Mobile Applications used for field services, inventory/asset management, direct store delivery and proof of delivery are good at capturing data, integrating with backend systems and keeping your mobile force up to date.  But all that data can be put to further use if managed through a proper dashboard management system.  Dashboard management systems can be a separate application or an add-on to existing applications that provide management the tools to make informed business decisions. Harnessing this information is key to making decisions to better place your organization in the market, maximize profit margins and reduce overhead.  What can they do for your business?

Let’s say you run a direct store delivery (DSD) business selling bakery goods.  By simply capturing the data that the DSD application provides, you can keep track of inventory and automate invoicing, which in itself is beneficial.  But by optimizing your data management into a decision support dashboard you can determine which goods are selling better in which stores and going faster off the truck and link that to ingredient ordering and labor management.  Knowing this information allows management to make informed decisions about what ingredients to buy and what products to send to different outlets.

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At MobileFrame we have thought for a long time that our mobile solutions could track anything.  We have provided tracking applications for everything from parts and labor to maintenance records and hazardous waste containers.

We figure that we have tracked just about everything – from the cradle to the grave.  And now two customers are putting that to the test!

MobileFrame was recently deployed as the application for Paternity Declaration at Contra Costa County, California.  This application captures vital information and parent signatures at the time of birth.  With over 2500 clerks at over 700 birthing centers across California, MobileFrame’s integration into the county’s Vital Records is saving time, sometimes months, and increasing accuracy.

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While getting ready for the holidays I was at the mall, and it was packed!  People were hustling and bustling about, looking for the perfect gift for loved ones.  I mean it was NUTS!  It made me think, why do we put ourselves through all this?  Couldn’t we just as easily get a gift card, or whatever is in the sale ads for the people close in our lives?  Wouldn’t they be happy just knowing we thought of them?  No.  There is something to be said for the perfect gift, the one thing that – when you see it – you know it was made for them.

Why settle for less when it comes to your organization’s mobile application needs?  Off the shelf systems are designed to meet industry wide needs, but not necessarily the requirements of your organization.  Your organization is unique and chances are your software needs are as well.  Settling for an off the shelf system might solve some of your problems, but it will surely leave holes – probably in just the places that differentiate your organization.

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Accidents happen.  Mobile devices get lost, stolen and broken; it’s just a fact of life.  With as much as we rely on these devices, these accidents can grind production to a halt.  Not only is there a security risk, but now there is also the matter of installing the software on a new device and all the configuration needed to set it up.

MobileFrame‘s built-in Mobile Device Management (MDM) is designed to help in these instances.  Since the MobileFrame application is not hard-coded on the device you can quickly and easily change from one device to another.  Just install the client on a new device and you are back up and running, with barely skipping a beat.   And as far as security, you can force logoff, requiring password authentication to log back in.

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Equipment maintenance systems have been an integral part of production environments for decades.  There is no denying the importance and benefits of well-maintained equipment.  Prolonged asset life and reductions in both downtime and operating costs have turned maintenance from being viewed as a cost of doing business to vital part of being profitable.

Traditional barriers to effectively managing the maintenance process have been in organization and documentation of the system used.  Tracking each piece of equipment by last service date, frequency of service, scheduling of routine maintenance – all on paper - it becomes a full time job to maintain the maintenance system.  Computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software was developed to organize this information, and quickly became not only a way of managing upkeep; it has become a tool for improving maintenance performance.

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Barcodes emerged in the 1960’s, primarily in industrial settings, and by the 1970’s they had been standardized and started showing up in more and more commercial applications.  Today barcodes are everywhere.  They enable quick and precise identification in nearly all types of business.  The beauty of the barcode lies in its simplicity, its strength lies in its flexibility.

There are two main reasons why barcoding for inventory applications is beneficial

1. Productivity
2. Accuracy

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Healthcare is an industry where time can mean more than just money – it can mean the difference between life and death.   Given the critical and fast paced nature of hospitals, equipment can easily be misplaced.  This means staff must spend valuable time looking for beds, wheelchairs, or defibrillators.  Finding this equipment quickly not only saves the time spent looking for it, but it reduces staff frustration and increases patient satisfaction.

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MobileFrame invites you to vote in the 2011 Mobile Star Awards.  The Mobile Star Awards recognize the top mobile products and success stories in the Mobile Solutions Industry.  With the support of our customers and partners, MobileFrame has swept the Mobile Star Awards for the past several years and hopes to keep the streak alive.

This year MobileFrame has been nominated for 6 awards in the following Enterprise Software categories:

• Enterprise Software:  Application Development
• Enterprise Software:  Workforce Management
• Enterprise Software:  Asset Management
• Enterprise Software:  Data Capture
• Enterprise Software:  Field Sales and CRM
• Enterprise Software:  Field Service

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Running a mobile field service business can be incredibly difficult, especially when you consider the need to exchange information with multiple distributed workers in real-time.

Here at MobileFrame we have seen organizations that have tried everything to bridge this communication gap including:

• Equipping mobile workers with 2-way radios
• Utilizing Push-to-Talk based cell phones
• Sending text messages
• Calling workers directly

What we have found is that while these technologies are useful, they just are not optimized to help run a mobile operation.

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Over the past several months we have been working very closely with a large Consumer Packaged Goods Distribution company that has been in the process of evaluating different mobile software vendors to replace their legacy route accounting system.

They are interested in not only replacing their existing system but they also wanted to find a single platform to provide the ability to build, deploy, manage, and support all of their mobile application needs.

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