MobileDataforce and Large International Deployments

MobileDataforce has been involved in several good sized international deployments of mobile handheld computer solutions lately. These kind of implementations need careful management and planning. Here are a few points to consider and plan for:

1. First of all the customer must have dedicated staff assigned to the roll-out. It can't be done ad hoc.
2. If at all possible have the deployment teams onsite at the pilot location.
3. Pilot and beta programs need documented issue reporting paths. Everyone involved must know how to report issues, and how they are to get resolved.
4. Don't roll-out to large numbers in the first round. Test...roll-out...test...roll-out...there is a nice pattern here. Minimize the impact of inevitable issues in the early stages.
5. Use PointSync Manager to deploy updates to the field. PointSync can publish updates to the end user transparently. This reduces end user errors and self-inflicted injuries.
6. Often it is helpful to load the mobile application onto each handheld device before the initial roll-out. Minimize the variables that can go wrong in the field. Keep it simple for the new users. We often load our mobile applications to an SD or Mini SD card and then simply insert the card into each new device and load.
7. Keep the user interface on the mobile application as close to the paper process as possible to minimize the training time required. If there is a certain process flow that your field users are familiar and comfortable with, then keep your mobile application as close to it as is reasonable.
8. Mandate the use of a mobile application, don't give the field user the option of paper. Learning takes time and is often annoying - make sure the end user knows there is no going back to paper...so start learning it.

Even a Sales Guy Can Build a Mobile Application

Even a sales guy can create bar code scanning applications for use in route deliveries to grocery stores! I was walking down the hallway in our office on Monday and Mark was proudly showing off an application he had developed for the Symbol MC70 bar code scanner. One of his clients delivers products to grocery stores and wanted a route delivery application using this handheld device. So what did Mark do? He (a sales guy) developed one for them! This just proves that MobileDataforce has nearly accomplished our dream. Ok, ok, ok...he didn't quite get it production ready, but he got the mobile application running.

Our dream has always been to develop a rapid application development environment- PointSync, that could be used by the business folks to develop mobile applications. Every month we are adding new features and functionalities to our mobile applications to make them simplier to use and faster to implement.

Route delivery applications often consist of the following parts:

1. Inventory
2. Delivery
3. Merchandising
4. Planograms
5. Promotion
6. More

Planograms are one of the most interesting components to me. Here is the definition of a planogram:

• The placement of merchandise that is arriving to the store can be planned out on paper by using a Planogram before the products actually arrive to the store. A planogram is a retailer's drawing (blueprint) which visually communicates how merchandise and props physically fit onto a store fixture or window to allow for proper visibility and price point options. The retailer can plan to mix the new products with current items or initiate entirely new displays. If you have more than one store this is an excellent way to communicate to your staff how you would like displays executed.
  

I would like to add some more to the description of planograms - Here at MobileDataforce one of our recent route delivery application projects included a design of the shelf space plus a color code to signal what task needed to be done for that shelf space and product. This was all done on a handheld computer using MobileDataforce's PointSync. Talk about efficiency. The delivery person would walk into a store, enter the store code/street address and a detailed task list would be produced instructing him/her on what needed to be done with each product and shelf space in that particular store location.

Remote Audio Training on Mobile Handheld PDAs

My software engineers added some very cool new features to PointSync last week. The feature I found most intriguing was the ability to add audio files to business logic and button actions. Now a field service technician can request audio instructions (remote training help) on what information needs to be associated with a field on their mobile application. Here is an example:

Field service technician - "hummmmm....how do I answer this question about parts used on my work order?"

Press the Audio file button next to the field - "parts used refers to the parts you pulled out of inventory to use on a customer's repair job."

Field service technician - "Now I understand"

You can also use these audio files in data validation alerts. For example:

Audio File - "BEEP! The answer must be a number between 14-99"

For multi-language purposes - you can include audio instructions in multiple languages.

These are just a few of the cool things my software engineers are doing in the dimly lit back room in the glow of their monitors.

Another Software Company Selects MobileDataforce

Cartegraph has selected MobileDataforce to mobilize several more modules of their popular government focused asset management suite. In June I wrote a blog article on our initial work together. The results of this mobilization effort will be that local city, county and state governments can more efficiently and accurately management their assets, field inspections, work orders, inventory and public safety responsibilities.

MobileDataforce South Africa - Mobile Solutions in ZA

This year MobileDataforce has experienced record levels of mobile software solution sales in South Africa. We are starting a large government sponsored inspection project that will involve hundreds of handheld computers and inspectors next week.

Mobilizing asset management is one of the most common requests we receive here at MobileDataforce. Companies and government agencies want to identify and inventory their assets, track where they are located at any given time, the condition of their assets, the maintenance records of their assets, and the use of their assets. Often these assets are spread over a large region and it takes a mobile handheld asset management system to efficiently monitor and document them.

Canyon County - Building Inspection ROI

This week my sales team was working with a small county government on designing a mobile handheld building inspection application. The projected cost savings from converting from a paper based inspection system to a mobile handheld computer based inspection system was $85,000 in the first year. This is a huge savings for a small government agency.

We see similar ROIs from mobilizing government agencies' around the world. You can reference this blog article for more information on ROIs from mobile applications.

Melbourne PointSync Training - Sept. 28th & 29th

Dave Wasden, VP of Product Management at MobileDataforce will be in Melbourne, Australia conducting a 2-day training class, September 28th & 29th, on how to develop full end-to-end mobile solutions for use on handheld computers.

This class includes the following:

1. How to architect and design mobile applications
2. How to develop PDA and Industrial handheld mobile database-centric applications
3. How to build business logic and data validations into your mobile applications
4. How to synchronize mobile handheld software applications data
5. How to integrate mobile data to an enterprise database

Please contact Andy Noble if you would like to attend.

Maryland Mobile Technology Seminar

On November 1st I will be speaking at the Maryland Mobile Technology seminar in Baltimore. This will be the third event in this series and we meet a lot of new people with very unique and interesting mobile project needs.

This week I spoke at the Utah Mobile Technology conference and it was great fun. These are educational events where generally 6 mobile industry veterans share knowledge and experiences in how to architect, design, develop and implement mobile software and hardware solutions.

Let me know if you would be interested in having one of these seminars in your region.

MobileDataforce's European Partner Summit

On October 17th I will be speaking at our European Partner Summit in The Netherlands. MobileDataforce has a number of very interesting new mobile software solution updates and new developments that we will be discussing with our European partners. We will also be discussing mobility trends, mobile solutions and how to provide our customers with the best possible services and support.

GPS, GIS and Handheld PDA Software Solutions

GPS is everywhere! More and more often customers are asking that their mobile handheld computer solutions included integrated GPS. Work orders, vehicle tracking, asset tracking, and route delivery projects now often require it. Recently on my trip to Australia, a company asked that their sales force automation project include GPS data capture. They want to make sure their sales staff are visiting their customers as reported.

Many companies want the added documentation that capturing a time/date stamp with a GPS coordinate gives them. They apply this to any work done at that location.

On engineering and construction projects - it is often requested that geological tests' (water, soil, compaction, etc) locations be captured with a GPS coordinate, to make re-testing easier.

On vehicle tracking projects - our customers often want to know the exact location of their vehicle (company asset) at any time. Why? So they can re-route the delivery truck when needed, optimize the route, or predict delivery times for customers. Sometimes, 2 delivery trucks need to meet up and exchange cargo. If the central database at the company office can see the location of all of their vehicles in real time, it makes it easier to have trucks meet up at convenient locations.

Using a RAD tool like MobileDataforce's PointSync, it is easy to capture a GPS location within any mobile application.