Mobile Software Applications for Handheld PDAs in Africa

Who would have thought it? MobileDataforce is working on a long list of very large mobile software application projects in Africa. In my original business plan for MobileDataforce, I must admit that the continent of African did not play a significant role in my 5 year plan.

Much of our work in Africa revolves around developing mobile software for PDAs on government projects, water delivery, medicine delivery, logistics and inspections. A lot of these projects originate in Europe or North America but extend to Africa.

The mobile software application industry is certainly very exciting and ever changing. It is fasinating how new opportunities pop-up in unexpected industries and geographies on nearly a daily basis.

This is Not the Way to Mobilize Work Orders for Handheld PDAs

I was in Starbuck's on friday. I must confess this is not out of the ordinary for fridays, nor any other day, but I witnessed an event that was. Two service technicians were sitting at a table reading a work order on their mobile phone screen. This phone had about a 1" x 1" screen. They squinted at the screen and then filled our a paper work order on a clipboard. This is certainly one way of mobilize field service technicians, but I would recommend some better ways, and different mobile handheld PDAs or smartphones.

1. Provide a service technician with a full work order on a mobile device that has a big enough screeen to read. I can still see both service technicians squinting at their tiny screens over their mochas.


2. Don't make them rewrite the work order. Use a mobile work order software application on the handheld mobile device. Let them read the service ticket, fill it out, and sign the screen.


3. Don't use a paper work order. Wirelessly send new and completed work orders back and forth wirelessly. There is no need for paper.


4. Track inventory on the mobile work order application so inventory levels are automatically deducted when parts are used.


5. Let service technicians view their schedules on the mobile device.


6. Let service technicians view the status of ordered parts on the mobile device


7. Track time on various projects using the mobile device. Compare actual time with estimated time.


8. Complete job estimates on the handheld mobile devices and wirelessly send back to the office


9. Dispatch new work orders directly to the mobile handheld device

There are many more reasons to mobilize field service operations. MobileDataforce has been helping companies mobilize their businesses since 2000 and deploying powerful work order software applications for use on mobile handheld PDAs.

Managing Remote Locations & Franchises with Handheld PDAs

One of my marketing team members, Matt Jantz, has been working with a number of franchise companies that are interested in mobile handheld PDA solutions. He compiled the following list of reasons why a company with franchises or remote locations may want to mobilize their business processes.

1. Streamline business process with immediate data transference from handheld devices to main office


2. Save money, administration costs and time by going paperless


3. Ensure business processes are being carried out correctly by franchisees and their employees


4. Protect franchise name and reputation by ensuring processes are being completed to franchise standards


5. Improve time and cost efficiencies by eliminating data interpretation and entry into home database


6. Improve customer service by providing customers with prompt billing and service information


7. Receive payment for service faster by getting payment on site (mobile credit card processing and or using mobile printers) or sending customer invoices and billing faster


8. Ensure that employees are recording necessary customer and job information correctly on site with the use of data integrity features: data will not be sent to home office until required fields are complete


9. Track sales at every location to ensure the franchising company gets their agreed upon percentage of sales from franchisees


10. Ensure delivery and receipt of equipment and supplies by tracking them from origin to final destination


11. Use handheld devices for onsite reference and training to help new associates learn the process and maintain the franchise reputation


12. Allow field technicians to locate parts necessary for given jobs, retrieve pricing information, and provide accurate repair estimates


13. Gain a technological competitive advantage over competition, which can be leveraged to smite competition and retain franchisees

MobileDataforce has delivered many world class mobile solutions for companies that have franchise models.

Handheld PDAs - More than Data Collection Devices

When some people think about replacing paper forms with handheld PDAs or smartphones - they are only thinking about collecting data and sending it wirelessly back to the office. However, simply collecting, storing and moving data would be a missuse of a powerful handheld PDA or rugged handheld. A computer should compute. By that I mean - a handheld computer should analyze the data collected and take action based upon the data. Here is an example:

Your house is on fire. You can take out a handheld PDA and enter data that says, "my house is on fire," and store it as the house collaspes around you, or you can program your handheld PDA to automatically call 911, turn on the sprinklers, call your work to report you will be in late, order new carpets and cancel the evening poker game, and provide a damage estimate.

OK - so that is a silly example but the point is a handheld computer can analyze the data you enter, and be programmed to take action. Handheld computers should do the following:

• Allow you to enter information/data


• Store it


• Synchronize it with a distant software application


• Take action based upon the information


• Alert people or other computers about the data


• Analyze the data and make predictions


• Activate other computer programs to take action


• Decrease inventory numbers


• Close work orders


• Enter a new customer order


• Replace inventory with a new order


• Track packages


• Call your customers


• Reschedule an appointment


• Estimate the closest service technician


• Predict the fastest route to drive


• Analyze the accuracy of job estimates


• Conduct time tracking


• Copy and send the data to multiple destination


• Perform mathmatical computations and take action based upon the result


• Activate mechanical equipment to take action based upon the information


• Turn on and off electronics

All of these actions can be programmed to take place based upon the data you enter into a handheld computer. At MobileDataforce we work with customers on these kinds of issues daily.

Growing a Business Using Mobile Handheld PDAs

One of the major reasons small service companies call MobileDataforce is to investigate our mobile field service solutions for use on mobile handheld PDAs and smartphones and to try to understand how they can grow their business without adding additional administration resources and costs. This is the age old problem of how do you grow beyond the capabilities of the immediate owner/manager. The answer is to automate the business processes that are related to field services.

1. Use wireless dispatching of service orders


2. Synchronize completed service orders directly to the office accounting system


3. Accept digital signatures on service orders completed in the field


4. Use a mobile printer to print completed work orders


5. Use time tracking on the handheld computer to monitor the time spent on each job


6. Track inventory used on the handheld computer and have this information synchronized to the office so all parts and equipment usage is tracked


7. Include a customer survey on the handheld device and associate the survey with each work order


8. The handheld computer can remind the service technician to upsell warranties, maintenance programs and new upgraded equipment sales