Automotive Services Software for PDAs

I am amazed at how much computational power a software application on a handheld computer can have. Let me give you an example - We are finishing up an application for a company that provides mobile automotive services such as vehicle cleaning, washing polishing and detailing. This one handheld solution actually includes all of the following components:

• Work Orders
• Payroll records
• Time Sheets
• Customer invoicing
• Mobile Printing
• Bar code scanning
• VIN decoding
• Wireless database synchronization
• Web enabled access to the data
• Report printing

All of these components are available from one menu on a Pocket PC handheld device. We developed this application using MobileDataforce's PointSync Suite. This application allows the mobile service providers to effectively communicate with headquarters while remaining on the jobsite making money and providing services.

Inspections on PDAs

Inspections are one of the most common types of applications that customers request, and there are soooooo many different kinds of inspections. We are currently working on projects and proposals for the following:

• Tulip bulb inspections - The Netherlands
• Environmental Occupational Safety and Health for the FAA
• Board of Pharmacy - Inspecting pharmacy licenses
• Cattle inspection
• Automobile inspection
• Quality Assurance - food processing plant inspections
• Street sign inspections
• Many more....

On a phone call today, the gentleman said he could conduct 20 inspections in a day, but each inspection takes 3 hours to type into the computer system once he returned to the office. The inefficiencies are enormous and expensive.

Handheld PDAs, PDA Phones and rugged handheld computers can all collect, store and synchronize the inspection data from remote locations directly into a configured database application back in the office. No wonder inspectors love handhelds!!!

Trapped Data Issues

One of the common reasons companies say they want to mobilize their business systems is to release data that is trapped on paper. Let me give you an example - Unilever, one of the largest consumer packaged goods companies in the world, approached us about mobilizing their quality assurance auditing processes. One of the key deliverables they were seeking was to make the audit results available for business analytics that would lead to quality improvements. At the time all of their audits were completed on paper, and filed in paper file folders. The data was trapped on paper and was not available to be analyzed using business analytic software.

With data trapped on paper, the ability to review the data as an aggregate is lost. The ability to mine the data for gems of wisdom, trends, problems, successes, etc., is lost.

Replacing your paper business processes with mobile software applications on handheld computers enables your field teams to provide all of their data electronically. This data can be wirelessly synchronized to enterprise databases in the office without the need to drive to the office and deliver trapped data on paper.

Janssen-Fritsen Selects MobileDataforce® Europe

Janssen-Fritsen selects MobileDataforce to mobilize their Gymnastics Equipment Service and Maintenance Teams. This project is being implemented in The Netherlands. Janssen-Fritsen has 50 field services teams that repair and maintain gymnastics equipment around Europe. Their maintenance and work orders will now be done using MobileDataforce's PointSync software, on handheld PDAs, customized to their requirements.

Mobilizing Automotive Services

MobileDataforce is enagaged on yet another automotive services project. This customer repairs "bumpers" on used cars, and wants to invoice the customer for the work completed. This application will involve the ability to scan a VIN number so the car can quickly be identified, and the work done on it invoiced. All of this will take place on a handheld computer with a barcode scanner, wireless connectivity to a database at headquarters. They will user PointSync Mobile software on each handheld computer, PointSync Server to bi-directionally synchronize the data, and PointSync Developer to configure and develop the complete system.

VIN decoding is a big part. It helps our customer identify the details of the car, so the invoice can specifically identify the car, and the exact work done on it. This helps both our customer and their clients avoid confusion and payment delays.

VIN decoding is not easy. New models are added monthly, and different models are sold in different regions of the world. So the VIN decoder needs to be able to accommodate these weekly additions in an organized manner that protects the integrity of the data. MobileDataforce has a lot of experience designing for these requirements.