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.

But there is more.  The MDM allows remote updates so there is no need to recall devices from the field to implement changes, even if those updates are other than MobileFrame applications.  It allows remote device control to assist with troubleshooting and training issues.  Device power, location, memory utilization, messaging, alerts, synchronization status and all other critical device status information can be remotely monitored and controlled for all devices on the system.

The next time you have an unfortunate incident happen to you don’t let it hinder your production. If you would like to take a look at MobileFrame’s complete Enterprise Mobility Platform please do not hesitate to contact us today.

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.

Managers utilize CMMS to track asset inventory, increase technician productivity, increase overall equipment effectiveness  and realize longer equipment life.  It allows them to make informed decisions about planned versus unplanned work and the list goes on and on.  But the analysis used to make these decisions and increase performance is only as good as the data in the system.  Paper work order systems still rely heavily on people to fill out all information on the order, return it and enter it into the CMMS in a timely manner.  If any of this information is missing, erroneous or late then expensive decisions will be made without all the data.

Integrating the information of your CMMS into a mobile application will alleviate this.  Technicians can scan equipment to request previous service records, report problems, locate parts, and close work orders – all from a mobile device such as a handheld or tablet.  This reduces response to failure times and increases the accuracy of recorded data, making your CMMS even better.

Help put the power of your CMMS into the hands of your technicians – click to request a demonstration.

Medical equipment can be highly specialized and carry a high price tag.  Because of its specific functionality departments often horde equipment, keeping the asset hidden away so it’s available when needed.  The result is over stocking of some equipment, which of course inflates costs.  Accurate tracking allows quick retrieval and eliminates the need to over stock.

As every maintenance department knows, keeping the equipment in perfect working order is always a challenge.  Providing real-time data about the use of each item would allow your technicians to proactively  perform routine calibrations and complete preventative maintenance on each asset.  This benefit alone can mean a substantial cost saving to your bottom line.

Collecting and recording data digitally reduces data entry errors and allows management to make real-time decisions about running the business.  The data reports can be based on an unlimited number of criteria, including by department and user.  The data can even be viewed by management via an internet connected pc or tablet such as an iPad.

Digital tracking applications have the potential to save hospitals in a variety of ways.  Increased efficiency, accurate reporting on equipment usage and cost savings are but a few of the benefits these applications can bring.  Give your organization the advantage by investigating how medical equipment tracking applications can benefit you.  If you are interested in seeing how other organizations have been able to implement equipment tracking applications successfully using MobileFrame, please do not hesitate to contact us today.

In fact during a recent meeting with a prospective client we discussed this very topic. During our discussion he said that when his team was implementing their legacy mobile solution in 2003, they had to learn about a variety of technologies related to mobile computing.

Including:

• Application Development
• Database Replication
• Data Deployment
• Application Deployment
• User Authentication
• Device Security
• Mobile Peripherals
• Device Drivers
• Mobile Printing
• and the list goes on…

Furthermore he said that even though his team went through the pain of learning about mobility they still had to rely on a custom application vendor to build their hard coded mobile solution from scratch, and then maintain it. This came at a great cost, and ultimately the developed solution was deemed good enough, and has not been touched since. This “good enough” approach left a number of nice to have features and functionality on the table and negatively impacted the return on investment of the entire project.

The good news for this customer and for any other organization looking to implement a mobile solution is that MobileFrame has solved this problem. We bring together all of the tools needed to ensure a successful mobile deployment across every department, on every device, throughout your entire organization. And, you can do all of this without becoming a mobile computing expert. Furthermore, because our solution is end user configurable, our customers do not have to rely on us to maintain, develop, or enhance their applications. This allows companies the means to control their own environment, lowers total cost of ownership, and provides a quick return on investment.

Some of the tools we provide out of the box include:

• Code Free Application Development
• Mobile Device Management
• Application & Data Deployment
• Integration Wizard
• Real-Time Instant Messaging
• GPS Tracking
• Plug and Play Peripheral Device Support
• Mobile Printing
• Dynamic Web Portal Creation
• Plus Many More…

If you are interested in learning how other organizations just like yours have eliminated the guess work and have freed themselves from the cost, headaches, and confusion of implementing a mobile solution please contact us today.

Contact Us | Phone: 408.885.1200 | Email: Sales@MobileFrame.com

If so, you are not alone. With every new customer that implements a simple time tracking or job costing application they find that they have been able to save every payroll period.

What is interesting is that time-keeping laws require that time records be true and accurate and this responsibility falls upon the employer. While it is in your employee’s best interest to keep precise documentation of time worked, but in reality it is difficult getting them to do this. Each year employers are required to pay on unpaid overtime and can even face civil or criminal penalties for failure to comply with wage requirements.

The flip side of this is trusting that your employees are reporting their time accurately and not taking advantage. Intentionally or not, it’s easy to round 50 minutes of work or a 70 minute lunch to an hour. Over the course of a month this rounding can cost the company additional hours of labor for each employee.

There are other costs associated with poor time tracking. Many businesses estimate job costs and budget based upon the hour employee’s bill to past projects. Depending on your business, a miscalculation in man hours can make or break a project (and your bottom line). Logging the correct amount of hours to each project will lead to better projections and future bids.

You know all the right reasons to accurately keep time and it’s in your employee’s best interest to report their time BUT they still need the means to record it easily and accurately. Make sure you are giving them an efficient method to track this often overlooked function. Your employees will thank you for their accurate paychecks and the money you will save is your own.

If you are interested in learning more how other companies have been able to implement mobile time card and job costing solutions using MobileFrame, please contact us today.

Contact Us | Phone: 408.885.1200 | Email: Sales@MobileFrame.com

This increase in the number of available software vendors has caused confusion in the marketplace when trying to determine what the main differences are between companies that provide simple mobile forms vs. mobile business applications.

When most companies are investigating solutions they are looking for ways to eliminate the manual process of collecting information on paper. By eliminating the collection of data on paper, the business will be able to save costs, and ultimately increase profits. As an example let us assume that you are currently looking for a mobile software vendor to help eliminate paper from your field operations. You have completed your preliminary research and think you have found 2 companies that could be a potential fit.

The 2 companies you have found offer different solutions; one provides simple mobile forms and the other provides mobile business applications

• Company A – Provides a mobile forms tool which enables you to re-create simple paper forms on a smartphone. This tool makes it easy to collect simple text based information using your smartphone when connected to the Internet.
• MobileFrame – Provides a Mobile Business Application tool set which enables you to create, manage, deploy and support an infinite number of mobile business applications. This tool makes it easy to collect not only text based data but also rich data types including photo’s, barcode scans, voice notes, and can operate even when disconnected from the Internet. Meaning all associated business logic, data from your back-office systems is made available at all times even when working in remote locations.

Mobile Forms vs. Mobile Business Applications – What is the difference?

Collecting information using a mobile form is still a one-time event. Information is collected, saved, and transmitted back to the host system. Once completed,  someone still needs to physically copy, calculate, or re-purpose the data for your business to receive any benefit.

In other words the means of collecting the information has simply changed formats, but the actual business process that needs to be completed (the one that is taking all of the time) is still manual.

Other common issues with this approach include the lack of the ability to collect data when disconnected from the Internet, control over the data format, scalability, device management, and peripheral support (barcode scans, photos, voice notes, rfid, etc.).

In contrast mobile business applications like the ones developed by MobileFrame, enable you to bi-directionally exchange information between multiple back office business systems (Accounting, Inventory Tracking, CRM, etc.) and the mobile workers in real time.  These thick client mobile business applications embed all of the business logic, and necessary data into the database so the mobile worker is able to do their work without having to worry about connecting to the Internet. Mobile business applications also provide peripheral support making it possible to collect rich data types, and validating the data as it is being entered into the system. The best part is that once data is received by the back-office system, automated tasks can be set up to automatically process the data once it is received in real time.

Why selecting a Mobile Business Applications is the right decision:

Using a Mobile Business Application you are not only eliminating paper you are eliminating the administrative overhead, and manual data processing of information back at the office. Information is collected digitally, validated at the point of entry, and automatically entered into the other systems immediately once data is received back on the server. This means that your business will be able to run smoother, faster, and less expensively than ever before possible.

As takeaway from this article here are the 3 differences between mobile forms, and mobile business applications that you should remember.

1. Mobile Business Applications Provide Control
   • Do you want an open, free text entry or do you want to ensure that the information has a level of control to it?  Are phone numbers actually phone numbers or simply a combination of 10 digits?  Are your addresses formatted correctly?  There is no reason to electronically store information if it is not accurate and you lack control of what is captured.  Garbage in – garbage out.
2. Mobile Business Applications are Integrated
   • As you are fulfilling customer orders, you can automatically update your inventory tracking system, produce a mobile invoice, send it to your accounting program and update your CRM system in real-time with no additional effort. When your systems are talking to each other it saves you the time of duplicate (or triplicate) data entry.
3. Mobile Business Applications can run automatically
   • Possibly the most powerful benefit of this type of system is the ability to DO something automatically as information is received. Your workflow can be simplified when it is automated. When you are running low on a particular part, your mobile system can update your ERP which can send an alert to the purchasing department and let them know it’s time to order more. Other additional benefits include leveraging management dashboards, customer self-service portals, and automatic delivery of daily productivity reports.

If you are interested in learning more about our award winning mobile enterprise application platform, please contact us today!

Contact Us | Phone: 408.885.1200 | Email: Sales@MobileFrame.com

The first step in going paperless is finding the right solution vendor that not only has the experience to help you to understand your mobile workflow needs, but also the right technology to help you to ensure a successful mobile deployment.

During  this 1 hour education session, you will learn how other companies have been able to leverage MobileFrame’s award winning enterprise mobility platform and prebuilt Proof of Delivery (POD) solutions to automate delivery scheduling, dispatch, and collection of delivery data.

We will demonstrate how you will be able to:

• Optimize deliveries using GPS technology
• Increase average stops per day
• Eliminate delivery errors
• Reduce inventory shrinkage
• Reduce billing times
• Shorten days sales outstanding
• Improve customer service

We are hosting two sessions, both of which will also be recorded. Please click on either of  the links below to register:

As a BONUS all registered attendees will also receive a FREE whitepaper entitled, “How to Have a Successful Mobile Implementation” by Martin Jack, Director of Software Solutions Group at Barcoding, a  must read for anyone looking to ensure the success of a mobile deployment.

1. Proven – Be weary of solutions that have just been released and companies that have just opened their doors. Unfortunately many vendors have gone to market with solutions that have not been properly tested, documented and de-bugged. This can result in problems building your application, training your team, getting support and downtime out in the field.
2. Configuration – Make sure that the vendor’s solution can be configured by a member of your team on a moment’s notice without the need to write any code. It is also important that you have the means to deploy these changes automatically without the need to impact mobile workers, or uninstall and re-install the solution.
3. Track Record – Review your vendor’s successful project track record. Ask for references and schedule calls without the vendor being present. This will ensure you receive honest answers without the reference customer having to worry about hurting anyone’s feelings.
4. Integration – The majority of applications deployed today require integration into multiple back office business systems. Make sure that the solution provider you are considering provides an easy to use integration to mobilize your critical information.
5. Prove it – If you are evaluating mobile application development tools, platforms or custom application vendors, don’t sit through a power point presentation just talking about the solution. Make sure you get to see the solution working LIVE. If the company you are evaluating is offering an easy to use development environment, be leery of companies that need a sales engineer or developer to demo the product. This probably means that the product is difficult to use and even harder to develop with.

MobileFrame does not need sales engineers. All of our sales professionals are able to build their own custom applications and demo the complete environment including a live integration on every demo.

If you are interested in learning more about how MobileFrame can help your organization implement a field service application to streamline your operations please contact us today.

Contact Us | Phone: 408.885.1200 | Email: Sales@MobileFrame.com

MobileFrame Facilities Mobile Management Solution

Are you interested in eliminating paper by collecting data on handheld devices?

Register Today and learn how our mobile apps can automate your facilities management team in lightening fast speed. Our mobile solution can be integrated to your backend systems and configured to your own business requirements with no custom programming required.

Our Facilities Mobile Management Solutions includes a variety of apps:

• Work Order Management
• Building Operations
• Asset Management
• Equipment Inventory
• Decor Inventory
• Property Management
• Assessments
• and much more…

We’ll also discuss benefits of going mobile such as:

• Increase staff productivity
• Improve customer service
• Reduce data transcription errors
• Eliminate redundant data entry
• Eliminate down-time in the field
• Reduce paper costs
• Provide field workers with up-to-date information in real-time

Please join us for this web based education session to learn how mobile applications and mobility technologies can eliminate paperwork associated with Work Orders, Building Operations, Property management, Asset management, and Assessments

Register Now!

Live Webinar with MobileFrame: Thursday, November 11, 2010 from, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM PST Register Now!

Event Speakers:

• Patricia Oswalt - MobileFrame EVP of Sales
• Debbrah Dizon – MobileFrame

Who should attend:

• Operations Managers
• Facility Managers
• Archibus Users
• Archibus Administrators
• Property Managers

Let’s look at a simple example.

ABC Company utilizes an office based work order scheduling application. Daily work orders are entered into this system, scheduled to a mobile worker, printed out, picked up and everyone goes out and completes their work…right?

What happens when you have last minute changes to today’s schedule? For example, a customer calls and cancels, an emergency job comes in, someone called in sick, leaving you to juggle everything and find someone to complete the work. This can be a real problem, especially without having the appropriate systems and technology in place to help.

Here are some common questions that need to be answered.

• What skills are required to complete this task?
• Who has these skills?
• Are they available?
• What parts are needed?
• Who has these parts?
• Does the person with the right skills, have the right parts?
• If not how can I get this person what they need?
• How do I notify this mobile worker about the change in their schedule?
• How do I provide the mobile worker with all of the historical information about the job?

The point is that service based businesses have to continually juggle multiple conflicting priorities. Without the means to manage this flow of work, management has a lot to worry about. The good news is that MobileFrame is here to help service organizations easily manage the complexities associated with mobilizing that constantly changing data. We have all of the tools required to help your company implement a mobile system to enable real-time communications, provide up to the second status updates, track parts, schedule work orders, re-schedule work orders and much more.

If you are interested in learning more about how MobileFrame has been able to help other service based businesses just like yours, please contact us today.

Contact Us | Phone: 408.885.1200 | Email: info@MobileFrame.com