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Issue 83
Rugged Hardware
Industry Specific Software
Full Service Support
www.touchstargroup.com
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 TouchStar and Origin Energy, a leading Australian energy provider, celebrated their first decade of field force automation partnership and continuing success. Origin Energy supplies gas and electricity services to over two million customers nationwide.
 Origin’s largest LP Gas terminal at Pinkenba on the outskirts of Brisbane, hosted the commemorative event and Peter Israel, General Manager of Origin Energy’s LPG business, addressed an impressive gathering of Origin drivers and TouchStar executives. Opening remarks illuminated the key to the Partnership’s success: a decisive and comprehensive plan of business process change. Over the past 10 years Origin has experienced only minor changes to the original solution, which testifies to TouchStar’s mandate at the beginning of the project: a plan
 Origin required a solution that would streamline on-site billing and improve the scheduling activities for their bulk fleet and gas delivery operations. The TouchStar Solution was quickly embraced by all drivers and dispatchers and if asked today, they would not give them up. What the drivers like most about the system is the huge reduction in administration time, paperwork and the easy-to-use touch screen.
 Mr Israel acknowledged the benchmarks of Origin’s Return on Investment(ROI): quantitatively increased driver productivity, maximized back office functionality and scheduling procedures and accelerated receivables.
Closing ceremony comments summarized the overriding success factor of TouchStar’s solution as being an extremely reliable, easy-to-use and rugged solution suitable for remote locations and gaseous environments of the numerous Origin Energy Terminals and Depots.
TouchStar introduced its mobile computing solution to Origin in 1996. A decade later, it is one of the most critical efficiency elements in managing the fleet. Origin Energy has dramatically increased operational efficiencies and realized significant ROI. TouchStar’s trademark scalable support approach allows the system to grow dynamically with Origin’s needs leaving minimal or no impact on daily operations.
Thank you Origin Energy for Ten Years of Successful Mobility Vision.
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 TouchStar continues the Top Myths about Fleet Mobility series this month and according to the Aberdeen Research Group’s 2005 study of 80 commercial carrier and private fleet operators, this Myth is all about the money. Myth: ROI is risky for mobility. Reality: More than 80 percent of operators expect a rapid payback period.
The report states that “More than 80% of fleet operators expect a rapid payback period of two years or less for their mobility initiatives. Nearly nine of 10 companies say that their mobility projects have achieved or exceeded their expectations for customer service improvement and three-quarters say that productivity expectations have been exceeded.”
 Eighty percent…9 of 10…three-quarters…these are attention getting statistics. What is the key to this rapid return? TouchStar has found the number one reason for our customers realizing accelerated ROI is topdown acceptance, accountability and drive for business process change.
The study echoes TouchStar’s findings, “One key to achieving ROI is to change the business processes to take advantage of the technology.” Simply automating existing systems won’t address the core liabilities of inefficient practices and will not yield desired results. Fundamentally, process change requires identification, assessment, planning, strategizing, and implementation and evaluation metrics. It’s a dynamic, revolutionary blueprint for realizing ROI expectations, improved customer service and competitive positioning.
 Industry experts estimate that 2/3 of automation projects fail due to lack of proper planning. Proper planning is the keystone to TouchStar’s customer intimate philosophy and our trademark Eight Point Process. Beginning with our Business Process Review, we re-engineer business processes with custom application development, system configuration, integration, installation, training and project management.
Our customers realize or exceed projected ROI’s within 12 – 18 months. And we underwrite the results. We share the risk, accountability and investment, operating in true partnership with our customers.
Return on Investment is not unlike any other type of improvement campaign. You get out of it what you put in to it. Calculated risk is an investment. Organizations that literally embrace responsibility for process change and their desired results will win.
ROI is not risky for mobility. With TouchStar, it’s guaranteed.
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Last month TechTalk focused on the accessibility and general improvements driving the explosive growth of GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation. This month we explore and explain how the GPS system works.
The GPS network was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the U.S. Government made the system available for civilian use. The GPS network will work in almost any weather condition, in most areas of the world, 24 hours a day. While the technology itself is free of charge, software and map data are not.
 At the heart of GPS navigation is a piece of hardware called a GPS receiver. Also referred to as a GPSr, this integral device receives latitude, longitude and altitude by the trilateration (similar to triangulation) of radio signals broadcast from a network of 24 satellites. Each satellite orbits earth twice a day by precisely synchronized atomic clocks.
 Signals picked up by the GPS receiver contain packets of data which encode the satellite’s identity, an almanac and the current date and time. Three satellite signals are needed to secure latitude and longitude and a fourth signal will transmit altitude, yet seven or more are typically used for increased accuracy. GPS receivers also collect additional information, such as speed and bearing, which is more accurate than if manually input and calculated by software.
 Currently GPS has a general accuracy of around 15 meters. Advances in next generation satellites and additional land based signals as with DGPS (Differential GPS) will improve the short range accuracy to 5 meters. Industry analysts predict 1 centimeter accuracy in the not too distant future.
Access, ease of use and functionality enhancements has made GPS more affordable and desirable for commercial and consumer use. Experts predict that GPS standardization for automobiles, fleets, PDA’s and cellular phones is not wishful thinking. It’s around the corner.
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TouchStar has recently chronicled the compelling efficiency gains and customer service improvements realized by Superior Propane and their On Board Truck Computing (OBTC) project. As Canada’s largest propane marketer, Superior has implemented mobile computing solutions across the country and garnered a 32% increase in customer service, reduced out-of-gas calls by 26% and driver efficiency is up 15%. Their first significant investment in capital assets of this type in years, Superior has achieved ROI objectives and payback on the system in less than 19 months. How did they do it?
“One key to achieving ROI is to change the business processes to take advantage of the technology,” revealed the Aberdeen Study (see Mobility Myth article). Superior collectively invested in their decision to fundamentally change the way they operated, not merely place a few handheld computers in the field and upgrade email. Decisive procedural change and a strategy to achieve it yielded a core management team to drive the project from corporate headquarters to the field. Establishing key metrics, performance indicators and evaluation procedures kept Superior on target with expectations and on schedule.
 While process change can be anchored in new technology, the true change agents for Superior are the employees. Two General Managers from Eastern and Southern Ontario symbolize the collective pride of OBTC success, “Operations coordinators, administrators and drives all work together to guarantee our business process are aligned and we are getting the most possible efficiencies out of the system.”
 Drivers are a key part of the ROI formula and their morale and enthusiasm shows OBTC is a winner, “I love the time saved by not having to call into the Regional Logistics Centre to find out customer information for an unscheduled delivery. It’s readily available on the handheld. Customers can sign the unit’s screen to confirm receipt of a delivery and get a printed invoice instead of a handwritten copy.”
Ripple effects include forward thinking, “…plus, we can leverage the OBTC technology to create more improvements in the future, such as streamlining customer transactions and making it even easier for customers to do business with us,” prophesizes an Eastern Ontario Logistics Manager.
 Current best practices and the dedication across the Superior landscape bode well for their ROI and process change momentum. Risk is inherent to growth, profitability and competitive agility; calculated, shared risk with a proven technology partner in TouchStar allows Superior to realize their vision for the organization, employees and customers.
Superior Propane clearly demonstrates that the Mobility Myth is just that…A Myth.
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Ten Years Strong for TouchStar and Origin |
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Business Process Efficiencies Extended To Customers |
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2006 Wireless Broadband Innovation Award |
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Tech Talk with David Thornley |
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TouchStar Showcases Leading Automation Solutions |
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