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Research analyst and consulting firm, Strategies For Growth^SM (SFG℠) has launched its fifth annual Warranty Chain Management (WCM) Benchmark Survey Update, and invites all Warranty Management professionals to participate. The 2019 WCM Survey will remain “live” on the Web through the end of the year.

According to SFG℠ president and principal consulting analyst, Bill Pollock, “The results of the 2018 survey revealed that nearly three-quarters (71%) of respondents believe effective warranty chain management to be at least 'very important' to the overall financial performance of the business, with just under a quarter (22%) believing it to be 'extremely important.'

[quote float="left"]All respondents that provide their e-mail address will receive a link for downloading a complimentary copy of the Executive Summary Analysts Take white paper immediately following the conference.[/quote] The results further revealed that this sense of importance continues to increase substantially, year-over-year, as one-quarter (25%) believed effective warranty chain management to be 'more important than one year ago,' compared to only 3% believing it to be 'less important' – a ratio of roughly 8:1 citing 'more important' over 'less important’. As such, we know the segment is based on a sound foundation that is getting stronger moving forward."

The final results of the current survey will be presented by Pollock at the 2019 Warranty Chain Management Conference, March 12 - 14, 2019, in Orlando, Florida. In addition, all respondents that provide their e-mail address will receive a link for downloading a complimentary copy of the Executive Summary Analysts Take white paper immediately following the conference.

The survey consists of a targeted, multiple choice questionnaire that should take less than 15 minutes to complete. All responses will remain strictly confidential, and will only be tabulated and reported in the aggregate.

Simply click on the following link to begin the survey, or, if you prefer, you may forward it to someone else in your organization to complete:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WCM_19

BTW - Be sure to watch in Q1, 2019 for Bill Pollock’s article in Field Service News that will provide the key executive-level results of the current survey.

SFG℠ thanks you in advance for your participation!

According to Statista, there will be 30 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices active by 2024. To tap into this trend, plant managers can choose between two main methods of connecting new devices to the IoT — wired or wireless.

Here Maria Torrisi, business development manager of industrial automation specialist JMartans Automation, suggests three questions to ask before choosing between wired and wireless technology.

Wired automation is more mature than wireless technology and offers a fast and reliable option. Wireless technology is a newer entrant to the field, boasting reduced automation costs and smaller space requirements.

A good understanding of your technology and how to connect it is essential during any automation project. To choose the best form of connectivity for your application there are three primary questions to address.

How much space do I have?

A wired system can require a large amount of cabling to connect components and devices, which can be bulky and expensive. One of the main advantages of wireless

systems is that they can be installed in almost any location, even those where space is limited. To discuss which option is best suited to your facility you can arrange for a specialist, like JMartans, to review your plant and recommend the best type of industrial automation equipment for you.

How much am I automating?

If you are connecting a small number of devices to the IoT then wired technology is a good fit for your purposes, as the technology is fast and reliable. However, — adding additional cabling or rerouting the existing cabling of a wired system can be incredibly challenging. Wireless systems, therefore, offer a more scalable option for businesses that are planning on expanding their level of connectivity in the future.

Where’s the value?

Wireless technology can offer a cost-effective option for businesses connecting a large number of devices. While the upfront costs can be high, the flexibility offered to grow businesses can lead to better value in the long term. However, if your company aims to automate a single part reliably and securely then wired automation can make good business sense due to its fidelity. Remember that the larger the wired network, the more expensive it is to install, maintain and manage.

As the IoT continues to grow towards the 30 billion devices forecast by Statista, businesses are faced with decisions about how best to connect their equipment. While wired technology offers a trustworthy option, businesses looking to scale up their connectivity in the long term may find wireless technology is more suited to them.

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Berg Insight presents a unique database covering the 350 largest cellular IoT deployments identified as part of the company’s world-class IoT market research activities since 2004.

The extensive list includes various types of projects and product categories deployed across all types of vertical markets including aftermarket automotive, fleet management & MRM, healthcare, OEM automotive, retail applications, smart homes and buildings, utilities, wearables & consumer electronics as well as industrial M2M and other. The database includes project size and geographical distribution by the end of 2017 as well as a 5-year forecast for each individual project.

“The projects included in the top-350 list together account for approximately 214 million active cellular IoT subscriptions”, said Rickard Andersson, Principal Analyst, Berg Insight. He adds that this corresponds to as much as 33.0 percent of the total number of cellular IoT connections worldwide at the end of 2017.

The 350 projects on the list are in the coming years forecasted to grow to 521 million units by 2022, corresponding to an overall compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.5 percent. “More than 40 deployments on the list have surpassed 1 million subscriptions and the top-10 projects alone account for over 80 million units”, continued Mr. Andersson. Fleet management & MRM is the largest vertical in terms of the number of projects that made the top list, followed by retail applications, aftermarket automotive and OEM automotive as well as smart homes and buildings.

When comparing the number of active subscriptions represented by each vertical for the entries in the top-350 list, OEM automotive is instead the largest vertical, accounting for 46 million units, ahead of utilities at about 34 million units and fleet management & MRM representing 31 million units.

Download report brochure: The 350 Largest Cellular IoT Projects Worldwide

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Users now can engage their end customers with step-by-step visibility for the field service last mile with a live map view, job details and ETA countdown via a Glympse-powered journey...

MSI, a leading developer of cloud-based field service management software, has partnered with Glympse, the pioneer of real-time location technology, to bring rich technician tracking capabilities to customers of its Service Pro field service management solution. The addition of Glympse will enable MSI to strengthen the powerful value Service Pro delivers to its customers.

The partnership creates new capabilities for MSI to offer to field service teams using its leading cloud and mobile applications. In particular, Glympse will further help those companies meet and exceed customer expectations on the first visit, empower technicians to provide more responsive, proactive service, eliminate costly manual processes, and track technician location and status in real-time.

“Glympse is a clear leader in harnessing location and mobility to positively impact the customer service experience,” said Harvey Shovers, MSI President. “MSI is excited to add Glympse to the Scheduling, Mobility and Customer Experience suite of capabilities of our Service Pro platform, enabling thousands of field service appointments to exceed expectations with a real-time experience for the service customer.”

Through the partnership with Glympse, Service Pro users will now be able to:

• Initiate the customer-facing Glympse experience as soon as an appointment is booked – via SMS, email or push notifications – so end-customers can review appointment details, add to their calendar or connect with their provider right from the interactive web viewer
• Provide end customers with progressive updates and ETA countdown as the appointment draws closer so customers can more effectively manage their day
• Offer a real-time, live map view of the technician on the way to the appointment, including an ETA countdown, and culminating in an arrival confirmation
• Collect feedback via the Glympse Journey to view as soon as the technician completes the field service appointment, adding the ability to follow up with the customer quickly if necessary

“Glympse has a strong history helping field service teams communicate with their customers during the most critical step of a service appointment - when the end customer is waiting for their representative to arrive to their home, their office or even a construction site,” said Chris Ruff, CEO & President of Glympse.

“MSI has demonstrated a precise expertise in building modern field service solutions for diverse industries ranging from cable, HVAC and construction to medical equipment and manufacturing. We’re pleased to add a new layer of engagement to the solutions they’re delivering for these industries and most importantly, to help them give back time and control to the customers ultimately waiting for these critical services.”

For more information about Glympse, visit http://www.glympse.com, or follow the company on Twitter @Glympse, or on Facebook, Instagram or on LinkedIn.

For more information about MSI and Service Pro, visit http://www.msidata.com, or follow the company on Twitter @msidata, or on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

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Captec, the designer and supplier of specialist computing platforms, has teamed up with market-leading rugged tablet manufacturers to provide 360-degree in-vehicle solutions.

The specialist tablets from Dell, Getac, Panasonic and Samsung are designed to accommodate the needs of demanding applications in industries including construction, utilities, and fire and rescue.

In the modern working environment, it is crucial for fleets to have the tools that allow them to work efficiently through improved communication and efficiency. By securing these strategic partnerships, Captec provides fleets with high-performance technology and the flexibility to achieve an optimal balance between performance and budget for their application.

With features including high ingress protection, ruggedisation, built-in GPS and barcode scanners, the tablets meet and exceed the needs of mobile workforces across multiple sectors.

Each tablet can be combined with a vehicle dock, specifically designed to accommodate it – sourced by Captec from its trusted vehicle docking partners, Gamber-Johnson and Havis.

To provide a true 360-degree solution, Captec offers a complete installation service including full vehicle audits, custom cabling, onsite installation performed by experienced engineers and tailored through life support.

For more complex applications demanding a high level of customisation such as additional ruggedisation for uninterrupted operation in hostile conditions, Captec offer bespoke engineering and technical services. From the initial design concept through to testing and validation, Captec can make any necessary modifications quickly and effectively at its dedicated in-house engineering facilities.

Ian Langton, Product Manager, Captec, said: “We have partnered with leading technology providers in complete confidence that, when combined with our installation service, we can address the performance, reliability and longevity needs of today’s mobile workforce. Our aim is to create a one-stop-shop for fleet managers looking to equip their vehicles with rugged and reliable mobile computing.”

In addition to offering models from suppliers through strategic partnerships, Captec has recently designed, developed and introduced a brand new rugged tablet of its own.

The VT-681 tablet is a fully rugged device, powered by Windows 10 IoT, making it ideal for fleets requiring a cost-effective solution, without compromising on performance or features from other well-known suppliers.

Find out more about Captec’s in-vehicle computing solutions @ www.captec-group.com/in-vehicle

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The number of active fleet management systems deployed in commercial vehicle fleets in Europe was 7.7 million in Q4-2017, according to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight.

Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.2 percent, this number is expected to reach 15.6 million by 2022. The top-15 vendors have today more than 100,000 active units in Europe. TomTom’s subscriber base has grown both organically and by acquisitions during the past years and the company is the clear market leader on the European market and reached an installed base of about 708,000 units at year-end 2017. Masternaut is still in second place and had achieved an installed base of an estimated 250,000 units.

Berg Insight ranks Verizon Connect as the third largest player in terms of active installed base with around 235,000 units. ABAX, Microlise, Gurtam, Viasat, Bornemann, Teletrac Navman, Trimble, Transics and OCEAN (Orange) also have more than 100,000 active devices in the field. The HCV manufacturers are now growing their subscriber bases considerably in Europe thanks to standard line fitment of fleet management solutions. Dynafleet by Volvo, FleetBoard by Daimler and Scania Fleet Management are the most successful with active subscriber bases of 117,000 units, 108,000 units and 219,000 units respectively as of Q4-2017.

The consolidation trend on this market continued in 2018. “Thirteen major mergers and acquisitions have taken place in the past twelve months among the vendors of fleet management systems in Europe”, said Johan Fagerberg, Principal Analyst, Berg Insight. ORBCOMM acquired Blue Tree Systems in October 2017. The acquisition of Blue Tree solidifies ORBCOMM’s transportation portfolio by adding truck in-cab and refrigerated fleet vehicle solutions to ORBCOMM’s cargo solutions. In December, ABAX acquired Danish Fleetfinder. The acquisition added approximately 7,000 vehicle subscriptions to ABAX Group’s existing subscription base.

Later in December, Viasat Group acquired a majority stake (51 percent) in Locster based in France. January of 2018 started with two acquisitions. EcoFleet was acquired by Fleet Complete and Verizon Connect moreover continued its European expansion with the acquisition of Movildata in Spain. Coyote acquired a 70 percent stake in Traqueur in February 2018. Later in April, Trackunit acquired UK-based telematics provider Satrak. GSGroup purchased Care4all based in Denmark in July 2018. Vehco was acquired by AddSecure in May 2018, which gave Vehco the structure and financial strength to further expand within fleet management. Vehco’s third acquisition followed in August 2018 when the company took over the ownership of Groeneveld ICT Solutions. AROBS Transilvania Software acquired SAS Grup in September.

The latest two transactions were done in September and October when Viasat Group acquired Detector in Spain as well as 60 percent of the shares in TrackIT Consulting in Portugal. Mr. Fagerberg anticipates that the market consolidation of the still overcrowded industry will continue in 2018–2019.

Download report brochure: Fleet Management in Europe

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City Technical Services, a leading provider of green energy servicing, maintenance and installation solutions, has adopted an advanced telematics system from Ctrack, an Inseego company. Ctrack Plug & Play, a self-installed tracking solution, will be used to monitor a fleet of 133 vans used by City Technical Services’ nationwide network of engineers. This will enable the company to make best use of mobile resources while ensuring vehicles are driven in a safe and efficient manner.

“As a green company, with over 10 years of experience in the renewables and energy efficiency industry, our focus is to cut emissions and save energy both for customers and within the business,” explained Kenny Henderson, Managing Director of City Technical Services. “Ctrack Plug & Play will help us operate responsibly and minimise our environmental impact by reducing mileage and fuel usage, as well as support our strong commitment to health and safety.”

Ctrack Plug & Play connects directly to the OBD II diagnostic port, so can be installed in a matter of seconds and quickly switched between vehicles when required. The tracking solution will provide City Technical Services with real-time visibility of its mobile assets, along with vehicle specific information from the on-board systems, driver behaviour monitoring and crash detection.

In addition to targeting efficiency and safety improvements, City Technical Services will use the tracking solution to enhance customer response times, especially for its emergency repairs service, by identifying the nearest, available engineer to an incoming job. The company will also take advantage of a comprehensive suite of reports to better understand fleet performance. It will use this added insight to address speeding and driving violations, identify excessive fuel usage and verify timesheets.

Steve Thomas, Managing Director of Ctrack commented: “The Ctrack Plug & Play solution is one of a wide range of telematics options we supply that also includes hardwired and long-life battery units.  All of these different unit types report back to a common interface allowing our customers to mix and match their hardware deployments to meet individual fleet and business requirements.”

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