Kevin Benedict is a TCS futurist and lecturer focused on the signals and foresight that emerge as society, geopolitics, economies, science, technology, environment, and philosophy converge.
Mobile Applications for Handheld PDAs and Business Process Automation
Business process automation is even more necessary when workers are mobile and working away from management oversight. How, when and why should information be collected from the remote work site? How should you handle the need to purchase replacement parts for the equipment you are repairing 50 miles from the office? What paper work do you need to fill out? How do you hire temporary labor at a remote work site? What paper work needs filled out and what information needs sent back to the office so paychecks can be processed? The answers and processes for these kinds of issues are usually pre-determined and pre-configured in the ERP system, but not often on the mobile software that runs on your smartphone or handheld PDA.
When considering the use of mobile software applications, ask your SAP consultant or mobile software vendor how they can help mobile workers by extending business process automation to mobile handhelds and smartphones.
Enterpise Mobile Applications on Handheld PDAs and ERPs
Mobile workers are often disconnected from their company's ERP once they are on the road. Many have Blackberrys or other handheld PDAs or smartphones that allow for a quick ERP query, email or message, but they rarely extend the work flow to a mobile environment.
When a company pays tens of millions of dollars for an ERP like SAP or Oracle, and 40% of their work force is mobile - someone ought to be thinking about extending a work flow out to a mobile device. Blackberrys don't have the robust operating system that Window Mobile does so it may be more of a challenge for Blackberry users. However, companies like MobileDataforce specialize in creating mobile applications that extend your ERP's work flow into the mobile world.
FieldSync Automotive for Mobile Handheld PDAs Hits SEMA with a Storm
We are looking forward to 2009 with great anticipation!
iPhone Enterprise Mobility Apps
- Oracle for iPhone
- Salesforce for iPhone
- Sybase's Mobile Office for iPhone
These are small applications, but with great potential.
Great Article on Enterprise Mobility Trends for Mobile Handheld PDA Applications
http://www.macnewsworld.com/story/iphone/64169.html
Apple's App Store & T-Mobile's Application Store
- Online stores promoted by big name companies - this is a good thing. Most mobile business application companies are small companies that can use all the help they can get from a larger company's marketing funds.
- More visibility to the carrier's network of sales people and reseller channels - again this is good for the small software company producing mobile business applications
- Sharing 30% of the revenue with the Online Store - this means you are effectively giving up 30% of your revenue as a "cost of sales" or "marketing cost". This would be OK, if you consider the Online Store as a reseller, however, you are still likely to be required to do all of the pre-sales, sales, post-sales and support work anyway. This can get expensive and unprofitable if mishandled.
- Most mobile business applications consist of many different software components, only a small portion are actually downloadable to the mobile device. So if your multi-component mobile business application only makes a mobile client available on the Online Store, then the remainder could be sold directly by the small mobile business software company in a separate transaction. This is the likely scenario that will work. The Online Store would sell a $19 mobile software client, but the mobile application server, administration component, mobile workflow and device management would be separate applications and fees available directly from the software vendor for another $97,000 (I just made that number up).
- In effect - the software vendor will just alter their pricing to lower the price of the mobile client - sold through the Online Store, but raise the price of their server, manager, work flow and device management components to meet their revenue model.
- The net effect to the Online Store is they will make 30% of the $19 mobile client component downloaded from their site, but none of the $97,000 for the rest of the enterprise mobile software platform, consulting and integration fees.
- The Online Store will not like this model and will tend to promote a monthly service based software package in the SaaS model. The Online Store will see this as getting a larger piece of the entire enterprise mobile solution, not just the small mobile software client.
It will interesting to watch how this model plays out in the market.
- Kevin Benedict
Great Links to Mobile Technology Portals, Websites and Other Points of Interest
I found this list of wireless and mobile industry links that is quite useful.
» Portable Design Mobile Computing
» Wireless Week» Wireless Net DesignLine
» Mobilized Software
» Mobile Enterprise
Wi-Fi Planet
» Mobile Handset DesignLine
» RF Design
» RCR Wireless News
» Wireless Design & Development
» Unstrung» Wireless IQ
» Ultrawideband Planet
» Mobile Tech Today
» CWNP Wireless Certifications
» Global Wireless Education Consortium
» WiMax Forum
» FCC- Wireless Telecom Bureau
» Google Mobile
» CDMA Development Group
» WINLAB» MIPI Alliance
» Investing in Wireless
» Open Mobile Alliance
» WLANA
» 3GPP
» 3GPP2
» Bluetooth SIG
» Enterprise Wireless Alliance
» UMTS Forum
» Wireless Messaging Association
» Mobiliser Intel for Wireless Executives
» CTIA
» 3G Today
» The Wireless Report
» BlipLog Mobile Content
» Mobile Mentalism
» Mobile Entertainment
» m-trends Mobile Media Lifestyle
» This is Mobility
» Mobiltee
» Wireless-Watch.Community
» MobHappy
» Mobile Monday
More on iPhone Challenges and Mobile Software
- Kevin Benedict
Otterbox, Dell Axiom PDAs, Handhelds and Windows Mobile 6.0
There is nothing wrong with a Dell Axiom, except for the fact they are no longer made. They ran on Windows Mobile 5.0 and earlier versions of pocket pc, so there is no Dell Axiom that can run on Windows Mobile 6.0. Again, nothing is wrong with running on Windows Mobile 5.0, unless the Dell Axiom dies and you need to buy a new mobile device. New mobile devices run on Windows 6.0. There is nothing wrong with buying a new mobile device that runs on Windows 6.0 unless of course the software you were using only runs on Windows Mobile 5.0. If you developed your own mobile software application 2 years ago for the Windows Mobile 5.0 OS, and your trusted software developer has long since departed for an IPO-bound career in a wireless mobile software company, then you have some challenges.
Most companies do not think about technical obsolescence issues when they decide to custom build a mobile application internally. For a longer list of issues to consider before choosing to develop your own mobile application please visit this website.
- Kevin Benedict
iPhone Business Applications
Real mobile business applications are extensions of key business applications that are run in the office. These mobile business applications enable you to integrate mobile devices with large, complex database applications that include workflow automation, database queries and business automation. The challenge that Apple has today is that their software SDK (software development kit) does not include synchronization technology that enables software developers to easily move data between a database applications in the office and the iPhone.
Another criticism I have for this article is suggesting that $39.00 for a business application is expensive. Expensive is of course relative, but significant business applications can often be worth $39,000-$390,000 to companies that can automate and mobilize their mobile users.
- Kevin Benedict
Mobile Handheld PDA Solutions and Mobile Software Implementations & Strategies
Contents:
The ROI in Mobile Applications
What ROI Can I Expect?
10 Steps to Implementing a Successful Enterprise Mobile Solution
Mobilizing and Automating Business Processses During a Down Economy
Mobilized Work Orders
Designing a Mobile Solution to Automate Business Processes
Learning from Mobile Solution Deployments
The Evolution of a Mobile Solution
Buying vs. Building Mobile Applications
Supporting a Customized Mobile Software Application
Convergent Handheld PDAs & Garmin
- Mobile phone
- Music player and mass storage
- Digital camera/video camera
- GPS and navigation
- Internet connectivity
- Powerful operating system that can run powerful business applications (windows mobile or equivalent)
- Audio memos
- etc
The convergence of these features in one mobile handheld device provide the mobile worker/field services worker the capabilities of automating and mobilizing many of their business processes and applications without carrying multiple devices.
Garmin, a long time satellite-navigation device company, seems to just be absorbing this concept. As printed in the Wall Street Journal's Breakingviews.com on Saturday, August 2, 2008 - Garmin has been planning, but is now delaying the launch of their mobile phone and gps navigation device until the first half of 2009. It does not seem to include many of the features listed above, but does combine the mobile phone with GPS/Navigation. My question, like the Wall Street Journal's, is why now? Where were they when they owned the GPS/Navigation market? Did they completely miss this concept in 2006, 2007 and 2008 when the iPhone was introduced? Did they really think people would want to carry multiple devices around?- Kevin Benedict
Mobile Software, Handheld PDAs & Paper Processes Compared to Mobile Handheld PDA Solutions
- Creating a job estimate
- Getting the job estimate approved and signed by the customer
- Scheduling and assigning the work to a specific service technician
- Hiring new employees or contract help and completing the documentation
- Documenting the work (to the customer's satisfaction)
- Submitting the completed work to the customer for payment (in the proper format)
- Paying the employee or contract help
This process may happen hundreds or thousands of times per day across a wide geographic region. How does the central office collect, enter and review all of this paperwork to ensure accuracy? How do managers keep all of the correct business processes happening in the field? How do you ensure quality and professionalism when there is significant staff turn-over? How do you keep your customers happy?
Many of these issues can be avoided, or eliminated by using an automated business process on a rugged handheld, PDA or Smartphone at the point-of-work. The handheld PDA and mobile software application can step each service technician systematically through the correct business processes. The handheld solution can inform the service technician how things need to be completed, provide additional audio and video examples, and alert when something has been done incorrectly. The information entered in the field, at the point-of-work, can be synchronized with headquarters and reviewed by management in near real time. This is how companies can ensure quality, consistency and the ability to scale up their business.
- Kevin Benedict
MobileDataforce Announces iPhone Software Development Services
New iPhone software development services enable businesses to deploy custom mobile business applications to the popular iPhone
Boise, Idaho— July 17, 2008 – MobileDataforce®, a leading provider of mobile software solutions for businesses, today announced a new professional services offering for users of the popular Apple iPhone.
MobileDataforce has for years been developing mobile software applications for use on handheld PDAs and helping our customers develop and deploy mobile enterprise software applications around the world on the Windows Mobile and Pocket PC operating systems. We are now adding the capabilities to develop enterprise mobile business applications for use on the iPhone.
About MobileDataforce®
MobileDataforce® is a leader in the development of enterprise class and business critical software solutions for use on mobile computers including Smart Phones, Handhelds, PDAs, Tablet PCs and laptops. MobileDataforce has sales offices in Europe, North America and in Australia to support their expanding customer base and sales channels. Privately held, MobileDataforce has been mobilizing business solutions since 2000. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.mobiledataforce.com/.
Apple Stores and Motorola MC50s
MobileDataforce is now developing custom mobile software applications for businesses wanting to extend the use of their iPhones or handheld PDAs into their business processes.
- Kevin Benedict
Mobile Data Collection on Handheld PDAs Drives Rational Decisions
- Surveying AIDS victims, using mobile handheld computers, in various African countries to learn about habits, practices, cultural norms and other lifestyle issues. This information is synchronized back to a central research databases so analyst can learn how best to educate people on how to prevent the spread of AIDS. Real field data is critical for developing the most effective educational programs.
- Customer surveys included with Work Orders/Service Tickets. Once work is completed at a customer's location, the service technician hands the customer a mobile survey form on the handheld. The customer has the opportunity to rate the service in several different areas. This information is immediately synchronized to the office database and the manager can review the customer's responses. This is an effective way of scaling the manager/owners contact with customers. If there is a problem rating on the survey the manager can immediately contact the customer to address these issues. Having a mobile survey, also encourages the service technician to always provide their best customer support. Managers can base bonuses in part on customer survey reports.
These are just 2 areas where real-time, or near real-time mobile field data collection can enable managers in the office to make solid rational decisions based upon data gathered in far away locations.
If you are interested in more information on inspection software, data collection software or mobile software applications please visit MobileDataforce's website.
- Kevin Benedict
The Law of Mobility for Mobile Handheld PDAs and Mobile Software
Russell McGuire has provided us with a concise description of the value of mobile software applications for use on mobile handheld PDAs. Here are 39 detailed reasons to mobilize your business.
Mobilizing business processes enables you to gain visibility into work done in the field, helps to ensure quality work, enables you to reduce administrative work and invoice for field services quicker.
- Kevin Benedict
Online Educational Video on Implementing Field Services Using Handheld PDAs
For those of you interested in mobilizing your field services with handheld PDAs and mobile software, you will fine the following video informative and useful. The President of Psion Teklogix (a ruggedized handheld computer manufacturer), Ron Caines and myself explore the challenges and rewards of mobilizing field services and field data collection.
Field Services video
Apple Could Make Things Easier for th iPhone Smartphone
This experience is predictable when new technology is released. It takes companies like MobileDataforce to fill in the missing links. Even with these early stage issues, it is certainly fun and the iPhone smartphone is absolutely capable of being a value enterprise tool for the mobile workforce.
GPS Features on the iPhone
- Adding time and date stamps PLUS GPS coordinates to work orders as a way of proving the time, data and location of work performed
- Enabling service technicians and delivery vans to be tracked in near real-time.
- Helping drivers reach their destination faster and with less fuel
- Associating job estimates to a GPS location
- Locating and identifying the location of various pieces of equipment and other assets
- Associating conditional assessments for asset management with a GPS location. This can be used to locate buildings, walls, sidewalks, sprinkler heads etc, that require repair
The list can go on forever because there is a HUGE amount of value in adding geospatial information to just about any field service activity. Including this feature on an iPhone is one more step toward making the iPhone a valueable business tool for the enterprise.
MobileDataforce is currently working on a number of mobile business applications for the iPhone.
Business Applications for Apple iPhones
This iPhone business application involves the following:
- Login to an office database application from an iPhone
- Enter Sales Order information on the iPhone in the field and transfer the order to the database application in the office
- Enter Shipping information on the iPhone and transfer the information to the database application in the office
- Initiate credit card processing on the database application in the office
- Receive acknowledgement of Order acceptance and CC processing
- Initiate an order fulfillment and shipping process in the warehouse
This is just one of many iPhone applications and projects that MobileDataforce is reviewing and/or developing for our customers at this time. It is fun, but challenging as Apple has not provided complete tool sets for iPhone development yet. Currently we must develop many of the tools ourselves to address the needs of the enterprise business application market, but eventually Apple will offer more tools to simplify the most common enterprise integration needs.
Let the fun begin for the iPhone enterprise application market!
Extending the Use of Mobile Software and Handheld PDAs at the Airport
The customer service folks at the Detroit airport, the people pushing the wheel chairs, were all using MC 70 handheld computers from Motorola/Symbol. This is the first time I have seen this category of worker using handheld PDAs and mobile software for dispatch. As I watched them, they would check them about every two minutes as new dispatches were sent out. It appeared that all dispatches were sent out, and available customer service staff would respond.
As I watched, I wondered if each dispatch had a unique work order number and was invoiced to the various airlines. I did not get the chance to follow-up, but that is how it appeared.
- Kevin Benedict
Mobile Handheld PDA Technology in a Slow Economy
The use of PDAs, Handhelds and other mobile software technologies, in the context of field services automation, is most often driven by the following 12 business motivations:
1. Efficiencies in communicating information between the office and the remote service technician or jobsite
2. Efficiencies in planning and scheduling work based upon location, parts and expertise needed
3. Reducing fuel costs
4. Reducing travel time
5. Reducing time consuming and error prone data entry activities in the office
6. Increasing productivity – more average service calls per service technician in a day
7. Increasing service contract sales
8. Increasing equipment upgrade sales
9. Increasing collections with mobile invoicing, mobile printing of invoices and onsite collections
10. Improving inventory control and management - visibility to parts needed, the location of inventory and parts used on each job or service ticket
11. Reduced risks by reminding service technicians of safety hazards and safety procedures on the job
12. Improving management visibility into work done in the field to ensure quality services
1. Inefficiency # 1 -Wasted time and fuel driving back and forth to the office to pick-up and deliver new work orders, tools and parts. With the high cost of fuel, reducing driving distances is a necessity. Can you dispatch a service technician directly from their home to a nearby jobsite? Can you make sure your service technician has the most common parts in the van before they travel to the jobsite?
2. Inefficiency #2 – Wasting time and fuel by being unprepared for the job and driving around looking for parts. Can you reduce travel time and fuel costs by being better prepared for the job before traveling? Can you ask customers for more information on the equipment such as brand, serial number, year, location, problem etc? Can you ask the customer for a digital photo of the equipment, serial number, etc., and email it before dispatching the service technician?
3. Inefficiency #3 – Sitting outside of a locked and vacant location wasting time waiting for the owner to arrive. Can you set up an automated phone call to let the customer know you are on the way? This avoids showing up at a vacant house or closed business and wasting time.
4. Inefficiency # 4 – Sending service technicians to a distant location, when another service technician is closer and wasting time and fuel. Can you use GPS tracking on the vans to better know the location of all service technicians so you can dispatch the closest and best service technician for the job?
5. Inefficiency #5 – Missed opportunities to sell more services, parts and equipment to the customer at the time of work. Can you automatically remind the service technician to promote service contracts by using a mobile handheld work order system? This will help increase service contract sales.
6. Inefficiency #6 – Poor scheduling and routing. Can you schedule service contract visits based on geographic location to reduce fuel costs and wasted travel time? Can a service technician complete more service calls in a day if they are routed more efficiently?
7. Inefficiency #7 – Driving large and heavy vehicles when not required. If you have a better understanding of the parts required for today’s service calls, can you take a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle to the jobsite?
8. Inefficiency #8 – Poor cash management and collect processes. Can you collect money, swipe credit cards and print receipts from a mobile handheld device to improve collections at the jobsite? Are you wasting time, paper and postage sending out invoices weeks after the work was completed?
9. Inefficiency #9 – Too much administrative costs. Can you reduce the costs of data entry and administrative staff by automating the dispatch process by using wireless work order dispatch that is integrated directly with your work order management and accounting systems?
Every company, upon self-evaluation, will be able to identify additional inefficiencies that can be corrected and reduced. Many of the costly inefficiencies can be resolved by automating and mobilizing field services business processes.
What does an automated and "mobilized" work order system or service request dispatch and management system look like? A customer calls in to report a broken heating system. The office staff takes the phone call, enters the relevant information into the work order application on the desktop computer which then creates a unique work order and number.
Once the service technician arrives at the location, he opens the work order on the handheld computer. Opening the work order automatically captures the service technician's name, the date/time stamp and the GPS coordinates of the jobsite and enters them into the mobile application’s work order.
Next the service technician examines the broken heating system and determines which parts need replaced. He can pull out his handheld computer and check whether he has the needed parts in his vehicle inventory, if not, it can automatically search for nearby service vehicles that may contain the part (GPS tracking enables this). If another nearby service vehicle is determined to have the required part, then driving directions can be sent.
When the service technician arrives at the service vehicle with the needed part, then the part is scanned using a bar code scanner in the handheld computer to log its removal from the vehicle's inventory and assigns it to the appropriate work order number.
Back at the work site, the service technician runs into a challenge. He has never worked on this model before and needs advice. He snaps a digital photo of the equipment and synchronizes it back to the office. His supervisor reviews the photo and calls him with advice.
Once the work is completed, the service technician signs his name on the handheld computer screen, and has the customer sign the work order screen as well. The service technician prints an invoice on a mobile printer and collects the payment or swipes the customer’s credit or debit card. The collection is noted on the mobile work order and synchronized back to the office.
As soon as the work order is completed and synchronized, the mobile application reminds the service technician to promote a 2 year service contract. The service technician reviews the details with the customer and signs them up for a 2 year service contract. Next, the work order system reviews job locations and priorities and assigns the next optimized work order to the field service technician.
Status of the Mobile Business Application Market for PDAs and Handhelds
- The handheld barcode scanner market is hurting. The traditional warehouse and retail markets are not spending money. With shrinking sales, the handheld barcode scanner market is suffering from decreasing margins and more competition
- Sales people in the handheld barcode scanner industry are leaving under pressure to increase sales in a tough market with shrinking opportunities
- Tradeshows and conferences are suffering due to the high costs of fuel and travel in a slow economy
- The market segment for wireless mobile business software applications (where MobileDataforce plays) is the fastest growing segment of the wireless mobility market. The field work force continues to suffer from a large amount of inefficiencies that companies must fix in tough times in order to be competitive. Thus this market is growing when many other segments are not
Custom Mobile Applications for PDAs and Handhelds or Off-The-Shelf?
Mobile PDA Solutions & Medicine in Ethiopia
Smart Meters, Mobile Handheld PDA Solutions & Utilities
MobileDataforce is working on a number of very powerful mobile handheld PDA applications to help electrical and water utilities manage the maintenance, installation and repair of meters. These applications contain several different software components including:
- Work Orders
- Digital photos of meters before, during and after installation
- Safety inspections and reporting
- Mapping/GPS
- Inventory
Logistics
These applications are integrated with mapping software to enable the user to view current, future and past jobsite locations.
MobileDataforce is working on many custom mobile software projects for water and electrical utility companies and contractors both in North America, South Africa and in Europe. Please visit our website or contact us if you would like to discuss your mobile field data collection or work order project requirements.
Handheld PDAs and Mobile Inspection Software for Electrical Utilities
Sho-Me Power used paper forms to perform inspections of transmission lines in rural areas, which resulted in many challenges. Inspections were performed twice per year, once in the fall and again in the spring, transmission line poles and pole attachments were inspected for damage. Areas surrounding the transmission line were also inspected for overgrown trees and undergrowth to determine trimming needs if necessary. Many inspections were done during poor weather conditions which made it difficult to collect data, juggle necessary paperwork, and caused lost or smudged paperwork because of weather conditions. The paper forms were also time consuming to fill out, hard to collect from the field inspectors (as forms were often lost or misplaced), and required office personnel to re-enter data at the home office.
“It took a long time to fill out all of the paperwork in the field, and we ended up with so much paper that it was almost impossible to use all of the information we spent so much time collecting,” said Andy Meyers, GIS administrator at Sho-Me Power. “We knew we needed a better system for collecting and organizing our data.”
MobileDataforce worked closely with Sho-Me Power to integrate all necessary field inspection forms into one enterprise class mobility software application for handheld PDAs. The application allowed the field inspectors to sort inspections by region, completed structures, and uncompleted structures. All inspections were time stamped to keep record of when the inspection was completed, which allowed for Sho-Me Power to provide proof of inspection and track results for future inspections. The data collected was integrated into small world GIS.
Sho-Me Power selected a Trimble Recon handheld device, equipped with a GPS receiver for data collection. The mobile application utilized the GPS receivers to specifically identify the location of utility poles. This gave Sho-Me Power greater asset visibility, and made it easier for field inspectors to locate transmission poles in rural areas.
By using a mobile application rather than paper forms, Sho-Me Power was able to:
· Save administrative data entry time
· Increase asset visibility
· Wirelessly synchronize from the field
· Save fuel costs and driving time delivering paper forms
· Provide near real-time visibility to inspections in the field
· Ensure data accuracy through the use of data validation features
· Save inspection time with easy to use software
The PointSync Mobility Platform is an enterprise class mobile software platform used to rapidly design, develop, and deploy mobile applications. It is architected to provide database centric mobile applications with bi-directional synchronization, connectivity, security, and enterprise database integration all within one product suite.
MobileDataforce is a global leader in the development of enterprise class and business critical software solutions. MobileDataforce software can be used on most mobile handheld computers including Smart Phones, Tablet PCs, PDAs, and laptops. MobileDataforce has offices in Europe, North America, and Australia to support our ever expanding customer base and sales channels. Privately held, MobileDataforce has been mobilizing business solutions since 2000.
Conclusion:
Through the use of the PointSync mobility platform Sho-Me Power was able to save time and money. Sho-Me Power was also able to gain greater visibility of assets and inspection points, and track them by GPS location.
“This system is saving us at every step in the process. We’re saving time in the field collecting information and just as much time back in the office processing it,” Meyers said. “The hours we used to spend collating paper alone is a huge savings to us, and time that can now be spent on other, more productive work.”
MobileDataforce has assisted many organizations around the world design, develop, and deploy mobile applications for field data collection. For additional information please visit our website at http://www.mobiledataforce.com/
Mobile Handheld PDAs, Barcode Scanners and ERPs
- Proof of delivery - route delivery
- Route assignments
- Customer's payment status
- Customer's details
- Work Order Dispatch
- Inventory Tracking
- Identifies nearest source of additional inventory (mobile or warehouse)
- New product orders
- Fleet tracking (odometer readings, driver logs, hours of service)
- Critical message (alerts) - requires driver to read before continuing
- Planagrams - Mobile application tells the driver how much product to deliver to each customer and on what date
- Preventative maintenance planning and service tickets
These are just a few of the features that our customer asked us to customize for their business in just one mobile software application. This customer has chosen the Psion Teklogix WorkAbout Pro as their mobile handheld computer.
This mobile application is complex and huge, yet the processing speed is still very good on the mobile devices. My team has been given a challenge, and they have met the challenge.
This is an example of the kinds of enterprise quality mobile applications that MobileDataforce delivers to our customers weekly.
Ethiopia & Mobile Handheld PDA Solutions
His photos included exotic foods, landscapes, cityscapes and his temporary office. Mobile applications have great appeal in locations where the traditional landline infrastructures are less developed. Wireless networks and connected/disconnected mobile software applications are very well suited for these environments and can accurately collect and synchronize data from very remote locations to centralized databases anywhere in the world.
Comparing the MTC 2100 Ultra Mobile Computer to Handheld PDAs
The MTC 2100, aimed at logistics and field service applications, includes GPS, based on SiRF's starIII chipset. Also onboard is a laser barcode scanner.
The MRC 2100, designed for outdoor and vehicle use, has added rubber padding installed, and is said to withstand drops of up to four feet.
Visibility & Accountability in Field Services with Handheld PDAs
- Collecting the important business data
- Analyzing the meaning of the data
- Reporting the data to my managers, my board and financial institutions
- Forecasting future growth and business performance based upon the data
- Improving my business processes to enable better performance in the future
- Investing in future products and services that will reap rewards in the future
My responsibilities are very similar to many officers and managers of small to medium sized businesses. The key to effective management is having accurate and timely data, understanding the data and making effective business decisions based upon the data.
Let's take a moment to ponder the process of collecting data in the world of field services (mobile service technicians). The field service manager often finds it difficult to collect the data from the point of work in a timely manner. Often the paper forms stay in the truck or van for hours, days or weeks before the data is entered into a computer system. This means the data is unusable for that period of time. The manager has no way of analyzing it. If the entire system is paper based and filed, then the information that is contained on the paper forms is not available for analysis, reporting or quick business decisions.
Mobilizing and automating the field services operations with handheld PDAs enables managers to have near real-time access to business data from work done remotely in the field. 75 service technicians can be synchronzing data throughout the day from a large geographic area and the data can be instantly viewed and analyzed. Decisions can be quickly made about issues such as:
- Equipment location
- Service Technician location
- Job status, job delays
- Equipment break downs
- Problem issues
- Change in schedules
- Personnel changes
- Customer issues
- Payment issues
- Unforseen technical challenges
- Unexpected costs
- Changes in inventory
- Much more
This is the kind of near real-time data/information that allows a manager to make good decisions that benefit the business TODAY. If managers are always working from data that is days old, they are too late to impact the quality of business today.
Quality Audits & Quality Assurance Using Mobile Handheld PDAs
The mobile application allows internal company quality auditors to inspect an operation and synchronize the data to the corporate Q&A database in near-real time. This allows the data from thousands of inspections around the world to be quickly analyzed for trends and problems.
Once the data is collected on mobile devices and synchronized to the corporate Q&A database, business analytic software can be used to understand the data and its impact on quality. Issues can be identified, policies implemented and problems resolved before they grow larger and become a public issue.
Visibility - Mobile Software on PDAs & Handheld Computers
My PSO (professional services organization) team has been assisting several organizations around the world this month on mobile software projects for handheld PDAs with a common theme - visibility. Let me explain:
Managers are often responsible for field work in locations where they are not physically present. They are personally accountable for the work delivered, but often have limited visibility into it. This is ALWAYS a challenge and a big risk.
In the last few days we have been working on mobile solutions that provide the following benefits:
- Help a large Paintless Dent Repair franchiser track the quality of work through mobile and onsite customer surveys, work orders and inspections
- Track the shipping and delivery of medicine throughout Africa and South America using mobile handheld computers that synchronize to a central database
- Help a construction manager document construction projects with inspection software and other applications that help manage many projects in different geographies, log each issue, assign a contractor to fix the work, reinspect and document
- Help a pharmaceutical company monitor their customers and any change of conditions in the USA and Canada
- Help a service company track their work orders, the time each service ticket takes to resolve, and the location of every service technician
- Help a shuttle service dispatch vans and track pick-ups and deliveries
Each of these examples demonstrate how companies that have work locations distributed over wide geographic areas can have better visibility into the work being done in the field.
Here are some of the tools that mobile handheld computers provide to help remote managers better track the work:
- GPS - vehicle and technician tracking
- Date and time stamps integrated with GPS to show the time a vehicle or technician was at a specific location
- GPS/Date & Time Stamp/Connected to Work Order or service ticket to provide evidence of work completed at a location and time
- Onsite customer survey - get real-time customer feedback on the quality of work performed so issues can be resolved immediately
- Digital images of before, during and after work performed. Photographic evidence associated with digital signatures, customer feedback and GPS coordinates are powerful tools for remote managers
- Inspections - upload and synchronize inspection data to the remote manager. The remote manager can then assign people/organizations to fix issues discovered on the inspection and monitor the repairs. This enables remote managers to effectively have "eyes and ears" at the jobsite and manage resolutions.
In summary, the collection of field data through human input on mobile handheld computers, plus technology like GPS, digital photography, mobile synchronization, digital signatures, mobile forms and shared websites to show real-time reports enable talented and experienced managers to effectively manage their areas of responsibilities remotely. This reduces risk, promotes field accountability, quality work and peace of mind for the managers and their companies. The ability to use and scale the talent and experience of your best managers over more projects located in more areas is a huge asset.
These are the kinds of mobile solutions MobileDataforce helps companies design, develop, deploy and support worldwide every day. If you would like to brainstorm about how a mobile solution might help your project or company please email us or call 208-384-1200.
Mobile Handheld PDAs for Scaffold Inspections & More
MobileDataforce has recently been working with a construction company to design a complete mobile software application for use on handheld PDAs for managing scaffolding construction and inspections. They selected a a Symbol MC9090 ruggedized handheld computer to use on the job.
I was surprised by how much work is involved with the construction, asset tracking and safety inspections on scaffolding.
Here is just an overview of the main menu of the mobile software application:
Users will choose from the six menu items:
- Scaffold Manager allows the user to erect, dismantle and revise scaffolds from the mobile device.
- Inspection Checklist allows the QA person to perform daily inspections.
- Work package will let users choose from predefined scaffold packages and sub-packages that include estimates of crew needed as well as duration times for erection and dismantle. Dismantle times are only an estimate and no work order will be supplied for dismantling scaffolding. (these work packages will be supplied by client prior to development of the application)
- Repair List is where the repair person will go to look at all the repairs for a given Tag number.
- Synchronize will let the user send and receive data at any time.
- Loss list is where the estimates of material and the actual materials are compiled to show a realistic view of the jobs.
Case Study: Underground Storage Tank Inspections Using Mobile Handheld PDAs
There are large numbers of underground storage tanks in nearly every community across the USA which represents a huge data collection and administration task. Regional entities throughout the country are responsible for providing underground storage tank inspections; one such entity is the Shoshone Bannock Tribe. The inspection data, traditionally collected in the field using a paper inspection form, was typed into an EPA database upon returning to the home office. The Shoshone Bannock Tribe needed a way to ensure the integrity of the data collected, speed up collection time, eliminate data entry time, and provide near real-time synchronization of the data collected.
MobileDataforce developed a mobile inspection application for use on Tablet PCs that integrates all required EPA data collection elements for underground storage tanks. The solution includes the PointSync Mobility Platform from MobileDataforce to synchronize the data from the mobile device into the central database in the office. The Tablet PC selected by the Shoshone Bannock Tribe was the Itronix GoBook Duo Touch using Microsoft’s Tablet XP operating system. At the end of an inspection, the device was placed in a USB connected wired cradle which connected to a database on a server. The data was then uploaded and submitted to the EPA.
By using a mobile application rather than paper forms, organizations can:
· Save administrative data entry time
· Wirelessly synchronize from the field
· Save fuel costs and driving time delivering paper forms
· Save shipping and storage costs for paper forms
· Provide near real-time visibility to inspections in the field
· Ensure data accuracy through the use of data validation features
MobileDataforce used an enterprise class mobile software platform called the PointSync Mobility Platform to create the mobile EPA Tank Inspection application. The application was built to their exact specifications and complies with EPA regulations for underground storage tank inspections.
PointSync Mobility Platform is an enterprise class mobile software platform used to rapidly design, develop, and deploy critical business mobile applications. It is architected to provide database centric mobile applications with bi-directional synchronization, connectivity, security, and enterprise database integration all within one product suite.
The Shoshone Bannock Tribe was able to save time and money through the use of a custom mobile application created by MobileDataforce using the PointSync Mobility Platform. By developing a mobile application, Shoshone Bannock was able to streamline inspections, while at the same time saving paper, data entry time, and money. The EPA was able to quickly and efficiently receive data on the condition of underground storage tanks. MobileDataforce has assisted many organizations around the world design, develop and deploy mobile applications for field data collection. For additional information please visit our website at http://www.mobiledataforce.com/
Kevin Benedict
Educational Video on Enterprise Mobility and Field Services Using Handheld PDAs
MDF_invite_April2008.htm
It was an interesting experience. This was no amateur video. We had a crew that consisted of 2 cameramen, a sound guy, a make-up person, a producer and director. They were so professional that they even had those fluffy microphone covers.
The subject of the video is all aspects of mobile handhelds, smartphones, PDAs and mobile software applications.
World Travels and Trends in Mobile Software for Handheld PDAs
I have been spending a lot of time at airports of late. Over the last few weeks I have travelled to San Francisco, England, Washington DC and today Cincinnati, Ohio. I have also learned a great deal. One of the things I have learned - The economy has not as yet negatively impacted MobileDataforce. Our sales were up 200% from first quarter 2007. The Wall Street Journal said last week that the economy does not yet seem to be significantly impacting most B2B sales. I must agree. Our customers are still buying mobile software for handheld PDAs and services in record numbers.
In England, we are working with a large number of services companies. It seems that most of our projects are related to asset management. By assets, I mean equipment, buildings and vehicles.
It may be that the reason service companies are buying from MobileDataforce in large numbers is to achieve the very efficiencies that a tough market requires.
Mobile Handheld PDA Case Study: Utility Inspections, GPS and Field Data Collection
Company Overview:
LYNN-EDWARD Professional Services, Inc. (LEPService) delivers a full range of metering, SCADA and communications services to the utility industry. Based in Covington, Georgia, LEPService has served the utility industry throughout the Southeast since 1990, and is rapidly expanding into other geographic regions.
Research Challenge:
LEPService needed a mobile software solution that could efficiently track the installation and service of load management devices. The mobile software solution would enable the utilization of GIS mapping to effectively identify switch locations. A key requirement of the project was that it be designed modularly so that additional utility inspections could be added at a future date to cover their vast service offerings.
MobileDataforce Solution:
The initial mobile handheld software application developed for LEPService was for the tracking of load management devices. The application was initially designed to work on the Itronix Tablet PC running Windows Tablet PC Edition. The Tablet PC device was chosen over a rugged handheld computer to work with Delorme’s XMAP 4.5 GIS mapping software which required larger screen dimensions for GIS maps. Additional applications were developed that did not require GIS mapping, which made the less expensive and more compact Symbol MC70 PDA a better fit.
The professional services team at MobileDataforce developed a mobile software solution that combined the strengths of Delorme XMAP mapping features with PointSync’s mobile data collection features. The mobile solution leverages Delorme’s XMAP mapping features to allow a technician to search for locations based on Atlas Page, Grid, Street Name and Account Number. The PointSync Mobile application was designed to capture and view all inspection data related to utility load management switches and equipment at those specific locations including GPS data.
By using mobile software applications rather than paper forms, LEPService was able to:
Collect field data electronically
Synchronize the data directly from the Tablet PC and handheld devices to a central database
Reduce data entry time
Verify GPS data in both the PointSync and Delorme Systems
Ensure data accuracy through the use of data validation features in PointSync
Provide a foundation to add additional mobile inspection applications
By selecting MobileDataforce’s PointSync Mobility Platform and professional services, LEPService obtained a powerful and flexible enterprise quality mobility platform. They also were provided a team of experienced mobility experts to create and support their software application. MobileDataforce enabled LEPService to build upon their first mobile application using PointSync development tools and extend the capabilities of the application over time to include many new features.
“MobileDataforce has been spectacular to work with” said Mike Aiello Jr. President of LEPService. “PointSync has enabled our company to truly offer a superior product and improve our field service inspection services to our customers”. He further added, “The exceptional reliability and stability of PointSync Server platform has been exceptional. In over two years of full deployment, we have not had a single lost day of productivity due to software systems related issues. There have literally been none.”
About PointSync Mobility Platform:
PointSync Mobility Platform is an enterprise class mobile software platform used to rapidly design, develop, and deploy critical business mobile applications. It is architected to provide database centric mobile applications with bi-directional synchronization, connectivity, security, and enterprise database integration all within one product suite.
About MobileDataforce:
MobileDataforce is a global leader in the development of enterprise class and business critical software solutions for use on mobile handheld computers including Smart Phones, Tablet PCs, PDAs, and laptops. MobileDataforce has offices in Europe, North America, and Australia to support their ever expanding customer base and sales channels. Privately held, MobileDataforce has been mobilizing business solutions since 2000.
Conclusion:
LEPService was able to combine the strengths of two software programs, Delorme and PointSync, to more effectively inspect and service utility switches for their clients. MobileDataforce built a mobile solution that met the current inspections needs of LEPService’s clients while providing a foundation to develop and extend additional mobile inspection components in the future. The stability of the system has allowed for rapid deployment and growth of LEPService service offerings.
MobileDataforce assists organizations around the world in mobilizing business and field data collection processes. For additional information please visit our website at: http://www.mobiledataforce.com/.
32 Questions to Ask Before Developing a Mobile Software Application
1. Do you have the resources available to:
· Collect all business and technical requirements for the application?
· Design, develop, test, deploy and support a mobile software application?
2. Do you have the time and people available to:
· Review all the possible mobile handheld computers?
· Do these people have the knowledge to support the unique buttons and hardware drivers on the handheld computer?
3. Do you have experienced mobile application designers? Mobile applications cannot be designed in the same manner as a desktop application.
4. Do you have software engineers trained and available to develop a mobile application?
5. Are you going to develop for just one kind of handheld computer or many? (There are many different screen sizes, buttons, accessories, etc. If you want to support many different kinds of handhelds and their unique add-on components, you should expect to invest a couple of years in the development process.)
6. Are the available software developers experienced at developing enterprise class and mission critical mobile applications?
7. The most difficult part of mobile application development is synchronization issues. Do you have a data synchronization expert on staff?
8. Do you have helpdesk resources available to support the deployment of mobile applications?
9. Do you have a mobile device management system and support infrastructure in place?
10. Who will document the mobile application?
11. Who will train the mobile application users?
12. Do you have a sufficient budget to cover the immediate development effort and the next year’s support costs?
13. Is the business unit who is funding the project willing to cover the additional development costs if the project takes 50% longer than anticipated?
14. Is the IT development staff willing to dedicate personnel to this project for the entire project duration or will they be needed elsewhere?
15. Are your software developers mobile application security experts?
16. Do you have database integration experts available for this project?
17. What are the time-to-market requirements? Are you losing business or money by not having the mobile application done?
18. Who will support the mobile application after the original developers leave the company? Can you afford to cross-train a team of developers?
19. Mobile software solutions need custom business rules added. Is the framework and standardized methodology for implementing these business rules in place?
20. Which business unit will pay to update the mobile application next year when the available handheld devices require an OS upgrade and changes to the application? Is this in the business unit’s budget plans?
21. What database is integrated with the mobile software application? Is the DBA (database administrator) supportive of this integration? Will they cooperate with the project developers?
22. What synchronization technology will be used? Is that in the budget? Who will attend training classes to understand it? Are the training classes in the budget?
23. Do you know how to connect to the enterprise database remotely from the field?
24. Do you know how to develop mobile printing support using Bluetooth enabled mobile printers? Will you support just one kind of mobile printer or many different brands?
25. Do you know how to validate data and ensure data accuracy on the mobile application? Database Administrators demand this.
26. Do you know what ultra fast and ultra small relational database you will use on the handheld computer?
27. Do you need to develop your application to work on laptops, Tablet PCs and handheld computers? If so, how will you cater to these needs?
28. What connectivity options will you need to develop (i.e. Bluetooth, WiFi, GSM, cradle sync)? Do you have software developers that are proficient with all of these technologies?
29. Will you develop your own synchronization technology or buy from a vendor? Which vendor?
30. Do you know how to develop for and support hardware add-ons such as bar code scanners, RFID readers, GPS, digital cameras, and mobile printers? Do you know all the different hardware add-ons required in the field? Which brands and SDKs will you use?
31. How will you glue all these components together in your application so it all works and can be supported by the helpdesk? Who do you trust to create this enterprise application architecture?
32. How will you support different mobile devices, and different versions of mobile operating systems?
These issues must be considered in preparation for developing an enterprise class mobile application for use on mobile handheld PDAs, and also when preparing the project plan and budget. Enthusiastic software engineers with a passion for learning new mobile technologies will advocate the development of a mobile solution internally. These engineers do not always consider the necessary skills, experience, budget and time in development and support that are required.
Questions to Ponder when Considering a Mobile Software Strategy
- Should you purchase mobile software for handheld PDAs from every vendor that supplies enterprise software applications to your company? What if you have 16 enterprise applications? Are you willing to buy 16 different mobile software packages for handheld PDAs in order to mobilize these processes? If so, you will need a very big budget and IT department. If you chose to buy 16 different mobile applications, you would need to punch 16 different holes in your firewall, learn 16 different synchronization technologies, and use 16 different application development environments.
- Should I buy an "Off-the-Shelf" mobile application, or develop a customized mobile application to fit my specific business? The answer depends on if your business is set-up as an "off-the-shelf" business. Do you conduct your business in the exact same manner as many others in your market? Do you use the same business processes and the same accounting package as many others? Is your product or service company managed in the same manner as others in your market? Are there mobile applications already available that will do all this for you in a cost effective manner?
MobileDataforce has an entire department filled with mobility experts. We get asked these kinds of questions every day of the week. If you have questions on mobile software strategies, please contact us or visit our website.
Sybase iAnywhere, Mobile Handheld PDAs and Mobile Software Applications
QuickBooks and Mobile Handheld PDA Software Applications
- Mobile Service Tickets, Work Orders, Service Requests, etc.
- Mobile job estimates
- Mobile time tracking
- More
Best Places to Live and Launch - A Mobile Software Company
Buy vs. Building Mobile Software Applications for Handheld PDAs
Several times a month companies call me to discuss the merits of buying a mobile software platform , to develop software for mobile handheld PDAs, with a development environment vs. attempting to build their own. My first answer is you can build it! MobileDataforce did. It tooks us 4.5 years and over 40 engineering-man-years to develop the PointSync Mobility Platform. It can certainly be done by others. The key questions are:
- How much time do you have to develop the mobile software application?
- How many software engineers do you have available to develop the mobile application?
- Do they have any experience designing, developing and deploying enterprise quality mobile applications?
- What is your development budget?
- It is hard to develop your very first mobile application...are you patient...is the business unit sponsoring the project patient?
- Are your software developers mobile application security experts?
- Do you have software developers that eat, sleep and breath synchronization?
- What are the time to market requirements. Are you losing business or money by not having the mobile application done?
- Who is going to support the mobile application after the original developers leave the company?
- Who is going to document the mobile application and know how it works?
- Who will pay to update the mobile application next year when the available handheld devices require an OS upgrade and changes to the application?
Again, any smart group of software engineers can, given enough time and budget, develop a working mobile application. The real questions - is this your core business and is this the best use of your time and budget? Especially since a relatively low cost mobile software platform and development environment already exists and can be purchased and downloaded in an afternoon.
The following link goes to another blog article with a list of "buy vs. build" articles.MobileDataforce Achieves Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Status
Boise, Idaho - March 18, 2008 – MobileDataforce, a leading provider of mobile business applications for PDAs and handheld computers, announced today that it has earned Microsoft Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner program, the highest level of partnership available. As a Gold Level partner MobileDataforce has demonstrated expertise in the use of and integration of enterprise mobile software applications with Microsoft technologies. As a partner of the highest level MobileDataforce will receive a great deal of benefits, which includes software, training, support, and access to many assets available only to Microsoft Gold Certified Partners.
“Achieving the Gold Certified Partner level represents a lot of enterprise mobile software implementations,” says MobileDataforce CEO Kevin Benedict. “Our mobile business applications integrate with a large number of different Microsoft platforms and business applications. Achieving the Gold level will give our customers additional confidence in our abilities to mobilize their existing business processes and field service automation needs.”
Gold Certification is the highest level of partnership available to Microsoft Partners who integrate with Microsoft products. Currently MobileDataforce integrates enterprise class mobile business applications with Microsoft Dynamics NAV, GP, AX, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Windows and Windows Mobile. The PointSync Mobility Platform has been Microsoft tested and certified.
About PointSync Mobility Platform:
PointSync Mobility Platform is an enterprise class mobile software platform used to rapidly design, develop, and deploy critical business mobile applications. It is architected to provide database centric mobile applications with bi-directional synchronization, connectivity, security, and enterprise database integration all within one product suite.
About MobileDataforce:
MobileDataforce is a global leader in the development of enterprise class and business critical software solutions for use on mobile handheld computers including Smart Phones, Tablet PCs, PDAs, and laptops. MobileDataforce has offices in Europe, North America, and Australia to support their ever expanding customer base and sales channels. Privately held, MobileDataforce has been mobilizing business solutions since 2000. For more information, please visit their website at http://www.mobiledataforce.com/.
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