AUTHOR ARCHIVES: Sharon Clancy

In this new series we’ll be exploring mobile device specifications, helping organisations decide what’s essential for their field service operations and what’s “nice-to-have-but-not-critical”. In this first article, we ask: is rugged best?

It all starts with what’s fit-for-purpose, explains Sharon Clancy...

More people now use smartphones and tablets in their personal lives, we are used to having these powerful computing tools in our pockets, helping us to organise our lives, entertain us keep in touch with family and friends and to buy stuff.

We take for granted multi-functionality, intuitive user interfaces, simple-to-use apps and easy connectivity.

As a result, expectations of mobile devices in the workplace have gone up.

The impact of this trend – often called "consumerisation of IT” - in field service is considerable.

It has given new impetus not just to the longstanding debate about the merits of rugged devices versus consumer devices but also what type of mobile device is best suited for the task in hand: handheld computer, touchscreen phone, tablet or notebook.

 

Another affect is that field service companies deploying mobile devices want shorter times from project start-up to roll-out and a return-on-investment within months.

There’s also been a shortening in device refresh cycle times – down from a typical five years to three. No-one wants to risk being disadvantaged in operational efficiency and customer service because they still have two years to go before the planned device refresh.

As the consumer market for smartphones and tablets matures manufacturers can no longer rely on consumers frequently upgrading devices.

Consequently, consumer device manufacturers are casting their eyes at the potentially still growing and lucrative mobile enterprise and B2B sector.

Fit-for-purpose

With no shortage of devices to choose from, deciding what’s best for your service operation is no easy task.

Fit-for-purpose should be the starting point for any deployment, say the experts. What tasks will the device be used for?

Ease-of-use of can have a big effect on productivity and user-acceptance – would an integrated barcode scanner, for example, be better than a more fiddly-to-use camera?

 

Mobile devices in field service are mission-critical – they are not just “nice-to-have”, they are the lynchpin of your operations essential to the efficient running of the operation.

Once you’ve made the shift away from paper, there’s no going back – the mobile device is your service technician’s new pen and paper; it carries the job schedule, customer details and equipment data. Your customers will become used to the higher service levels.

So, above all, the device needs to be reliable. Can it survive the technician dropping it? Are the processor and memory up to running several apps at once if that’s required? Is the screen readable in strong light? Will the touchscreen work if it gets wet? Can it last a whole shift without recharging the battery?

Make sure you can monitor devices and users once they have been deployed.

If you don’t know what is causing unreliability, you can end up in a cycle of blame between hardware and software suppliers and mobile network providers.

In mission critical operations, how will you manage repairs, replacements and connectivity issues?

Rugged devices usually come with pre-installed device management firmware for monitoring battery status, usage, scans per hour, docking and other activities. Battery-health monitoring, for example, can prevent mid-shift failures, but also the too early replacement of batteries.

Size matters

With smartphone screens getting larger and tablets now available with 5in and 6in screens, form factor is another business-case/fit-for-purpose decision service companies will need to make.

What practical benefit would tablets bring compared to a rugged handheld device or rugged smartphone?

 

Would it make the job any easier? A device that fits into a pocket and combines voice and data can be a productivity booster.

If field service operations are largely outdoors, for example, rugged tablets and notebooks have superior screen specs.

If a service operation is task-based in a simple check in an indoor environment, a rugged smartphone might fit the bill.

Fit-for-purpose also means recognising that the service organisation will have to manage different devices.

The proliferation of mixed estates will increase the need for managed services and mobile device management tools – not necessarily available with consumer devices.

Mobile Device Management (MDM) can capture a lot of granular data automatically from devices, which in turn can be used to improve productivity, address user issues and deliver predictive analytics about imminent battery failures.

Total cost of ownership

Companies who have already deployed rugged devices understand total-cost-of-ownership so are not being tempted by consumer devices.

However, the low initial cost of consumer smartphones and tablets can be attractive to field service companies on a tight budget – after all, you can buy at least two consumer devices for the price of one rugged and they have user-appeal shine, with touch screens and intuitive apps.

 

While this can help get a green light a shift from paper to electronic capture and deliver some productivity benefits, there are some risks to this approach – not least in-service reliability.

The less robust components are not designed to last the rough-and-tumble of intensive, eight hour, daily use.

Crucially there is a proven risk of higher breakdowns and failures with consumer devices – they are simply just not designed for the day-in, day-out intensive use they get when used in the field by engineers and technicians.

The appeal of rugged

Rugged tablets and notebooks have given excellent service in sectors such as utilities and emergency services, where processing power, outdoor screen visibility and high levels of reliability are required.

Rugged handheld computers, with small 3.5in screen and mini-keyboards, were at the forefront of capturing mobile data in the field: reliable, versatile and easily configurable and well-suited to simple data capture tasks – a barcode scanner or a sign on screen delivery confirmation, for example.

However, in response to the challenge of consumer devices, rugged computer manufacturers have developed hybrid tablets and touchscreen devices that bridge the gap between consumer and fully-rugged – and are also cheaper.

 

Hybrids have various names but what they have in common is consumer-style skins and touch screens necessary for user appeal, underpinned with rugged features to enhance in-service reliability.

Small 5in, 6in and 7in rugged tablets are now widely available.

There may have been compromises on ruggedness, but only for those operations where this would not compromise reliability. The manufacturers point out that they understand the need for in-service reliability and device management.

How to decide

The choice of devices for your field service operations has never been wider. But comparing specs and ensuring your devices are fit-for-purpose has never been harder.

Our Rugged Decoded series will help you do that. We’ll be unpicking the mysteries of IP ratings and drop specs, capacitive or resistive screens, and what it takes to make a device suitable for specific sectors such as ATEX and clean room environments...

 

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Service scheduling specialist FieldAware is teaming up with communications company Mitel to offer integrated real-time solutions for field service organisations.

FieldAware’s web-based back office functions are built on a flexible, cloud-based architecture with unlimited configurable fields that can accommodate virtually any business process.  Mitel's  Accelerator initiative has been developed especially for the field service industry. It embeds Mitel's real-time, enterprise-class communications and contact centre capabilities into Field Aware's mobile field service-scheduling software. The integration of location-based technology, CRM tools and real-time communications turn multiple service calls into one,  enhancing the customer experience, creating operational efficiencies and providing valuable business intelligence.

“Mitel’s real-time communications technology combined with our field service automation solutions bring service businesses an entirely new way to easily communicate across the organisation and with customers, creating a richer customer experience,” said Charles Jackson, CEO of FieldAware.

“FieldAware has revolutionised how service companies leverage their workforce to better serve customers,” said Joshua Haslett, Vice President and General Manager, Mitel Embedded Communications. “Together, we’re now able to enhance the customer experience through real-time communications, enabling the workflow from the customer service personnel to the field technician delivering first-call resolution which improves overall service.”

By adding the new real-time functionality to the FieldAware solution, customers can:

Manage Work Orders End-to-End: With the estimated-time-of-arrival (ETA) feature, throughout the entire process—from service request to job completion—real-time communications and location technologies are automated to inform the customer of service trigger events (enroute to job, delays, at site, etc.). Service workers simply use their mobile device and tap to connect with staff in the back office to inform them of decisions and speed service delivery. Communications are also automatically entered in contact centre and CRM systems.

Respond Better to Urgent Customer Requests: When an urgent service request is received, the intelligent dispatch capability leverages real-time communications, combined with presence and location functionality, to enable the service business to locate the right service worker, respond to the request quickly and ultimately resolve the issue faster. Communications between the back office, the service worker and the customer provide real-time status updates and all communications automatically become part of the customer record.

Upsell During Service Calls: The find-an-expert feature leverages real-time communications, including voice, messaging and video-calling with presence to enable service workers to communicate with remote sales agents or connect with experts. A sales agent can help the customer make informed purchase decisions on the spot while the expert ensures problems get resolved during the first visit. All communications are documented and captured in the customer’s service record.

The new functionality will be available in the FieldAware solution in Q2 2016.

 

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Work-at-height and scaffolding solutions company Turner Access is improving operational management and increasing productivity of its mobile workforce with IFS Applications 9 ERP software. 

Turner Access is a  division of family-owned, Turner & Co (Glasgow) Ltd and was founded over 30 years ago. It  designs, manufactures and supplies access equipment for safe working at height. In response to the current skills shortage facing the UK construction sector, the industry is under constant pressure to ensure employees are as efficient with their time as possible.

As part of this drive for efficiency, Turner Access was looking to refresh its legacy IT infrastructure, which was running a number of disparate systems working together inefficiently. As a result, staff have been spending unnecessary time inputting data into multiple systems and were struggling to access important documents on the move.

In addition, the company wanted to grow net margin and improve factory productivity through increased visibility of employee performance by centralising systems and providing an easy-to-view summary of key business data via the IFS Lobby, a key feature of IFS Applications 9.

Turner Access is also looking to increase turnover through tighter internal control and better cost visibility leading to increased competitiveness. Through the standardisation of processes users will be expected to save time and be more efficient and productive through communication improvements and better visibility of real time information and analysis.

Ian Wilson, Managing Director, said, “The needs of Turner Access are specific to manufacturing, sales, rental, training and contracting across multiple industry sectors and International territories and IFS demonstrated its specialism in this area with IFS Applications 9. The system will ensure we can improve efficiency across the board and we also have the option in the future to scale the solution across a number of specialist areas in both hemispheres.”

Paul Massey, Managing Director of IFS Europe West, said, “It’s always great to see manufacturing and contracting companies taking technology seriously, especially in the current climate where we are facing a serious skills shortage - technology can help. Introducing IFS Applications 9 will ensure that Turner Access stays one step ahead of its competitors and is in an excellent position to improve efficiency throughout its business over the coming years.”

 

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Service management software specialist ServiceMax has launched  Connected Field Service,  a complete Internet of Things (IoT) solution for the field service industry. Connected Field Service (CFS) is said to be the first product to seamlessly integrate IoT machine data with a field service delivery system, providing service professionals and technicians with real-time proactive information about field assets, delivered via the cloud to their mobile devices.

As manufacturers and service providers continue to emphasize the need for proactivity in field service, the solution will be the essential framework for delivering more intelligent and agile service, transforming how technicians operate in the field while improving the quality of service they’re able to provide.

Connected Field Service leverages the PTC ThingWorx IoT platform, enables smart machines to initiate service requests, introduces new tools for remote service, and displays real-time machine data to service professionals and, when combined with additional PTC Service Lifecycle Management solutions, provides technicians with connected diagnostics and contextual repair procedures via mobile devices.

As part of the offering, ServiceMax is also announcing the availability of ProductIQ, a new feature in the ServiceMax Mobile suite for iPad and Laptops.  This provides users with a simple and clear mobile window into smart device details and records in-field activities. By transforming service delivery with real-time machine data and intelligent service tools, manufacturers can better guarantee asset performance and uptime, allowing them to sell services, and not products, in-line with the outcome-based model.

“We wanted to leverage the power of IoT to strengthen our platform for delivering flawless field service to our customers,” said Dave Yarnold, CEO of ServiceMax, “Connected Field Service lets you know immediately when something has failed or is about to fail, and automatically dispatches the necessary technician with the right knowledge and the right parts to repair the machine and eliminate unplanned downtime. The real-time window gives our customers the opportunity to drive higher customer satisfaction, opens up new opportunities for outcome-based service offerings, and ultimately drives profitable service.”

“Together, PTC and ServiceMax are enabling manufacturers and service organizations to create new value for their customers through enhanced service offerings and the sale of outcomes,” said Jim Heppelmann, President and CEO of PTC. “Connected Field Service leverages our complementary technology offerings and a shared vision for the transformation of service made possible by the Internet of Things, bringing an array of new capabilities to technicians in the field and powering increased efficiency and profitability at multiple stages of the service lifecycle.”

Connected Field Service recognizes that the trajectory of the field service industry needs to match that of the manufacturing industry. As manufacturers are more inclined to sell outcomes not products, the technicians delivering these outcomes need to move from a reactive servicing to a proactive and predictive model. The CFS solution offers service professionals and technicians predictive insights into the products they are servicing, underscoring ServiceMax’s ongoing commitment to deliver the most advanced capabilities to its customers.

“In our line of work, asset uptime is crucial. The ability to create real time reports straight from the machine and deliver to our technicians is very powerful,” said Daniel Kingham, Program Director at medical equipment company Elekta. “This feature alone will differentiate us from our competitors, delivering proactive and highly productive service to our customers around the globe. Ultimately, Connected Field Service allows us to transform our business and create loyal customers.”

"With so much new technology available in IoT point solutions, one of the main challenges our members are seeing is how to make sense of it all and put it to use," said John Ragsdale, VP of Technology Research, Technology Services Industry Association (TSIA). "The Connected Field Service solution from ServiceMax and PTC is the first solution we have seen that addresses this problem head-on. They have delivered the first pre-integrated suite that can provide a seamless view of real-time machine data, right in the context of where it is needed most -- the delivery of service in the field."

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Field Service Insight UK is a brand new industry event that will be held on the 9th March 2016 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, hosted by mplsystems.

The day will consist of a unique mix of presentations, interactive talks, customer case studies and networking opportunities for professionals in the field service management sector.

Unlike many other shows and conferences in the industry, Field Service Insight UK is a smaller, focused event designed to address key topics and trends via a mix of industry professionals, field service organisations and topical experts. With a compact agenda over a 4 hour time frame the event has been put together to allow busy professionals to attend without having to dedicate a full working day.

Paul White, CEO, mplsystems comments “The field service industry is rapidly changing and introducing more and more advanced tools and technologies to improve operations than ever before. It is therefore important for organisations to understand the industry, what is changing and how other businesses are successfully implementing field service solutions to improve performance and remain competitive. Field Service Insight UK has been designed to address key topics and trends, such as the Internet of Things, Servitisation and best practice project implementation that will provide the audience with a range of knowledge from some of the best speakers in the industry.”

 

This new industry event is targeted at those in senior level positions who manage the field service delivery, operations or technology within their organisation. The presentations and case studies at this event will suit those individuals in organisations with 20+ field based workers who are looking at ways to improve service delivery and want to know more about how new technologies are changing the way we work.

Speakers will include Dave Ormston, IT Success Specialist from leading IT Consultancy LOCS, Paul Gresty, Managing Director of Ecomaster and a case study session from Rob Burgess, European Service Manager from leading casino equipment manufacturer, TCSJOHNHUXLEY.

Nick Frank, Founding Member of the Steering Committee at Manufacturing Services Thought Leadership Network (MSTLN) who will be hosting an interactive session on Servitisation and the Internet of Things in the field service sector. This will be followed by Paul White, CEO mplsystems, discussing the latest technology solutions for field service drawing on key customer project implementations including Cofely, the Metric Group and Gamestec.

 

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For more information or to register go to: mplsystems

 

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The Internet of Things is enabling ABB Robotics to transforms its customer service offering, explains Magnus Sävenäs, VP Customer Service, Head of Global Field Service & Training at ABB Robotics.

The ABB Robotics division comprises of robot applications and automation systems across numerous industry sectors, including automotive, foundry, packing, metal and plastics manufacturing.

Over 250,000 robots have been sold worldwide. The majority (35%) are used in machine tending and materials handling, 35% in welding, 8% in painting and 22% in other processes.

The Robotics division has sales and service operations in 53 countries in more than 100 locations and employs 5,500 people.

The company’s motto is “easy to buy, easy to service”, but with such a diverse spread of industries and with customers ranging from large organisations with large “fleets” of robots to small SMEs, providing excellent customer service is challenging to say the least - each customer requires a specific service model, explains Sävenäs.

The robots are often employed in mission-critical operations such as manufacturing, so uptime is critical. No production plants are identical and neither are their service requirements. So service agreements are fully flexible, where customers can make their own choices from a variety of available services.

The company recognised it needed to change from being a cost-based reactive division into a value-based proactive one and that the Internet of Things would be a key enabler.

 

The service operation is now a data-driven business, with five key components: installed products database, service organisation, remote service, customer access to information, and knowledge management.

Product database

Each robot has a “birth certificate” and “medical journal” of all equipment during the entire lifecycle up to “disposal / replacement”. it includes a physical map of all equipment by product group, customer account and location, keeping track of warranty status repairs and changes, updated on-line at every service visit.

Service Management

Maintenance services from ABB Robotics includes preventive maintenance, remote condition monitoring, life cycle assessment, inspection and diagnostics.

In operations where equipment failure impacts severely on operations, Total Time To Fix performance is a critical KPI. For the Robotics service with its global customer base, this was particularly challenging and depended on several elements: initial diagnosis, parts identification, travel time and repair time.

The new service strategy has transformed that Total Time To Fix performance, and there are several key elements:

 

Remote Service

1. Troubleshooting
   Wireless connectivity tools allow ABB to provide a virtual dedicated troubleshooting expert within 5 minutes – an expert on-demand, remote support assistance in the event of a specific problem or failure. The service technician is transformed from a repair guy in the van to a process consultant/technician who can guide the customer remotely through any fault issues.That increases productivity for ABB Robotics and deliveries enhanced support to the customer because uptime is increased.
2. Condition monitoring
   Remote Service is also used to monitor the health of robots 24/7 to increase robot uptime and productivity while reducing the cost of ownership. The robot system is continuously monitored and an automatic alert is generated when the robot condition changes or a problem arises.Regular system health checks and reports are provided utilising secure emote connections. During scheduled sessions, data is downloaded and measured against established performance benchmarks. Based on the findings, maintenance recommendations can be provided.Conditioned-based, predictive and remote monitoring has improved Mean Time Before Failure and reduced Mean Time to Repair statistics.
3. Maintenance scheduling
   Remote Service can generate a maintenance schedule on the basis of actual usage to help reduce maintenance costs.Up to 50% of unplanned stops can be prevented, while robot systems can be brought back into production remotely, avoiding valuable production losses.

Knowledge management

ABB Robotics was previously heavily reliant on the experience, knowledge and skills of its technicians. The company’s Smart Service Information (SSI) platform means no individual is now expected to carry all the information.

Technicians can quickly search all documentation, and there are 3D animated maintenance procedures called ABB Siminstructions. The Smart Device for Service (S4S) is a “Two Pair Of Eyes” solution for problem resolution

Self-serving customers

Customers have a single point of access for all service information and contacts via the “my ABB” self-service portal. It’s an easy-to-use, service deliver eBusiness channel.

Customers can view a physical map of their equipment, their equipment status, service needs, parts and so on. They can view status and health of myRobot fleet; interrogate the system with queries such as “Show me equipment close to running out of warranty”,  “Show me equipment in the later part of the life cycle (due for upgrade) and ”Show me event log of robots”.

Internet of Things, Services and People – IoTSP

There’s lots of discussion in service management about the Internet of Things and Big Data. ABB has been developing a broader strategy which it calls the Internet of Things, Services and People – IoTSP.

Interconnecting things, services and people via the Internet improves data analysis, boosts productivity, enhances reliability, saves energy and costs, generates new revenue opportunities through innovative business models

 

For over a decade ABB has been working to develop and enhance process control systems, communications solutions, sensors and software for the IoTSP. These technologies enable our customers in industries, utilities and infrastructure to analyse their data more intelligently, optimize their operations, boost their productivity, and their flexibility.

ABB is advancing the IoTSP by helping customers develop their existing technologies, while keeping sight of our enduring commitment to safety, reliability, cyber security and data privacy.

The Internet is enabling a revolution in industry is connecting intelligent machines and the collective data generated from a growing number of electronic sensors. We are ‘seeing, hearing, and feeling’ our industrial processes like never before and this empowers the decisions we make to optimise performance.

This revolution allows us to operate machines more safely, with greater efficiency, and with lower environmental impact, not just individually, but as complete systems, working in harmony to enhance power and productivity for a better world.

 

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According to a new research report from analyst firm Berg Insight, the global number of cellular M2M subscribers increased by 23 percent during 2015 to reach 265.2 million and is set to hit one billion by 2022.

One of the main trends highlighted by The Global M2M/IoT Communications Market report is the rapid transformation of the wireless M2M/IoT networking technology landscape. 2G networks are gradually taken out of service to be replaced by more efficient 4G technology. At the same time, new enhancements are being added to the LTE standard to better accommodate typical M2M use-cases with large numbers of devices and very low data requirements. In addition, the leading players in the mobile industry have reached a highly significant agreement to define a new global standard for low power wireless communication based on mobile network infrastructure. The new NB-IoT standard was accepted by the 3GPP in December 2015 and will be included in the 3GPP Release 13, due for publication in January 2016.

Berg Insight believes that the initiative will become successful in establishing a global standard for lightweight IoT communication on public networks in the next 3–5 years.

East Asia was the largest regional market with 90.4 million M2M subscribers, followed by Western Europe and North America with 59.0 million and 52.5 million respectively. Over the next five years, the installed base of cellular M2M devices is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.9 percent. “Our current view is that the 1 billion milestone for cellular M2M subscribers will be reached in 2022”, says Tobias Ryberg, Senior Analyst Berg Insight and author of the report.

As the cellular M2M market continues to grow, it is starting to generate substantial revenues for leading telecom operator groups. Verizon and Vodafone reported quarterly M2M/IoT revenues in the range of € 150–200 million each in the first half of 2015 and could be on track to reach € 1 billion on an annual basis within a few years’ time. Both groups have substantial telematics businesses, originally established through acquisitions. Besides traditional connectivity and professional services, they generate a considerable share of their sales from automotive products, driver assistance services and connected automotive applications.

 

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Getac, the rugged device manufacturer, has released the V110  computer which can be used as a conventional notebook or as a tablet. 

The V110-G2 incorporates Intel’s fifth-generation Broadwell technology to improve productivity and optimise power consumption. This new processing power, allied with  rugged build, will enable the units to deliver exceptional computing performance in the harshest of working environments, says the company.

Peter Molyneux, President, Getac UK, says the V110-G2 re-affirms Getac’s commitment to delivering the latest technology to those who need power and performance in critical conditions.  “Customers depend on Getac devices to provide them with the greatest level of performance in all conditions - the V110-G2 offers increased performance for our customers’ business."

Better productivity is a key feature among customers when it comes to selecting mobile devices – 78 per cent of respondents in the Enterprise Mobility Exchange Rugged Mobile Technology Report (March 2015) said it is a critical factor in their device procurement process. Molyneux adds: “We know that greater productivity is important to our customers, and this is reflected in this product upgrade.”

The V110-G2 can be specified with either an  Intel Core i5-5200U (2.2GHz) or i7-5500U (2.4GHz) vPro processor, both with Turbo Boost. It comes with  4GB RAM expandable to 8GB, and Windows 7 or 8.1 Pro or 10 operating system.

The  full-size, waterproof membrane keyboard has 88 standard-sized, island-style independent keys  and a LED backlight that allows user to  type in the dimmest conditions.

The V110’s dual batteries are 66% smaller and 57% lighter than earlier models and  hot-swappable dual-battery design enables you to remove one of the two rechargeable batteries and replace it with a fresh battery without ever shutting down apps or your Windows OS.

Communications include the latest superfast 802.11ac WiFi, dedicated GPS and 3D antennae.

At 1.98kg and 34mm thin, the V110-G2 is 27% lighter and 30% thinner than the previous generation, but there has been no sacrificed on ruggedness - it is certified to  MIL-STD 810G IP65 and ANSI and it can handle temperatures from minus 20 deg C to plus 60 deg C.

 

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TomTom Telematics has been identified as Europe’s largest, and fastest-growing, provider of commercial vehicle fleet management solutions by Berg Insight, the M2M/IoT market analyst firm.

Berg Insight has just published the tenth edition of its Fleet Management Europe report. CEO Johan Fagerberg commented: “Our report shows that the European fleet management market has entered a growth period that looks set to last for several years. The number of fleet management systems in active use is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 15.1 percent from 4.40 million units at the end of 2014 to 8.90 million by 2019. TomTom Telematics was the fastest growing vendor in 2014 and has now emerged as the clear leader in the European fleet management market.”

Official statistics from 2011 reveal that of the 36.1m commercial vehicles on European roads, 29.5 million are  light commercial vehicles (LCV) used by mobile workers for activities such as service management and deliveries.

A group of international aftermarket solution providers have emerged as the leaders on the European fleet management market, says Berg. TomTom Telematics was the fastest growing vendor also in 2014 and has climbed to the number one spot in Europe ahead of Masternaut. Other significant players include European companies such as Trakm8, Transics, Microlise, Quartix, Tantalum Corporation, Orange Business Services, Vehco and Finder and international players like Trimble and Navman Wireless from the US, Astrata Europe from Singapore and the South African telematics providers DigiCore and MiX Telematics.

TomTom Telematics services more than 520,000 vehicles worldwide 60 countries, giving it the largest installed base of subscriptions for fleet management services in Europe. At the same time, it is one of the world’s leading telematics solution providers.

“We believe firmly in the power of leadership in combination with continuous innovation,” said Thomas Schmidt, Managing Director at TomTom Telematics. “Our open telematics service platform WEBFLEET lies at the heart of this success, offering high performance and efficiency gains, security and quick return on investment for our customers.” WEBFLEET includes ISO 27001:2013 certification - one of the most stringent certifications for information security controls.

The Berg report also highlights the vendor consolidation trend in the fleet management sector, noting  numerous M&A activities in 2015. Fleetmatics acquired Ornicar in February 2015 – a local FM solution provider in France adding around 15,000 vehicle subscriptions. In March 2015, a decision was made to merge the two Danaher Corporation owned companies Navman Wireless and Teletrac. Later in April, Orange Business Services acquired OCEAN that now operates as a subsidiary with the OCEAN brand name. Novatel Wireless announced a bid to acquire Digicore in June in a deal worth US$ 87 million. In the same month, Viasat announced to have acquired a controlling interest in Cefin Systems. Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division and GRO Capital announced the acquisition of Trackunit from the founders of the company in July. Thermo King acquired Celtrak in October. The latest transaction was done in November when Fleetmatics acquired Visirun in Italy adding 28,000 subscriptions amd 3,000 clients.

TomTom Telematics has also been named Best Vehicle System Integrator by TU-Automotive in recognition of its open platform which now has more than 350 partners. Available third-party software solutions and apps include those for CRM and ERP, planning and scheduling, route optimisation, temperature control, mobile printing and lone worker safety.

 

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