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Issue 85
Rugged Hardware
Industry Specific Software
Full Service Support
www.touchstargroup.com
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Season’s Greetings from TouchStar
 TouchStar and UPS Logistics Technologies recently announced their strategic alliance to offer durable, automated and comprehensive mobility platforms to field service and sales workforces. TouchStar seamlessly integrates intuitive mobile field force and delivery management software to UPS Logistics Technologies Roadnet® and MobileCast® route optimization, fleet vision and real time protocols. Enterprises gain an automated, dynamic and optimized field to fixed station delivery system while greatly enhancing customer service with feature rich mobile applications.
Driver and vehicle efficiency returns are virtually immediate:
• 100% Reduction in ticket sorting ticket time per driver
• 75% Reduction in navigation time: idle time reading maps roadside
• 50% Reduction in driver “office time” per driver
• 10% Reduction in mileage
• 20 % Increased stops per day
 Customers also report reduced driver turnover, higher driver accountability, eliminated driver managed routes and increased sales volume with out adding to the fleet!
David Parker, Owner of Parker Gas in North Carolina and immediate past President of the North Carolina Propane Gas Association, shares his experience, “I had been using the TouchStar truck automation system for several years when I decided to invest in mapping and route optimization solutions. After looking at a few vendors, I found UPS Logistics Technologies. They had what I was looking for. It was good timing as TouchStar and UPS were working together.
Since integrating Roadnet with my TouchStar system, I am seeing progress with route planning and going into my first winter, I know I made the right choice. I plan my routes on Friday and know where the fleet will be for next the week. My fleet is traveling less miles and my routes are a lot more efficient. I haven’t had any driver turnover this year, but if I do, training and getting new drivers up to speed will be a lot faster and my customers won’t suffer. Next year I am planning on going step further and adding GPS equipment to more accurately plot locations in rural and remote routes. What I have today is definitely making a difference. And it gets better by the day.”
The benefits impact efficiency and the bottom line in these key areas as well:
• Eliminates costly paper processes
• Electronic signature capture and invoicing on site for “bill on the road”
• Reconciles vehicle on board inventory
• Accelerates receivables cycle
• Creates and prints professional delivery tickets, invoices, proof of delivery, remittance slips at time of delivery
TouchStar and UPS Logistics Technologies harness the power of technology to offer best in class solutions for the mobile workforce If you are considering a new mobility initiative or upgrading an existing platform, please contact TouchStar today for more information on how we can help you achieve your goals.
See InTouch next month for real time fleet vision and dynamic routing and wireless navigational tools. Imagine having the ability track your mobile workforce any moment throughout the day.
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Keith Curlee VP of Professional Services
 From every aspect, 2006 was a pivotal year for mobility. Several key technologies came of age and are now viable, cost effective and field proven systems. Consumer devices and software that provide remote access to email and other back office systems, such as CRM, also became ubiquitous and helped drive mobile technology into the mainstream. So much so that “88% of best-inclass companies have a defined and documented mobile strategy”.
For the rugged, blue and gray collar workforces in the field, the technology drivers that delivered the most impact are:
• Wireless networks: Both local area and wide area. Coverage and rates are now complete and low enough respectively to allow real business benefits.
• Route optimization and dispatching systems: While route optimization and dispatching systems have been utilized for years as static processes, integration with mobile computers and real time wireless data networks has allowed for much tighter and dynamic control of workforce efficiencies.
• GPS systems and navigational aids: The consumer devices now used are providing quantifiable business benefits, particularly in seasonal industries where new drivers do not know routes or customer locations.
• Security: GPS and real time communication capabilities are allowing enterprises to accurately pinpoint vehicle and asset location at all times, while highly sophisticated programs can offer remote vehicle shutdown.
• Hardware devices: The rapid adoption of consumer handhelds has allowed commercial grade device manufacturers to leverage lower cost components, thereby creating a range of much less expensive devices.
The momentum created in 2006 is driving dramatic and sustainable advancements in mobility deployments across the globe. The net benefits and bottom line analysis to businesses with remote workforces are:
• Improved field force efficiencies: Aberdeen reports “Best-in-class organizations had an average 74% ROI on their mobile initiatives”.
• Increased fleet monitoring and control through the implementation of the above tools.
• Improved customer service through improved response times, service estimation window forecast accuracy, and more intimate interactions.
As David Thornley’s article indicates, this is all just the beginning…2007 will be a benchmark year for mobility.
1. Source: “Enterprise Mobile Adoption – A Corporate Conundrum”, October 2006 Aberdeen Group. (www.aberdeengroup.com)
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A One-Stop-Shop Solution
Today, consumer grade PDA’s are readily available from most Telcos and Consumer Electronics retail outlets. This means that organizations considering a Technology Automation Solution for their Field Force are naturally tempted to go to their favorite outlet and/or Telco who happily bundles PDA’s with carriage services, thus seemingly turning a capital expense into an operational expense.
This on the surface is great news for companies moving into Field Force Automation as they are now able to receive truly competitive pricing on the handheld and finance options.
However a few words of caution. In our experience, there are a number of not so obvious issues that organizations should be aware of in the process of making such a decision. Here are some:
• Whilst these consumer grade PDA’s are low cost, they have not been designed to withstand rugged in-field environments. So whilst in an office and/or white collar environment they might be up to the job, one should tread very cautiously if considering deploying these devices in more rugged environments such as the Field Service Industry. TouchStar regularly replaces consumer grade PDA’s with products from organizations such as Symbol.
• Also, be aware that the product lifecycle of most consumer grade PDA’s is around 12 months. An important point to remember as most Field Force Automation deployments of these products usually have high failure rates and spare part availability becomes a problem near the devices’ “end-of-life”.
• In our experience, one should always estimate a 15 – 20% per annum failure rate and purchase the equivalent in units up-front to ensure business continuity.
• When purchasing these units on monthly contracts with the provision of communications services, we always recommend that the supplier is requested to present 2 quotes, one for the bundle and one for the carriage, unbundled. This exposes the true cost of the PDA and puts you in a position to compare apples with apples.
TouchStar is a one-stop-shop that covers the A to Z of field force automation. We take responsibility for every aspect of a project, during and post implementation to ensure that our client only needs to refer back to one organization to get solutions to any arising issues. This, in our opinion, is the only “REAL” option that a client should opt for. We believe that the partnership starts (rather than finishes) when the project is signed-off.
Post project sign-off, in our experience, is often when most clients’ businesses are seriously impacted by the inaction by suppliers as a result of supplier’s lack of accountability and finger pointing. Post sale services need to be taken into serious consideration during the supplier selection process rather than just biased towards the cheapest gadget!
TouchStar has a few programs in place to ensure that the customer gets the best deal and the best post-sale-services, everytime:
• Best Price Guarantee (on all rugged and consumer grade PDA’s)
• Telco Bundle
• OPEX vs CAPEX financial modeling
• Service Exchange
• One Company One Call
• Turn-key Solutions (including hardware, software, project management, consulting, installation kit development, installation services and post sale support options)
The above programs result in what we believe is the only real option for our clients and that is a “one-stop-shop” solution…..NO FINGER POINTING!
Over the next few months we shall go into the detail of all these options so stay tuned.
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Year in Review
This was a hallmark year for mobility. The rapid acceptance, adoption and commercial affordability of GPS technology and navigational tools, next generation wireless technology and software developments defined mobility’s momentum. This month TechTalk reviews the highlights of 2006.
Clearly, GPS generated the most industry buzz and activity. The GPS network was originally intended for military applications; however the US government made it available for civilian use in the early 1980’s. Since then, GPS has undergone significant improvements in internal receivers, map data quality, navigational and routing algorithms as well as integration features. The durable, accessible and pointed accuracy of GPS today has enabled mobile workforces to dramatically streamline routing and delivery processes while retaining competitive agility and increasing customer service. TouchStar engineers and developers have integrated our software suites to the TomTom™ navigation system to provide state of the art navigation functionality to our mobility platforms.
The hot, next generation wireless innovation is HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access). Rollouts have been initiated via several major wireless carriers in the United States, Canada and Europe, with Australia to date leading the way. HSPDA’s defining feature is the dramatic speed increase of downlink packets. To illustrate the dynamic effect HSPDA will have on mobility, mobile work forces will be able to participate in high quality video conferencing remotely, in real time. This “turbo charged” network’s speed is five times faster than existing wireless networks.
From a software perspective, earlier this year Microsoft announced plans for their next major operating system release “Windows Vista”. While November saw a RTM (Release To Manufacturing), a retail launch has yet to be announced. But when it does, it will be huge. Look for initial traction to emphasize the enterprise and OEM’s.
Windows Mobile gets a boost with Vista completely replacing ActiveSync with Sync Center and Windows Mobile Device Center. Although the RTM was released with the underlying machinery for device synchronization, Microsoft did not make the Vista RTM deadline for the WMDC (Windows Mobile Device Center). WMDC will be most likely released prior to the official Vista launch.
I’ve reviewed Windows Vista RTM over the last month and found it to be an extremely well polished operating system. Rich visual improvements and programming upgrades dramatically improve the operating system’s stability and usability. I will provide a detailed, advance review and synopsis of Vista to coincide with the official launch in 2007.
Lastly, Windows CE 6.0 was announced and the Beta version was provided at Microsoft’s Mobile and Embedded Developers Conference, ‘MEDC2006’. The official launch in November generated a surge of interest related to major architectural improvements as it powers the embedded operating system into its second decade. MEDC2007 is rumored to be the launch platform for the next Windows Mobile release (codenamed CrossBow). While not necessarily a major release, the UI will likely dovetail with Vista, and bundle functional improvements largely around phone and data synchronization.
Looking back, 2006 was a very big year for mobile computing and technology. And it is predicted that 2007 will be even bigger. Depend on TechTalk to keep you current on emerging technologies that most affect mobility.
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Mobile Enterprise Magazine
February Issue in a feature on rugged deployments…http://www.mobileenterprisemag.com
NPGA 57th Annual Southeaster Convention & International Expo
April 14 – 17 2007 at the Georgia World Congress in Atlanta. Visit Booth 720 for a hands on look at the newest mobility technology and don’t miss the Information Technology Panel, featuring TouchStar, Blossman Gas and Rural Computer Consultants. http://www.npgaexpo.com
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Best In Class Solutions for the Mobile Workforce |
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2006 Drives Advancements In Mobility Deployment |
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No Finger Pointing |
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Tech Talk with David Thornley |
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