Durabook, the global rugged mobile solutions manufacturer, today announces a distribution agreement with Akhter Computers, provider of customised computer solutions.

The partnership will see Akhter selling Durabook-based solutions primarily into defence, government, public security and blue light organisations across the UK. As a prime partner for MoD organisations, Akhter is well placed to deliver innovative, customised solutions depending on need and environment.

the partnership will expand durabook's reach into defence, public safety and blue light sectors

Durabook continues to grow its customer base in the government and public security sectors around the world, including police and air forces, healthcare and military. The partnership with Akhter aims to extend this success in the UK, as defence and public security organisations look to innovate, and adopt the latest technologies even while budgets are squeezed. In return, Durabook offers greater margins, unmatched customisation and support for its distribution and reseller partners.

Alan Laffoley, CEO & Technical Director at Akhter comments; “Akhter has served the Ministry of Defence clients since 1985 and so understands the pressures of sourcing to the best-value and price-performance stipulations of government procurement guidelines. Durabook’s extensive customisation options and capabilities enables us to create more compelling solutions tailored to the varied needs of defence organisations and deliver them in a timely way.”

For more information on Durabook rugged tablets and laptops, please contact Akhter on durabook@akhter.co.uk or visit https://www.akhter.co.uk/durabook/.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Find out more about Durabook @ www.durabook.com/
• Read more about Durabook on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/all-about-durabook
• Learn more about Akhter @ www.akhter.co.uk
• Follow IFS on Twitter @ twitter.com/Durabook

IFS today announces the appointment of Johan Made as Chief Commercial Officer. In the newly created role, Made will be responsible for driving IFS’s growth strategy through inorganic investments and development initiatives, including mergers & acquisitions. The appointment is a further signal of IFS’s ambition to extend its leadership as the technology platform of choice for companies who want to create and deliver amazing moments of service for their customers. Michael Ouissi, IFS’s Chief Customer Officer will continue to focus on driving growth organically.

Made will join the IFS Executive Leadership Team at an important time of IFS’s growth journey. With the recent launch of IFS Cloud, IFS is well positioned to help more customers realize value faster and drive the cost of ownership down. The powerful technology is not only a new proposition for customers, but IFS Cloud is also changing how IFS operates, with twice yearly updates that will keep customers evergreen, a Voice of the Customer program that sets a new industry benchmark, and rapid innovation-to-impact capabilities. Together with his team, Made will help drive growth opportunities for customers and accelerate IFS’s own growth journey.

IFS strenghtens its executive leadership team to further improve commercial strategies and capabilities

Commenting on the appointment, Darren Roos, CEO at IFS, said: “Johan is a passionate leader who is known for helping people and companies achieve their best. We have worked together before, so I have seen him in action. Johan will be a great addition to my Executive Leadership Team, and I’m looking forward to seeing his contribution help us build on the momentum we have achieved in the market, as well as further improve our commercial strategies and capabilities”.

Johan Made, Chief Commercial Officer at IFS, added: “IFS has been on my radar for many years. However most recently I have seen the company transform into the most agile and customer-committed vendor in the industry – clearly this was something that was attractive to me. There is a lot of opportunity for further growth and I believe IFS has the right people, technology, and partners to move faster and add more value to its customers than any of its peers. These are the ingredients that enable IFS itself to deliver amazing moments of service to its own customers.” He continued: “With the continued support from EQT and TA, I am looking forward to putting in motion new strategic initiatives that will achieve strong value for our customers, partners and employees.”

Chairperson of IFS, Jonas Persson, said: “Adding the industry’s best talent is hugely important for any growth business like IFS. Having achieved 26% YoY growth in software revenue in 2020, it makes perfect sense to have Johan join us. He has a stellar track record, really understands the market, and is hugely passionate in the way he leads.”

Made joins IFS from Infor where he was EVP for North, West & East Europe. Prior to Infor, Made was Managing Director for SAP in Sweden, and has also held senior leadership roles at Oracle, Hyperion and IBM.

Find out more about IFS’s leadership team here.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Leadership and Strategy @ www.fieldservicenews.com/leadership-and-strategy
• Read more about IFS on Field Service News @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/ifs
• Find out more about IFS @ www.ifs.com/
• Learn more about IFS Cloud @ www.ifs.com/corp/ifs-cloud
• Follow IFS on Twitter @ twitter.com/ifs

Join Microsoft and HSO experts on 27th April for a one-day field service masterclass dedicated to transforming your business, explore the role of servitization and see the benefits Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service can bring to your organisation.

Field Service Masterclass 27^th April – Transforming Service Delivery

A one day masterclass dedicated to transforming your business by connecting people, data & equipment to deepen customer loyalty & deliver profitable field service operations.

Adoption of new technology is at the forefront of both customer and field service organisations’ minds, with a combination of mobility, social media, cloud computing, IoT capabilities and more significantly, changing behaviours & expectations. In this landscape, companies need to revisit their infrastructure and processes to ensure that they are capable of delivering a service that puts the needs and desires of their customers first.

Join Microsoft & our HSO field service experts for a field service masterclass where we will explore the role of servitisation to supplement traditional product offerings, discuss ways in which the industry is evolving from a customer and technology perspective, & see the benefits Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service can bring to your organisation in both building customer trust &  embracing the gig economy.

Places for the Masterclass are limited so please apply for your place on this popular virtual event today. Find out more.

Download the agenda here.

Further Reading:

• Find out more about HSO Field Service Masterclass here
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Service Delivery @ www.fieldservicenews.com/service-delivery
• Learn more about HSO @ www.hso.com
• Read more about HSO on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/hso

In an announcement that sent shockwaves across the world late last night, a consortium of high profile technology and business leaders have delivered a signed petition simultaneously to multiple national and extra-national governmental agencies including the US Senate, EU Council and CCP's National People's Congress to urge them to turn off the Internet of Things for an entire week once a month in a bid to combat climate change...

The official petition, which is being dubbed the 'slight reset' has over a hundred signatures of influential and powerful CEOs and is reported to have been largely driven by Bill Gates, whose company Microsoft could lose a significant amount of revenue if the plan goes ahead.

However, Gates, a well know philanthropist, is apparently prepared to risk denting his earning potential in a bid to save the world. A source close to Gates said 'Bill really just wants to make a difference and he already has his team working on bio-internet applications that could bridge the gap during each month's 'slight reset.'. 

"The idea is that we can harness some of mother Earth's natural resources as organic data warehouses, during the planned downtime, and utilise these to re-upload the missing data after each reset," the source added. 

It is not clear exactly what organic data warehouses may look like although a clue may be in a small Scottish company Gates recent acquired EcoLokate who have a number of patents registered in the area of bio-sonar data transmission. Notably, in 2012 Dr. Ewan Nether-Beleefis, founder and CEO of EcoLokate published a report in leading journal Science on an exciting experiment in which he and his team completed the first successful transmission of data from one species to another via bio-sonar telemetry utilising a bat and a dolphin.

"Simply by turning off the IoT for a few days once a month, we could extend the life expectancy of our planet by 42% long term

The data transfer, which was a txt file containing the phrase 'So long and thanks for all the fish' was heralded at the time as a potential mechanism for wide-scale bio-internet potential, although many questioned the veracity of the work. 

Spokesperson for the Slight Reset collective, Prof. Ima Fulovitz gave the following statement from their home in Springfield, Oregon, USA. 

"The aim of this group is simple. We are not looking to take away your internet, not at all. In fact, during the slight reset primary internet will remain in place. It is just the internet of things (IoT) that we are pushing to be shut down. And remember, this is only a temporary pause each month to allow the planet to simply catch its breath.

"Many people don't realise that every single nano-transaction on the IoT creates a fractional outlet of Carbon Dioxide. While it is only a trace amount each time, given that there are 22 Billion devices all over the world, the impact of this soon stacks up.

"Our recommendation, based on hard, factual, real science numbers is that simply by turning off the IoT for a few days once a month, we could extend the life expectancy of our planet by 42% in the long term. If we don't do it the Earth could potentially become uninhabitable by 15:32 CST on October 19 this year. 

"We need to act now. Yes it will be a pain having to turn the lights on with our hands and of course we'll all miss our morning chat with our AI enabled toaster, but its' worth it just once a month to stop the oceans boiling."

Of course, for the field service industry which has recently only just reached a point of mass adoption and adjusted to a new connected world this news could be hugely damaging. 

"I really think that all sides of this conversation need to be considered before we make any rash judgments," urged Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief of Field Service News. 

"Important people need to look at every piece of information here, starting with a close look at the date." 

Further reading:

• Read more about bio-sonar telemetry and its potential in field service here 
• Read more about the Slight Reset here
• Read more about challenges of the IoT and the Environment here 
• Double check what day this was published here

Trackunit has announced that Hg, a leading global software investor, has agreed to acquire a controlling interest in the company from Goldman Sachs and GRO Capital.

The addition of Hg as the new owner provides specialized software-as-a-service (SaaS) expertise at a time of increasing technology mobilization within the construction industry. Trackunit, a global leader in software-led telematics solutions for off-highway vehicles and the construction market, is now positioned to intensify its global expansion.

Hg is a leading global software investor, with capabilities to support Trackunit accelerated growth programme

Commenting on the new investment, Soeren Brogaard, CEO, Trackunit stated, “GRO Capital and Goldman Sachs have been exceptional partners during the last five years and helped us solidify our mission and execute against it. We are proud to have attracted investment from Hg, which comes at a tipping point for the digitalization of construction. Hg’s understanding, experience and focus on scaling leading SaaS companies provides Trackunit with a knowledgeable partner to consolidate and realize our ambitions in a growing global industry.”

Florian Wolff, Partner at Hg, said: “Soeren and the team have led Trackunit to create a best-in-class, SaaS product for its ever-growing customer base. The business has become a key leader and long-term winner in what is a very interesting, global niche segment. We believe that the business has significant organic growth and attractive expansion opportunities ahead of it. We’re really excited about what we can achieve together.”

Nick Jordan, Partner at Hg, said: “Trackunit is a very high-quality business. We believe that Hg’s deep sector knowledge and operational expertise in the software and telematics space will add further support to this impressive track-record. Our experience in internationalization, the evolution of software and data and the further development of sales channels will add up to an even greater experience for Trackunit’s customers, as well as an exciting growth trajectory for the business.”

Construction industry reached tipping point for Digital Transformation

Recent market reports from IDC Worldwide and McKinsey - the next software disruption – illustrate that SaaS has achieved over 25% share of the market for software solutions in the construction sector. Moreover, the increase in connectivity is growing and will amplify the opportunity for SaaS solutions across a global market.

Trackunit is a driving force in the digitization of the construction sector, serving equipment manufacturers, rental companies and contractors, connecting construction equipment and processing data to the cloud to deliver value-added insights. With the new owners on board the Trackunit team remains committed to solving the industry’s needs, but at a faster pace and with greater ambitions.  Customers will benefit from additional investments in product, technology and new services.

Closing of the transaction is subject to customary regulatory requirements and approvals.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about the Construction Industry on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/construction
• Read more about Trackunit on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/trackunit
• Find out more about Trackunit @ www.trackunit.com
• Learn more about HG @ hgcapital.com

Largest acquisition to date will increase Annual Recurring Revenues and provide entry into the UK logistics market with customers including Hermes, Transport for London and Argos.

UK-based Field Service Management (FSM) software company, Totalmobile, has announced it has completed the acquisition of Cognito iQ, a Newbury-based provider of workforce management and analytics technology, to add to its comprehensive suite of software solutions.

The market leading real time analytics solution provided by Cognito iQ collects data from multiple sources to provide a clear overview of operational performance. This enables even the largest and most complex of organisations to manage data in a more effective manner, empowering their customers - that include Hermes, Transport for London and Argos - to achieve continuous improvements in productivity and efficiency.

THE ADDITION OF COGNITO IQ PROVIDES TOTALMOBILE WITH A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE FAST-GROWING LOGISTICS MARKET

The acquisition of Cognito iQ enables Totalmobile to add a best-of-breed real time performance analytics capability to an already comprehensive suite of end-to-end Field Service Management technologies, enabling customers to manage data better and closely analyse ongoing operations via a control room that ensures services are being delivered efficiently and KPIs are being met.

This highly capable technology will be rebranded and launched as Totalmobile’s new ‘Analyse’ product, presenting a significant opportunity to offer the product to Totalmobile’s existing customer base of over 1,000 organisations, covering a range of sectors, including Government, Health and Social Care, Facilities Management, Infrastructure and Housing.

The addition of Cognito iQ also provides Totalmobile with a strong presence in the fast-growing logistics market, which has an increasing need for transformative and scalable technology due to a change in consumer behaviours accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Today’s announcement marks Totalmobile’s largest addition to date and its sixth acquisition in the last two years, delivering on a dual strategy of combining the most comprehensive suite of FSM products with deep sector expertise. It sets Totalmobile firmly on track to achieve its goal to become the world’s largest regional FSM company by the end of 2021.

Jim Darragh, CEO of Totalmobile, said, “In today’s world the ability to manage, analyse and then action operational data is critical for any organisation that is striving to provide an exceptional service. With today’s acquisition of Cognito iQ, I am delighted to announce that we have added a market leading real time analytics software solution that enables any customer to drive continuous improvement across their operations

In addition, this technology strongly complements our existing solutions which are providing our customers with mobile working, dynamic scheduling, job management, staff rostering and lone worker protection capabilities

The acquisition of Cognito iQ is the largest in the history of the company and comes shortly after the addition of utilities sector specialist GeoPal. This highlights the giant strides that we are making as we continue to accelerate our growth. I’m very excited about what the future holds and look forward to welcoming our new colleagues and customers to Totalmobile.”

Laurent Othacéhé, CEO, Cognito iQ said, “Totalmobile, with its uniquely strong position in the field service and mobile workforce management market, is the ideal springboard to take the revolutionary Cognito iQ products to market on a very large scale from day one. We very much look forward to joining the Totalmobile Group to accelerate growth and deliver transformational solutions to our customers.”

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about Cognito iQ on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/cognito-iq
• Find out more about Cognito iQ @ www.cognitoiq.com
• Learn more about Totalmobile @ www.totalmobile.co.uk
• Follow Cognito iQ on Twitter @ twitter.com/Cognito_iQ
• Follow Cognito iQ on LinkedIn @ www.linkedin.com/cognito-

Innovative solutions are required if installers and service providers are to keep up with the increased need for high-speed fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband connections, says a leading telecoms expert.

With 46.6% of people in employment worked from home in some capacity, according to findings from the Office of National Statistics last year, demand for fast internet speeds has skyrocketed and placed further stress on the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure. Yet obstacles to FTTH deployment, such as skilled technician shortages and difficulties coordinating homeowner appointments to set up connections, are preventing millions from accessing this transformational technology, says Paul Churm, Fibre Optics Specialist at REHAU.

“The events of 2020 have shown that fast internet speeds are not a luxury for UK homeowners, but a necessity.” Paul explains. “Ensuring fibre optic broadband for all, in line with Government’s targets of large-scale fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) uptake by 2025 will not only be crucial to ensuring the UK workforce are not impeded by slow connections, but also the wider nation’s post-pandemic economic recovery.

REHAU has launched RAUSPEED EasyConnect, a new cable blowing-in box to streamline the rollout of fibre optic broadband.

“However, with only 15% of the country currently connected to fibre-optic broadband, steps need to be taken to ensure a faster rollout. Tackling issues surrounding the blowing-in process will be key to increasing uptake and ensuring the country is future-proofed against the increasing levels of data transfer it continues to experience.”

It is with these concerns in mind that REHAU has launched RAUSPEED EasyConnect, a new cable blowing-in box to streamline the process, saving ISPs and installers both costs and time.

“FTTH installations have traditionally needed two people – one to operate the blowing-in device at the exchange, and crucially, another requiring access to the home to receive the cable,” says Paul. “This has required the homeowner to be present throughout, so trying to co-ordinate installation across multiple homes can quickly become a logistical nightmare.

“However, by externally or internally installing EasyConnect boxes at the end of the micro duct, a single installer can quickly connect multiple homes from the cable distribution point. This means only one technician is required to carry out work without downtime between individual units. Additionally, the previously supporting installer can be redeployed to additional projects, further speeding up rollout while providing greater convenience to the homeowner.”

The EasyConnect is designed with a house connection micro duct that is automatically sealed and water and gas-tight up to 0.5 bars of pressure, and slows down the cable as it enters the box. It also contains a sponge catcher to ensure the micro duct is kept free of contaminants during the blowing-in process, with humidity and excess lubrication stored within an included water tank. Excess cable lengths are available for splicing, which can be done at a later date.

Paul concludes: “If ISPs are to promptly meet the nation’s ambitious fibre optic installation targets, new innovations must be considered. A one-visit, one-technician approach could greatly assist in this, so any solution that can reduce work required for blowing-in to a minimum should be welcomed.

“As such, the innovative design of the EasyConnect box, combined with our existing RAUSPEED micro duct solution, means it is well-placed to do exactly this. Because RAUSPEED also satisfies all requirements for government grants and subsidies, these installations can be carried out alongside already-scheduled underground construction work, leading to an even more efficient process.”

For more information on fibre broadband and REHAU’s new EasyConnect system, visit:

https://www.rehau.com/uk-en/telecommunication

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Find out more about REHAU @ www.rehau.com/uk-en/
• Learn more about REHAU EasyConnect System @ www.rehau.com/uk-en/telecommunication
• Follow REHAU on LinkedIn @ www.linkedin.com/rehau/

IFS, announces it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Axios Systems PLC, a global provider of cloud-based Enterprise Service Management (ESM) software. Recognized as a leader in IT Service Management (ITSM) and IT Operations Management (ITOM), Axios Systems has built a reputation for the quality of its omnichannel service management solution, which many of the world’s most respected brands rely on, including: Aviva, KPMG, FedEx and many more.

IFS is where service and value for customers come first. In the recent launch of IFS Cloud™ and in its growth strategy, IFS delivered on its goal to bring to market technology and industry-specific capabilities that support the customers’ journey to digitalization and help them evolve to become more outcome and service-led. More and more companies are turning to IFS to help them deliver when it matters most to their customers—at the Moment of Service.

Over the years, IFS has significantly invested in its Service Management business, which grew over 100 percent year on year in 2020. The acquisition of Axios Systems adds further depth to IFS’s capabilities with new ITSM and ITOM functionality that will help companies improve the design and automation of workflows, drive efficiency internally, and connect data across teams and systems to ultimately create opportunities to better serve its customers. The combination of IFS and Axios Systems is instrumental in extending IFS’s ambition to cement itself as the market leader in the Service space.

IFS further extends stronghold in service management with additional Enterprise Service Management capabilities

Like all elements of the IFS proposition, the customer can deploy Axios Systems’ Enterprise Service Management capabilities as a best-of-breed point solution or integrate it with other capabilities built into IFS Cloud. This puts IFS in a unique position to offer an end-to-end service solution that supports employees internally and in the field, as well as businesses as they deliver products, outcomes or indeed services. For the first time, customers will be able to connect both worlds and create a new level of visibility across their value chain so that they can delight customers in delivering great Moments of Service.

IFS CEO Darren Roos commented, “The acquisition is very significant for IFS: we are extending our Service Management proposition to help businesses address inefficiencies that can impact their ability to deliver delightful ‘Moments of Service’. Beyond process and workflow design and simplification, Axios and IFS together create visibility across internal and external siloes. He elaborated, “The ability to monetize service creates a competitive edge. Today customers want service: reliably and consistently, but there is a missing piece; companies need to be able to leverage customers, people and assets and not only articulate the true value but also ‘design for Serviceability’. With Axios, IFS is adding specific capabilities that bring visibility into the value delivered inside and out and highlight opportunities for ongoing improvements.”

Tasos Symeonides, CEO and Founder of Axios noted, “As the founder of Axios, I am proud that my family and team have successfully established a global and well-respected provider of enterprise service management solutions. We are not done yet; we want to keep working with the great customers we already have and add new ones. To achieve this, we needed to join forces with a global software player who is as passionate about service management, delivering value, and creating great customer experiences, as we are. In IFS we found the ideal strategic partner and are now playing a role in helping IFS extend its leadership in enterprise service management!”

With Axios Systems’ leading ITSM & ITOM solutions, companies can design, automate, and simplify workflows along the value chain and deliver amazing Moments of Service

Ray Wang, principal & founder of Constellation Research Inc commented: “Prospects and customers who see service as a differentiator will find value with this acquisition.  Most organizations seek the ability to connect IT and the back office to the front office and customer acting teams.  Bridging those silos and creating visibility with a rich ESM solution will help organizations drive service innovation and visualize the value.”

Axios Systems enjoys an international blue-chip customer base across the US, Europe, Middle East and LatAm, and has successfully fostered strong user communities to build advocacy and drive product enhancements. Customers in the commercial sector include Aviva, FedEx, Sobeys, EDEKA, KPMG; and in the public sector include UK & Scottish Governments, State of Maine, Dubai Courts, Saudi Post and Fife Council.

Both Axios and IFS are highly rated by industry analysts. IFS has maintained its stronghold as a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Field Service Management Software every year since 2014. Axios is recognized as a Niche Player in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for IT Service Management Tools where Gartner highlights its strengths in customer engagement, strong focus on IT service management and impressive international customer base.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Read more about IFS on Field Service News @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/ifs
• Find out more about IFS @ www.ifs.com/
• Learn more about Axios Systems @ www.axiossystems.com/
• Follow IFS on Twitter @ twitter.com/ifs

Part of the Michelin Group, Masternaut is already renowned for its market-leading scheduling and routing technology. The partnership with Localz will see its services used to power its new “On Time” customer offering. Masternaut On Time supports operations professionals by giving them more visibility of their team in the field. In real-time, they can see planned job schedules against actual activity, automate job dispatching, and deliver text messages to end-customers with an estimated time of arrival (ETA). If an unexpected event throws an engineer off-schedule for the day, managers are notified via automated live alerts, which allows them to be proactive and agile in redirecting a resource to where it’s most needed.

Localz technology will be used to enhance customer experience and communications 

“Over recent months we have received an increased demand for services that are reflective of a consumer model. Customers want to be able to manage their personal schedules so real-time updates have become a vital part of all services, whether this is a parcel delivery or service appointment. As a customer-centric business, we wanted to bring a similar tool to our customers to help them manage their business operations more effectively. This is why we have partnered with Localz to provide the best technology to power our On Time solution,” said Gilson Santiago, CEO at Masternaut.

Engineers, through an app, can receive live updates on appointment schedules and communicate directly with customers, keeping them up to date of their ETA. Field workers can also log live updates to jobs which are then fed back into the main system, ensuring a holistic view of all jobs.

“Today’s consumers are connected and justifiably impatient as they place a high value on their time. Localz solutions are enabling leading fleet management platforms like Masternaut to offer customer experiences traditionally only seen in the consumer world. Real-time tracking and online communication are crucial to enabling not only customers, but businesses to keep track of their stock and service deliveries, ensuring great experiences for both alike. We are delighted to have been selected as the partner to power Masternaut’s On Time solution to help them continue to deliver world-class customer experiences in years to come. ” said Tim Andrew, CEO at Localz.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Managing the Mobile Workforce @ www.fieldservicenews.com/managing-the-mobile-workforce
• Read more about Localz on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/localz
• Learn more about Localz @ www.localz.com 
• Learn more about Masternaut @ www.masternaut.com
• Follow Localz on Twitter @ twitter.com/localz
• Follow Masternaut on Twitter @ twitter.com/masternaut