Mobile Computing Thought Leadership

51. Mobile-Enabling Field Service Teams For Immediate Financial Impact 9/1/2017

    When we think about field service professionals, they are everywhere. They work in utilities (such as power generation), communications (including cable and satellite TV, internet, or mobile operators), construction, and a host of other industries. Field service teams are a key part of the business, responsible for the creation, maintenance and/or activation of your products and services. To a large degree, these professionals work at the mercy of paper-laden (pen, paper, clipboards, forms, etc.) and time-consuming processes to perform their duties – from delivery drop-offs to installation and on-boarding. Data quality problems are commonplace and processes take too long, impacting productivity, billing and budgets, bottom-line revenue, and compliance reporting.

52. From Mobile-First To Process-First 8/29/2017

    For the better part of the last 10 years, mobile-first has been the catchphrase for designers, CX/UX/UI professionals, and front-end developers. The phrase is straightforward. It describes a user interface that accounts for how a person uses an application on a mobile device — how the app looks and is organized, the sequence of screens and possible actions, and how the app captures, uses and conveys information.

53. Service As A Strategy: How To Use Technology To Maximize Your Competitive Advantage 8/29/2017

    Field service has undergone a revolution in recent years, emerging as a key strategic differentiator and profit center for many industries. In the past, service was something of an afterthought to the sales process. It was either a cost center or a break-even operation. Over the past decade — particularly in the aftermath of the most recent financial recession — service has transformed into a crucial profit center. In fact, in some industries, service has transitioned to being a primary source of profits.

54. Securing Executive Support For Broader Mobile Technology Utilization 8/24/2017

    The use of mobile technology has become almost mandatory in every industry worldwide. Every worker, regardless of their job, is now expected to maintain a certain level of communication and visibility with colleagues, customers, partners and suppliers. That notion is not easily achieved by desk-bound employees, or “fixed” computer setups. Manufacturing, transportation and field service-centric organizations understand this more than anyone else. At least they should. The majority of their workforce spends their days either in a vehicle or on foot in the field, factory or warehouse; mobile technologies are the most efficient way to ensure mission-critical data and workflow applications are accessible in real time, at all times.

55. Keeping Pace With Service Technology 8/17/2017

    As technology continues to shape the service industry, many service leaders have made the transition to “mobile-first” strategies. Along with an increasing emphasis on mobile, major growth in the availability of data is allowing service organizations to focus on technology components like machine learning, Big Data analytics, and a predictive maintenance paradigm that envisions an end to the break/fix service model.

56. The New Mobile Enterprise 8/17/2017

    If you're like most people, the first computing device you reach for every day probably isn't a laptop and it almost certainly isn't a desktop PC. Odds are, the first — and primary — computing device you use daily is a mobile one. And just as in our personal lives, mobile devices are increasingly becoming the primary computing platform for business and enterprise use. Road warrior salespeople rely on smartphone apps to get the information they need to close a big deal.

57. When Mobile Computer Pricing Isn't Indicative of Quality – and When It Is 8/4/2017

    Though not widely acknowledged, the engineering effort put into a single mobile device – and the resulting output – impacts the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and the Return on Investment (ROI) for the entire IT investment, not just that one piece of mobile computer hardware.

58. Making Dock Operations Smarter And More Connected 8/1/2017

    As the volume of global shipments continues to rise, logistics companies are facing increasing pressure to get more goods loaded faster, more efficiently and at a lower cost. But achieving this is a challenge. Dock managers manually supervise dozens of dock doors at once, manage inexperienced loaders and have aggressive time schedules. Line haul managers can only estimate time till close, leaving yard managers to work very reactively to plan their next move. Overall, access to pertinent accurate data is not always available early enough or at the right time. Together, this results in loading inefficiencies and mistakes that can lead to costly shipping damage, wasted trailer space and injured workers.

59. Quality Drives A Smarter Plant Floor: 2017 Manufacturing Vision Study 7/31/2017

    In the not-too-distant past, manufacturers frequently looked for ways to save money on labor, overhead, and supply costs to effectively compete in the global marketplace. However, the rising number of product variants, the growing price of materials and rising customer expectations are shifting that model. Today, forward-thinking companies are embracing a quality-minded philosophy, and it is paving an alternate route to growth and profitability. New processes and technology advancements are enabling companies to focus on quality and reap the rewards that an automated and connected plant floor can deliver.

60. Two Years: That's All It Took For IoT To Take Hold And Rugged Tablets To Gain More Purpose 7/17/2017

    That is how quickly IoT has transformed from an unfamiliar technology acronym to a near-mandatory technology investment for companies in nearly every industry worldwide, especially manufacturers, utilities, government and those in warehousing and distribution.