Kevin Benedict is a TCS futurist and lecturer focused on the signals and foresight that emerge as society, geopolitics, economies, science, technology, environment, and philosophy converge.
MobileDataforce Hires Mike Freeman as VP of Sales
Noted Speaker, Sales Leader and Visionary Business Executive Joins MobileDataforce as VP of Sales...learn more
We are growing very fast here at MobileDataforce and we are attracting some very good industry talent to our management team. Mike Freeman, former VP of Enterprise Sales at Palm Inc, will bring a huge amount of talent and expertise to our team.
Welcome Mike!!!
Getting Paid for Field Services - Using Handheld PDAs
I again saw this phenomena in play when a large customer would not pay their bill until I properly registered as a vendor, got approved as a vendor, and filled out a series of forms before they would even consider paying me. Again, it was the completed and submitted data that released the funds, not the work.
The importance of getting accurate, complete and timely data from the point-of-work to the bill paying department of your customer is crucial to your success. Many small companies don't recognize this upfront. They assume doing a good job in the field will equate to good collections and a good bank account. Wouldn't that be nice.
Reality is that many small companies fumble around with these processes trying to keep stacks of loose forms and paper that are floating around in the cab of their delivery or service truck organized long enough to carry them into the office and pile them on the admin's desk. The admin looks at the stack of dusty and mud stained forms with blazing eyes that leave you watching your back.
The good news is that mobile handheld PDAs and smartphones with good mobile software applications can now be cost effectively integrated directly with your accounting and work order management systems.
The purpose of these mobile software applications is to ensure that accurate and complete data, that documents the work you have performed, gets into the hands of your paying customers as soon as possible, with as little administrative work and expense as possible. We call that "mobile business process optimization." If you would like to learn more about optimizing your field services using mobile handheld devices and mobile software applications please contact us or visit our website.
MobileDataforce VIN Decoding Technology (MVDT) on Mobile Handheld PDAs
The following items can be identified by simply scanning the barcode on the dashboard or on the door frame of a car: year, make, model, body type, bed length, doors, # of cylinders, engine formation, engine size, fuel delivery method, fuel type, gross vehicle weight, build plant, restraint system, transmission gears, transmission type, wheelbase, antilock brakes (y/n), stability control (y/n), traction control (y/n), trim level, curb weight, EPA city mileage with auto, EPA city mileage with manual, EPA highway mileage with auto, EPA highway mileage with manual, ground clearance, height, length, width and color options.
All of this information can be automatically imported into a vehicle inspection or a work order uniquely associated with the automobile. For more details please visit our website.
Broncos vs Vandals and Using Mobile Handheld PDAs
Nick Martin, a Boise State University graduate and technical support guru, arrived at his office to an unpleasant surprise this morning. His desk was fully decorated in his rival's colors. I am sure revenge and conspiracy course through the halls.
How does this relate to mobile handheld computers? I took this picture with my Palm Treo 750 PDA phone running on Windows Mobile 6.0. I synced the image back to my desktop where I am writing this blog. Using the software solution PointSync Mobility Platform I can do the exact same thing with any business application - work orders, inspections, asset tracking, proof-of-delivery and more. The world is now ready for mobilized business applications of all kinds. If you would like to discuss your thoughts on mobilizing business applications please contact us.
MobileDataforce Announces FieldSync Automotive™ for Paintless Dent Repair
Boise, Idaho— November 15, 2007 – MobileDataforce® a leading provider of business critical mobile software applications today announced a new mobile software solution called FieldSync Automotive which was designed and developed using the popular PointSync Mobility Platform for mobile handheld PDAs. This application is specifically designed for companies involved in the mobile automotive services market such as Paintless Dent Repair, Smart repair, windshield repair, bumper repair and other mobile services that require automotive inspections, work orders, VIN scanning and decoding, mobile invoices and reports.
“We are excited about offering a new category of mobile business software solutions,” says Kevin Benedict, CEO MobileDataforce. “FieldSync Automotive is the first in a series of mobile business solutions that we will be releasing on the PointSync Mobility Platform to run on Windows Mobile devices.”
iPAQ Handheld PDAs Everywhere
xTablet T8600 Rugged Tablet PCs Compete with Handheld PDAs
For more information click here. Here are some statements from their website:
Flexibility: MobileDemand's Rugged Tablet PC's are created to be as flexible as your workforce needs - regardless of the industry you are in.
Total Cost of Ownership: For markets such as Direct Store Delivery (DSD), Field Service, Transportation and Logistics, Healthcare, and Manufacturing and Distribution the right choice is a mobile computer..
Durable, Rugged Tablet PC: Nowhere is a failure more recognizable to the customer. It is critical that your field personnel are equipped with the best mobile solution.
Superior Customer Service From MobileDemand: MobileDemand's goal is to provide the best total experience before, during, and most importantly after the sale.
Customer Focused Engineering: MobileDemand takes pride in listening to our customers and using their input in the product design of our products and accessories.
MobileDataforce often works with both rugged handheld computers and rugged Tablet PCs. The majority of our customers have projects that involve data collection out-of-doors in wet, muddy and dusty environments so durability is an important component.
Application Enablement for Mobile Software Solutions, PDAs and Handhelds
Here is a scenario - The Business Manager walks down the long row of cubicles to the IT manager's desk and says, "I need a field service work order management system on rugged PDA phones for my service technicians."
The IT manager closes down his My Space page and slowly turns and faces the Business Manager. "We have a custom Work Order Dispatch application written by your cousin Pete. There are no mobile applications that plug into it off-the-shelf."
"Just develop it then."
"How? Do you have a large budget and 12 months?"
This is the question that comes up in companies across the globe. The big unknown is how do you cost effectively create mobile applications. The answer is you need a RAD tool (rapid application development tool) that is designed for mobile applications. The following link covers this subject in more detail.
The PointSync Mobility Platform is the RAD tool created by MobileDataforce to address this need.
Making Millions with Mobile Handheld PDA Software Applications
In the last month I have spoken to several of our customers about their motivations for mobilizing their business processes for use on handheld PDAs. I was very intrigued that several of them identified their primary motivation was closing new business.
At MobileDataforce we are very focused on helping our customers identify the cost savings that can be achieved by mobilizing business processes on handhelds like:
- Work Order Dispatch
- Inspections
- Asset Tracking
- Delivery services
- Clinical trials data collection
- etc.
However, sometimes this can blind us to the fact that the primary motivations of some of our customers are to close new business by mobilizing, rather than achieving cost savings by mobilizing.
Two of the custom mobile software projects my teams are working on today were initiated because our customers wanted to achieve a competitive advantage in their business. They were not motivated primarily by cost savings due to business process efficiencies. They wanted to show their sales prospects a better way of conducting business using handheld computers, mobile software applications and wireless synchronization with their office database applications. In both cases it worked. Their end user customers chose them over competing companies that were still using inefficient paper, clipboards and fax machines.
I wrote an article called the 28 Reasons to Mobilize which can be downloaded here, but in this article I failed to list as a motivation - closing new business. Yes mobilizing your business prcesses to run on handheld PDAs can save money through efficiencies, but it can also add top line revenue to your business.
RFID Adoption Rates are Dropping
Interviews with Kevin Benedict
-
Futurist David Espindola’s new book has just been released, "Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence." Alex Whittin...
-
I had a great time participating in the filming and development of a 10 minute film on digital twins recently. Last week was its premier at...
-
In this deep dive with Munich Re (Groups) cybersecurity expert Bob Parisi, we learn how the insurance and reinsurance industry develops poli...