Smart Phones, Mobile Software, Coupons and Grocery Lists

I can hear it now! Readers complaining that I should already know about this category of mobile applications, but I don't so I apologize in advance.

I want to be able to go to a grocery store (food store) and take out my iPhone, photograph the bar code label (UPC code) and have my GPS location uploaded to a website that will instantly provide me with all the discounts, coupons and rebates available for that product (UPC code) in that specific store location (GPS coordinate).

I want to take advantage of any savings that are available. I should not have to clip coupons from newspapers, file them and browse through different websites. I want the best price for the products on my shopping list for today only. Hummm, let me think about that. Perhaps if complementary products were also on sale that could prove useful. OK, let's add that feature and make it so it can be active or inactive in set-up.

It would also be useful to know how many of my products could be purchased for less, a mile down the road. Perhaps the total costs for my groceries at store A is $79.00, but 1 mile down the road those same products would only cost $63.00. I would like to know that. I may travel 1 mile to save $16.00. The radius of the search for savings could be configured in my mobile application. I want all stores within 1, 2, 3 or 10 miles.

Perhaps I could even save the UPC bar code scans from previous visits to the grocery store. These would, over time, make up my personal food lists. With a personal list of products and their associated UPC codes saved, I could quickly make a grocery list and request best prices from multiple stores within a designated area.

Once I have a list of all the best prices on my personal food list and their locations, I could request a best route to drive, plus a list of groceries I should buy at each store to maximize savings. I may have 4 stores within my designated search area. Each store has some food items that would maximize my savings. If I travel to each store, one at a time, I could save $34.00 on my list. If I went to only 2 stores, I could save $28.45.

OK, that is all good, but travel, time and fuel have a cost. I would like to know how much time it would take to drive to each store one at a time. Let me enter a time and fuel cost. That should be factored into the overall savings.

The result should be a very quick and simple mobile application that maximizes my savings in the most efficient manner possible. I would also need to show my electronic coupons to the cashier and manage the rebate process. Hummm...save that for another blog article.

OK readers what is the application called and where do I download it?

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Network-Centric Mobile Field Force Automation and OODA

This article explores the combination of some of the best military strategy thinking with mobile technologies, field force automation and business intelligence solutions.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Help Me - RFID on the Road

I want to obey the law. I want to stay within the legal spend limits, but it is so hard when you have two dogs in the car, kids asking questions, the radio on, a hot cup of coffee and you are trying to read a text message while driving through the rain at night. How is one to see every speed limit sign?

I want speed limit signs along the road to be RFID enabled. I want the speed limit signs to send my car the speed limit information via RFID. I want my car to receive the RFID signal and warn me if I go above the speed limit by more than 5 MPH.

I need less distractions while driving. I should be able to concentrate on reading my text messages without the distraction of looking for speed limit signs.

Who will join me and sign the petition?

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Peer-to-Peer Mobile Computing and Field Services Automation, Part 2

This is the second in a 2 part series on Peer-to-Peer Mobile Computing and Field Services Automation. Part 1 can be read here.

Field Service Technicians spend much of their time working at remote customer sites. Often the job expands or they get dispatched to a new job where they don't have the right equipment, expertise, tools or parts to complete the job in a timely manner. This can result in delays and inefficiencies that result in higher costs. Let's ponder some ideas on how a peer-to-peer mobile computing environment along with LBS (location based services) could improve these situations.

Location based services allow you to identify locations, objects and people with GPS coordinates. Based upon these GPS coordinates, various actions can be programmed or configured. Once you are within 1 mile of a shopping center, you begin to receive product sales and discount information as an example. In a field service context, you could activate a database query, or activate a series of automated business processes. Let's consider a scenario.

A field service technician carries an inventory of equipment, tools and parts in his van. It has only storage space for a limited inventory. Different field service technicians carry different tools, equipment and parts in their van's inventory. Perhaps if all of the vans had GPS tracking, and all of the van's had identified inventory, then a field service technician could view a complete mobile inventory from all 6 vans within a 5 mile radius.

Why would viewing the inventory from all 6 vans be useful? If a van with the right equipment, tools or parts was closer than the company's warehouse, then you could save time and money by meeting the van and exchanging inventory. The company van with the right equipment or parts may be only 1.3 miles away from your location, while the warehouse may be 25 miles away.

It is also good cash management to turn over your inventory. You don't want your field service technicians purchasing more of a particular part, when your warehouse or other vans already has that unsold part in inventory.

How does mobile peer-to-peer or P2P computing come into this scenario? Each mobile handheld computer can be configured to communicate directly with all the other company's mobile handheld computers so their locations and associated parts and equipment inventories can constantly be surveyd.

I have not yet seen a a work order management or field service automation system utilize these emerging LBS and P2P technologies, but I believe this is a very intrigueing new area. If you have seen examples of this kind of solution in action, please share in the comments section below.

If you would like to exchange ideas on this subject please comment on this article or contact me.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Peer-to-Peer Mobile Computing and Field Services Automation, Part 1

There are a lot of times when the supervisor or owner/operator of a SMB (small to medium sized business) is not at his or her desk staring at the computer screen. They are often in the field working with customers and their service teams. The problem with this is that it prevents visibility to other projects that may benefit from the supervisor's real time advice and oversight. Let's now talk about some possible solutions to this issue.

In many field service automation or work order management software applications, the design and architecture of the software is in a client server model. Information and electronic service tickets are wirelessly dispatched to mobile handheld computers and Smart phones, and the service technician completes the electronic service ticket and the information is synchronized back to the server in the office. The problem with this design again is that the supervisor who is most interested in viewing this real-time work order information is not in the office looking at the application on the server.

One possible solution would be to create a special managers view or summary of all operational data. A summary of all inbound and outbound work orders, business process or rule exceptions, identify issues or customer relationship problems and then synchronize this subset of information out to the supervisor's mobile handheld computer or Smart phone. This would provide a management summary in a dashboard view of all operations.

A second option would be to provide a complete duplication of all information to the supervisor. You would duplicate and synchronize all inbound and outbound work orders to the supervisor's mobile device. There would be no summary, rather all information would be synchronized out from the server to the supervisor's mobile handheld.

A third option would be to have the mobile device of all the service technicians synchronize in a peer-to-peer model directly with the supervisor's mobile device and the office server. This would require the supervisor's mobile handheld computer or netbook to have full server synchronization capabilities that would enable all of his or her mobile service technicians to constantly synchronize with it. This would be data intensive and may cause synchronization performance issues, but would enable the supervisor to see all operations in real-time.

A fourth option is to have a real-time online connection between the supervisor's mobile device and the office server. This would only work when there was wireless connectivity available, but could provide efficient and real-time visibility into all the operations of the company.

In Part 2 of Peer-to-Peer Mobile Computing and Field Services Automation, we will discuss some ideas for using location based services (LBS) and P2P computing with Field Service Technicians.

If you would like to discuss these options in more detail please contact me.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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American Sins, GPS, GIS and Mobile Software Applications that Show It All

I wrote an article that was published on the Ulitzer site yesterday that was very fun to write. Just read the title and you can understand, American Sins, GPS, GIS and Mobile Software Applications that Show It All.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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The Future of Mobile and Route Sales Applications for Smart Phones, Part 2

This article is the second in a series on Mobile and Route Sales Applications for Smart Phones. You can read part one here.

In this recent article I described my need to know when the New York Times newspaper arrived at the local Starbuck's Coffee shop. I wanted an email or text message telling me that my paper arrived at 7:44 AM. Why? I wanted to buy a copy before it sold out. If it was sold out, I wanted to know the next closest location that may have one in inventory. This required some application integration and clever real-time notification systems, but it was very doable. The route sales/driver also would appreciate the above application as it would sell more papers and there would be less to pick-up and transport back to the warehouse for recycling.

In this second article in the series I want to focus on the use of business intelligence and business analytics as it relates to mobile applications. If you are driving a vehicle and/or using a Smart Phone, you do not want to be doing a lot of research and analytics on your small screen while driving. There should be a workflow already created in your central database application that you can simply activate through a request on your mobile device. This could be a series of queries, filters and reports that can all be activated and analyzed by the business analytics software in the central office. The resulting report of this analysis is your instructions and action steps as a sales person or route driver.

You should be able to know and do the following:

1. What products generally sell the best the last half of October in this location? Don't make me guess or spend half a day researching. Just tell me the results and how many units you should sell. If there is a promotion, rebate or sale on these specific products tell me.
2. If a store has sold out of a product line, and there is inventory in a nearby store or delivery VAN that is not selling, tell me so the inventory can be shuffled. (See related article)
3. What is the profile of my best customers? What prospects match that profile in the part of the sales territory where you are travelling today? Give me the route and best sales approach so I can stop by for a quick sales call.
4. I want my customers to appear on a map. I want LBS (location based services) shouting out to me instructions on what the customer has purchased, what they are likely to purchase, and what promotional campaigns I should be sharing with them. As you have limited time with each customer, you need to be using your time most efficiently to generate the most sales and profits.
5. The business intelligence software in the central office, should be advising me as to what combination of products are most likely to appeal to a customer at this time. Don't make me research through my catalog and inventory. Prepare a list that can be quickly printed off on a mobile printer in the vehicle.
6. If a competitor is running a national or regional promotional campaign, tell me. Tell me how we can compete effectively against it. Don't make every sales person try to come up with their own unique strategy and plan. Keep your sales people face-to-face with customers and prospects and using the company's best messages and programs.
7. Don't force me to learn and remember every sales, discount, rebate, marketing and promotional campaign in advance. Provide me with the list that is relevant to each specific customer only. Let's be efficient with our time. Don't talk about a promotion on Prune juice if the customer's store doesn't carry it.
8. Provide the route sales person with a list of retail locations (on a map with push pins and best routes) carrying your competitors products and then provide them with a good competitive proposal. Again, make it easy.

All of these points are simply ideas as to how CRMs (customer relationship management) applications, business intelligence software, business analytical software, marketing and promotional management software, mapping/GPS and inventory management software all integrated together with pre-configured workflows can quickly produce, in real-time the information most needed by a mobile sales and/or route delivery person. This information can be packaged and synchronized out to the sales person's Smart Phone.

If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail please contact me.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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The Future of Mobile and Route Sales Applications for Smart Phones, Part 1

I can see multiple mobile applications and technologies converging rapidly to provide some very interesting scenarios for mobile and route sales people. Consider the following scenario.

A mobile sales person or route sales person is driving through an unfamiliar territory. She stops in a parking lot and activates an application on her Smart Phone that identifies her location and requests visibility into the location of all current and past customers, and any known sales prospects. Her application, using Google Maps provides a map with color coded "push pins" showing the exact locations of each. Tapping on any push pin identifies the street address, name, product and account history.

The mobile sales person only has 2 hours to spare, so selects a priority filter. The map updates and removes non-selected accounts. She then selects the option to have route optimization activated from her current location in the parking lot. She gets the optimal route provided to her. She then selects an option for account "Talking Points." This option queries the central office to identify all products the accounts have purchased in the past, (accounts are represented by the color coded push pins on the map) and any product updates, upgrades, warranties, trade-ins, discounts, account issues or complimentary products that she should mention on the visit. As she begins to drive, all of this information is described to her using the voice option. This allows her to safely drive to the next location while learning all about the account.

This kind of mobile Smart Phone and central server application would provide huge efficiencies for a mobile sales representative or route sales person. The central server application, using a CRM, business intelligence and business analytics with GPS, route optimization and LBS (location based services) technologies to make the life of the mobile sales person so much easier.

For SAP users you can see the value of using NetWeaver and the Data Orchestrator as the synchronization and integration engine.

The scenario described above is not rocket science. The technology exists in many different applications, but it is segmented. Adding business intelligence, mapping and GPS technologies to basic CRM functionality can be extremely powerful. If you add to that business analytics, product catalogs, marketing and promotional campaign data, then you have a system that can advise the mobile sales or route sales person as to what is likely to be most interesting to the client. Wrap all of this integrated technology and data into a mobile handheld or Smart Phone application and you can revolutionize route and mobile sales.

Again, if you are an SAP user you can see the role of NetWeaver, Data Orchestrator, Business Objects, CRM, etc.

The bottom line is to increase sales and reduce expenses through increased productivity that will generate more sales and higher profit margins.

Part 2 or this article series can be found here.

If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail please contact me.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Mobile Computing, High Speed Internet and Good Transportation is the Answer for the Heartland

There was an interesting article by Bill Kauffman in the Wall Street Journal today (October 20, 2009) in the Bookshelf section called Where Home Is, The Heart Isn't. It talks about the book Hollowing Out the Middle by husband and wife sociologists Patrick J. Carr and Maria J. Kefalas that describes a trend where young people of intellect and ambition leave the middle of America for the coastlines. This migration has devastating effects on the middle of America according to the authors.

The sharpest insight in the book according to Kauffman is that "small towns play an unwitting role in their own decline" by promoting the idea that fulfilling one's dream means one must leave home for the big city lights along the shores.

I live in Boise, Idaho. A small town in the high desert at the base of the mountains far from any oceans. Mobile computing, high speed Internet and a nice airport has made this a great base to raise my family and develop a high tech career. I travel all over North America, Europe and even Australia from here. Hewlett Packard, Micron, Microsoft and Sybase have all established a presence here.

I propose that small cities or towns, far from the big city lights of the coast, can often provide a higher quality life, a higher standard of living and more options to travel and learn about the world. Why? The cost of living is often a fraction of what living in a large coastal city requires and you are left with more disposable income.

Let me pause here to say I love the coasts. I love traveling to San Francisco, Boston and New York City and other great cities. We travel to the coast often on business and as a family on relatively low cost airline tickets. We would be missing many wonderful experiences and sites if we never visited these locations. However, I must say it feels good to return home to the mountains and the blue turf in Boise.

Small towns in middle America must understand that mobile computing and high speed Internet have changed everything. Entrepreneurs can choose nearly any place in America to run national and international businesses. I am continually impressed by how many people I meet that work at large multi-national companies and live and work from home offices in Boise. The flights leaving the Boise airport are full of highly educated people working from home offices and traveling to see customers and attend company meetings around the USA and globally.

Today, "small" town should refer to the population size, not a frame of mind. I see Boise, Idaho as a place I live and raise a family, but the world is my workplace thanks to mobile computing, high speed internet and a great little airport.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Equipment Centric Mobile Software Applications and Workflows

A service technician receives a mobile work order dispatched to his rugged mobile handheld. It calls for the immediate repair of an air conditioning unit in a specific factory. Under the account status it says annual service contact in flashing red. He pushes the red flashing button and the mobile work order application then queries a different application - the central office CMMS (computer managed maintenance system) for any additional maintenance or inspection work that needs to be completed on the broken air conditioning equipment, or any other equipment under a service contract in the area.

Let's pause a moment and consider the implications of the above scenario. A need for a customer's equipment repair generates a work order that is wirelessly dispatched to the service technician. While at the jobsite, the service technician wants to know if any other equipment needs serviced while he is onsite. If he can accomplish more work while he is onsite, then that can save fuel and travel time expense.

Ideally, there would be an automated workflow that would link the Work Order Management System with the CMMS (computer managed maintenance system) and service calls would be organized (repairs, regular services and inspections) prior to the service technician dispatch, but even without this integration good mobile software application can synchronize with multiple backend database applications so onsite coordination can be done.

What kind of "regular" services are needed? Often, HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) companies will service their customers' equipment on a schedule for an annual service fee. To be profitable, the service company needs to make each visit the most efficient possible. They will inspect the equipment, do minor maintenance and change out filters. If a service technician is already onsite with a service dispatch, then he can efficiently conduct the "regular" services on additional equipment while he is there.

Often the environments described above involves a number of different software applications. CMMS, Work Order Dispatch, CRM and the customer's Asset Management software application. Ideally the service company would have the CRM/CMMS and Work Order dispatch system in place and all of these would integrate and synchronize with the mobile handheld computer. Once the work was completed at the jobsite the work order details would then be integrated with the customer's Asset Management application. This would allow the customer to keep their records updated on each piece of equipment.

For a related article on geotagging equipment for Asset Tracking and Management please see this article.

If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail please contact me.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobile Strategy, Sales and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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