Freight Transport Association (FTA) is transforming its Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) by deploying FAST LEAN SMART (FLS) real-time automated software to introduce a new, more efficient work scheduling process in conjunction with Microsoft...
ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘news’ CATEGORY
Jul 26, 2019 • News • fast lean smart • fleet • Jeremy Squire • Route Planning • scheduling software • Software and Apps
Freight Transport Association (FTA) is transforming its Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) by deploying FAST LEAN SMART (FLS) real-time automated software to introduce a new, more efficient work scheduling process in conjunction with Microsoft Dynamics 365.
FTA is the only organisation in the UK to represent the entire logistics industry, with more than 17,000 member organisations across all modes of transport. It represents the interests of its members on all matters that affect the sector, from Brexit to rail freight costs to UK fuel duty. It also provides training and business services to members, and vehicle inspections and compliance are a key part of this offering.
Until now, coordinating these inspections has been entirely manual. “There was no centralised system so engineers had to schedule their own work,” says Matt Doherty, Head of Technology at FTA. “This was a protracted process and their time was not being used efficiently. A long chain of phone calls and emails between administrators, engineers and customers, also meant communication lines were not as clear as they could be. We needed a system that could book inspections centrally and automatically, shorten travel times and empower our engineers to be more productive.”
FTA looked at four providers of scheduling and route optimisation software before deciding on FAST LEAN SMART. FLS VISITOUR automatically schedules FTA’s vehicle inspection appointments in real-time in the most optimal and efficient way possible, matching the right engineer with the right job according to multiple variables. These include job duration and prioritisation, engineer location, availability and skill set, and speed profiles for accurate journey time with predicted traffic. FTA will also be implementing FLS MOBILE, which will facilitate communication between FTA’s engineers and back office staff and provide automated warnings if an appointment might be missed.
Matt continued: “FLS VISITOUR will reduce overhead for our engineers, allowing them to get more jobs done in the same amount of time, but not compromise the service we provide to our members. FLS enables us to be more flexible and offer end-customers a reliable, efficient and timely service along with a wider array of service options. Everybody wins!”
Another important benefit for FTA is that FLS software is fully configurable and capable of adapting to fast-changing end-customer needs without assistance from FLS. This enables FTA to offer a continually evolving and improving level of service to members with relative ease and independence. Matt says, “Part of our roadmap for the future will be to enable customers to book their own inspections via a self-service portal, which FLS makes possible. This will give them more control and more visibility.”
However, while important, FTA ultimately chose FLS for a different reason. Matt explains, “FLS offered exactly what we needed in terms of scheduling optimisation. But the real reason we chose them was that we knew, with FLS, we wouldn’t just be getting software. We’d be getting a partnership. We interviewed their clients and could see that FLS continues to work closely with them post-deployment to ensure that the software has a positive impact on their business. Their approach is very collaborative and we liked that.”
FTA will incorporate FLS VISITOUR within its forthcoming Microsoft Dynamics 365 deployment and Matt is feeling very positive about the transformative change to their vehicle inspections operation. He says, “Right from when we met FLS at the Copperberg Field Service Summit, we’ve always found the team to be very friendly, amenable and helpful. Their workshops have been professional, detailed and very clear as to everybody’s roles and expectations. This implementation is a big change for FTA and its members but with FLS’s customer-centric approach we know we are in good hands.”
Click here to find out more about Fast Lean Smart.
Click here to find out more about Fast Lean Smart.
Jul 26, 2019 • News • future of field service • Global Mobile Broadband • broadband
Taiwan heads the list with 37 of the top 50 located in Europe and the UK sitting in 34th place.
Taiwan heads the list with 37 of the top 50 located in Europe and the UK sitting in 34th place.
A survey of 207 countries' broadband speed has revealed Taiwan as the fastest provider with average speeds of 85.03 megabytes per-second. In contrast Yemen, the slowest, recorded speeds of 0.38Mbps. The UK, was 34th fastest clocking up an average speed of 22.37Mbps.
A survey of 207 countries' broadband speed has revealed Taiwan as the fastest provider with average speeds of 85.03 megabytes per-second. In contrast Yemen, the slowest, recorded speeds of 0.38Mbps. The UK, was 34th fastest clocking up an average speed of 22.37Mbps.
The research was designed and compiled by Cable.co.uk, and the data gathered by M-Lab, an open source project with contributors from civil society organisations, educational institutions, and private sector companies. M-Lab is led by teams based at Code for Science and Society, New America's Open Technology Institute, Google, Princeton University's PlanetLab, and other supporting partners.
Last year, the five fastest countries had download speeds around 88 times faster than the five slowest. That gap is widening. This year the top five are 125 times faster than the five slowest. Taiwan tops the table at 85.02Mbps, compared to Yemen, which is 224 times slower at just 0.38Mbps.
Europe fared well with 37 of the top 50 fastest-performing countries are located in the continent, with ten in Asia & Pacific, two in North America, and just one in Africa. By contrast, 25 of the 50 slowest-performing countries are located in Africa, 12 in the Arab States with ten in Asia & Pacific, and three in South/Latin America
However, 141 countries failed to achieve average speeds above 10Mbps, a speed deemed by UK telecoms watchdog Ofcom to be the minimum required to cope with the needs of a typical family or small business.
Jul 25, 2019 • News • fleet • Software and Apps • utilities • Big CHange • Managing the Mobile Workforce
Gas Smart Heating Ltd has rolled out a high tech mobile workforce system as part of a paperless management system.
Gas Smart Heating Ltd has rolled out a high tech mobile workforce system as part of a paperless management system.
A specialist in domestic heating and plumbing, Gas Smart Heating has equipped its field engineers with tablets running jobWatch, a 5 in 1 app supplied by BigChange. Incorporating vehicle tracking with real time job reporting via the tablets, the system provides Gas Smart Heating with a complete end to end business solution.
Headquartered in Brighton, Gas Smart Heating provides reactive gas and plumbing maintenance including boiler and appliance installation. Formed just 5 years ago the company wanted to introduce the latest technology to underpin further expansion. The BigChange system has replaced existing software and paper-based systems, eliminating paperwork throughout the business.
“As we began to grow and recruit more engineers, we realised we needed a much more professional system in order to match larger service providers such as British Gas,” says Steven Cahalane, Director, Gas Smart Heating. “We really needed a single system that would do everything and it was clear from the outset that BigChange offered something that fitted the bill exactly.”
Gas Smart Heating use JobWatch to log incoming calls, schedule work with jobs sent electronically to the assigned engineers’ tablet. With real-time data from the job, the office is always kept in the picture and can quickly resolve any issues - with invoices generally raised on the day of job completion.
“In implementing the BigChange system we wanted to get in early with the latest technology and as state-of-the-art software it gives us a crucial competitive edge in the market. With JobWatch we are probably 25 percent more efficient; without it we need more office staff and I would be overwhelmed with administration tasks and paperwork. In fact, without it we simply wouldn’t be able to compete,” comments Cahalane.
BigChange matches the functionality of systems costing hundreds of thousands of pounds used by national utility firms. This allows new independent players like Gas Smart Heating to enter the market and match the levels of service provided by the traditional suppliers.”
Operationally, JobWatch has been implemented to provide information on appliances and job history information so engineers have visibility of previous faults and work done. The system also manages stocks and parts purchasing so engineers no longer face delays on jobs waiting on parts.
As part of JobWatch vans are fitted with satellite tracking. Previously engineers were being called to check on their whereabouts but the system has eliminated that by providing email or text ETA alerts to keep the customer informed on the day. Customers are also able to track engineers progress via a link they receive by Gas Smart heating.
Jul 24, 2019 • Fleet Technology • News • fleet • telematics
Kinesis is to make its popular vehicle tracking service more widely available to potential partners in the UK and overseas following the announcement of a re-seller programme.
Kinesis is to make its popular vehicle tracking service more widely available to potential partners in the UK and overseas following the announcement of a re-seller programme.
The Crewe-based provider of telematics offers a unique online platform that, since its launch in 2015, has already attracted over 20,000 customers in the UK and is being used to track 130,000 vehicles worldwide.
To underpin further growth, Kinesis is now seeking suppliers in the fleet sector who want to add value to their business with a tracking service that is particularly easy to use and integrate with other solutions. Built as a modern cloud solution from the outset, Kinesis is designed to incorporate fuel card data, giving fleet operations managers a single platform for their insight and performance activity.
“Kinesis has been a big hit since launch not only because it is very affordable, accessible and easy to use but because it also offers a one stop shop for fuel and telematics. This appeals to busy managers who are always looking to get more done in less time,” comments Jez Strong, Strategic Alliance Director at Kinesis.
Because of this integration capabilities, Kinesis - their team pictured above - believe fuel card companies will be especially interested, and the company has already signed reseller agreements with Drive Card, Wex, DKV, Certas and Fuelmate. Elsewhere, the Kinesis team are confident that suppliers of fleet software, financial services, and insurance will particularly benefit in offering a telematics service due to it adding increasing value.
“With our recent acquisitions of telematics businesses the group has boosted its technical capability and resources in this area and that has given us a strong platform for growth. The company has already established a presence in the US, Europe and the Far East and by making Kinesis more widely available through partners, we will be well placed to meet the demands of what continues to be a growing market,” says Greville Coe, Group Managing Director - Telematics at Radius Payment Solutions, the company behind Kinesis.
Kinesis offers real time monitoring with the provision of arrival time and vehicle location data to customers, with added features such as a mobile app, vehicle-use data and driver performance analysis.
“Kinesis provides a forthright solution for fleet managers operating in a range of sectors from across the globe and as the company looks to expand internationally, it is clear that this programme will be central to any future growth,” added Strong.
Jul 23, 2019 • News • connected devices • future of field service • Medical Devices • Berg Insight
Research finds that high use of connected care solutions in North America.
Research finds that high use of connected care solutions in North America.
A new report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight has found that around 18.0 million people in North America were using connected care solutions at the end of 2018.
The figure refers to users of medical alert systems, connected medication management solutions and remote patient monitoring (RPM) solutions in Canada and the US. RPM is the largest and most mature segment having a total of 16.1 million users at the end of 2018. The market for medical alert systems is considerably smaller with an estimated total of 3.1 million users, whereas the number of connected medication management users reached 900,000 at the end of 2018. There is an overlap between the market segments as medical alert users can also be equipped with a medication management solution or an RPM solution, and vice versa. The market is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.3 percent during the next six years to reach 49.4 million connected care users by 2024.
The leading use case for RPM have thus far been sleep therapy monitoring. Patients that suffer from sleep-disordered breathing such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are typically prescribed an airflow generator, but many patients find the device unpleasant to use and poor compliance is common. Payers thus increasingly require that patients comply with their treatment plans to be reimbursed for the device which has driven equipment vendors to connect the devices. Philips is the largest provider of connected airflow generators. ResMed follows closely thanks to the company’s decision to include cellular IoT connectivity as standard in its Air Solutions product family.
The North American market for connected care solutions is affected by several trends and developments that will have an impact on the competitive landscape in the following years. Changing demographics is driving the demand for home care, while technological developments and regulatory changes affect the competitive landscape for solution vendors. One of the major ongoing changes is the sunset of the landline telephone networks and cellular 3G networks, which forces equipment providers to upgrade their products. At the same time, the industry is becoming more patient-centric which calls for integrated systems and improved interoperability of connected care solutions. New companies are entering the connected care market and connected medication management solutions are today in the centre of attention for start-ups.
Jul 22, 2019 • News • Hardware • rugged • rugged tablet
New R11L offers a compact, feature-rich option at an affordable price for workers in retail, hospitality, warehousing, logistics and field service.
New R11L offers a compact, feature-rich option at an affordable price for workers in retail, hospitality, warehousing, logistics and field service.
Durabook, the global rugged mobile solutions brand owned by Twinhead International Corporation, have announced the European launch of its high performance, lightweight 11.6 inch touchscreen tablet. The new R11L is built to boost productivity and efficiency for workers in retail, logistics and hospitality, as well as for applications like workforce management, asset/inventory management, mobile POS, line-busting, in-aisle assistance, and table service. The R11L expands Durabook’s rugged tablet range and offers an enterprise-class option for workers that require seamless data-capture and high flexibility.
“Demand has never been stronger for our 11-inch fully rugged tablets, as more and more customers are demanding thin, light devices that offer quality, durability and top performance, all at an unmatched price in the current market,” said Twinhead CEO Fred Kao. “Our current range of rugged tablets is already benefiting hundreds of users across a wide range of industries and work environments, and we're confident the R11L will deliver agility, efficiency and responsiveness that businesses demand today.”
The R11L is slim and lightweight (1.2kg), making it highly portable. It has up to 16 hours of battery life, includes Windows® 10 Pro, a high-performance, energy-smart Intel® Pentium processor and Intel® HD 610 Graphics, for fast and efficient use of applications and visuals on the move and around the clock. Reliable connectivity and high-speed data transmission are delivered via Intel® Dual Band Wireless and Bluetooth® V5.0. The device’s DynaVue® sunlight readable LCD screen has a 10-point capacitive multi-touch panel, which can be used with a glove, stylus, or finger, even if the screen is wet, optimising the device’s usability regardless of work conditions. With an IP65 rating and MIL-STD-810G certification for 4’ drop, shock, vibration, rain, dust, sand, humidity, high/low temperature, and more; plus ANSI 12.12.01 C1D2 certification, the R11L can be used in almost any operating environment and deliver reliable performance.
Durabook offers opportunities for customisation and the R11L has many expansion options available; including optional RFID reader, smartcard, barcode and magnetic stripe readers for seamless data-capture as well as a rear camera.
As with all Durabook mobile computing devices, the R11L comes with a standard three year warranty and local repair facilities.
Durabook rugged tablet range includes the R11, ideal for the complex computing and graphics needs of workers in oil and gas, and field service; and the ultra-rugged U11I, which meets the needs of workers in the most extreme environments, such as military and public safety.
Jul 19, 2019 • News • future of field service • Berg Insight • smart meters
The installed base of smart electricity meters in North America will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.0 percent between 2018 and 2024 to reach 142.8 million at the end of the period, according to a new study.
The installed base of smart electricity meters in North America will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.0 percent between 2018 and 2024 to reach 142.8 million at the end of the period, according to a new study.
A research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight also says smart meter penetration among electricity customers in the UK and Canada Over is projected to increase from around 60 percent in 2018 to more than 80 percent by the end of 2024.
“North America has long been at the forefront of smart grid technology adoption and a large share of the major utilities in the region are now either fully deployed or in the implementation or planning stages of full-scale rollouts. The market is however highly heterogenous in terms of penetration. Some states or provinces remain skeptical towards the business case for advanced metering investments whereas others are soon to begin a second wave of deployments”, said Levi Ostling, IoT Analyst, Berg Insight and author of the report.
Canada has reached a high penetration of smart meters through ambitious initiatives in its most populous provinces. Continued growth in North America the next few years will largely be driven by the large investor-owned utilities in the US that are yet to roll out smart meters for their customers. In addition, the large number of smaller cooperative and municipal utilities will also be playing an increasingly central role for penetration growth.
According to the report, yearly shipments of smart electricity meters in North America will grow from 8.8 million units in 2018 to 19.9 million units in 2024. Over the next few years, first-wave deployments by utilities such as Consolidated Edison, Duke Energy, Ameren, Entergy, PSEG, National Grid and Xcel Energy will boost shipments. Second wave deployments will gradually make their way into the shipment numbers at the end of the forecast period. “While increasingly powerful meters with edge intelligence capabilities coupled with advanced data analytics software will drive second wave deployments, the utilities are now also looking to leverage their existing RF mesh networks for a wider array of applications beyond metering, bringing an increasingly diverse set of devices onto their networking platforms,” concluded Mr. Ostling.
A research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight also says smart meter penetration among electricity customers in the UK and Canada Over is projected to increase from around 60 percent in 2018 to more than 80 percent by the end of 2024.
“North America has long been at the forefront of smart grid technology adoption and a large share of the major utilities in the region are now either fully deployed or in the implementation or planning stages of full-scale rollouts. The market is however highly heterogenous in terms of penetration. Some states or provinces remain skeptical towards the business case for advanced metering investments whereas others are soon to begin a second wave of deployments”, said Levi Ostling, IoT Analyst, Berg Insight and author of the report.
Canada has reached a high penetration of smart meters through ambitious initiatives in its most populous provinces. Continued growth in North America the next few years will largely be driven by the large investor-owned utilities in the US that are yet to roll out smart meters for their customers. In addition, the large number of smaller cooperative and municipal utilities will also be playing an increasingly central role for penetration growth.
According to the report, yearly shipments of smart electricity meters in North America will grow from 8.8 million units in 2018 to 19.9 million units in 2024. Over the next few years, first-wave deployments by utilities such as Consolidated Edison, Duke Energy, Ameren, Entergy, PSEG, National Grid and Xcel Energy will boost shipments. Second wave deployments will gradually make their way into the shipment numbers at the end of the forecast period. “While increasingly powerful meters with edge intelligence capabilities coupled with advanced data analytics software will drive second wave deployments, the utilities are now also looking to leverage their existing RF mesh networks for a wider array of applications beyond metering, bringing an increasingly diverse set of devices onto their networking platforms,” concluded Mr. Ostling.
Jul 18, 2019 • News • future of field service • Ericsson • smart automation • smart factory
Ericsson’s first fully-automated smart factory in the world will be operational in early 2020.
Ericsson’s first fully-automated smart factory in the world will be operational in early 2020.
Ericsson have announced plans to build its first fully-automated smart factory in the US. The state-of-the-art factory will produce Advanced Antenna System* radios to boost network capacity and coverage, including rural coverage, as well as 5G radios for urban areas, both necessary for rapid 5G deployments in North America.
The new smart factory complements Ericsson’s global supply chain, which ensures the company is working close to customers through its European, Asian and American operations, securing fast and agile deliveries to meet customer requirements. This builds on Ericsson’s previously announced strategic initiative is the U.S. market. Ericsson is also fast-tracking the launch of the next-generation smart manufacturing through a modular and flexible production setup in its existing own factories in Estonia, China and Brazil.
Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks at Ericsson, says: “We continue to focus on working closely with our customers and supporting them in the buildout of 5G globally and in North America. With today’s announcement, we conclude months of preparations and can move into execution also in the U.S. In addition, we are digitalizing our entire global production landscape, including establishing this factory in the U.S. With 5G connectivity we’re accelerating Industry 4.0, enabling automated factories for the future.”
Location will be announced upon concluding discussions with state and local authorities. The company is committed to the factory being operational in early 2020. The smart factory will be powered by Ericsson 5G solutions tailored for the industrial environment and will also advance Ericsson’s commitment to sustainability, including registration to pursue LEED Gold Certification.
Fast and secure 5G connectivity will enable agile operations and flexible production. This will be achieved through automated warehouses, connected logistics and automated assembly, packing and product handling, and the use of autonomous carts.
The latest technology products created in the 5G factory will enable a faster rollout of commercial 5G across the region. To ensure the high quality of products, Ericsson runs its new product introduction** and early production in-house. Over time, activities to support new product introduction will also be added to the new factory operations as local competence and knowledge of 5G is built.
Ericsson plans to initially employ approximately 100 people at the facility, which will have highly automated operations, as well as a modular and flexible production setup to enable quick ramp up and rollout.
Ericsson began operations via a production partner for the first radios for the U.S. market produced at the end of 2018. The company also established a new R&D site – a software development center – in Austin, Texas. It is located close to the Austin ASIC Design Center, which opened in late 2017 and focuses on core microelectronics of 5G radio base stations.
Ericsson have announced plans to build its first fully-automated smart factory in the US. The state-of-the-art factory will produce Advanced Antenna System* radios to boost network capacity and coverage, including rural coverage, as well as 5G radios for urban areas, both necessary for rapid 5G deployments in North America.
The new smart factory complements Ericsson’s global supply chain, which ensures the company is working close to customers through its European, Asian and American operations, securing fast and agile deliveries to meet customer requirements. This builds on Ericsson’s previously announced strategic initiative is the U.S. market. Ericsson is also fast-tracking the launch of the next-generation smart manufacturing through a modular and flexible production setup in its existing own factories in Estonia, China and Brazil.
Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks at Ericsson, says: “We continue to focus on working closely with our customers and supporting them in the buildout of 5G globally and in North America. With today’s announcement, we conclude months of preparations and can move into execution also in the U.S. In addition, we are digitalizing our entire global production landscape, including establishing this factory in the U.S. With 5G connectivity we’re accelerating Industry 4.0, enabling automated factories for the future.”
Location will be announced upon concluding discussions with state and local authorities. The company is committed to the factory being operational in early 2020. The smart factory will be powered by Ericsson 5G solutions tailored for the industrial environment and will also advance Ericsson’s commitment to sustainability, including registration to pursue LEED Gold Certification.
Fast and secure 5G connectivity will enable agile operations and flexible production. This will be achieved through automated warehouses, connected logistics and automated assembly, packing and product handling, and the use of autonomous carts.
The latest technology products created in the 5G factory will enable a faster rollout of commercial 5G across the region. To ensure the high quality of products, Ericsson runs its new product introduction** and early production in-house. Over time, activities to support new product introduction will also be added to the new factory operations as local competence and knowledge of 5G is built.
Ericsson plans to initially employ approximately 100 people at the facility, which will have highly automated operations, as well as a modular and flexible production setup to enable quick ramp up and rollout.
Ericsson began operations via a production partner for the first radios for the U.S. market produced at the end of 2018. The company also established a new R&D site – a software development center – in Austin, Texas. It is located close to the Austin ASIC Design Center, which opened in late 2017 and focuses on core microelectronics of 5G radio base stations.
Jul 17, 2019 • Management • News • Comarch
Is your organization’s field service management up to the mark? What if you could find a way to optimize operations so that you simultaneously improve your company’s indicators and customer satisfaction ratings?
Is your organization’s field service management up to the mark? What if you could find a way to optimize operations so that you simultaneously improve your company’s indicators and customer satisfaction ratings?
Comarch’s new e-book goes much further than that, highlighting 50 areas to be optimized in field service delivery. What’s more, it’s free to download now – one click and you can begin reading in moments.
The challenges facing companies operating on today’s field service management market demand a new approach to delivery. Environments are changing quickly, customers expect rapid issue resolution, and workforces must be increasingly agile and connected. The only realistic way to face these challenges is through automation, made possible with a comprehensive, advanced and highly customizable product.. As in every business operation, knowledge is the route to success. That’s why Comarch has produced the e-book, entitled “50 Ways to Automate Field Service Delivery”, to put the information that you need directly into your hands.
This 23-page guide prepared by field service management experts breaks down areas in which you can start to make improvements, regardless of how big or small your organization is, and no matter whether you are operating globally or on a local market. Download your copy for inspiration about the best ways to unlock the service automation potential in your company in areas such as resource management, service request management, planning and scheduling, business management, work order execution, communication and asset management.
While it may seem at first glance that 50 areas to be optimized in field service delivery is a lot to take in, the paper has made it more digestible by breaking the e-book down into the sections outlined above. The result is a handy, go-to guide that will provide food for thought about immediate and long-term strategic steps you can take; in short, you can start to maximize the benefits of your reading right away.
If you’re still not convinced that your field service management processes need automation and optimization, don’t just take our word for it. Our e-book includes data showing how one international client smashed SLA targets following FSM implementation. To find out how they did it, and even join them, download your free copy of “50 Ways to Automate Field Service Delivery” now.
Field Service News is published by 1927 Media Ltd, an independent publisher whose sole focus is on the field service sector. As such our entire resources are focused on helping drive the field service sector forwards and aiming to best serve our industry through honest, incisive and innovative media coverage of the global field service sector.
Leave a Reply