Q&A: Why We Chose The iPhone For Our Field Force

By Sarah Nicastro, publisher/editor in chief, Field Technologies
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Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Sarah Nicastro talks one-on-one with Buddy Saucier of Johnson Controls about why the iPhone is the company’s mobile device of choice.

The debate rages on among our audience: Is the iPhone a good fit for field service? There are a number of facets to this debate — here are the most common. First, is the smartphone form factor the appropriate device type for a field service workforce? Do I need a larger screen or a device with greater processing power/mobile computing functionality? Or will a smartphone work just fine? Second, what about the fact that it’s not rugged? Will it stand up to the rigors of field use? And finally, is iOS an enterprise-friendly operating system, or am I better off with a Windows- or Android-based device? All are valid questions, and there are no universal answers. It’s really a matter of what your application demands and — to an extent — what your preference is.

Here Buddy Saucier, VP of service and security & fire operations, North America, at Johnson Controls, shares his firsthand experience in selecting a smartphone. Johnson Controls replaced leased rugged devices with rugged-caseclad iPhones, eliminating the need for a service-specific help desk, which will save Johnson Controls close to $3.6 million in operating costs. Take a look at what Buddy has to say about how Johnson Controls picked the iPhone and why it’s working so well.