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.
More on Dynamic Ride Sharing - Avego
Avego claims that the average driver has $3,000 per year in extra passenger capacity in their vehicle. If they could simply advertise the extra capacity via their iPhone's mobile software application, then many more people could car pool. I love the idea and will be watching Avego closely.
Could that same concept be used for cargo, tools, equipment? I have a pick-up truck and you need to move some boxes. I need a chain saw and you have a chain saw. Of course there are plenty of challenges to these models, but it is interesting to ponder.
Best of luck Avego!
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Dynamic Ride Sharing Mobile Applications
Mobile handheld devices with integrated GPS technologies open doors to all kinds of services never before possible.
Think about this concept - a driver opens an application on her iPhone and notifies the DRS (dynamic ride sharing) service that she will be driving from point A to point B at 4 PM. The DRS system computes the distance and posts the ride details to subscribers with a ride value of $8.55.
Interested subcribers (riders) register for the ride. The driver reviews each potential riders' referrals and online record and accepts up to 3 riders. The acceptance process then sends the Driver's details to the riders for review and acceptance.
At the designated pick up location, each rider confirms they are in the vehicle via email, iPhone application or text message. Upon the trip completion, the driver and each rider completes a brief trip report that is sent to the DRS service and shows up on each of their online records.
No money changes hands in the vehicle. All financial transactions are completed online between the accounts of the driver and riders. The DRS service collects a fee on each transaction.
What are your thoughts? What an interesting way to better utilize cars, make your trip greener and share costs.
There is a mountain of challenges to this concept, but I would like your thoughts.
Read Part 2 of this article.
- Kevin Benedict,
Mobile Strategies Consultant, SAP EDI Expert and Technology Writer
Time Sensitive LBS Use Cases
Could restaurants sell extra or left over food, rather than throw it out if they could immediately notify subscribers of a discount on it for the next 45 minutes?
Could grocery stores inform customers of discounts on produce that is nearing end of shelf life.
Think about the notion of "time sensitivity" and LBSs. Could the local tire shop offer immediate 30 minute discounts on tires and services during slow parts of the day? Could the corner donut shop announce a 15 minute sale on the 18 remaining chocolate donuts? Can the busy hair salon announce a discount at 3:30 PM to fill an available slot?
Adding time sensitivity to LBSs is an intriguing concept. Any organization that sells units of time or services could benefit from filling empty slots.
I would like to hear your ideas and comments.
- Kevin Benedict,
Mobile Strategies Consultant, SAP EDI Expert and Technology Writer
Mobile Software Companies and Their Online Marketing Strategies?
You can learn a lot about a company by seeing where they advertise. The economy has been tough. Many mobile software companies are struggling, but some continue aggressive online advertising campaigns and you see them placing their advertisements online. This reflects on their financial condition, funding, Web 2.0 marketing skills and ability to execute on a strategic plan.
Many mobile software companies pick certain topics where they want their online advertisements to appear. It is interesting to look at articles about different mobile technologies and see who is advertising. Field services topics are likely to show different advertisements for mobile software companies than the words mobile sales force automation or mobile inspection software. This can also tell you a lot about a mobile software company. Where is their marketing budget going? Usually, companies will back their priorities with budget.
If you are considering purchasing software from a mobile software company, then it might be worthwhile learning where they are spending their marketing budget.
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Mobile Convergent Devices and Applications
Yes, sometimes I must ask everyone in Starbucks to stop talking while I am on important calls, but other than that I have complete mobile office. My iPhone has effectively converged most applications and required office equipment into one small mobile device that is now an essential tool for mobile workers.
As I noted last week iPhones can also photograph and identify bar codes, use its integrated GPS to show your current location and nearby business and much more. Convergence is real.
- Kevin Benedict,
Mobile Technology Writer and Consultant
Mobile Smart Phones for Work & Play
A kind reader suggested that I try the new Google Voice service. I did and am still learning it but it has some interesting feature that I find handy for mobile workers.
Google let me pick a phone number from any location in the USA. I thought about getting a New York City number to be clever, but being clever generally gets me in trouble so chose a Boise prefix and number.
Once I had a Google phone number, I was asked to forward it to my mobile, home or work phone. So now one number can follow me to any location, phone or mobile device. My iPhone now has 2 phone numbers, one that came with the iPhone and now the Google number. I also have 2 different voice mails. One that came with my iPhone service and Google voice mail.
It gets better, Google transcribes any voice mails and sends it to my email address. I could be in New Zealand but read my voice mails through any Internet connection.
I know there is a lot more to learn about Google Voice, but I need to find a different issue to complain about now.
Enterprise 2.0 and Mobile Software Applications
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Barcode Scans and Prices on Mobile Handheld Computers and Smart Phones
In the comments part of that article, I received some good feedback from industry veterans identifying some of the challenges to accomplishing that dream. For example grocery stores don't want you shopping around for other products so don't publish their prices, and grocery stores don't want the food manufacturers promoting their products at other locations.
I did receive some links to software companies that are taking steps in that direction. Here is one link from Pic2Shop for your reference.
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Mobile Field Services Score Cards
In this scenario, everyone can see the total number of work orders a technician has completed each week, plus the results of customer satisfaction surveys and the totals of any products or services each technician has sold. This score is presented on a mobile dashboard on each of the technician's mobile handheld computers or Smart phones.
The idea is that a competitive spirit and peer pressure will encourage and motivate field service technicians to do the things that most benefit the company.
The customer service survey, each service technician must have the customer fill out on the screen of the mobile device, helps keep the service technician focused on the customer's satisfaction level.
Have you seen this kind of mobile software application before? Please share your thoughts.
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Smart Phones, Mobile Software, Coupons and Grocery Lists
I want to be able to go to a grocery store (food store) and take out my iPhone, photograph the bar code label (UPC code) and have my GPS location uploaded to a website that will instantly provide me with all the discounts, coupons and rebates available for that product (UPC code) in that specific store location (GPS coordinate).
I want to take advantage of any savings that are available. I should not have to clip coupons from newspapers, file them and browse through different websites. I want the best price for the products on my shopping list for today only. Hummm, let me think about that. Perhaps if complementary products were also on sale that could prove useful. OK, let's add that feature and make it so it can be active or inactive in set-up.
It would also be useful to know how many of my products could be purchased for less, a mile down the road. Perhaps the total costs for my groceries at store A is $79.00, but 1 mile down the road those same products would only cost $63.00. I would like to know that. I may travel 1 mile to save $16.00. The radius of the search for savings could be configured in my mobile application. I want all stores within 1, 2, 3 or 10 miles.
Perhaps I could even save the UPC bar code scans from previous visits to the grocery store. These would, over time, make up my personal food lists. With a personal list of products and their associated UPC codes saved, I could quickly make a grocery list and request best prices from multiple stores within a designated area.
Once I have a list of all the best prices on my personal food list and their locations, I could request a best route to drive, plus a list of groceries I should buy at each store to maximize savings. I may have 4 stores within my designated search area. Each store has some food items that would maximize my savings. If I travel to each store, one at a time, I could save $34.00 on my list. If I went to only 2 stores, I could save $28.45.
OK, that is all good, but travel, time and fuel have a cost. I would like to know how much time it would take to drive to each store one at a time. Let me enter a time and fuel cost. That should be factored into the overall savings.
The result should be a very quick and simple mobile application that maximizes my savings in the most efficient manner possible. I would also need to show my electronic coupons to the cashier and manage the rebate process. Hummm...save that for another blog article.
OK readers what is the application called and where do I download it?
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Network-Centric Mobile Field Force Automation and OODA
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Help Me - RFID on the Road
I want speed limit signs along the road to be RFID enabled. I want the speed limit signs to send my car the speed limit information via RFID. I want my car to receive the RFID signal and warn me if I go above the speed limit by more than 5 MPH.
I need less distractions while driving. I should be able to concentrate on reading my text messages without the distraction of looking for speed limit signs.
Who will join me and sign the petition?
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Peer-to-Peer Mobile Computing and Field Services Automation, Part 2
Field Service Technicians spend much of their time working at remote customer sites. Often the job expands or they get dispatched to a new job where they don't have the right equipment, expertise, tools or parts to complete the job in a timely manner. This can result in delays and inefficiencies that result in higher costs. Let's ponder some ideas on how a peer-to-peer mobile computing environment along with LBS (location based services) could improve these situations.
Location based services allow you to identify locations, objects and people with GPS coordinates. Based upon these GPS coordinates, various actions can be programmed or configured. Once you are within 1 mile of a shopping center, you begin to receive product sales and discount information as an example. In a field service context, you could activate a database query, or activate a series of automated business processes. Let's consider a scenario.
A field service technician carries an inventory of equipment, tools and parts in his van. It has only storage space for a limited inventory. Different field service technicians carry different tools, equipment and parts in their van's inventory. Perhaps if all of the vans had GPS tracking, and all of the van's had identified inventory, then a field service technician could view a complete mobile inventory from all 6 vans within a 5 mile radius.
Why would viewing the inventory from all 6 vans be useful? If a van with the right equipment, tools or parts was closer than the company's warehouse, then you could save time and money by meeting the van and exchanging inventory. The company van with the right equipment or parts may be only 1.3 miles away from your location, while the warehouse may be 25 miles away.
It is also good cash management to turn over your inventory. You don't want your field service technicians purchasing more of a particular part, when your warehouse or other vans already has that unsold part in inventory.
How does mobile peer-to-peer or P2P computing come into this scenario? Each mobile handheld computer can be configured to communicate directly with all the other company's mobile handheld computers so their locations and associated parts and equipment inventories can constantly be surveyd.
I have not yet seen a a work order management or field service automation system utilize these emerging LBS and P2P technologies, but I believe this is a very intrigueing new area. If you have seen examples of this kind of solution in action, please share in the comments section below.
If you would like to exchange ideas on this subject please comment on this article or contact me.
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Peer-to-Peer Mobile Computing and Field Services Automation, Part 1
In many field service automation or work order management software applications, the design and architecture of the software is in a client server model. Information and electronic service tickets are wirelessly dispatched to mobile handheld computers and Smart phones, and the service technician completes the electronic service ticket and the information is synchronized back to the server in the office. The problem with this design again is that the supervisor who is most interested in viewing this real-time work order information is not in the office looking at the application on the server.
One possible solution would be to create a special managers view or summary of all operational data. A summary of all inbound and outbound work orders, business process or rule exceptions, identify issues or customer relationship problems and then synchronize this subset of information out to the supervisor's mobile handheld computer or Smart phone. This would provide a management summary in a dashboard view of all operations.
A second option would be to provide a complete duplication of all information to the supervisor. You would duplicate and synchronize all inbound and outbound work orders to the supervisor's mobile device. There would be no summary, rather all information would be synchronized out from the server to the supervisor's mobile handheld.
A third option would be to have the mobile device of all the service technicians synchronize in a peer-to-peer model directly with the supervisor's mobile device and the office server. This would require the supervisor's mobile handheld computer or netbook to have full server synchronization capabilities that would enable all of his or her mobile service technicians to constantly synchronize with it. This would be data intensive and may cause synchronization performance issues, but would enable the supervisor to see all operations in real-time.
A fourth option is to have a real-time online connection between the supervisor's mobile device and the office server. This would only work when there was wireless connectivity available, but could provide efficient and real-time visibility into all the operations of the company.
In Part 2 of Peer-to-Peer Mobile Computing and Field Services Automation, we will discuss some ideas for using location based services (LBS) and P2P computing with Field Service Technicians.
If you would like to discuss these options in more detail please contact me.
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
American Sins, GPS, GIS and Mobile Software Applications that Show It All
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
The Future of Mobile and Route Sales Applications for Smart Phones, Part 2
In this recent article I described my need to know when the New York Times newspaper arrived at the local Starbuck's Coffee shop. I wanted an email or text message telling me that my paper arrived at 7:44 AM. Why? I wanted to buy a copy before it sold out. If it was sold out, I wanted to know the next closest location that may have one in inventory. This required some application integration and clever real-time notification systems, but it was very doable. The route sales/driver also would appreciate the above application as it would sell more papers and there would be less to pick-up and transport back to the warehouse for recycling.
In this second article in the series I want to focus on the use of business intelligence and business analytics as it relates to mobile applications. If you are driving a vehicle and/or using a Smart Phone, you do not want to be doing a lot of research and analytics on your small screen while driving. There should be a workflow already created in your central database application that you can simply activate through a request on your mobile device. This could be a series of queries, filters and reports that can all be activated and analyzed by the business analytics software in the central office. The resulting report of this analysis is your instructions and action steps as a sales person or route driver.
You should be able to know and do the following:
- What products generally sell the best the last half of October in this location? Don't make me guess or spend half a day researching. Just tell me the results and how many units you should sell. If there is a promotion, rebate or sale on these specific products tell me.
- If a store has sold out of a product line, and there is inventory in a nearby store or delivery VAN that is not selling, tell me so the inventory can be shuffled. (See related article)
- What is the profile of my best customers? What prospects match that profile in the part of the sales territory where you are travelling today? Give me the route and best sales approach so I can stop by for a quick sales call.
- I want my customers to appear on a map. I want LBS (location based services) shouting out to me instructions on what the customer has purchased, what they are likely to purchase, and what promotional campaigns I should be sharing with them. As you have limited time with each customer, you need to be using your time most efficiently to generate the most sales and profits.
- The business intelligence software in the central office, should be advising me as to what combination of products are most likely to appeal to a customer at this time. Don't make me research through my catalog and inventory. Prepare a list that can be quickly printed off on a mobile printer in the vehicle.
- If a competitor is running a national or regional promotional campaign, tell me. Tell me how we can compete effectively against it. Don't make every sales person try to come up with their own unique strategy and plan. Keep your sales people face-to-face with customers and prospects and using the company's best messages and programs.
- Don't force me to learn and remember every sales, discount, rebate, marketing and promotional campaign in advance. Provide me with the list that is relevant to each specific customer only. Let's be efficient with our time. Don't talk about a promotion on Prune juice if the customer's store doesn't carry it.
- Provide the route sales person with a list of retail locations (on a map with push pins and best routes) carrying your competitors products and then provide them with a good competitive proposal. Again, make it easy.
All of these points are simply ideas as to how CRMs (customer relationship management) applications, business intelligence software, business analytical software, marketing and promotional management software, mapping/GPS and inventory management software all integrated together with pre-configured workflows can quickly produce, in real-time the information most needed by a mobile sales and/or route delivery person. This information can be packaged and synchronized out to the sales person's Smart Phone.
If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail please contact me.
***********************************************Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
The Future of Mobile and Route Sales Applications for Smart Phones, Part 1
A mobile sales person or route sales person is driving through an unfamiliar territory. She stops in a parking lot and activates an application on her Smart Phone that identifies her location and requests visibility into the location of all current and past customers, and any known sales prospects. Her application, using Google Maps provides a map with color coded "push pins" showing the exact locations of each. Tapping on any push pin identifies the street address, name, product and account history.
The mobile sales person only has 2 hours to spare, so selects a priority filter. The map updates and removes non-selected accounts. She then selects the option to have route optimization activated from her current location in the parking lot. She gets the optimal route provided to her. She then selects an option for account "Talking Points." This option queries the central office to identify all products the accounts have purchased in the past, (accounts are represented by the color coded push pins on the map) and any product updates, upgrades, warranties, trade-ins, discounts, account issues or complimentary products that she should mention on the visit. As she begins to drive, all of this information is described to her using the voice option. This allows her to safely drive to the next location while learning all about the account.
This kind of mobile Smart Phone and central server application would provide huge efficiencies for a mobile sales representative or route sales person. The central server application, using a CRM, business intelligence and business analytics with GPS, route optimization and LBS (location based services) technologies to make the life of the mobile sales person so much easier.
For SAP users you can see the value of using NetWeaver and the Data Orchestrator as the synchronization and integration engine.
The scenario described above is not rocket science. The technology exists in many different applications, but it is segmented. Adding business intelligence, mapping and GPS technologies to basic CRM functionality can be extremely powerful. If you add to that business analytics, product catalogs, marketing and promotional campaign data, then you have a system that can advise the mobile sales or route sales person as to what is likely to be most interesting to the client. Wrap all of this integrated technology and data into a mobile handheld or Smart Phone application and you can revolutionize route and mobile sales.
Again, if you are an SAP user you can see the role of NetWeaver, Data Orchestrator, Business Objects, CRM, etc.
The bottom line is to increase sales and reduce expenses through increased productivity that will generate more sales and higher profit margins.
Part 2 or this article series can be found here.
If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail please contact me.
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Mobile Computing, High Speed Internet and Good Transportation is the Answer for the Heartland
The sharpest insight in the book according to Kauffman is that "small towns play an unwitting role in their own decline" by promoting the idea that fulfilling one's dream means one must leave home for the big city lights along the shores.
I live in Boise, Idaho. A small town in the high desert at the base of the mountains far from any oceans. Mobile computing, high speed Internet and a nice airport has made this a great base to raise my family and develop a high tech career. I travel all over North America, Europe and even Australia from here. Hewlett Packard, Micron, Microsoft and Sybase have all established a presence here.
I propose that small cities or towns, far from the big city lights of the coast, can often provide a higher quality life, a higher standard of living and more options to travel and learn about the world. Why? The cost of living is often a fraction of what living in a large coastal city requires and you are left with more disposable income.
Let me pause here to say I love the coasts. I love traveling to San Francisco, Boston and New York City and other great cities. We travel to the coast often on business and as a family on relatively low cost airline tickets. We would be missing many wonderful experiences and sites if we never visited these locations. However, I must say it feels good to return home to the mountains and the blue turf in Boise.
Small towns in middle America must understand that mobile computing and high speed Internet have changed everything. Entrepreneurs can choose nearly any place in America to run national and international businesses. I am continually impressed by how many people I meet that work at large multi-national companies and live and work from home offices in Boise. The flights leaving the Boise airport are full of highly educated people working from home offices and traveling to see customers and attend company meetings around the USA and globally.
Today, "small" town should refer to the population size, not a frame of mind. I see Boise, Idaho as a place I live and raise a family, but the world is my workplace thanks to mobile computing, high speed internet and a great little airport.
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Equipment Centric Mobile Software Applications and Workflows
Let's pause a moment and consider the implications of the above scenario. A need for a customer's equipment repair generates a work order that is wirelessly dispatched to the service technician. While at the jobsite, the service technician wants to know if any other equipment needs serviced while he is onsite. If he can accomplish more work while he is onsite, then that can save fuel and travel time expense.
Ideally, there would be an automated workflow that would link the Work Order Management System with the CMMS (computer managed maintenance system) and service calls would be organized (repairs, regular services and inspections) prior to the service technician dispatch, but even without this integration good mobile software application can synchronize with multiple backend database applications so onsite coordination can be done.
What kind of "regular" services are needed? Often, HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) companies will service their customers' equipment on a schedule for an annual service fee. To be profitable, the service company needs to make each visit the most efficient possible. They will inspect the equipment, do minor maintenance and change out filters. If a service technician is already onsite with a service dispatch, then he can efficiently conduct the "regular" services on additional equipment while he is there.
Often the environments described above involves a number of different software applications. CMMS, Work Order Dispatch, CRM and the customer's Asset Management software application. Ideally the service company would have the CRM/CMMS and Work Order dispatch system in place and all of these would integrate and synchronize with the mobile handheld computer. Once the work was completed at the jobsite the work order details would then be integrated with the customer's Asset Management application. This would allow the customer to keep their records updated on each piece of equipment.
For a related article on geotagging equipment for Asset Tracking and Management please see this article.
If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail please contact me.
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
M2M, Route Optimization, Handhelds and Business Intelligence
Another scenario is a mini-inventory management system or a M2M (machine to machine) scenario whereby a snack vending machine wirelessly notifies the vending machine owner of current inventory levels.
I can envision a scenario where 1,500 vending machines automatically and wirelessly update the central office ERP with their inventory levels. The ERP checks inventory in the central warehouse and automatically creates shipping orders and replenishes low warehouse inventory through automated ordering rules with preferred vendors.
Business intelligence software predicts the demand for specific products for each location and vending machine based upon sales and date and time stamps. This prediction is used to load the route vans.
Next the route optimization software creates the most efficient routes for the drivers and synchronizes this with the driver's handheld computer.
M2M data synchronization is being added to more and more equipment these days.
If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail please contact me.
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Multi-Purpose and Multi-line Smart Phones
What Smart phone manufacturer is going to give me both a personal and a work phone all in one Smart phone handset?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wirelessly Controlling Equipment with Mobile Software Applications
- Monitor recloser status points, such as a trip and lockout event, and automatically notify dispatch personnel. Notifications are sent upon alarms or events via pager, email or voice and can be sent to multiple individuals.
- Assist repair crews with the ability to provide open and close commands by supervisory (wireless) remote control of the recloser.
- Offers real time status of all the inputs/outputs of the recloser:- open/close state of recloser contacts- high and low voltage readings (AC powered models)- time of the events- presence of AC voltage (outage monitoring)- recloser malfunction indication- local/remote or hot line tag switch status- total count of recloser operations
We live in very interesting times. The challenge this year for mobile technology companies is to start aggregating these various mobile applications and technologies together and marrying them with mobile workflows, business process engines and business analytics.
If you would like to discuss these technologies in more detail please contact me.
Here are some related articles about mobile workflow, business processes, location based services and mobile business analytics and intelligence:
- Mobile Software and Mobile Business Intelligence
- Mobile Application Integration Platform
- Mobile Workflows and ERPs
- Mobile Workflows in the Field
- Mobile Applications that Move Things
- Mobile Applications, Location Based Services and Distribution
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Mobile Applications that Move Things
In this USA Today article, a California company has now created an application called Viper SmartStart that can replace your car keys. Your iPhone will now be able to lock, unlock and start your car. Again, your Smart Phone is controlling mechanical movements. Next I can see throwing away my garage door opener, TV Remote and using my iPhone to start up and warm my car during the dark of winter.
I have read in other articles about home security systems and security related video cameras all being managed and activated by Smart Phones. There has been the concept of convergent devices for some time, but this generally referred to converging different pieces of equipment such as bar code scanners, GPS, digital cameras etc, together in one mobile device. This new Convergence 2.0 includes taking control of and managing the mechanical movement of things.
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Mobile Applications, Location Based Services and Distribution
The LBS (location based services) and real-time notification system would need to be notified by the distributor when the product was delivered and available to be sold in a particular location. The system would require the distributor to scan a bar code label on the product with a handheld computer that includes a barcode scanner. The product, date and time stamp and location would be synchronzied with a real-time notification system that could send our text messages and emails to the subscribers.
This article, and the article linked to it, are identifying an entirely new category of mobile and real time inventory systems that could be of enormous value to wholesales distributors and CPG companies.
If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail please contact me.
***********************************************
Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Computing, EDI and B2B Expert and Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://b2b-bpo.blogspot.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************
Mobile Blogging
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Interviews with Kevin Benedict
-
Futurist David Espindola’s new book has just been released, "Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence." Alex Whittin...
-
I had a great time participating in the filming and development of a 10 minute film on digital twins recently. Last week was its premier at...
-
In this deep dive with Munich Re (Groups) cybersecurity expert Bob Parisi, we learn how the insurance and reinsurance industry develops poli...