mobile workforce management navigating data collaboration

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Mobile Workforce management_Navigating Data collaboration

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Page 1: Mobile workforce management navigating data collaboration
Page 2: Mobile workforce management navigating data collaboration

…it is possible to

implement a mobile

solution that provides the

right information at the

right time, resulting in

increased productivity,

utilization and

profitability.

A mobile workforce is no longer defined as a sales person lugging a laptop and

closing a deal on a cell phone while running through an airport. Today mobility

extends beyond the business suit to the uniform or to any worker in the field who

can benefit from improved working processes, communication gathering and

dissemination and customer service.

Organizations that include field service technicians and specialists are witnessing

significant gains by deploying mobile field service solutions to increase productivity

and profitably. According to the Aberdeen Group’s July 2011

report, Field Service 2011: Mobility and the Extension of the Service

Enterprise, the most successful service professionals are more than

two times as likely to have a mobile application in place for field

service and almost as many are integrating the field data with

enterprise systems in real time.

A mobile strategy that is both well defined and implemented

correctly provides both internal and external benefits to an

enterprise. This requires more than deciding between an iPad and

a more rugged device. To achieve best-in-class performance no

matter the size of the enterprise, owners, IT managers and

supervisors are on the right path by first assessing what they want

their field workers to send/receive (logistics, forms, etc) while on the road. They

also need to analyze current performance and long-term expectations to build a

scalable mobile roadmap that successfully integrates the field with the office.

With proper assessment and understanding of how to align the flow of information

between the field and ERP, Customer Management and Parts Management

systems, it is possible to implement a mobile solution that provides the right

information at the right time, resulting in increased productivity, utilization and

profitability.

This white paper examines how combined satellite/cellular communication

technology can connect the office and remote field workers to collaborate and

improve business.

Page 3: Mobile workforce management navigating data collaboration

When asked to specify

what the top three

pressures are for service

and support organizations,

Aberdeen’s survey

counted 76 percent of

respondents including

customer demand for

improved service as

defined by speed and/or

efficiency.

In today’s economic climate there are competitive pressures to offer the best price

without compromising on the speed and efficiency of customer service. At the

same time, businesses are mandated with corporate objectives to increase revenue

and reduce overhead and the cost of doing business.

When asked to specify what the top three pressures are for service and support

organizations, Aberdeen’s survey counted 76 percent of respondents including

customer demand for improved service as defined by speed and/or efficiency. Also

on the top of the list were competitive pressures at 50 percent, increasing volume

of service requests (growing service market) at 42 percent and

shrinking revenue per customer with 26 percent.

A mobile solution can substantially alleviate these pressures. A

solution that includes the right combination of wireless hardware,

software and connectivity can achieve results on all of these critical

objectives:

Improves Customer Service. Technicians can collaborate in real time

to trouble shoot with people or software. For instance, past, present

and future service tickets and task details can be pulled and amended

while on the job. Service notes can be added in a timely matter and

parts can be checked, ordered and potentially delivered during the

initial visit rather than having to set up a second visit. The reduction

in time spent and a quicker resolution meets the customers’

demands for quick, efficient service.

Increases Operating Efficiencies. By sending data back and forth,

data captured in the field is immediately integrated with enterprise

back-office systems. This positively affects ERP, Service Management

and Parts Management systems. It also automates billing, scheduling and time and

expense reporting. From a macro perspective, it also improves service analytics for

performance, HR and sales.

Lowers the Cost of Doing Business. With the data and information to get the job

done the first time, technicians are positively impacting customer service, which is

one of the best marketing tools available to grow business. It also reduces the

repeated costs of returning to a site to fix what was not completed on the first visit

Page 4: Mobile workforce management navigating data collaboration

and as well as the time and resources that must be set aside for paperwork and

data input into an ERP system.

According to Aberdeen, the best in class in the service industry reaped an average

of 12 percent increase in workforce utilization after implementing a mobile

solution. Workforce productivity and customer satisfaction saw nearly the same

change, 11 percent and 10 percent respectively. With a mobile solution in place,

service revenue climbed seven percent while the time to cash decreased by six

percent on average. Service costs were reduced three percent and time to

resolution was cut by four percent.

Page 5: Mobile workforce management navigating data collaboration

To attain the status of best-in-class, the enterprise must find a solution that meets

the following criteria with its mobile strategy: it successfully integrates existing

enterprise applications with mobile device applications and the data is

transmittable anytime, anywhere.

Choosing Your Integrator

Businesses expect tangible benefits from investing in a mobile solution. There are

options available off the shelf. While they may work for some, businesses often

find that they are forced to fit within the constraints of the framework of the pre-

packaged solution. This can lead to slower adoption cycles and user rejection.

Alternatively, an enterprise can start from scratch to develop a mobile solution that

meets both criteria, but at a cost. A custom solution requires a long development

period and can be extremely expensive.

In addition to these two choices, there is the hybrid option that provides a

foundation built on experience and industry knowledge that can be adapted to

provide a solution that fits each individual business model and the people

supporting it. Often, this is the most cost-effective means to implement a mobile

workforce strategy, particularly when incorporating technologies that are new to

the business. This option may be the best way to assure that the full economic

potential of a mobile strategy is met.

When sourcing a mobile integration partner, it is imperative to choose an

organization with the knowledge and experience to support platforms that are

easily modified to fit collaboration requirements. In addition to having a complete

understanding of the market’s hardware choices such as handheld devices and

communication equipment, airtime services options, and business integration best-

practices, the integrator should be required to take time to understand the unique

needs of your business. This includes successfully integrating the mobile solution

with all employees, from the executive suite to the field. If the corporation is

unable to embrace a sustained collaboration across the entire organization, the

solution will not meet the objectives of the mobile strategy.

Page 6: Mobile workforce management navigating data collaboration

According to Aberdeen, the best in class in the service industry reaped an

average of 12 percent increase in workforce utilization after implementing a

mobile solution. Workforce productivity and customer satisfaction saw nearly

the same change, 11 percent and 10 percent respectively.

Choosing Your Mobile Connection

Applications require connectivity. Without it, the application doesn’t work.

According to the Aberdeen report, nearly 30 percent of field service tasks are

conducted in areas with little or no wireless coverage. In business terms, that

means lost revenue and increased costs. It is vital that technicians are able to

access application functionality even if they aren’t in an area of coverage.

The stakes are even higher in emergency situations. Communications is the

lifeblood in emergency situations. Field personnel must communicate with

headquarters but can’t if cell towers are compromised.

Much like the mobile solution itself, the transport of data comes in multiple flavors.

Cellular-based transmission works well in high population areas where towers are

prevalent. While it is inexpensive there is one potentially very costly drawback.

Cellular-based equipment can be unpredictable. Communication can be lost when

the vehicle travels through an area without cellular coverage or during periods of

network congestion or physical damage. Reconnection to the network only occurs

after the network is restored.

Even though cellular-based equipment offers the advantages of being able to

transfer large amounts of data inexpensively, for customers whose assets

frequently operate out of cellular service ranges or who require uninterrupted

communication for security reasons, cellular-only communication equipment does

not provide the mandatory constant and reliable connectivity.

Page 7: Mobile workforce management navigating data collaboration

Users who adopt dual-

mode satellite/cellular

communication

technologies are able to

take advantage of the best

of worlds: high-

bandwidth, lower cost

data transmission in

cellular areas, and secure

and uninterrupted

satellite communication in

areas with no cellular

coverage.

Satellite-based equipment offers all of the functional benefits of cellular-based

equipment, with the advantage of uniform and reliable coverage even in remote

areas. This type of system is ideal for fleets that operate outside of cellular areas

and where cargo and driver safety are of concern. In some parts of the world,

satellite service is a must for cargo security and vehicle retrieval applications.

Driven by competition and increased service availability over the last few years,

satellite airtime costs have become very competitive. Operating costs for satellite-

based AVL systems are highly dependent on the type of service, satellite

constellation and usage patterns.

Connecting the Best of Both Worlds

In the service sector, businesses that want to capitalize on the

operational and cost-benefits of cellular service with the reliability of

satellite service have the option of using dual-mode solutions. Users

who adopt dual-mode satellite/cellular communication technologies are

able to take advantage of the best of worlds: high-bandwidth, lower

cost data transmission in cellular areas, and secure and uninterrupted

satellite communication in areas with no cellular coverage.

There are two types of dual-mode satellite/cellular products; a hybrid

solution and an integrated dual-mode terminal. A hybrid solution is one

where a standalone satellite terminal is integrated with a standalone

cellular product, to create a unified satellite/cellular solution.

Installation of a hybrid solution is more complex, requiring the services

of a knowledgeable integrator to create the cellular-satellite switching

intelligence.

An integrated dual-mode terminal is one where the satellite and cellular

modems are all housed in a single enclosure, thereby eliminating the

costs and complexities of installing and integrating a cellular product

with a satellite product. With an integrated dual-mode terminal, the

user is able to take advantage of features such as intelligent message routing to

automatically send messages via land networks when in cellular range, seamlessly

switching to satellite service when the asset is out of cellular range.

Page 8: Mobile workforce management navigating data collaboration

Skymira LLC, a leading provider of mobile business applications and machine-to-

machine (M2M) telemetry services deployable on any web browser equipped

smartphone, tablet or laptop PC, offers a mobile solution for workforce

management using SkyWave’s IsatData Pro satellite service. IsatData Pro uses the

Inmarsat (LSE: ISAT.L) satellite constellation. It is designed for two-way

communications with people and equipment anywhere, anytime. With the ability

to send more than 37 times more data, the service meets the higher data payload

capacities required in mobile business applications and M2M telemetry, while

significantly increasing productivity and lowering costs.

Fig.1 – Mobile solution connects management with automated processes, mobile

workforce, vehicles, and heavy equipment.

SkyWave’s IDP 600 series satellite communication terminals empowers Skymira’s

portfolio of satellite solutions to support business collaboration in scenarios that

include electronic forms (e-forms), e-mail and text messaging. IsatData Pro will also

drive Skymira’s M2M services including GPS tracking, SCADA, and vehicle/heavy

equipment telemetry.

IsatData Pro combined with Skymira’s business applications for mobile devices can

dramatically change how remote workers operate by having instant access to

information that enables businesses to meet the goals of their mobile strategies.

Page 9: Mobile workforce management navigating data collaboration

The industry solution is ideally positioned to meet the needs of workforce

management and integration into ERP, CRM, field service applications, service

management system, service analytics and performance dashboards.

Skymira is a leading provider of mobile business apps and M2M telemetry services.

Easy to use, intuitive apps range from eForms and reports to vehicle and heavy

equipment telemetry and GPS location based services. Deployable on any browser

equipped smartphone, tablet or laptop PC over WiFi, cellular and satellite

networks, Skymira's apps streamline operations, provide greater management

control, and accelerate decision making. Skymira partners with leading

manufacturers and network operators including Inmarsat, SkyWave, Iridium, Light

Squared, Hughes, and Thrane & Thrane, among others. Founded in 1998, Skymira

has offices in Connecticut and Texas. Information about the company can be found

at www.skymira.com.

SkyWave Mobile Communications is a global provider of wireless data

communications for the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) market. SkyWave’s products

provide dependable communication, tracking, monitoring and remote

management of fixed and mobile assets. Over the past 15 years, SkyWave has

designed, manufactured and shipped more than 450,000 Inmarsat-based satellite

terminals to customers globally in the transportation, maritime, oil and gas, utilities

and government sectors. For more information, please visit www.skywave.com.

Inmarsat plc is the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications

services. Since 1979, Inmarsat has been providing reliable voice and high-speed

data communications to governments, enterprises and other organizations, with a

range of services that can be used on land, at sea or in the air. Inmarsat employs

around 1,500 staff in more than 40 locations around the world, with a presence in

the major ports and centres of commerce on every continent. For the year ended

31st December 2011, Inmarsat plc had total revenue of US$1,409 million and an

EBITDA of US$854 million. Inmarsat is listed on the London Stock Exchange

(LSE:ISAT.L). For more information, please visit www.inmarsat.com.