an iPhone
• Enter Sales Order information on the iPhone in the field and transfer the order to the database application in the office
• Enter Shipping information on the iPhone and transfer the information to the database application in the office
• Initiate credit card processing on the database application in the office
• Receive acknowledgement of Order acceptance and CC processing
• Initiate an order fulfillment and shipping process in the warehouse

This is just one of many iPhone applications and projects that MobileDataforce is reviewing and/or developing for our customers at this time. It is fun, but challenging as Apple has not provided complete tool sets for iPhone development yet. Currently we must develop many of the tools ourselves to address the needs of the enterprise business application market, but eventually Apple will offer more tools to simplify the most common enterprise integration needs.

Let the fun begin for the iPhone enterprise application market!

Extending the Use of Mobile Software and Handheld PDAs at the Airport

I have been away the past 10 days on vacation and noticed several uses for mobile handheld PDAs that I wanted to share.

The customer service folks at the Detroit airport, the people pushing the wheel chairs, were all using MC 70 handheld computers from Motorola/Symbol. This is the first time I have seen this category of worker using handheld PDAs and mobile software for dispatch. As I watched them, they would check them about every two minutes as new dispatches were sent out. It appeared that all dispatches were sent out, and available customer service staff would respond.

As I watched, I wondered if each dispatch had a unique work order number and was invoiced to the various airlines. I did not get the chance to follow-up, but that is how it appeared.

- Kevin Benedict

Mobile Handheld PDA Technology in a Slow Economy

Slow economic periods are a time for reflection for many companies. Understanding how to react to an economic downturn is one of the hardest tasks for a manager. The focus must be on accomplishing more with less and reducing inefficiencies. How can you provide more services per person, lower administrative costs and reduce expenses while at the same time providing quality work and good customer services? This article is intended to help the reader start the process of self-evaluation - to explore where inefficiencies may be lurking in your own unique business environment.

The use of PDAs, Handhelds and other mobile software technologies, in the context of field services automation, is most often driven by the following 12 business motivations:

1. Efficiencies in communicating information between the office and the remote service technician or jobsite
2. Efficiencies in planning and scheduling work based upon location, parts and expertise needed
3. Reducing fuel costs
4. Reducing travel time
5. Reducing time consuming and error prone data entry activities in the office
6. Increasing productivity – more average service calls per service technician in a day
7. Increasing service contract sales
8. Increasing equipment upgrade sales
9. Increasing collections with mobile invoicing, mobile printing of invoices and onsite collections
10. Improving inventory control and management - visibility to parts needed, the location of inventory and parts used on each job or service ticket
11. Reduced risks by reminding service technicians of safety hazards and safety procedures on the job
12. Improving management visibility into work done in the field to ensure quality services

These 12 business motivations become increasingly important during slow economic times. In rapid growth periods inefficiencies are often overlooked in a rush to keep up with the market and business growth, and hidden under the onslaught of new sales and revenues. However, when the economy slows down, it is time for companies to re-evaluate business processes in order to eliminate the inefficiencies and bad habits that have developed. Let’s now review some common and costly inefficiencies:

1. Inefficiency # 1 -Wasted time and fuel driving back and forth to the office to pick-up and deliver new work orders, tools and parts. With the high cost of fuel, reducing driving distances is a necessity. Can you dispatch a service technician directly from their home to a nearby jobsite? Can you make sure your service technician has the most common parts in the van before they travel to the jobsite?
2. Inefficiency #2 – Wasting time and fuel by being unprepared for the job and driving around looking for parts. Can you reduce travel time and fuel costs by being better prepared for the job before traveling? Can you ask customers for more information on the equipment such as brand, serial number, year, location, problem etc? Can you ask the customer for a digital photo of the equipment, serial number, etc., and email it before dispatching the service technician?
3. Inefficiency #3 – Sitting outside of a locked and vacant location wasting time waiting for the owner to arrive. Can you set up an automated phone call to let the customer know you are on the way? This avoids showing up at a vacant house or closed business and wasting time.
4. Inefficiency # 4 – Sending service technicians to a distant location, when another service technician is closer and wasting time and fuel. Can you use GPS tracking on the vans to better know the location of all service technicians so you can dispatch the closest and best service technician for the job?
5. Inefficiency #5 – Missed opportunities to sell more services, parts and equipment to the customer at the time of work. Can you automatically remind the service technician to promote service contracts by using a mobile handheld work order system? This will help increase service contract sales.
6. Inefficiency #6 – Poor scheduling and routing. Can you schedule service contract visits based on geographic location to reduce fuel costs and wasted travel time? Can a service technician complete more service calls in a day if they are routed more efficiently?
7. Inefficiency #7 – Driving large and heavy vehicles when not required. If you have a better understanding of the parts required for today’s service calls, can you take a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle to the jobsite?
8. Inefficiency #8 – Poor cash management and collect processes. Can you collect money, swipe credit cards and print receipts from a mobile handheld device to improve collections at the jobsite? Are you wasting time, paper and postage sending out invoices weeks after the work was completed?
9. Inefficiency #9 – Too much administrative costs. Can you reduce the costs of data entry and administrative staff by automating the dispatch process by using wireless work order dispatch that is integrated directly with your work order management and accounting systems?
Every company, upon self-evaluation, will be able to identify additional inefficiencies that can be corrected and reduced. Many of the costly inefficiencies can be resolved by automating and mobilizing field services business processes.

Mobilized Work Orders

What does an automated and "mobilized" work order system or service request dispatch and management system look like? A customer calls in to report a broken heating system. The office staff takes the phone call, enters the relevant information into the work order application on the desktop computer which then creates a unique work order and number.

The work order database application, with GIS integration, can compare the location of each service technician to determine which service technician is closest to the work location. The dispatch system can also look at the estimated time the nearby service technicians are committed to completing their existing assignments. Once the appropriate service technician is identified, the work order is dispatched to the handheld computer used by the service technician. Included in the electronic work order is driving directions from his/her current location to the next job location. In addition to the work order information, warranty, repair, users manual, maintenance history and product information on file can also be dispatched to the handheld computer for reference and parts inventory management.

Once the service technician arrives at the location, he opens the work order on the handheld computer. Opening the work order automatically captures the service technician's name, the date/time stamp and the GPS coordinates of the jobsite and enters them into the mobile application’s work order.

Next the service technician examines the broken heating system and determines which parts need replaced. He can pull out his handheld computer and check whether he has the needed parts in his vehicle inventory, if not, it can automatically search for nearby service vehicles that may contain the part (GPS tracking enables this). If another nearby service vehicle is determined to have the required part, then driving directions can be sent.

When the service technician arrives at the service vehicle with the needed part, then the part is scanned using a bar code scanner in the handheld computer to log its removal from the vehicle's inventory and assigns it to the appropriate work order number.

Back at the work site, the service technician runs into a challenge. He has never worked on this model before and needs advice. He snaps a digital photo of the equipment and synchronizes it back to the office. His supervisor reviews the photo and calls him with advice.

Once the work is completed, the service technician signs his name on the handheld computer screen, and has the customer sign the work order screen as well. The service technician prints an invoice on a mobile printer and collects the payment or swipes the customer’s credit or debit card. The collection is noted on the mobile work order and synchronized back to the office.

As soon as the work order is completed and synchronized, the mobile application reminds the service technician to promote a 2 year service contract. The service technician reviews the details with the customer and signs them up for a 2 year service contract. Next, the work order system reviews job locations and priorities and assigns the next optimized work order to the field service technician.

Status of the Mobile Business Application Market for PDAs and Handhelds

I talk a lot. I talk to many other executives who work in the wireless mobility, handheld computer, enterprise software and PDA markets. We share views and experiences from these industries. Here is a summary of what I am hearing these days:

• The handheld barcode scanner market is hurting. The traditional warehouse and retail markets are not spending money. With shrinking sales, the handheld barcode scanner market is suffering from decreasing margins and more competition


• Sales people in the handheld barcode scanner industry are leaving under pressure to increase sales in a tough market with shrinking opportunities


• Tradeshows and conferences are suffering due to the high costs of fuel and travel in a slow economy


• The market segment for wireless mobile business software applications (where MobileDataforce plays) is the fastest growing segment of the wireless mobility market. The field work force continues to suffer from a large amount of inefficiencies that companies must fix in tough times in order to be competitive. Thus this market is growing when many other segments are not

Custom Mobile Applications for PDAs and Handhelds or Off-The-Shelf?

Definition of "Off-The-Shelf" software: A software application that is pre-developed and can be used by many companies in the same industry.

Our clients often ask the following question: Should they buy a mobile application pre-developed for PDAs and handhelds for less money? The answer may be yes if they have a business exactly the same as many other companies and mobile software is available that fits it. The challenge most companies have is that some percentage of their business processes are unique. Some portion of their enterprise software or database applications have been configured specifically for their own unique preferences. Perhaps competitive business processes are the secret to their success. If this is the case - it is highly likely that a customized mobile application may be both necessary and advantageous.

Often successful businesses have developed unique business processes, unique methodologies and specific techniques that provide competitive advantages. If you want to continue these practices and ensure your mobile handheld business solutions support these, then a customized mobile software application for your field workforce may be your answer.

MobileDataforce provides mobile software solutions that enable companies to rapidly develop customized mobile applications that support your competitive business processes and customized back-office software applications.

- Kevin Benedict

Mobile PDA Solutions & Medicine in Ethiopia

This picture is of MobileDataforce's consultant, Will Hannold at Bete Giorgis in Lalibela in Ethiopia. He was working on a mobile handheld PDA software project to track the distribution of medicines to clinics. This is a government sponsored project that enables the development of a solid supply chain management system to be deployed throughout the country using mobile PDAs, handheld barcode scanners and enterprise mobile software technologies from MobileDataforce.

Smart Meters, Mobile Handheld PDA Solutions & Utilities

MobileDataforce is working on a number of very powerful mobile handheld PDA applications to help electrical and water utilities manage the maintenance, installation and repair of meters. These applications contain several different software components including:

• Work Orders
• Digital photos of meters before, during and after installation
• Safety inspections and reporting
• Mapping/GPS
• Inventory
  Logistics

These applications are integrated with mapping software to enable the user to view current, future and past jobsite locations.

MobileDataforce is working on many custom mobile software projects for water and electrical utility companies and contractors both in North America, South Africa and in Europe. Please visit our website or contact us if you would like to discuss your mobile field data collection or work order project requirements.

Handheld PDAs and Mobile Inspection Software for Electrical Utilities

Sho-Me Power owns 1,663 miles of transmission line, and is responsible for inspection and maintenance of the transmission line. Sho-Me power works directly with power suppliers to help transmit power to rural areas. Sho-Me Power provides services for 131 customer delivery points in 125 distribution and transmission substations.

Sho-Me Power used paper forms to perform inspections of transmission lines in rural areas, which resulted in many challenges. Inspections were performed twice per year, once in the fall and again in the spring, transmission line poles and pole attachments were inspected for damage. Areas surrounding the transmission line were also inspected for overgrown trees and undergrowth to determine trimming needs if necessary. Many inspections were done during poor weather conditions which made it difficult to collect data, juggle necessary paperwork, and caused lost or smudged paperwork because of weather conditions. The paper forms were also time consuming to fill out, hard to collect from the field inspectors (as forms were often lost or misplaced), and required office personnel to re-enter data at the home office.

“It took a long time to fill out all of the paperwork in the field, and we ended up with so much paper that it was almost impossible to use all of the information we spent so much time collecting,” said Andy Meyers, GIS administrator at Sho-Me Power. “We knew we needed a better system for collecting and organizing our data.”

MobileDataforce worked closely with Sho-Me Power to integrate all necessary field inspection forms into one enterprise class mobility software application for handheld PDAs. The application allowed the field inspectors to sort inspections by region, completed structures, and uncompleted structures. All inspections were time stamped to keep record of when the inspection was completed, which allowed for Sho-Me Power to provide proof of inspection and track results for future inspections. The data collected was integrated into small world GIS.

Sho-Me Power selected a Trimble Recon handheld device, equipped with a GPS receiver for data collection. The mobile application utilized the GPS receivers to specifically identify the location of utility poles. This gave Sho-Me Power greater asset visibility, and made it easier for field inspectors to locate transmission poles in rural areas.

By using a mobile application rather than paper forms, Sho-Me Power was able to:

· Save administrative data entry time
· Increase asset visibility
· Wirelessly synchronize from the field
· Save fuel costs and driving time delivering paper forms
· Provide near real-time visibility to inspections in the field
· Ensure data accuracy through the use of data validation features
· Save inspection time with easy to use software

The PointSync Mobility Platform is an enterprise class mobile software platform used to rapidly design, develop, and deploy mobile applications. It is architected to provide database centric mobile applications with bi-directional synchronization, connectivity, security, and enterprise database integration all within one product suite.

MobileDataforce is a global leader in the development of enterprise class and business critical software solutions. MobileDataforce software can be used on most mobile handheld computers including Smart Phones, Tablet PCs, PDAs, and laptops. MobileDataforce has offices in Europe, North America, and Australia to support our ever expanding customer base and sales channels. Privately held, MobileDataforce has been mobilizing business solutions since 2000.

Conclusion:
Through the use of the PointSync mobility platform Sho-Me Power was able to save time and money. Sho-Me Power was also able to gain greater visibility of assets and inspection points, and track them by GPS location.

“This system is saving us at every step in the process. We’re saving time in the field collecting information and just as much time back in the office processing it,” Meyers said. “The hours we used to spend collating paper alone is a huge savings to us, and time that can now be spent on other, more productive work.”

MobileDataforce has assisted many organizations around the world design, develop, and deploy mobile applications for field data collection. For additional information please visit our website at http://www.mobiledataforce.com/

Mobile Handheld PDAs, Barcode Scanners and ERPs

Last week my PSO (professional services organization) team gave me a demonstration of one of the coolest mobile software applications for handheld PDA that I have ever seen. This one mobile software application does the following:

• Proof of delivery - route delivery
• Route assignments
• Customer's payment status
• Customer's details
• Work Order Dispatch
• Inventory Tracking
• Identifies nearest source of additional inventory (mobile or warehouse)
• New product orders
• Fleet tracking (odometer readings, driver logs, hours of service)
• Critical message (alerts) - requires driver to read before continuing
• Planagrams - Mobile application tells the driver how much product to deliver to each customer and on what date
• Preventative maintenance planning and service tickets

These are just a few of the features that our customer asked us to customize for their business in just one mobile software application. This customer has chosen the Psion Teklogix WorkAbout Pro as their mobile handheld computer.

This mobile application is complex and huge, yet the processing speed is still very good on the mobile devices. My team has been given a challenge, and they have met the challenge.

This is an example of the kinds of enterprise quality mobile applications that MobileDataforce delivers to our customers weekly.

Ethiopia & Mobile Handheld PDA Solutions

I was very excited last night to view photos from one of our mobile application consultants (Will H.) who is in Ethiopia for the next few weeks. He is working on a very interesting mobile software project to help with a medical supply chain and logisitics solution that uses mobile handheld computers, Windows Mobile and software from MobileDataforce. The proof of concept utilized Palm Treos running Windows Mobile OS.

His photos included exotic foods, landscapes, cityscapes and his temporary office. Mobile applications have great appeal in locations where the traditional landline infrastructures are less developed. Wireless networks and connected/disconnected mobile software applications are very well suited for these environments and can accurately collect and synchronize data from very remote locations to centralized databases anywhere in the world.

Comparing the MTC 2100 Ultra Mobile Computer to Handheld PDAs

Nexcom's MTC 2100 (left), MTC 2100-MD (middle), and MRC 2100

Although I love handheld PDAs, I am a big fan of ultra mobile computers. They fit in your hand like a paperback book, yet provide the full power of a laptop. The touch screens permit you to use them like big PDAs. MobileDataforce focuses on working with field workers, so ruggedized mobile devices are very important.

It is said to provide from four to eight hours of battery life, Nexcom's triplets differ in more than just color:

The MTC 2100, aimed at logistics and field service applications, includes GPS, based on SiRF's starIII chipset. Also onboard is a laser barcode scanner.

The MTC 2100-MD, aimed at medical and POS (point-of-sale) applications, includes an onboard RFID reader.

The MRC 2100, designed for outdoor and vehicle use, has added rubber padding installed, and is said to withstand drops of up to four feet.

The devices include 802.11b/g/n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0, and accept optional "3.5G" cellular or WiMAX modules. They additionally sport 1.3 megapixel cameras, plus a connector for an optional docking station. Dual independent displays are also supported, likely via the dock.Water and dust proof to the IP54 standard, the devices add several security features. In addition to integral fingerprint readers, they also include an Infineon TPM (trusted platform module) 1.2 chip. The TPM provides for the secure generation and storage of cryptographic keys, and it also provides a hardware pseudo-random number generator.

If pocket sized is required then you should get a full functional smartphone or handheld PDA, but if looking at drawings and maps are part of your job, then an Ultra mobile computer is your answer.

Visibility & Accountability in Field Services with Handheld PDAs

I must confess that I am much more of a people person than a numbers person. However, in my role as CEO of MobileDataforce I am accountable for understanding and using a large amount of numerical data. My responsibilities include:

• Collecting the important business data


• Analyzing the meaning of the data


• Reporting the data to my managers, my board and financial institutions


• Forecasting future growth and business performance based upon the data


• Improving my business processes to enable better performance in the future


• Investing in future products and services that will reap rewards in the future

My responsibilities are very similar to many officers and managers of small to medium sized businesses. The key to effective management is having accurate and timely data, understanding the data and making effective business decisions based upon the data.

Let's take a moment to ponder the process of collecting data in the world of field services (mobile service technicians). The field service manager often finds it difficult to collect the data from the point of work in a timely manner. Often the paper forms stay in the truck or van for hours, days or weeks before the data is entered into a computer system. This means the data is unusable for that period of time. The manager has no way of analyzing it. If the entire system is paper based and filed, then the information that is contained on the paper forms is not available for analysis, reporting or quick business decisions.

Mobilizing and automating the field services operations with handheld PDAs enables managers to have near real-time access to business data from work done remotely in the field. 75 service technicians can be synchronzing data throughout the day from a large geographic area and the data can be instantly viewed and analyzed. Decisions can be quickly made about issues such as:

• Equipment location
• Service Technician location
• Job status, job delays
• Equipment break downs
• Problem issues
• Change in schedules
• Personnel changes
• Customer issues
• Payment issues
• Unforseen technical challenges
• Unexpected costs
• Changes in inventory
• Much more

This is the kind of near real-time data/information that allows a manager to make good decisions that benefit the business TODAY. If managers are always working from data that is days old, they are too late to impact the quality of business today.

Quality Audits & Quality Assurance Using Mobile Handheld PDAs

My team at MobileDataforce is working on a mobile software development project with one of the world's largest consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. The mobile application is designed to run on handheld PDAs and help the Q&A department improve their visibility into the manufacturing being done in hundreds of different locations around the world. The Q&A department is responsible for the quality and safety of both their employees and customers around the world.

The mobile application allows internal company quality auditors to inspect an operation and synchronize the data to the corporate Q&A database in near-real time. This allows the data from thousands of inspections around the world to be quickly analyzed for trends and problems.

Once the data is collected on mobile devices and synchronized to the corporate Q&A database, business analytic software can be used to understand the data and its impact on quality. Issues can be identified, policies implemented and problems resolved before they grow larger and become a public issue.

Visibility - Mobile Software on PDAs & Handheld Computers

My PSO (professional services organization) team has been assisting several organizations around the world this month on mobile software projects for handheld PDAs with a common theme - visibility. Let me explain:

Managers are often responsible for field work in locations where they are not physically present. They are personally accountable for the work delivered, but often have limited visibility into it. This is ALWAYS a challenge and a big risk.

In the last few days we have been working on mobile solutions that provide the following benefits:

• Help a large Paintless Dent Repair franchiser track the quality of work through mobile and onsite customer surveys, work orders and inspections
• Track the shipping and delivery of medicine throughout Africa and South America using mobile handheld computers that synchronize to a central database
• Help a construction manager document construction projects with inspection software and other applications that help manage many projects in different geographies, log each issue, assign a contractor to fix the work, reinspect and document
• Help a pharmaceutical company monitor their customers and any change of conditions in the USA and Canada
• Help a service company track their work orders, the time each service ticket takes to resolve, and the location of every service technician
• Help a shuttle service dispatch vans and track pick-ups and deliveries

Each of these examples demonstrate how companies that have work locations distributed over wide geographic areas can have better visibility into the work being done in the field.

Here are some of the tools that mobile handheld computers provide to help remote managers better track the work:

• GPS - vehicle and technician tracking
• Date and time stamps integrated with GPS to show the time a vehicle or technician was at a specific location
• GPS/Date & Time Stamp/Connected to Work Order or service ticket to provide evidence of work completed at a location and time
• Onsite customer survey - get real-time customer feedback on the quality of work performed so issues can be resolved immediately
• Digital images of before, during and after work performed. Photographic evidence associated with digital signatures, customer feedback and GPS coordinates are powerful tools for remote managers
• Inspections - upload and synchronize inspection data to the remote manager. The remote manager can then assign people/organizations to fix issues discovered on the inspection and monitor the repairs. This enables remote managers to effectively have "eyes and ears" at the jobsite and manage resolutions.

In summary, the collection of field data through human input on mobile handheld computers, plus technology like GPS, digital photography, mobile synchronization, digital signatures, mobile forms and shared websites to show real-time reports enable talented and experienced managers to effectively manage their areas of responsibilities remotely. This reduces risk, promotes field accountability, quality work and peace of mind for the managers and their companies. The ability to use and scale the talent and experience of your best managers over more projects located in more areas is a huge asset.

These are the kinds of mobile solutions MobileDataforce helps companies design, develop, deploy and support worldwide every day. If you would like to brainstorm about how a mobile solution might help your project or company please email us or call 208-384-1200.

Mobile Handheld PDAs for Scaffold Inspections & More

MobileDataforce has recently been working with a construction company to design a complete mobile software application for use on handheld PDAs for managing scaffolding construction and inspections. They selected a a Symbol MC9090 ruggedized handheld computer to use on the job.

I was surprised by how much work is involved with the construction, asset tracking and safety inspections on scaffolding.

Here is just an overview of the main menu of the mobile software application:

Users will choose from the six menu items:

1. Scaffold Manager allows the user to erect, dismantle and revise scaffolds from the mobile device.
2. Inspection Checklist allows the QA person to perform daily inspections.
3. Work package will let users choose from predefined scaffold packages and sub-packages that include estimates of crew needed as well as duration times for erection and dismantle. Dismantle times are only an estimate and no work order will be supplied for dismantling scaffolding. (these work packages will be supplied by client prior to development of the application)
4. Repair List is where the repair person will go to look at all the repairs for a given Tag number.
5. Synchronize will let the user send and receive data at any time.
6. Loss list is where the estimates of material and the actual materials are compiled to show a realistic view of the jobs.

Case Study: Underground Storage Tank Inspections Using Mobile Handheld PDAs

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is a national government agency responsible for creating and enforcing regulations that help keep the environment clean and protected. One of the responsibilities of the EPA is the inspection and auditing of underground storage tanks.

There are large numbers of underground storage tanks in nearly every community across the USA which represents a huge data collection and administration task. Regional entities throughout the country are responsible for providing underground storage tank inspections; one such entity is the Shoshone Bannock Tribe. The inspection data, traditionally collected in the field using a paper inspection form, was typed into an EPA database upon returning to the home office. The Shoshone Bannock Tribe needed a way to ensure the integrity of the data collected, speed up collection time, eliminate data entry time, and provide near real-time synchronization of the data collected.

MobileDataforce developed a mobile inspection application for use on Tablet PCs that integrates all required EPA data collection elements for underground storage tanks. The solution includes the PointSync Mobility Platform from MobileDataforce to synchronize the data from the mobile device into the central database in the office. The Tablet PC selected by the Shoshone Bannock Tribe was the Itronix GoBook Duo Touch using Microsoft’s Tablet XP operating system. At the end of an inspection, the device was placed in a USB connected wired cradle which connected to a database on a server. The data was then uploaded and submitted to the EPA.

By using a mobile application rather than paper forms, organizations can:

· Save administrative data entry time
· Wirelessly synchronize from the field
· Save fuel costs and driving time delivering paper forms
· Save shipping and storage costs for paper forms
· Provide near real-time visibility to inspections in the field
· Ensure data accuracy through the use of data validation features

MobileDataforce used an enterprise class mobile software platform called the PointSync Mobility Platform to create the mobile EPA Tank Inspection application. The application was built to their exact specifications and complies with EPA regulations for underground storage tank inspections.

PointSync Mobility Platform is an enterprise class mobile software platform used to rapidly design, develop, and deploy critical business mobile applications. It is architected to provide database centric mobile applications with bi-directional synchronization, connectivity, security, and enterprise database integration all within one product suite.

The Shoshone Bannock Tribe was able to save time and money through the use of a custom mobile application created by MobileDataforce using the PointSync Mobility Platform. By developing a mobile application, Shoshone Bannock was able to streamline inspections, while at the same time saving paper, data entry time, and money. The EPA was able to quickly and efficiently receive data on the condition of underground storage tanks. MobileDataforce has assisted many organizations around the world design, develop and deploy mobile applications for field data collection. For additional information please visit our website at http://www.mobiledataforce.com/

Kevin Benedict

Educational Video on Enterprise Mobility and Field Services Using Handheld PDAs

This week I had an interesting experience participating in a 60 minute educational video on trends in enterprise mobility and field services. It will be available for viewing on April 30th. The video has interviews with Psion Teklogix's President of the Americas, Ron Cains and myself.

MDF_invite_April2008.htm

It was an interesting experience. This was no amateur video. We had a crew that consisted of 2 cameramen, a sound guy, a make-up person, a producer and director. They were so professional that they even had those fluffy microphone covers.

The subject of the video is all aspects of mobile handhelds, smartphones, PDAs and mobile software applications.

World Travels and Trends in Mobile Software for Handheld PDAs

Greetings All,

I have been spending a lot of time at airports of late. Over the last few weeks I have travelled to San Francisco, England, Washington DC and today Cincinnati, Ohio. I have also learned a great deal. One of the things I have learned - The economy has not as yet negatively impacted MobileDataforce. Our sales were up 200% from first quarter 2007. The Wall Street Journal said last week that the economy does not yet seem to be significantly impacting most B2B sales. I must agree. Our customers are still buying mobile software for handheld PDAs and services in record numbers.

In England, we are working with a large number of services companies. It seems that most of our projects are related to asset management. By assets, I mean equipment, buildings and vehicles.

It may be that the reason service companies are buying from MobileDataforce in large numbers is to achieve the very efficiencies that a tough market requires.

Mobile Handheld PDA Case Study: Utility Inspections, GPS and Field Data Collection

Company Overview:

LYNN-EDWARD Professional Services, Inc. (LEPService) delivers a full range of metering, SCADA and communications services to the utility industry. Based in Covington, Georgia, LEPService has served the utility industry throughout the Southeast since 1990, and is rapidly expanding into other geographic regions.

Research Challenge:

LEPService needed a mobile software solution that could efficiently track the installation and service of load management devices. The mobile software solution would enable the utilization of GIS mapping to effectively identify switch locations. A key requirement of the project was that it be designed modularly so that additional utility inspections could be added at a future date to cover their vast service offerings.

MobileDataforce Solution:

The initial mobile handheld software application developed for LEPService was for the tracking of load management devices. The application was initially designed to work on the Itronix Tablet PC running Windows Tablet PC Edition. The Tablet PC device was chosen over a rugged handheld computer to work with Delorme’s XMAP 4.5 GIS mapping software which required larger screen dimensions for GIS maps. Additional applications were developed that did not require GIS mapping, which made the less expensive and more compact Symbol MC70 PDA a better fit.

The professional services team at MobileDataforce developed a mobile software solution that combined the strengths of Delorme XMAP mapping features with PointSync’s mobile data collection features. The mobile solution leverages Delorme’s XMAP mapping features to allow a technician to search for locations based on Atlas Page, Grid, Street Name and Account Number. The PointSync Mobile application was designed to capture and view all inspection data related to utility load management switches and equipment at those specific locations including GPS data.

By using mobile software applications rather than paper forms, LEPService was able to:

Collect field data electronically
Synchronize the data directly from the Tablet PC and handheld devices to a central database
Reduce data entry time
Verify GPS data in both the PointSync and Delorme Systems
Ensure data accuracy through the use of data validation features in PointSync
Provide a foundation to add additional mobile inspection applications

By selecting MobileDataforce’s PointSync Mobility Platform and professional services, LEPService obtained a powerful and flexible enterprise quality mobility platform. They also were provided a team of experienced mobility experts to create and support their software application. MobileDataforce enabled LEPService to build upon their first mobile application using PointSync development tools and extend the capabilities of the application over time to include many new features.

“MobileDataforce has been spectacular to work with” said Mike Aiello Jr. President of LEPService. “PointSync has enabled our company to truly offer a superior product and improve our field service inspection services to our customers”. He further added, “The exceptional reliability and stability of PointSync Server platform has been exceptional. In over two years of full deployment, we have not had a single lost day of productivity due to software systems related issues. There have literally been none.”

About PointSync Mobility Platform:

PointSync Mobility Platform is an enterprise class mobile software platform used to rapidly design, develop, and deploy critical business mobile applications. It is architected to provide database centric mobile applications with bi-directional synchronization, connectivity, security, and enterprise database integration all within one product suite.

About MobileDataforce:

MobileDataforce is a global leader in the development of enterprise class and business critical software solutions for use on mobile handheld computers including Smart Phones, Tablet PCs, PDAs, and laptops. MobileDataforce has offices in Europe, North America, and Australia to support their ever expanding customer base and sales channels. Privately held, MobileDataforce has been mobilizing business solutions since 2000.

Conclusion:

LEPService was able to combine the strengths of two software programs, Delorme and PointSync, to more effectively inspect and service utility switches for their clients. MobileDataforce built a mobile solution that met the current inspections needs of LEPService’s clients while providing a foundation to develop and extend additional mobile inspection components in the future. The stability of the system has allowed for rapid deployment and growth of LEPService service offerings.

MobileDataforce assists organizations around the world in mobilizing business and field data collection processes. For additional information please visit our website at: http://www.mobiledataforce.com/.