Kevin Benedict Ponders the Future: location based services

Showing posts with label location based services. Show all posts

Time Sensitive LBS Use Cases

There are a lot of new and interesting services that could be offered businesses that get creative with the LBS (location based services) concept.

Could restaurants sell extra or left over food, rather than throw it out if they could immediately notify subscribers of a discount on it for the next 45 minutes?

Could grocery stores inform customers of discounts on produce that is nearing end of shelf life.

Think about the notion of "time sensitivity" and LBSs. Could the local tire shop offer immediate 30 minute discounts on tires and services during slow parts of the day? Could the corner donut shop announce a 15 minute sale on the 18 remaining chocolate donuts? Can the busy hair salon announce a discount at 3:30 PM to fill an available slot?

Adding time sensitivity to LBSs is an intriguing concept. Any organization that sells units of time or services could benefit from filling empty slots.

I would like to hear your ideas and comments.

- Kevin Benedict,
Mobile Strategies Consultant, SAP EDI Expert and Technology Writer

Peer-to-Peer Mobile Computing and Field Services Automation, Part 2

This is the second in a 2 part series on Peer-to-Peer Mobile Computing and Field Services Automation. Part 1 can be read here.

Field Service Technicians spend much of their time working at remote customer sites. Often the job expands or they get dispatched to a new job where they don't have the right equipment, expertise, tools or parts to complete the job in a timely manner. This can result in delays and inefficiencies that result in higher costs. Let's ponder some ideas on how a peer-to-peer mobile computing environment along with LBS (location based services) could improve these situations.

Location based services allow you to identify locations, objects and people with GPS coordinates. Based upon these GPS coordinates, various actions can be programmed or configured. Once you are within 1 mile of a shopping center, you begin to receive product sales and discount information as an example. In a field service context, you could activate a database query, or activate a series of automated business processes. Let's consider a scenario.

A field service technician carries an inventory of equipment, tools and parts in his van. It has only storage space for a limited inventory. Different field service technicians carry different tools, equipment and parts in their van's inventory. Perhaps if all of the vans had GPS tracking, and all of the van's had identified inventory, then a field service technician could view a complete mobile inventory from all 6 vans within a 5 mile radius.

Why would viewing the inventory from all 6 vans be useful? If a van with the right equipment, tools or parts was closer than the company's warehouse, then you could save time and money by meeting the van and exchanging inventory. The company van with the right equipment or parts may be only 1.3 miles away from your location, while the warehouse may be 25 miles away.

It is also good cash management to turn over your inventory. You don't want your field service technicians purchasing more of a particular part, when your warehouse or other vans already has that unsold part in inventory.

How does mobile peer-to-peer or P2P computing come into this scenario? Each mobile handheld computer can be configured to communicate directly with all the other company's mobile handheld computers so their locations and associated parts and equipment inventories can constantly be surveyd.

I have not yet seen a a work order management or field service automation system utilize these emerging LBS and P2P technologies, but I believe this is a very intrigueing new area. If you have seen examples of this kind of solution in action, please share in the comments section below.

If you would like to exchange ideas on this subject please comment on this article or contact me.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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The Future of Mobile and Route Sales Applications for Smart Phones, Part 1

I can see multiple mobile applications and technologies converging rapidly to provide some very interesting scenarios for mobile and route sales people. Consider the following scenario.

A mobile sales person or route sales person is driving through an unfamiliar territory. She stops in a parking lot and activates an application on her Smart Phone that identifies her location and requests visibility into the location of all current and past customers, and any known sales prospects. Her application, using Google Maps provides a map with color coded "push pins" showing the exact locations of each. Tapping on any push pin identifies the street address, name, product and account history.

The mobile sales person only has 2 hours to spare, so selects a priority filter. The map updates and removes non-selected accounts. She then selects the option to have route optimization activated from her current location in the parking lot. She gets the optimal route provided to her. She then selects an option for account "Talking Points." This option queries the central office to identify all products the accounts have purchased in the past, (accounts are represented by the color coded push pins on the map) and any product updates, upgrades, warranties, trade-ins, discounts, account issues or complimentary products that she should mention on the visit. As she begins to drive, all of this information is described to her using the voice option. This allows her to safely drive to the next location while learning all about the account.

This kind of mobile Smart Phone and central server application would provide huge efficiencies for a mobile sales representative or route sales person. The central server application, using a CRM, business intelligence and business analytics with GPS, route optimization and LBS (location based services) technologies to make the life of the mobile sales person so much easier.

For SAP users you can see the value of using NetWeaver and the Data Orchestrator as the synchronization and integration engine.

The scenario described above is not rocket science. The technology exists in many different applications, but it is segmented. Adding business intelligence, mapping and GPS technologies to basic CRM functionality can be extremely powerful. If you add to that business analytics, product catalogs, marketing and promotional campaign data, then you have a system that can advise the mobile sales or route sales person as to what is likely to be most interesting to the client. Wrap all of this integrated technology and data into a mobile handheld or Smart Phone application and you can revolutionize route and mobile sales.

Again, if you are an SAP user you can see the role of NetWeaver, Data Orchestrator, Business Objects, CRM, etc.

The bottom line is to increase sales and reduce expenses through increased productivity that will generate more sales and higher profit margins.

Part 2 or this article series can be found here.

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

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Wirelessly Controlling Equipment with Mobile Software Applications

In a recent article I wrote about mobile software applications that could physically move objects. Here is another example for you to ponder from Telemetrics. This is how they describe themselves, "We deliver cost-effective wireless communication and control solutions for a wide range of distribution automation and power reliability applications." One of their products is called Monitor and Control Reclosures. It uses small monitors with wireless communications equipment to remotely report on equipment status. The most intriguing part though is mentioned below in feature #2, Here is what it does:

Monitor recloser status points, such as a trip and lockout event, and automatically notify dispatch personnel. Notifications are sent upon alarms or events via pager, email or voice and can be sent to multiple individuals.
Assist repair crews with the ability to provide open and close commands by supervisory (wireless) remote control of the recloser.
Offers real time status of all the inputs/outputs of the recloser:- open/close state of recloser contacts- high and low voltage readings (AC powered models)- time of the events- presence of AC voltage (outage monitoring)- recloser malfunction indication- local/remote or hot line tag switch status- total count of recloser operations

Note feature number 2 - it provides the ability to remotely open and close the reclosure (see definition of reclosure). Mobile devices are being used to remotely monitor equipment, physically control and move them, in addition to things like visually watch, locate and track equipment assets.

We live in very interesting times. The challenge this year for mobile technology companies is to start aggregating these various mobile applications and technologies together and marrying them with mobile workflows, business process engines and business analytics.

If you would like to discuss these technologies in more detail please contact me.

Here are some related articles about mobile workflow, business processes, location based services and mobile business analytics and intelligence:

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Mobile Applications, Location Based Services and Distribution

In this article, I wrote about a concept of having CPG companies or distributors of perishable products notify customers when their products are in inventory at a particular location. The example given was The Sunday Edition of The New York Times. I wanted to receive a text message or email when The New York Times was delivered to my local coffee shop. That way I could quickly drive down and grab a copy before they were all sold out.

The LBS (location based services) and real-time notification system would need to be notified by the distributor when the product was delivered and available to be sold in a particular location. The system would require the distributor to scan a bar code label on the product with a handheld computer that includes a barcode scanner. The product, date and time stamp and location would be synchronzied with a real-time notification system that could send our text messages and emails to the subscribers.

This article, and the article linked to it, are identifying an entirely new category of mobile and real time inventory systems that could be of enormous value to wholesales distributors and CPG companies.

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

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Computing, EDI and B2B Expert and Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://b2b-bpo.blogspot.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Mobile Applications and Location Based Systems for Supply Chain and Inventory Management

In an article I published recently about grocery stores using LBS (location based services) on mobile devices and Smart phones, I proposed there were additional areas that large enterprises could benefit from real-time data collection, B2B integrations, business intelligence and location based services. Let's take a look at a couple of additional scenarios:

14 trucks are delivering perishable products on routes
Truck #7 has a customer that has an unexpectedly high demand for a product
Truck #7, using a mobile handheld computer, requests additional inventory from the SAP ERP (enterprise resource planning) software in the central office.
The SAP ERP reports inventory levels on all 14 trucks based upon the real-time synchronization of data with each of the handheld barcode scanners of the trucks
It is determined that truck #9 has excess inventory of the needed perishable product
The GPS service in the handheld computer used by truck 9 identifies it's position and a meeting location is quickly identified so inventory can be transferred from one truck to another to enable maximum product sales
The route driver for truck #7 scans the bar codes on the boxes of perishable products in truck #9 and transfer the inventory from #9 to #7 and goes on his/her way.

That is a simple mobile inventory example using GPS integration with barcode scanners. What if there was an example of products sold on consignment? Let's use pre-paid calling cards as an example:

The product is distributed to 500 stores
Some stores sell more of these products than others
When one store is low on these, an EDI message should be sent to the product company informing them of a need for additional inventory at a specific location
The product company should be able to quickly determine where additional inventory is available in other locations.
A representative of the product company should be able to remove excess inventory from one store to replenish another.
With a handheld computer that includes a barcode scanner, the product representative can check inventory back into the SAP ERP system, which removes it from one store's inventory, an EDI or B2B electronic message is sent to the stores ERP notifying them of the product's removal from inventory.
Next the product representative takes the excess inventory to the store that needs additional inventory, the products are scanned, using the barcode scanner and added to the local stores inventory. The barcode scanned inventory information is then synchronized to theproduct company's SAP ERP system which sends an EDI message to the store notifying them of the additional inventory at that location.

Where does LBS (location based services) fit into these scenarios? Inventory levels from various locations are constantly being uploaded via EDI/B2B and monitored. The inventory of each location, rather than being static, becomes a dynamic inventory that is able to be shifted according to local demand.

If inventories can be considered dynamic and mobile, able to be shifted according to demand, then there is the opportunity for incredible savings. Much of the guess work can be avoided as the inventory for one entire region can be moved and shifted according to demand.

I picture a scenario where a consumer can visit the website of the product manufacturer and request the location of the nearest available inventory to their moving vehicle. iPhone applications already request to use your current location. This information can be automatically passed to the product manufacturer and used to query for the nearest product location. Perhaps best prices can also be included at some point and mobile coupons.

The ROI for the distributor or manufacturer comes from avoiding loss, excess or slow moving product inventories that trap or lock-up cash flow, reduced inventory storage costs, and a reduced need to discount in order to move the products. A benefit is the ability to move product inventories to the locations where there is the most demand so sales can be maximized at the locations with the highest margins.

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

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Computing, EDI and B2B Expert and Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Location Based Services on Mobile Handhelds and Smart Phones

LBS, location based services are very interesting. LBS refers to services that can be activated based upon your GPS location or cell phone tower proximity as identified by your Smart phone, mobile device or handheld computer service. I know how local pizza joints can benefit, but I am currently pondering how large businesses can utilize LBSs. I wrote about one of my new ideas in this article. It involves real-time notification of changing pricings and discounts to a grocery store's customer base.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Computing, EDI and B2B Expert and Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://b2b-bpo.blogspot.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Kevin Benedict Ponders the Future