Dexterra Launches End-To-End Field Service Solution

Dexterra, Inc., a leading provider of software to automate and manage mobile workforces, announced today the Dexterra Field Services Suite, its new field service solution for automating enterprises' mobile service operations. Leveraging its patent-pending technology and combining schedule and dispatch, mobile service and mobile tracking into a tightly integrated package, Dexterra is delivering an easy to deploy end-to-end solution for field service automation that reduces costs across the board — from fuel to labor — critical in today's economy.

The Dexterra Field Service Suite enables enterprises to easily:

• Optimize scheduling and dispatch using intelligent engines, robust business rules and simplified user experience
• Deploy localized mobile field service applications in multiple languages
• location-based services (LBS)

"Businesses are increasingly seeking highly efficient, cost-effective mobile solutions that automate their workflows," said Stephen Drake, program vice president at IDC. "Successful mobile platform providers that can deliver a fully and natively integrated end-to-end solution for automating the last mile of the service chain demonstrate a provider's leadership capability in the mobile software market. Such an offering is where automation will have the greatest impact, and where service organizations gain the most benefit from their mobility solutions."

This new mobile-centric field service suite combines updated versions of Dexterra Mobile Command Center(R), Dexterra Mobile Service and Dexterra Mobile Tracker and is available in conjunction with the new enterprise and carrier editions of the Dexterra Concert mobile platform, also announced today. These key components of the Dexterra Field Service Suite are used by many of the world's most innovative enterprises across a broad number of industries and geographies, including ADP Dealer Services, Safelite AutoGlass, Source Refrigeration, Telstra, Verizon Communications and Virgin Media.

Prior to deploying Dexterra field service solutions, Source Refrigeration's field service force was completely paper based. "Tedious, error-prone and time-consuming are the words I'd use to describe the paperwork that each field service technician was forced to manage for each call," said Hal Kolp, vice president of IT for Source Refrigeration. "Dexterra's unique adaptable mobile applications are enabling us to achieve our objectives by combining out-of-the-box functionality with the ability to adapt and evolve our application to meet the company's current and future needs."

Real-Time Field Optimization
Dexterra Mobile Command Center (MCC) automates scheduling, dispatching and mobile resource monitoring throughout the work order lifecycle. The MCC system generates, provisions, books and optimally schedules both short- and long-cycle work orders. By taking into account that fieldwork is inherently mobile, highly dynamic, event-driven and location-based, Dexterra's unique approach displays in real-time all resource and work order status changes on the dispatch board. Should scheduling conflicts occur, the application engine can instantly alert the dispatcher, providing suggested actions for quick resolutions.

Unlike other enterprise scheduling or workforce management applications, Dexterra MCC has a multi-tenant, Web 2.0 architecture that provides a more cost-effective and centralized solution for multinational, multiregional enterprises. Dexterra MCC's software-as-a-service (SaaS) environment allows business users to quickly configure and deploy their mobile business processes and rules using web-based tools. This SaaS approach also makes it simple to localize a mobile application into multiple versions for various regions, currencies and languages.

Transforming the Mobile Worker
The Dexterra Mobile Service has been similarly enhanced. Dexterra Mobile Service runs on a wide range of mobile devices, providing process-rich data that allows field service personnel to receive, accept, update and complete work orders efficiently whether they are connected to the enterprise network or working off line. New capabilities include:

• Rapid out-of-the-box deployments
• An intuitive interface and workflow designed to work the way field workers do
• Support of field service best practices and enforcement of business rules and work processes, ensuring consistent service delivery
• The highest level of security in the industry to keep data safe and secure
• Adaptability to changing field conditions so businesses can respond more efficiently

Global Tracking from a Single Location
Dexterra Mobile Tracker software includes integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite technology that captures location coordinates allowing dispatchers to monitor employees and vehicles in real-time. It can be globally deployed behind the firewall allowing enterprises to track metrics such as mileage, distance, speed and geofence violations from a single location. By continually tracking mobile resources, administrators can also create and graphically display moving bread-crumb trails for continued optimization and further analysis. These real-time tracking features allow enterprises to reduce fuel and insurance costs while enhancing public safety and employee productivity. Additional features and capabilities include:

• 100 percent web-based; requiring only a browser to view mobile employees and vehicles
• Web 2.0 architecture, enabling centralized enterprise deployments or multi-tenant hosted services
• Flexible deployment using any GPS- or cellular LBS-enabled device
• Operates with both mobile devices and black boxes

"Up to now, automating the last mile of the field services chain has been a complex task of cobbling together various third-party point solutions which is hardly seamless and not always cost-effective," said Suhas Uliyar, general manager of Mobile Applications at Dexterra. "Dexterra recognized we could tightly integrate what we had already built and field proven, and deliver our customers a complete field service solution that together was far greater than the sum of its parts in automating and optimizing service operations. This holistic, integrated approach inspired the Dexterra Field Service Suite, a truly seamless solution that strips away the inherent IT complexities involved in mobilizing and automating the important last mile of the field service chain with a faster time to deployment and lower total cost of ownership."

Field Service Starter Kit
Dexterra is committed to helping customers mobilize and automate their field service organizations as quickly, smoothly and cost-effectively as possible. To make this a reality, Dexterra is offering a Field Service Starter Kit that eliminates any reason not to immediately mobilize disconnected field service organizations. Designed for medium-sized and enterprise businesses, the starter kit provides a pre-packaged Dexterra Mobile Service offering that includes common service policies, workflow, features and back-office integration compiled from Dexterra's many mobile service deployments around the world. Using the Field Service Starter kit, field organizations can be mobilized in a matter of weeks with minimal resources and operational disruptions. Through this unique offering, businesses can quickly experience the benefits of a mobilized organization and its rapid ROI, along with a solution designed for long-term low TCO.

Availability
Dexterra's fully integrated field service suite, including the latest versions of Dexterra Mobile Command Center, Dexterra Mobile Service and Dexterra Mobile Tracker, runs on the new Dexterra Concert Enterprise and Carrier Editions, also announced today. The field service suite will be available in December 2008, and each of the field service applications in the suite will also be available separately. Dexterra Concert Enterprise and Carrier Editions are available immediately. For more information please visit www.dexterra.com.

About Dexterra
The business mobility company(TM). Dexterra provides a broad portfolio of mobile applications built on its open mobility platform, Dexterra Concert(TM), that enables businesses worldwide to manage and optimize their mobile workforces. Dexterra supports the largest selection of mobile devices and integrates with the widest range of enterprise back-office systems in use today. Dexterra's end-to-end solutions help companies large and small experience rapid deployments, greater returns, higher customer and user satisfaction, and a longer lifespan over any other competing solution. Dexterra has operations in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific and a vast network of global partners including AT&T, IBM, Motorola, RIM and Telstra.

SOURCE: Marketwire