AUTHOR ARCHIVES: Kris Oldland

JLT Mobile Computers, developer of rugged computers for demanding environments, has recently launched the VERSO+ 10 computer with QuickLock, which they have dubbed as a 'new class of rugged vehicle terminals...'

Equipped with an Intel® Core™ i5 processor, the VERSO+ 10 computer offers strong performance in one of the industry’s smallest rugged form factors, making it a good choice for installations in tight cabins or other small areas. The QuickLock feature offers quick and easy mounting with the computer easily detached and attached in the vehicle to simplify service, being moved between vehicles or prevent theft by removing it at the end of the working day.

The new devices have a 10 inch sunlight readable XGA display and scratch resistant multi-point touch screen placing the VERSO+ 10 computer in the same family of heavy-duty JLT VERSO series that also includes 12 inch and 15 inch computers. JLT claim this youngest sibling will also provide the same high reliability as the rest of the series when used within very tough environments such as agriculture, ports, freezer storage, yard-logistics, and forestry

The VERSO series only launched in the first quarter of 2013 but has grown quickly and JLT have attracted customers from around the world with high demand for performance, ruggedness and reliability. With the new VERSO+ 10 computer, with QuickLock feature and a smaller form factor, customers now have a more flexible and compact alternative, but with the same performance and ruggedness.

As with all JLT computers, the VERSO+ 10 computer is built from the ground up to deliver maximum reliability and function in very demanding environments. It comes with an Intel Core processor or an Intel dual-core Atom D2550 processor. Built-in features include a 9-36 VDC power supply, a backup battery to ensure uninterrupted operation during power drops, WLAN communication with built-in highly sensitive PIFA antennas, custom-made for reliable Wi-Fi connectivity in environments with poor coverage.

New with the VERSO+ 10 computer are Bluetooth PIFA antennas with a resulting reliable communication with low-power hand carried peripherals, and the option of external antennas for both WLAN and Bluetooth for very demanding environments such as ports and other wide areas. The VERSO+ 10 can also be equipped with 3G WWAN communication. The VERSO+ 10 computer can be ordered with Windows 7 Pro or Windows Embedded Standard 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Embedded 8 Standard operating systems.

“With the new VERSO+ 10 computer, we build on the success of the VERSO series of heavy-duty vehicle computers that, since its launch in January last year, is being selected by customers within mining, sawing mills, off-shore, ports and other demanding applications,” said Per Holmberg, CEO at JLT. “With the VERSO+ 10 computer, we reinforce our leading position within the high-end of the market by providing the smallest form factor and greater flexibility with the same high performance.”

Another key draw for companies is the JLT:Care Service Level Agreement. With this ”No-Questions-Asked” service added, customers are guaranteed a high support level and short repair times to maximise the up-time of the computer at predictable cost, an important benefit.

The VERSO+ 10 computer is available now with a dual-core Intel Atom processor D2550 and can be ordered from JLT Sales Partners. The Core processor option will start shipping in the second half of 2014.

The Internet of Things has certainly gained momentum recently but what does it mean to the Field Service Industry? Kris Oldland, Editor of Field Service News looks at how it could impact the industry and at a first generation of IoT field service software from Core Systems

Internet of things 101

According to the Gartner Hype Cycle for 2013, the Internet of Things was sat just below Big Data, nearing the peak of inflated expectations that emerging technologies inevitably go through. Indeed just as Big Data seemed to be the key item on the agenda in corporate offices around the world this time last year, so the Internet of Things is doing the rounds currently. So what exactly is it and what exactly does it mean to the Field Service industry at large.

Well the term Internet of Things (IoT) was first coined some 15 years ago having been proposed by British technology pioneer Kevin Ashton and largely does what it says on the tin. In a famous article for RFID Journal Ashcroft outlined the concept explaining:

“If we had computers that knew everything there was to know about things—using data they gathered without any help from us—we would be able to track and count everything, and greatly reduce waste, loss and cost.”

The idea itself is fairly simple. If we give the ordinary items that surround us the ability to essentially communicate with the world without the need for human input, the world would run just that much smoother.

With RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) essentially the ability has existed for a while for such data transfer although other tracking technologies such as NFC (near field communications) digital watermarking, low powered Bluetooth, QR codes and their humbler, older cousin the barcode can also provide the same solution.

In reality there have been two key developments that have propelled the IoT into existence.

Firstly with the latest Internet protocol IPv6 there is now room for the Internet of Things to exist. Whilst it sounds crazy, the previous protocol IPv4 just isn’t big enough and we are running out of Internet. Given that an estimated 26 to 30 Billion devise will be connecting wirelessly to the IoT within the next six years, we need somewhere these devices can call their digital home, the newer larger protocol of Ipv6 is just that and has evolved a  somewhat symbiotic relationship with the IoT.

Secondly there is the rise in smart devices such as mobile phones. These can take the role of translator between ‘dumb’ devices and the internet. Whilst the hyperbole surrounding the IoT may seem futuristic, with domestic appliances being given intelligent capabilities, the reality is that the days of ‘smart fridges’ that keep in touch with your supermarket of choice to make sure you never run out of milk being in every home are still a little way off.

However, a simple QR code placed on the front of your current ‘dumb’ fridge could give it a digital life of it’s own via your smart phone. Access to user manuals, serial numbers, replacement parts and communicating with local service engineers are suddenly possible and an early stage in the IoT amongst the general populous is very quickly becoming reality.

Internet of Things and Field Service

It is along just these lines that Swiss company Core Systems have evolved their product to date.

Whilst offering many of the features you would expect from most modern Field Service software solutions, including some neat dashboards, plenty of employee data, inventory management etc, they have also included IoT functionality.

By including a QR code or other tagging device on their products, ‘Core Systems ‘ clients are able to to offer their customers a first generation IoT interface via the cloud based CoreSuite, CoreSystems’ field service platform. End users are thus able to use their smart phone as a bridge between the ‘dumb device’ and the service company.

This allows customers of the service company to use their phone to schedule a service visit, providing an additional channel of communication alongside more similar methods such as phone, email and webchat. Also the same interface provides the opportunity for increased customer maintenance by putting machine specific information in the hands of the customer, resulting in fewer service calls for basic issue resolution.

Similarly it is not just the customer who benefits from this bank of machine specific knowledge. Should an engineer be required to attend a site, he to is able to gain access to information relating to the faulty machine including its maintenance history, in a quick, efficient and simple manner.

In the not so distant future…

Admittedly beyond the IoT element CoreSuite doesn’t break the mould of many of the other cloud based field service management software systems that are available, this first iteration of IoT based field service management system undeniably offers companies the ability to add the wow factor to their approach to service.

However, it is perhaps the next few generations of this technology that will be truly intriguing to the field service industry. As manufacturers turn to developing smart devices from jumbo jet engines through to white goods, machine to machine diagnosis and preventative maintenance will become the accepted norm and so IoT based field service management systems will in turn become more in demand.

If this proves to be the case then Core Systems are well positioned to become a major player in the field service software industry and have made an early start down an exciting and promising path.

Want to know more? Visit this years Service Management Expo where Field Service News Editor Kris Oldland will be interviewing Core Systems CEO Phillip Emmenegger on the rise of IoT and its applications in Field Service, as part of the programme for the Field Service Solutions Theatre, hosted by Field Service News.

Welcome to the fourth edition of our Field Service News podcast. This month we are joined by Noventum Service Management consultant Nick Frank. 

In this exclusive interview Nick talks extensively about a recent study he and his colleagues have made into what are the key drivers for growth for businesses and the role service plays in this.

This podcast is also accompanied by a great article written exclusively for Field Service News by Nick which you can find here

Nick will also be joining Field Service News in the Field Service Solutions Theatre at this year's Service Management Expo being held in London's ExCel on June 17th, 18th and 19th. So if you want to here more from Nick then make sure you get your complimentary 3 day pass by clicking this link

mplsystems has announced a new, integrated field service management solution that directly address what they perceive as the three main barriers to field service efficiency: combining disparate IT systems; enabling the scheduling of reactive jobs alongside planned tasks; and solving ongoing issues relating to lack of visibility of activities in the field.

The systems key functionality includes a unified service desk portal, automatic and dynamic planning and scheduling of service activities, as well as mobile communications for field personnel through dedicated apps for all leading smart phones and tablets.

The solution is particularly easy-to-use, supporting a unique combination of automated scheduling with dynamic drag-and-drop capabilities to enable planners to optimise schedules and manage their reactive tasks in real-time. When integrated with a comprehensive service desk portal and updates via mobile apps, organisations will be able to unlock significant productivity and efficiency savings with a true, real-time view of all current maintenance activities across the business.

Bridging the disconnect

“Until now field service management systems have always suffered from a disconnect between the service desk, planning and what’s actually going on in the field. The result is that it has proved virtually impossible for service management firms to react quickly to customer emergency jobs and change requests as the planning function is burdened by overly complex scheduling tools that make it difficult to schedule such reactive jobs in real-time. Our new service management solution directly address this challenge,” commented Paul White, CEO at mplsystems.

“And despite the great advances in smart phone technology, the reality for most service organisations is still that their field workforce is largely invisible. That’s a real concern given that the top complaint from service maintenance customers is that technicians, when on site, can’t resolve issues. By integrating our service desk portal with both automated scheduling and field updates via mobile apps, we can make sure that field service organisations have both the real-time information dynamic planning tools they need to solve this problem.”

The new solution differs with traditional service scheduling tools that are often over-complex with endless menus, options, parameters and screens.

Instead the mplsystems solution features a simplified interface with three core drag-and-drop presentation options that enable schedule optimisation: a dynamic map view that streamlines the scheduling and allocation of tasks, a field service engineer’s calendar view showing all jobs and locations, and a complete list of jobs that can be filtered using a range of parameters.

These three views can be toggled separately or displayed concurrently on a single screen. When the service desk receives a call, all service desk staff need to do is just drag and drop the task onto the appropriate field engineer’s schedule. This action updates diaries and transfers all relevant task information to the engineer’s mobile Android, iOS or Windows Mobile device.

mplsystems vs maximo?

Statutory Support Services, a specialist building services maintenance group, chose the new mplsystems solution to gain a single view of all its field activities.

“With mplsystems we’ve been able to automate around 50 percent of the manual scheduling tasks that we had to do with our previous system, and we’re already seeing improvements in terms of our KPIs and SLAs. Our schedulers are no longer overloaded with endless menus, options, parameters and screens. Instead they get to look at just three simple views – a dynamic map that streamlines the drag-and-drop scheduling and allocation of tasks, a field service engineer’s calendar view, and a complete list of jobs that can be filtered using a range of parameters,” explained Adam Clarke, Statutory Support Services UK Limited’s Managing Director.

“The sheer simplicity of the system means that our staff simply need to drag-and-drop a task onto the appropriate field engineer’s schedule. This action updates diaries and transfers all relevant task information to the engineer’s mobile device. With the time saved, we can focus our helpdesk staff on the kind of added value tasks that other service companies simply don’t have the time to do.

“Thanks to increased SLA adherence and the ability of our new mplsystems implementation to respond effectively to reactive jobs and dynamic schedule optimisation, we’re expecting the mplsystems field service management solution to pay for itself within just six months,” he added. “When you factor in costs such as licencing and hardware costs for field mobile systems, we’re estimating that our cloud-based mplsystems technology solution will work out at around five times less expensive than our legacy enterprise Maximo-based scheduling system.”

mplsystems’ new end-to-end solution can be delivered either on premise or in the cloud, and provides field service organisations with a true real-time view of all their current maintenance and support activities across their entire operation. A full suite of field service management software allows businesses to create and customise exactly the level of functionality they need around their existing IT investments.

Visitors at this year’s Commercial Vehicle which was held last week were able to get a first glimpse at TomTom Telematics’ new ruggedised seven-inch driver terminal, the latest edition to the WEBFLEET fleet management platform.

Businesses will be able to host bespoke applications on the terminal to help van and truck drivers capture more information in the field, such as digital signature capture for proof of delivery, vehicle checks and barcode scanning, all on one device.

This latest development extends the WEBFLEET platform, which now has 3 API’s - in the office, in the field and on the driver terminal. With this new API, the extended integration capabilities of WEBFLEET (known as .connect) allow business to streamline their end-to-end processes, where field staff and vehicles become an integrated part of the overall operations. With the wide set of applications already developed by its partners, WEBFLEET sets the standard for developers to seamlessly connect vehicles and mobile workers with the back office*.

The new driver terminal, PRO 8275, combines the earlier announced TomTom Bridge with WEBFLEET and the .connect API capabilities. The device will be on display.

The driver terminal will add flexibility and value to an already strong solution for transport operators. Visitors can see the terminal along with existing applications such as truck navigation, tachograph management, predefined route and itinerary order creation, along with extensive hardware and software integration possibilities in the office and around the vehicle.

TomTom Telematics will also be demonstrating the end to end capability of their WEBFLEET solution at this years Service Management Expo in London's Excel in June 17th, 18th and 19th where they are hosting the Field Service Demo Zone as well as participating in the Field Service Solutions Theatre which is hosted by Field Service News. 

xMatters, a company specialising in communications-enabled business processes, has announced its cloud-based, automated messaging and communications platform is now fully certified for integration with the latest version of ServiceNow, the enterprise IT cloud company.

This latest version, known as Dublin, delivers enhancements to accelerate innovation, mobility, consolidation and automation within IT and across the entire enterprise.

With this cloud-to-cloud integration, joint customers can seamlessly integrate the full power of xMatters’ enterprise-grade, multi-modal communications with ServiceNow’s IT management solutions.

The Dublin release adds IT alerting based on rules such as on-call schedules, escalations and device preference as well as proactive subscription-based notifications to impacts or ‘in the know’ individuals throughout the enterprise.

In addition, xMatters’ on-demand platform offers full support for its iOS, Android and Blackberry mobile application, enabling users to take advantage of two-way notifications and the ability to respond from anywhere.

“Our customers operate in a rapid-pace environment and this continued integration with ServiceNow is a testament to providing them with the most efficient communications platform for critical moments,” said Troy McAlpin, CEO of xMatters.

“The added functionality available with this new release will continue to support users as unexpected incidents occur, managing all the message content and handling through our notifications.” He concluded

Recruitment consultancy Concept Resourcing have recently announced that they are able to report the highest demand for their services since 2008.

This growth is largely due to the company having seen particularly strong demand for their Field Service Engineering division.  This division specialises in providing field engineers to a number of sectors including IT, document solutions, domestic appliances, plant hire and commercial and domestic gas.

In March this year the company registered 346 new client vacancies, which is a 57% increase on the same period last year.  This increase is a clear indication that many UK business owners across the UK have confidence to increase permanent headcount in their service departments.  Good news overall for the UK employment market and further proof of a strong growth in the economy.

Concept Resourcing’s field service engineering division has placed more permanent staff over the last quarter than ever before. As a result they are currently hiring new resourcers and recruitment consultants into the division in response to increasing demand for our services.

It seems that the service industry continues to remain a strong, vibrant and vital part of the UK’s economic recovery.

Based on its recent analysis of the mobile workforce management market, Frost & Sullivan have recognised Xora, a ClickSoftware Company with the 2014 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for Customer Value Leadership.

The award highlights Xora's superior focus on enhancing the value customers receive, beyond good service, leading to improved customer retention and, ultimately, market share expansion.

Four key factors contributed to Xora’s leadership in providing customer value:

• a best-in-class customer support program during and after solution deployment
• an affordable, cloud-based delivery model
• the forging of strong partnerships with wireless carriers
• an expanded definition of the solution’s use and value in today’s marketplace

Xora StreetSmart, a suite of configurable mobile apps that turn any mobile phone or tablet into a powerful productivity tool, is designed to appeal to a wide range of businesses and public-sector agencies.

The application is highly configurable through an intuitive, easy-to-use interface and is continually evolving with new feature releases. Cloud-based SaaS deployment minimizes IT requirements. The solution also allows customers to easily scale their implementation, leveraging new features as their needs evolve. This ultimately creates high-value delivery for each Xora customer and rapid ROI.

As a part of its promise to provide best-in-class service, Xora delivers live training to educate users on solution capabilities, ranging from help creating wireless forms to configuring mobile jobs and defining mobile business workflows to better realise the customer’s end goals. Xora also invests time and energy to understand business needs of its customers, which results in clear ROI expectations for the customer and greater use of Xora’s capabilities, ultimately leading to better service for end consumers.

With the merging of ClickSoftware and Xora, customers will receive increased benefits from the ability to expand their functionality as their business and mobile workforce needs grow. The merging of the two organisations will enable Xora to leverage ClickSoftware’s global sales operations, while providing ClickSoftware additional distribution channels through leading wireless carriers.

Xora is both a visionary and evangelist when it comes to the business potential of mobile workforce management solutions. The company has spent the past two years working to expand the industry’s view of the value and capabilities that MWM solutions can deliver—well beyond just understanding employee locations to transforming mobile business processes in the field.

“By merging Xora and ClickSoftware, we expanded our product offerings to service companies of all sizes, from 5 to 50,000 mobile workers. We are proud to deliver services that enable them to provide an exceptional customer experience, while also providing the tools to achieve outstanding operational performance and grow their businesses,” said Dr. Moshe Ben Bassat, founder and CEO of ClickSoftware.

“The combination of Xora and ClickSoftware will enable companies to pick the deployment model that suits their needs—whether it’s an out-of-the-box cloud deployment for an SMB or enterprise solution to meet more complex business needs.” he continued.

“Xora knows the SMB sector—its needs, its fears, its pain points,” said Jeanine Sterling, principal analyst, Frost & Sullivan. “As a result, it understands how to create real value for small and mid-sized businesses, focusing not just on affordability, but also on two other make-or-break factors with these customers—ease of implementation and ease of use. We’re very pleased to recognise Xora, a ClickSoftware Company, with this Customer Value Leadership Award.”

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognise companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research in order to identify best practices in the industry.

Robert Woodhead is an award winning Construction Company operating across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. Growing steadily since its inception in 1946, Robert Woodhead have developed an impressive customer portfolio and now deliver multi million pound contracts  to some of the largest public and commercial organisations in the UK.

To help meet their rigorous customer service targets, Robert Woodhead decided to develop its service management offering as ‘Woodhead One’ – a specialist operation that delivers responsive repairs and maintenance. As part of the business strategy and to support the expanding repairs and maintenance business, the company knew it would have to optimise its customer contact and scheduling activities if it was to successfully balance excellent customer service with high quality operational performance.

Previously using manual spreadsheets and paper based job allocation, the business wanted a solution that would manage the end-to-end field service operation. To successfully achieve these project goals, Robert Woodhead selected mplsystems to design and deliver a seamless end-to-end field service management solution that would include the helpdesk, scheduling and mobile field service. The solution would need to integrate with existing systems and enhance business processes.

In response to customer demand and to alleviate the volume of service requests going through the helpdesk, mplsystems designed a customised self-service portal that allowed clients to log and track jobs themselves. The portal gave customers full visibility of their service requests and meant they could access the portal at any time without having to call or email the help desk.

Once the request has been made, the helpdesk were able to view real time information on the location and status of mobile field workers and to fully optimise job allocation and instantly send a notification update to the field worker via mplsystems customised mobile app technology.

This solution simplifies the service management process whilst improving efficiencies for both Woodhead One staff and their valued customers. Since implementing the solution Woodhead One have experienced significant business growth and 100% increase in reactive job requests in just two years. The portal now manages more than 75% of these reactive service requests, allowing Woodhead One to reduce their outbound call costs, increase service response times and reduce the admin load on the service helpdesk.

Customers no longer have to call or email the service desk to request a job, they are able to access the portal 24/7 and have full visibility of their request from initiation to completion. Clients can also now effectively measure their job requests through instant reporting from the portal and have full visibility of billing to fully understand associated costs, meaning they too can optimise their business operations.

Stephen Gribby, Repairs and Maintenance Director, Woodhead One commented 

“The team at Woodhead One see our solution from mplsystems as a true differentiator and a feature that is now helping us win new business. We are continuously reviewing our service delivery efforts and the next stage of the project is to encompass our payments system into the portal to achieve a more unified approach across the business”

To find out more you can read the full case study here