FROM FIELD TECHNOLOGIES MAGAZINE

Best-Of-Breed Mobility Pays Off

United Rentals shows how using a mix of software solutions is sometimes the best approach for improving routing and vehicle utilization.

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  Q&A: The Dos And Don’ts Of Deploying Fleet Management
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  Rapid Growth Spurs Mobile Field Service Deployment

• GPS Stretches Limo Company’s Visibility
• Connected Vehicles Pull Into The Enterprise
• M2M Branches Out In The Enterprise

FEATURED ARTICLES

• Field Service Optimization: Oxymoron Or Major Opportunity?

  As field service evolves to become a major contributor to corporate strategic revenues and profitability, it is increasingly important to optimize service efficiency, productivity, quality, and effectiveness. However, many service managers believe this objective is impossible because service businesses are too complex or they don’t follow normal business rules. This paper, based on cross-sectional studies of more than 250 small, medium, and large service organizations operating nationally or globally, shows how service optimization is being achieved—in part, through technology improvements in the service delivery system and through new concepts in service strategy development.

• Real Mobile Workers Think About Fleet Management

  We recently interviewed Milo Mell, technical support manager at LT Enterprises for an upcoming article in Field Technologies magazine. While talking with Mell, we asked his thoughts on the following question and thought you may find his response interesting.

• An Odd, Costly Mobile Security Request

  We recently interviewed Keith Katz, vice president of management products at Kony Solutions for an upcoming article in Field Technologies magazine. While talking with Keith, we asked his thoughts on the following question and thought you may find his response interesting.

• Top Four ‘Epic Fails’ In Field Service

  Field service organizations struggle to decrease costs and cycle time, and increase profitability, productivity and field utilization.all while increasing customer satisfaction and retention. Increasing customer satisfaction and retention are perhaps the most difficult metrics to achieve. When service is required, customers expect to be provided with an appointment window so their entire day is not spent waiting for a field technician to show up to resolve their issue. They also expect the field technician to show up when promised, have the appropriate parts and be able to complete the job in a single trip.

• 7 Essential Practices For Utility Mobile Data Deployments

  The utility workforce is highly skilled, experienced, and fast approaching retirement age. As addressed in a study by the American Public Power Association, utilities that are not building a technology-enabled workforce will likely find it difficult to recruit younger workers.

INDUSTRY NEWS

• EnTouch Leverages Partnership With Telit To Enhance Energy Management M2M Application

  Telit Wireless Solutions, a global provider of high-quality machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions, products and services and EnTouch Controls, a leading provider of energy management systems for small businesses and light commercial facilities, recently announced that the companies have partnered to offer the cellular-enabled EnTouch One Energy Management System (EMS) controller and Internet gateway.

• Isotrak's 3iS FleetVision Wins Supply & Demand Chain Executive's 2013 Top 100 Award
• Panasonic Upgrades Toughbook H2 Rugged Handheld Tablet PC
• Wilson Electronics Releases Multi-Band Signal Boosters For Canadian Cellular Networks
• SOTI And PHS Group Streamline Delivery Of Workplace Services Across The UK

FROM THE EDITOR

How To Master Change Management

Technology deployments bring change. Whether it’s the major change of transitioning from paperbased processes to a mobile solution for the first time, the moderate change of migrating from a first generation solution to the next, or the minor change of an upgrade to an existing solution, it is change. If you think you can make these changes successfully without a strategy in place to manage that change, you are sorely mistaken.

RECENT NEWSLETTERS

• 05.13.13 -- Empower Your Service Technicians With The Right Tablet
• 05.08.13 -- 10 Key Criteria For Mobile Platform Selection
• 05.06.13 -- Dynamic Scheduling: The Missing Link To Mastering Field Mobility?

FEATURED MOBILE SOLUTIONS

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  MX9 Ultra-Rugged Handheld Computer

  To earn the right be called “ultra-rugged,: a device must test to an IP rating of 67, a 6-foot drop to concrete, and a 2,000 cycle 1-meter tumble test.

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  KORE Voice Services KORE has been delivering commercial voice service for more than five years, and has extensive experience incorporated in its systems, which include device certification and approval, as well as full integration of provisioning and feature management through PRiSMPro™.
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  Motion F5v Tablet PC

  At only 3.3 lbs the Motion® F5v makes it easy to take technology into the field to streamline processes and increase productivity. Available with up to an Intel® Core™ i7 vPro™ processor, the F5v offers uncompromising levels of power, security and manageability.

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  Hours of Service Compliance

  Use technology and services from MiX Telematics to help you comply with regional and national Hours of Service legislation.

RECENT WEBINARS

• Give The Green-Light: Build Your Business Case For Field Service Technology

  Join Vidya Chadaga, director of product marketing at ServiceMax, and Field Technologies Online for a complimentary webinar. This session will cover how to craft the perfect business case for Field Service technology, backed with great metrics and returns you may not even have thought about. Come learn about the best practices for building your case and securing the budget for your Field Service technology project.

• Today's TCO: Enterprise-Grade Mobility In A Consumer-Centric World

  The appeal of a low-cost, consumer-grade tablet for professional use is ever increasing, especially as the available device selection multiplies. But there is much more to consider when looking at mobile deployment costs. Join David Krebs, VP of the Mobile & Wireless practice at VDC Research, as he unveils brand-new research that will help you understand the new elements of a truly effective enterprise mobility TCO scenario. Sponsored by Motion Computing.

• Keep Score Like The PGA: Learn From The PGA's Innovative Use Of Mobility

  The PGA recently improved its tournament operations by implementing mobility, and they have real-world lessons to share with you. In this webinar, sponsored by Intermec and hosted by Field Technologies, you'll hear firsthand from Lou Manz, director of IT for the PGA, how the PGA successfully deployed its mobile solution, which has now been used at various tournaments including the 2012 PGA Championship and 2012 Ryder Cup.