Kevin Benedict Ponders the Future

Kevin’s Mobility News Weekly – August 12, 2010

http://www.clicksoftware.com/e86e075b-4fca-44c9-bfeb-4efcc978f416/knowledge-center-white-papers-delivery.htm

Mobile Companion Applications

I have found that in some industries and markets, mobile applications for smartphones or rugged handheld computers just won't cut it, at least on their own. In heavy construction, utilities, environmental services, disaster relief, inspection and assessment and on blueprint and map intensive jobs, handheld mobile devices simply have screens that are too small to be effective. In these work environments Panasonic Toughbooks and other ruggedized laptops and Tablet PCs seem to be the better fit due to their bigger displays. However, there are also cases where companies want both mobile applications for handheld devices and laptop applications that work together. This category of applications is called "mobile companion" applications.

Mobile companion apps are smaller versions of the laptop or Tablet PC application that are specifically designed for use on a handheld mobile device. In many cases an engineer has a mounted Toughbook in the cab of the truck, but when he/she leaves the truck they want the ability to interact with the data, collect data, receive alerts, query a database, and fill out forms all on the smartphone using a version of the application designed for smaller screens.

When the engineer returns to the truck, any edits or additions to the data captured on the mobile handheld device is already updated on the laptop. The bigger displays on the laptops and Tablet PCs can show maps, blueprints, CAD drawings, etc., and the integrated data from the "companion" application.

SAP's co-Innovation Partner, Syclo has coined the phrase "mobile companion" application to describe the coupling of laptops and handheld devices that work together, but have different screen sizes and application designs.

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
Phone +1 208-991-4410
twitter @krbenedict
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Kevin’s M2M News Weekly – August 11, 2010

Mobility, M2M and LinkedIn

A participant in a LinkedIin group I was reading today listed his requirements for an M2M (machine-to-machine) solution. He was asking the group for recommendations as to how to select and implement an M2M solution (for more information on M2M read M2M News Weekly). Other participants in the group added their advice and comments until there was a long list of recommending vendors, solutions, strategies, etc. I was impressed.

Social networking and social media tools can be used very effectively today if you know how to use them. I thought back a few years to how questions like this would be posted in the past. Often you would spend weeks creating an RFI that you would send out to a long list of vendors that you found in the back of an industry trade magazine. The responses were then reviewed and RFPs were sent to a subset of the respondents. You would receive responses in the mail over the next few weeks. The entire process could take months.

Today, you can post 12 questions to a special interest group on LinkedIn, SAP Community Network or other online discussion groups and the ideas, recommendations and links to other resource sites come pouring in within minutes.

The person that posted the questions about M2M had additional advantages. He could see the profile of each person responding. He could see where they worked and review their background. He could ask additional questions and could ask for clarification. All of the answers were public, so other peers could also review and debate the merits of various answers. These public responses have a way of encouraging honest and thoughtful answers. The whole world can read and critique them.

Public discussions on subjects like M2M also educate the industry. Everyone benefits from reading the questions and answers that are posted. It is group think. It is group education. It is group advancement.

Group discussions on subjects like M2M also have a way of sorting out vendors. It is a fact that an M2M vendor could be very competent, but if they don't participate in public forums, they lose their industry standing and thought leadership roles simply because they aren't present and participating.

Companies like Clicksoftware in the enterprise mobility space, however, are active conversationalists in discussion groups like SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin, general enterprise mobility groups, SAP user groups and through sharing their knowledge through blogging.

Today it is not enough to have good R & D, technology, funding, partnerships, marketing and sales channels. Companies must share their knowledge and participate in the industry's education and conversation. Some companies have learned this lesson and are active contributors, while others today are fading from view, not because their products are not good, but because they are not participating in the industry's conversations.

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
Phone +1 208-991-4410
twitter @krbenedict
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Kevin’s Mobility News Weekly – August 5, 2010

Kevin's Mobility News Weekly is an online newsletter that is made up of the most interesting news and articles related to enterprise mobility that I run across each week. I am specifically targeting information that reflects market numbers and trends.

You can read archived versions of the newsletter here - http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/kevins-mobility-news-weekly.html.

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SAP AG announced that it has completed the acquisition of Sybase, Inc. Sybase survives the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of SAP America, U.S. operating subsidiary of SAP.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/SAP-Completes-Acquisition-of-prnews-532143970.html?x=0&.v=1

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About 200,000 smartphones and other devices based on Google's Android operating system are sold every day, CEO Eric Schmidt said on Wednesday, underscoring the strong challenge to rivals like Apple's iPhone. The world's No.1 search engine is hunting for new revenue opportunities as growth in its core Internet business slows and as new technologies like smartphones and social networking services transform the way consumers access the Web.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE6736A520100805

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I recently recorded a video comment on the subject of The Next Steps to Business Process Automation - Mobility. This segment is very interesting to me as it covers developments and extensions to business processes in two different directions, 1) automating company mailrooms, and 2) by mobilizing business processes.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/07/extending-business-processes-two.html

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Barnes & Noble Inc., put itself up for sale Tuesday, succumbing to pressure from shareholder activists as digital books erode the traditional business of the nation's largest bookstore chain. The New York based company said a falling stock prompted its board to consider all "strategic alternatives, including a possible sale."

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748704499604575407700632505956.html

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Research In Motion today announced updates to BlackBerry App World, the official application store for BlackBerry smartphones. BlackBerry App World now supports new payment options, includes enhanced discovery and search features, and introduces a new user identification system called BlackBerry ID.

http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/press-releases/rim-announces-blackberry-app-world-updates?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal#ixzz0vBFZ7XsM

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ClickSoftware is an SAP mobility partner and the leading provider of automated workforce management and optimization solutions for every size of service business. This newsletter is sponsored in part by ClickSoftware - http://www.clicksoftware.com/.

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Saudi Arabia ordered a ban of BlackBerry services starting Friday, the latest government to threaten phone maker Research In Motion Ltd. over access to customer data. The announcement came hours after RIM executives hosted an event in New York to drum up fanfare for the Canadian company's latest smartphone, the BlackBerry Torch 9800.

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748703545604575407210000869420.html

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Database software maker Sybase Inc. booked a 20 percent jump in second quarter earnings Monday, helped by improving sales. Revenue climbed 9 percent to $302 million, beating the average estimate of $296.6 million.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Sybase-posts-20-percent-jump-apf-3363756769.html?x=0&.v=1

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While Windows Phone 7 sounds intriguing as a platform for iPhone type applications, you will unlikely be able to migrate your existing Windows Mobile applications forward. Let’s have a look at the laundry list of the have nots.

http://dotnetref.blogspot.com/2010/06/windows-phone-7-haves-and-have-nots.html
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I have been invited to join popular mobility blogger Gil Bouhnick, the Director of Mobile Solutions at ClickSoftware, to speak at an upcoming webinar entitled, 10 Costly Mistakes to Avoid when Selecting and Implementing a Mobility Solution. I don't know where that title came from, as I have made at least a hundred costly mistakes all by myself.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/08/what-happens-when-you-schedule-2.html

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Despite earlier reports to the contrary, Android Market watcher AndroLib says there aren’t 100,000 applications available in the store – yet. However, 100,000 apps have been submitted to Android Market since its public debut, up from approximately 5,000 in June 2009.

http://techcrunch.com/2010/07/30/android-market-100000/

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Nokia has released its results for second quarter, 2010. They reveal a 40 percent slump in profits to €227 million, compared to €380 million a year ago. On a slightly brighter note, the company increased its share of the smartphone market by one percent to 41 percent in the quarter, having sold 24 million smartphones.

http://www.mobilemarketingmagazine.com/content/nokia-profits-slump-while-smartphone-share-rises

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Research In Motion unveiled the much hyped BlackBerry Torch 9800 on Tuesday, a new touch-screen BlackBerry smartphone with a pull out keyboard and a significantly updated operating system that is designed to compete with the likes of the iPhone and Android smartphones.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/03/technology/new_blackberry/index.htm?hpt=T2

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AT&T has been a long time supporter of Windows Mobile by carrying a variety of devices over the years in the US. Now they are claiming they will be the premier carrier for the forthcoming platform from Microsoft.

http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2010/07/att_to_be_premi.html;jsessionid=PQJ3B1MOIRRVBQE1GHPSKHWATMY32JVN?cid=nl_IW_daily_2010-07-29_h

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Kansas City Board of Public Utilities, a water and electric utility serving 65,000 customers, has recently implemented a new mobile inventory application from Syclo on Motorola MC9090 devices to streamline processes for its storerooms, water processing plant and service center.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/08/windows-mobile-and-windows-embedded.html

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CVS Caremark Corp., a pharmacy health care provider headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, announced the release of a free iPhone application that lets iPhone users access the company's drug information data base.

http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2010/07/cvs_caremark_la.html

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Americans are spending more on electronics like iPads and flat-screen televisions and less on durable goods like furniture, washing machines and lawn mowers, according to government data released Tuesday. The shift reflects a change in priorities for American consumers

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703545604575407580208239338.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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There are more than 1,200 health, healthcare and medical apps in the Android Market, according to Chris Thorman, of research firm Software Advice. That's far less than the 6,000 such apps (and counting) available for the iPhone, but Android was barely in the discussion a year ago.

http://www.fiercemobilehealthcare.com/story/android-makes-inroads-healthcare-app-market/2010-07-27

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Physician adoption of smartphones is experiencing exponential growth, according to a new study from Spyglass Consulting Group. The report reveals 94 percent of physicians are using smartphones to communicate, manage personal and business workflows, and access medical information. This represents a 60 percent increase from Spyglass' findings in a similar study published in November 2006.

http://healthcareitnews.com/news/physician-uptake-smartphones-grows-leaps

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AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless, the biggest U.S. mobile carriers, are planning a venture to displace credit and debit cards with smartphones, posing a new threat to Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/industries/techtelecom/stories/DN-MobileWallet_03bus.ART0.State.Edition1.293e5cb.html

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M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile and wireless devices are increasingly impacting enterprise asset management, field services, e-Readers, healthcare and many other areas. I invite you to read the latest news on M2M here.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/08/kevins-m2m-news-weekly-august-4-2010.html

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Of the four key Motorola business segments, only the company's enterprise mobility segment experienced growth, with sales of $1.9 billion, up ten percent compared to a year ago.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2367149,00.asp

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According to International Data Group, the global mobile phone market has continued to improve through the second quarter of 2010 and this has been driven primarily through smartphones.

http://www.techeye.net/mobile/global-mobile-phone-market-does-well-in-q2

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Growth in the global cell phone market was set to slow slightly to 12 percent in the quarter to September, but there were no signs of a major slowdown, research firm Strategy Analytics said on Friday. Cell phone market volumes grew 13 percent in the second quarter, it added, boosted by demand for cheap models in emerging markets and for high-end phones in mature regions.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/business/article579030.ece/Cellphone-sales-to-grow-12-

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The worldwide mobile phone market continued to show signs of improvement during the second quarter of 2010, driven primarily by smartphone vendors and companies outside the top five leaders worldwide. According to the International Data Corporation , mobile phone vendors shipped a total of 317.5 million units during the second quarter of 2010, up 14.5 percent from the 277.2 million units shipped during the second quarter of 2009. For the first half of 2010, vendors shipped a total of 620.6 million units, up 18.5 percent from the 523.5 million units shipped during the first half of 2009.

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100729007221&newsLang=en

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Android made up a whopping 33 percent of all smartphones sold in the second quarter of 2010. Trailing close behind is Canada based Research In Motion, and in third place, Apple’s iPhone, at 22 percent.

http://erictric.com/2010/08/04/google-android-now-leads-smartphone-market/

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• Read the latest Mobile Expert Interviews at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/mobile-expert-interview-series.html

• Watch the latest Video Comments from Kevin Benedict on enterprise mobility and M2M subjects at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/kevins-video-comments.html

• Watch the latest Mobile Expert Videos at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/mobile-expert-video-series.html

• I would invite those interested in enterprise mobility to join the SAP Enterprise Mobility group at: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
Phone +1 208-991-4410
twitter @krbenedict
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

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Kevin’s M2M News Weekly – August 4, 2010

Welcome to Kevin's M2M News Weekly. This is an online newsletter that consists of the most interesting news and articles related to M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile devices that I read each week. I aggregate the information, include the original links and add a synopsis of each article. I also search for the latest market numbers such as market size, growth and trends in and around the M2M market.

You can read archived editions of Kevin's M2M News Weekly at http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/m2m.html.

Also check out Kevin’s Mobility News Weekly and Kevin’s Enterprise Mobility Blog.

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In the past two years, M2M applications have become one of the most talked about topics in the wireless industry. More than 50 billion machines worldwide that could be connected via M2M technologies are seen as a great opportunity to trigger new hype for mobile communication.

http://www.gm862.com/en/discover/market-intelligence/m2m-expertise/infineon-technologies-partner-for-the-m2m-industry.php
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Numerex Corp. a single source provider of secure M2M products and services announced that it has inked agreements with global telecom infrastructure providers and wireless network operators. This will expand the reach of its network and application service platform on a global scale.

http://dns.tmcnet.com/topics/internet-security/articles/93600-numerex-intros-its-global-gateway-secure-m2m-service.htm

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ABI Research forecast earlier this year that the mobile M2M connectivity market will grow from 58 million connections globally in 2008 to approximately 225 million in 2014, a compound annual growth rate of about 25 percent.

http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35424:telcos-look-to-m2m&catid=69&Itemid=58

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Most of the time when we think of RFID we think of fixed mounted systems in warehouses, manufacturing environments and in transportation and logistics processes. However, there are also mobile environments where RFID and M2M systems are needed. These can be used on just about any kind of jobsite where there isn't an easily available IT infrastructure and Internet connectivity.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/08/enterprise-asset-management-rfid-and.html

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Water management has come under the spotlight in South Africa as the government has embarked on a project to “green” its rivers as part of its strategic business plan for 2010 and has contracted local specialist wireless M2M communications solutions provider, Beyond Wireless, to provide a water quality monitoring solution.

http://www.instrumentation.co.za/news.aspx?pklnewsid=36238

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M2M networking for remote device management is now already well advanced across all major industry sectors, according to a new survey of early adopters just published by Harbor Research Inc.

http://lifestyletom.com/path/rao10925686113ros/roin59012539361

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Worldwide, wireless, wireline, and satellite networks developed significantly in the last twenty years, setting the stage for M2M applications and equipment to utilize these existing networks. Used for logistical tracking, telemetry, remote monitoring, geo fencing, security, and scientific monitoring, M2M communications provide benefits for industries ranging from agriculture to retail, driving the satellite M2M industry over the next five to seven years.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/frost--sullivan-diverse-industrial-applications-drive-the-world-satellite-machine-to-machine-communications-market-99541064.html

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Research firm Berg Insight has released its own findings into the uptake of smart meters in Europe, claiming that the installed base of electricity meters will grow by around 17.9 percent between 2009 and 2015 to reach a total number of around 111.4 million.

http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/europe-will-have-100-million-smart-meters-by-2014-8641

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Nissan is working with AT&T to provide M2M like connectivity for digital services for the company's all-electric LEAF automobile. Nissan intends to include the Internet, smartphone connectivity and navigation into the base price of the car.

http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/nissan-working-t-connected-car/2010-08-02
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World satellite M2M communications market earned revenues of $726 million in 2009 and is estimated to reach $1.9 billion in 2016, according to market research company Frost & Sullivan analysis. The market observer said that the US is dominating the world satellite M2M communications market, with a 62 percent share, while the Asia-Pacific region is expected to experience maximum growth in terms of regional share in the long term.

http://telecoms.cbronline.com/news/m2m-communications-market-revenues-to-reach-19bn-in-2016-frost-sullivan_020810

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Sprint’s Business Markets Group continued to make a strong contribution to the company's quarterly performance, finishing the second quarter with strong sales of M2M solutions, an increased demand for Sprint 4G phones by businesses, and an increasing number of third-party endorsements that validate the unit's continued momentum.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sprints-business-markets-group-bmg-continues-to-emerge-as-b2b-market-leader-2010-08-03?reflink=MW_news_stmp

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There's a new generation of wireless medical sensors mounted on an adhesive strip. The so-called smart Band-Aid can call a doctor and transmit all kinds of physiological information when it detects a problem.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128877308

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Machine to machine communications via wireless methods will be the real growth platform of the coming decade," says Jack Plunkett. "Nanotechnology will plan a big role in these devices that will be assisting automatic controls and gathering data from billions of spots in the near future."

http://newsblaze.com/story/2010080411363600001.bw/topstory.html

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The world’s satellite M2M communications market is presently experiencing exponential growth, as companies are seeking to raise productivity and reduce their costs at the same time. M2M hardware and equipment have been continuously reducing in both size and cost during the last five years.

http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/93916-world-satellite-machine-to-machine-m2m-communications-market.htm

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AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA are exploring a joint venture to develop a mobile-payment service that uses cellphones, people familiar with the matter said Monday, seeking to break into what is expected to be a fast-growing market. The unlikely alliance of three rival national wireless carriers will use Discover Financial Services to process payments and Barclays PLC as bank partner, the people said.

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748704271804575405292841532412.html

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Some of the nation's largest vending machine operators have begun to deploy technologies such as credit card readers and sales tracking devices that are standard in supermarkets but only now are showing up in machines that dispense candy bars, potato chips and soda pop.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703314904575399433475732258.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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Investors rewarded Sierra Wireless, Inc. Friday, after it released surprisingly strong second-quarter results and bullish guidance. On Nasdaq Friday, Sierra was up $1.12, or 14.8 percent, to $8.70 on 916,000 shares. Sierra, which makes wireless technology for mobile devices, reported second quarter revenue of $159.1 million, beating analyst estimates of $157 million, and a record for the period. The record second quarter revenue was driven by demand for the company's M2M wireless products, namely an embedded wireless device for Barnes and Noble's Nook eReader. M2M sales, which comprise roughly half the company's revenue, were up 50 percent to $83.6 million from $54.6 million in the same quarter of 2009. However, sales were down 5 percent from the first quarter, when the Nook was launched.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100730-714280.html

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As consumers, we watch the major carriers hash it out over red and blue maps, network speeds, and data plans—all in hopes of getting into our pocketbooks. But behind the scenes in the M2M marketplace a less public battle is brewing among carriers - who will take the lead in the space?

http://www.connectedworldmag.com/latestNews.aspx?id=NEWS100803151547960

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry
Analyst CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

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Enterprise Asset Management, RFID and M2M

Most of the time when we think of RFID we think of fixed mounted systems in warehouses, manufacturing environments and in transportation and logistics processes. However, there are also mobile environments where RFID and M2M (machine to machine) systems are needed. These can be just about any kind of jobsite where there isn't an easily available IT infrastructure and Internet connectivity.

Andy Neil from Antronics Ltd sent me an overview of a solution he recently delivered. It involves implementing a mobile RFID/M2M/GPS solution on remote sites where there is construction and roadwork.

I have seen projects like this where high value tools and equipment are kept in storage, and when they are removed the RFID tags activate an RFID system that monitors their movement and reports their location. Since there is not an existing network available in these remote areas, M2M or wireless embedded mobile devices automatically send the captured RFID to a server over wireless networks.

I believe there will be an increasing convergence between M2M and enterprise mobility. Companies like SAP co-innovation mobility partner Syclo focus on materials management, enterprise asset management and plant maintenance. All of these areas have big requirements for M2M and embedded mobile devices and enterprise mobility applications. It would be a natural fit.

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

What Happens When You Schedule 2 Opinionated Mobility Bloggers for the Same Webinar?

I have been invited to join popular mobility blogger Gil Bouhnick, the Director of Mobile Solutions at ClickSoftware, to speak at an upcoming webinar entitled, 10 Costly Mistakes to Avoid when Selecting and Implementing a Mobility Solution. I don't know where that title came from as I have made at least a hundred costly mistakes all by myself.

Time / Date: Tuesday, 31st August 8am PST / 11am EST / 16.00 GMT

Research firm IDC predicts that some 1.2 billion workers will be using mobile enterprise tools by 2011, representing roughly a third of the total global workforce (Feb 2010). Some of these are almost exclusively mobile, whereas some will only occasionally use mobile enterprise tools. Whatever the case, there are very few who would argue against the fact that investing in mobility has the potential to raise productivity, accessibility and visibility.

However, as many have already discovered, selecting and deploying a mobile solution is complex and brings many challenges and considerations. Scalability, integration, device selection, wireless communications, security, working environments, ‘buy-in’ from the users and so the list goes on. Along with the huge rewards a mobile solution can bring, lie many risk and potential pitfalls.

I invite you to join Gil and I - register here.

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Windows Mobile and Windows Embedded Handheld OS is Alive and Well

Kansas City Board of Public Utilities, a water and electric utility serving 65,000 customers, has recently implemented a new mobile inventory application from Syclo on Motorola MC9090 devices to streamline processes for its storerooms, water processing plant and service center.

Kansas City Board of Public Utilities list benefits as follows:

More reliable off-line capabilities
Improved security and better error tracking
Drastic improvement in cycle count processes
Easy integration to PeopleSoft and other backend systems

I believe it is important for people and vendors in the enterprise mobility space to recognize that nearly all rugged and industrial grade mobile handhelds are still using Microsoft operating systems such as Windows Mobile 6.5 or the upcoming Windows Embedded Handheld OS. The excerpt above highlights the fact that large numbers of mobile devices (and mobile applications) continue to be deployed outside of the Apple, Android and BlackBerry device markets.

Look at the numbers of industrial grade mobile handheld devices sold each year by Psion Teklogix, Trimble, Motorola, Intermec and others. These numbers demonstrate that this remains a sizeable market.

This morning I received an email from a mobile software company called Acando, in the Nordic market. They were excited to share that they had recently closed a deal with over 5,000 users to implement a Windows Mobile based, paperless orders-to-cash process and traceable SLA (service level agreement) compliance solution. Again, this demonstrates that there are many large opportunities for Microsoft based mobile enterprise applications.

Motorola MC990

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst

CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410

Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

SAP AG Announces It has Completed the Acquisition of Sybase

SAP AG announced that it has completed the acquisition of Sybase, Inc. Sybase survives the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of SAP America, U.S. operating subsidiary of SAP.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/SAP-Completes-Acquisition-of-prnews-532143970.html?x=0&.v=1

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Kevin’s Mobility News Weekly – July 29, 2010

Kevin's Mobility News Weekly is an online newsletter that is made up of the most interesting news and articles related to enterprise mobility that I run across each week. I am specifically targeting information that reflects market numbers and trends.

You can read archived versions of the newsletter here - http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/kevins-mobility-news-weekly.html.

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Are you going to SAP’s TechEd Las Vegas in October? I will be teaching a session entitled The Future of Enterprise Mobility. For the current buzz on SCN (SAP Community Network), check out the SAP TechEd blog topic. Also, follow SAP TechEd on Twitter and Facebook!

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Palm’s CEO Jon Rubinstein affirmed that Web OS 2.0 will become available for download later this year.

http://www.softsailor.com/news/34126-jon-rubinstein-webos-2-0-to-be-released-for-download-by-end-of-2010-new-hardware-coming-too.html

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AT&T has been rumored to have put their name down for 8 million Windows Phone 7 devices.

http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2010/07/22/att-put-their-name-down-for-8-million-windows-phone-7-devices/

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Jeff Bezos, Amazon's CEO announced this week that they are seeing rapid growth in Kindle, Amazon web services, third-party sales and retail. He added, "In the last 12 months, customers around the world have ordered more than $1 billion of products from Amazon using a mobile device."

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/07/amazons-ceo-jeff-bezos-announces-1.html

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Ericsson reported second quarter sales of SEK 48 billion, down 8 percent from a year earlier. The market conditions were similar to the second half of 2009, with mixed operator investment behavior, Ericsson said.

http://www.telecompaper.com/news/article.aspx?cid=747228

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ClickSoftware is an SAP mobility partner and the leading provider of automated workforce management and optimization solutions for every size of service business. This newsletter is sponsored in part by ClickSoftware - http://www.clicksoftware.com/.

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Verizon said it lost $198 million in the second quarter of 2010, compared to earnings of $1.48 billion a year ago. Revenue dipped to $26.8 billion, down from $26.9 billion a year ago. The telecom giant's Verizon Wireless unit increased total revenues 3.4 percent year over year, buoyed by 5.2 percent growth in service revenues and a 23.8 percent jump in data revenues.

http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/verizon-wireless-data-revenues-jump-23-8-percent-q2/2010-07-23?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal

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See a pothole that needs to be filled? There's an app for that. Wish the city would fix that traffic signal around the corner? There's an app for that, too -- if you're in Alpharetta, Georgia. The city has launched a new system for reporting minor hazards using a free application for smartphones.

http://www.ajc.com/news/north-fulton/fix-a-pothole-in-576562.html

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Adding digital mailroom solutions in the mailroom, and mobile enterprise applications for invoice approvals on the backend extends the invoice approval process two directions.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/07/extending-business-processes-two.html

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Nokia remains by far the world’s biggest producer of mobile phones but has struggled to come up with a product to compete with the Apple iPhone and other high end devices. Since Apple released the iPhone in June 2007, Nokia’s shares have fallen 66 percent, and 55.6 billion Euros have been wiped off its market capitalization.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/aee7ffa8-95c2-11df-b5ad-00144feab49a.html

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Perhaps the biggest change in the SAP mobility space is the shift from talk of “point solutions” to the need for an Enterprise Mobility strategy that gives structure and central management of the surge in point solutions for different focused applications like field service or e-procurement.

http://www.feedingthesapecosystem.com/2010/07/what-sap-trends-should-it-services.html

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As the world celebrates this month’s signing up of the five billionth mobile phone subscriber, Africa is stepping forward to claim credit as one of the regions that have driven the phenomenal growth over the past decade. From only 16 million subscribers in 2000, the continent now boasts about half a billion subscribers, according to telecommunications firm Ericsson.

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/business/Africa%20in%20the%20limelight%20as%20mobile%20phones%20promise%20more%20growth/-/2560/964426/-/xpqyps/-/

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Global smartphone shipments in the second quarter of 2010 grew 43 percent to 60 million units from 42 million a year ago, accounting for 19 percent of handset volumes, according to a study by Strategy Analytics.

http://www.telecompaper.com/news/article.aspx?cid=747305

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Android's share of the UK mobile market grew by more than 10 percent in a single quarter, International market research firm GfK's Retail and Technology division announced today. Smartphones reached nearly 67 percent penetration in the contract mobile device market in the second quarter, and by June had already grown to 73.5 percent.

http://www.betanews.com/article/Android-grew-350-in-UK-last-quarter-says-research/1280159596

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Sanjay Jha, co-CEO of Motorola, said Saturday morning that he was convinced that the vast majority of volume in mobile devices over the next five years would be with Android devices.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2366966,00.asp

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Looking to the future, Ericsson CEO Hans Vestberg stated that the infrastructure industry will likely never see a return to the 20 percent to 30 percent yearly growth rates of the late 1990s, when equipment vendors installed hundreds of completely new networks worldwide.

http://www.fiercewireless.com/europe/story/ericsson-ceo-future-revenue-growth-mobile-broadband/2010-07-23?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal

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ParkWhiz is a service that enables hundreds of independent parking owners to offer reserved, guaranteed parking spaces near top destinations like airports, stadiums, and theaters via a newly launched mobile HTML5 website. ParkWhiz partners with parking lot owners, which range from people who own a single space to large parking management companies, across the country to list their inventory on ParkWhiz.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=6833412

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The number of internet users in China increased to an estimated 420 million at the end of June 2010, according to industry association China Internet Network Information Center. The number of users was up by 9.4 percent compared to the start of the year. Of the total, 363.81 million (or 86.6 percent) used broadband fixed line access modes, while 276.78 million (65.9 percent) used mobile handsets.

http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=33805

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A new study finds that retailers and marketers are not taking full advantage of the opportunities that exist for integrating mobile and social. The eROI study surveyed 500 business to consumer and business-to-business companies. The majority cited lack of resources and education as the primary reasons why they are not putting more of a priority on mobile or social.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/mobile-still-not-a-priority-among-marketing-decision-makers-study/

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Britons are not getting the broadband services they are being sold, research by the regulator Ofcom suggests. Its analysis of broadband speeds in the UK shows that, for some services, 97 percent of consumers do not get the advertised speed. It also shows a growing gap between the claims ISPs make for broadband and the speed being delivered. To fix the problem, Ofcom is revamping the code of conduct for ISPs and asking for changes to how broadband is sold.

http://fluentnews.com/s/25576644

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Vodafone will look to entice handset vendors to preload 360 services on their devices. 360 services include mobile back-ups and other cloud services.

http://www.rethink-wireless.com/2010/07/27/vodafone-reverses-360-strategy-cloud-devices.htm

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HP will make webOS, which it acquired with Palm, its primary software platform, and though it will still release a Windows 7 tablet, it does not plan to use WP7 or Android for smartphones or other mobile devices.

http://www.rethink-wireless.com/2010/07/26/microsoft-backtracks-wp7-supporters.htm

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VGMarket and PlaySpan collaborated on the 2010 Digital Goods Report that reveals consumer behavior patterns. “The most surprising finding of the report is that 59 percent of respondents have purchased digital goods from third party sources,” Mr. Gluck said. The report also found that while males are the primary drivers of total digital goods sales, North American women 25 and older spend significantly more per person. When looking at the median spent on first party purchases within social network games, the average female spent $55 dollars, compared to only $30 for males.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/59pc-of-survey-respondents-have-bought-digital-goods-from-a-third-party/

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According to a recent study by the Aberdeen Group, organizations that adopt a scheduling solution see on average a 12 percent improvement in workforce utilization. While many field service organizations are slow to adopt a scheduling solution, those considered “Best-in-Class” are 50 percent more likely to adopt and implement resource planning tools that harmonize the execution capabilities of their scheduling applications.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/07/field-service-automation-rois-and.html

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Global Mobile Payments Users are set to exceed 1 billion by 2014 with over $1 trillion in Transactions taking place in that year, according to New M-Commerce Report by IE Market Research Corporation. “In 2010 alone, we are forecasting that mobile payment users will exceed 500 million. And this number is set to grow at a CAGR of 20.5 percent to reach over 1 billion users in 2014.”

http://pymnts.com/global-mobile-payments-users-to-exceed-one-billion-by-2014-with-over-1-trillion-in-transactions-taking-place-in-that-year-according-to-new-m-commerce-report-by-ie-market-research-corporation-20100720005580/?l&goback=%2Egde_71598_member_25483254

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Technology Business Research, Inc. believes that the addition of Sybase to the SAP business, and the subscription revenue from its mobility business, will increase growth even more rapidly for SAP and will ultimately change the cyclicality of the business going forward.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/216738-an-in-depth-look-at-sap-s-2q10-earnings-and-strategies

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I had the opportunity recently to video record an interview with Ed Krufka, EVP at Smartsoft Mobile about their company and strategies.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/07/mobile-expert-video-series-smartsoft.html

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According to research by comScore, the number of online retail mobile applications accessed by users has increased 91 percent in the last year. Additionally, mobile Web use for the same purpose has increased 47 percent.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/why-social-shopping-is-the-next-big-thing-for-mobile/

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Research In Motion’s future looks bleak. R.I.M., which makes the popular BlackBerry devices, has had a stronghold in sales to American companies, but that has been cracked open. Apple said last week that more than 80 percent of Fortune 100 companies were testing or deploying its iPhone. Meanwhile, phones using Google’s Android operating system appear to be making inroads, too. That spells trouble for R.I.M.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/business/26views.html?_r=1&src=busln

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Google has announced Google Maps for mobile 4.4. Google is introducing an even easier way to find places around you. With updated Place Pages, you should be able to find all you need to know about a place, whether you’re wandering into a new restaurant or deciding from your couch. In addition to photos and reviews, Place Pages now have a bunch of new details, such as prices, parking and menu links to inform your quest for the perfect steak.

http://www.google.com/reader/view/feed/http:/feeds.feedburner.com/OfficialGoogleMobileBlog?source=ignitionfork

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In this article we take a more in-depth look at ROIs that can be achieved by mobilizing and automating field services. We start out by reviewing some of the ROI points we discussed in an earlier article and then adding to the list.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/07/29-areas-to-find-roi-by-mobilizing.html

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Two telecom operator backed software groups are merging to counter increasing competition from new rivals Google and Apple for mobile phone applications. Uniting the two groups -- smaller, more established JIL and wider application alliance WAC -- will let software developers reach a larger share of their telecom operator members' 3 billion customers with just one version of software.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66Q1N220100727

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With the increased prevalence of smartphones and other mobile devices within the enterprise, SAP sees developing for those platforms as key to its future growth. "In the past 18 months, what we've been noticing is that device specific experiences are the ones getting huge amounts of adoption," George Mathew, SAP's general vice president and general manager for Business Intelligence & In-Memory Analytics, said during a July 22 interview with eWEEK. SAP said its acquisition of mobile software company Sybase should boost its software and software related service revenue for 2010 between 9 percent and 11 percent.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Enterprise-Applications/SAP-Revenues-Rise-On-Increased-Business-IT-Spending-809619/

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If your developers are inexperienced with mobile development, they probably have a few assumptions about how things should work, when in fact, their only assumption should be that those assumptions are wrong.

http://clicksoftware-mobilefever.blogspot.com/2010/07/mobile-enterprise-applications-don-try.html

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• Read the latest Mobile Expert Interviews at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/mobile-expert-interview-series.html

• Watch the latest Video Comments from Kevin Benedict on enterprise mobility and M2M subjects at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/kevins-video-comments.html

• Watch the latest Mobile Expert Videos at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/mobile-expert-video-series.html

• I would invite those interested in enterprise mobility to join the Linkedin Group SAP Enterprise Mobility at: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry
Analyst CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

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Extending Business Processes Two Directions - Digital Mailrooms and Mobility

I recently recorded a video comment on the subject of The Next Steps to Business Process Automation - Mobility. This segment is very interesting to me as it covers developments and extensions to business processes in two different directions, 1) automating company mailrooms, and 2) by mobilizing business processes.

Until recently I had not considered that many business processes do not start until the mailroom manually opens, sorts, stores, transports and distributes mail and other paper documents (order forms, warrantly cards, customer complaints, invoices, etc) to the various departments in a company. This is a very old fashion, potentially slow and labor intensive process that is prone to many human errors.

Digital mailrooms and transactional content management solutions are new categories of solutions that extend automation into the mailroom. For more information on this category of solutions visit BancTec's blog Transactional Content Management and Digital Mailrooms.

The second area I cover in the video comments is mobilizing the invoice approval process. This involves extending traditional ERP invoice approval processes out to mobile devices like smartphones. Why is this important? Often suppliers will offer "early payment" discounts if a manufacturer pays within a certain agreed upon period of time (e.g. Net 7 days). That means the person who approves the invoice must be able to review and approve the invoice quickly enough to meet those terms. If the manager is mobile and travelling it would be easy to miss a deadline, however, with the right mobile application the invoice can be approved from anywhere.

If a digital mailroom speeds up the process of opening, sorting, imaging, data capture and routing data to the appropriate ERP business process in the mailroom, and invoice approvals can be completed on mobile devices, then you have extended business process automation (invoice receipt, processing, approval and payment) two directions and with great potential results for the business.

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

29 Areas to Find an ROI by Mobilizing Field Services

In this article we take a more indepth look at ROIs that can be achieved by mobilizing and automating field services. We start out by reviewing some of the ROI points we discussed in an earlier article and then adding to the list.

It is important to recognize that ROIs don't just come from cost savings. Upselling products and services can bring in new revenue. Providing better customer service can leave a lasting impression that results in more business and referrals. Automating and mobilizing business analytics and queries can provide new insights and more business opportunties for the field sales and field services teams. Integrating work order dispatch with enterprise asset management and location based technologies can ensure that you optimize the use of a field service technician's time while onsite with a customer.

Here are 29 areas where you can look for ROIs.

1. Eliminate time spent in the office re-typing data collected in the field by enabling field service technicians to synchronize information directly with the office database.

2. Eliminate time spent on the phone dispatching service tickets or work orders. This saves time for both the dispatcher and the service technician. Dispatch electronic service tickets directly 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 by delivering paperwork to the office. Synchronize the data directly from the field to the central database application.

5. Avoid the time and cost of 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, timesheets, 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 administration costs by creating and scheduling new service tickets directly from the field.

9. Provide immediate invoicing for faster collections and better cash management. Allow the field technician to print the invoice on a mobile printer at the job site.

10. Save time and postage costs. Print the invoice and leave it with the customer at the job site rather than waiting and billing later from the office.

11. Document proof of work completed to reduce invoice disputes. Leave a GPS audit trail showing where the work was performed and include a time and date stamp. Digital photo evidence of before and after work is also useful.

12. 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 can cause invoice disputes, inaccurate records and confusion.

13. 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 device.

14. 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 smartphone keypads.

15. Reduce administrative costs by ensuring the accuracy of data. Validate answers in the mobile software application.

16. Reduce time on the phone and dangerous note taking while driving. Push documents directly from the office to the mobile device.

17. Save time and fuel by providing electronic dispatch and least cost routing. Use vehicle and/or handheld GPS tracking to view your workforce locations. Smartphones with GPS functionality can integrate with GIS and display the location of the field worker to help managers better organize service responses.

18. Save time by developing computation and analysis features on the mobile device in the field. Programmed analytics can help field users make quicker and more accurate decisions and job estimates.

19. 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.

20. Enforce quality work habits. Automate “best practices” into your mobile software application and provide visibility to managers.

21. Automate quality and best practices. Activate the appropriate business process based upon the data entered. A specific answer can trigger the required business process.

22. Reduce inventory loss. Avoid undocumented inventory usage and unbilled time. Enforce real time data entry before clock out or work order completion.

23. Improve job estimates. Require clock in and clock out on work to document and analyze the accuracy of work estimates and improve over time.

24. Improve technician training. Train new service technicians and inspectors with audio memos or video clips embedded in the mobile application or linked to a URL.

25. Reduce disputes by documenting deliveries and work with digital signatures, date and time stamps and barcode scanners on the mobile device.

26. Save travel time and fuel cost. Query available inventory in nearby company vehicles.

27. Increase profit per customer. Use information on mobile devices to up-sell more products and services while onsite with the customer.

28. Provide quicker and more accurate estimates. Query latest shipping status, schedules or inventory levels via mobile devices while onsite with customers.

29. Increase warranty revenues. Include updated customer information on the mobile device so the service technician can sell warranty and maintenance plans, new products and upgrades.

If you are involved in the world of SAP, you may want to review SAP's solution for field services automation called the SAP® Workforce Scheduling and Optimization application by ClickSoftware.

This list is far from complete. What additions should I make to the list? I look forward to hearing from you!

Watch my latest video comments on field services automation and Enterprise Mobility Changes Expectations.

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.