Data is the lingua franca of the service business.  Now it allows not only disparate devices and applications to talk to with each other but also different parts of the operation can now use it communicate automatically.

The revolution on mobile communications that was promised in the early nineties with the launch of dedicated mobile data networks has now arrived in the service industry.  Those original networks are mostly turned off or highly focused but they sowed the seeds in service.  But it is the launch of the general packet radio service (GPRS) and its ability to send digital messages which, as well launching the text craze for teenagers, allowed the concept to bloom and produce business benefits for industry.

By having robust and reliable networks – and to a lesser extent robust and reliable terminals in the hands of the engineers, service operations now work in real time.  The ability to get information in and out of the field on demand and automatically has been key to generating the business benefits.

According to Paul Duggan the managing director of mobile computer maker Datalogic, the fact that data communication allows automatic communication has proved to be critical.  ‘The real business issues are still to do with improving productivity and for now this can only ever be resolved through data,’ he says. ‘Real time data communications enables a company to automatically re-route a mobile worker, to track his or her movements in a day and to get real time information back to enable instant invoicing and stock re-ordering.’

And, of course, the other reason for mobile data communications proving to be popular is cost.  ‘The barriers to investment in this kind of technology just aren't
there like they were a few years ago,’ says Jill Dixon, operations director for management systems house, CS Group. ‘GPRS has proved extremely effective in making cheap and reliable data communication a reality and there is a wide range of devices available using it.’
 
One of the barriers that has obstructed many an investment in mobile communications has been the fear of obsolescence – that what ever you buy will need to be replaced in a few months. Although the pace of development of computer hardware continues to astound, there is a key difference in the way the computing business is done now according to Bob Apollo, the VP marketing for mobile communications specialist Dexterra.

‘The key thing about the current wave of technical innovation is that it is largely standards-based,’ he says. ‘Today’s standards-based solutions not only integrate with existing systems, but they are, themselves, future-proof.  This is important, because IT directors are making it very clear that they want to be able to leverage their existing assets when they adopt new systems – they don’t want to have to throw everything out and start again.’

But he adds it is not just an issue of overcoming the fear of investment.  He believes the investment and decision making process has to be speeded up or an advantage or even now just the ability to compete could be lost.

‘I think the most powerful argument for not delaying is the empirical evidence from studies like the recent Aberdeen report that companies who adopt mobile technologies early enjoy significant and sustainable advantage over companies who are “late adopters”.  Delay just means that companies fall further behind the standards established by their “best in class” competitors,’ says Apollo.

The arrival of integratable, powerful communications systems with equally impressive computing devices hanging off them has empowered the revolution.  It might be a bit harsh to say these are commodity or utility items now but through their interchangability and openness, they are an enabler for more powerful forces: that of the applications and the creativity and imagination applied to their use. 

Even with the advent of automated management software tools a few years back, most systems were implemented piece meal and were left disparate.  Work could be despatched by mobile system to a PDA but still required an engineer to fill in a job sheet.  The office would have access to clever analytical tools and information sources while engineers still carried vans full of manuals.

‘Now the realisation has hit that it can all be done with one piece of hardware,’ says Mark Dale-Lace, managing director of the distributor of rugged full screen mobile computers and peripherals, CMC mobile computing.  ‘If you have a computer that is compact enough to use docked in the vehicle and on the job, rugged enough to survive the knocks and spills of an engineer’s life, have a screen large enough to carry out all the functions necessary (yet small enough to keep the unit hand-held) and with enough horsepower to drive the application preferably running Windows XP Pro so the user’s IT department can support it.  And with on board wireless communications to allow real time data transfer, or even VPN connectivity to the corporate network, you have the perfect solution.’

So while uniformity might be a desirable quality in IT systems it does not mean they are all the same and it does not get the manager out of the responsibility of choosing the right equipment and right partners.  ‘Users want ruggedness, reliability, a product that is fit for purpose, ease of use, good support and a quick repair service if it gets damaged or goes wrong. The management team wants price performance too,’ says Duggan.

Management teams are now less likely to put off investments in this area and are more likely to expect returns faster.  ‘Customers are expecting returns on investment measured in months rather than years,’ says Apollo.  ‘Companies don’t have the patience for complex, multi-year projects.  They want solutions that are quick to implement and generate a rapid return on investment.  Complex, multi-year projects don’t fit well with the dynamics of frontline applications anyway – the rate of change means that you would always be shooting at a moving target.’

Phil Jones, the development director of CS Group, says investment delays are usually an internal issue to be addressed. ‘If there is anything that could potentially delay the investment it is probably the lack of knowledge on the part of the client as to “what?” needs to be purchased and “from whom?”,’ he says. ‘Obviously, if a completely integrated system is being purchased then the supplier would be able to advise what is required, who to talk to in terms of device and connectivity etc, but if the mobile element if required to be ‘bolted onto’ an existing system then it becomes more difficult to know which way to turn.’

There is also then the question of what is ‘bolted on’ to the mobile application itself to generate the value.  Certainly, as discussed, real time scheduling and job and workforce management are key applications.  Another that it is having an impact is tracking and parallel telematics. 

One specialist in the field Navman reports that customers use the technology in different ways depending on their business.  ‘In the field of field staff vehicle tracking, the latest developments are in converged technologies – in this case, integrating vehicle tracking with hardware which gives more information about specific functionality.  Different companies have different priorities however, and it’s not always solely about bottom line costs,’ said a spokesman. ‘For a drain servicing company, reducing their response time for urgent call-outs was the main motivator.  For another, Neales Waste Management, an annual saving of £60,000 on fuel also helped them to reduce their CO2 emissions by 9.7 tonnes – a critical success factor for the business.  The gratifying thing is that so many customers are able to attach hard statistics to the improvements they see.’

Another supplier, Handheld PCs reveals how some customers are exploiting the ability to take and send photographs.  ‘Camera phones and photo messaging are touted as a state-of-the-art technology, but it is very difficult to see how service companies can make practical use of it,’ says Pierre Lam, sales and marketing director.

One of its customers, the construction company McNicholas, is using it to accelerate response times, improve site safety, offer better quality work and make faster completions.   Built around a photographic database, this new solution captures works images and exchanges data between teams in the field and Midas Enterprise, the McNicholas works management system.

’Developed in-house, McNicholas deployed a bespoke mobile application using camera phones running the Microsoft Windows Smart-Phone operating system,’ says Lam.  ‘The integrated works allocation application pushes job orders and order details out to the field teams, who, in turn, capture and return photographic audit trails of highway works along with job status updates and comments.’ 

But does the digital revolution mean the end of voice in service.  Duggan thinks not. ‘Voice is still needed as it enables the mobile worker to speak to someone directly but if you rely exclusively on voice you will lose many of the benefits of real data communications - the two go hand in hand.’

And technology continues to advance that could raise voice back into the equation without adding cost.  Running a voice system over a computer network or Voice over IP (VoIP) offers the opportunity of true and data over one device.
‘I personally see Voice over IP as complimentary to data communications and more of a competitor to mobile and landline phones,’ says Duggan.  ‘Our type of equipment actually enables a ‘road warrior’ to use Voice over IP, saving their Enterprise the cost of conventional GSM/GPRS calls.’

He believes the single device will happen.  ‘We will see a move towards a single unit for mobile workers that manages voice and data, thereby eliminating the need for a mobile phone and this will undoubtedly result in many new applications running on the mobile computers.

Some service organisations are already exploiting WiFi systems that offer wireless internet connection.  But their range is short and their coverage focused on coffee shops in urban centres – not the natural home of the engineer.  But the next generation is coming which may open up new opportunities.  

WiMAX is a broadband wireless technology designed to provide internet access over much long distances.  These will be new types of networks created by specialist service providers and are likely to be rolling out next year. 

Dixon assesses its likely impact. ‘WiFi, in its current state, is not a technology which can be used for robust mobile solutions. The radius of each base station is extremely small so commercial rollout is patchy and roaming, security and charging models are all problematic. However the emergence of wireless broadband (WiMax) should see a credible alternative to GPRS and 3G and as long as there is device availability and the other issues can be overcome it should provide strong competition to the services from the current network operators.’

So new technologies continue to evolve but they are ones which are still talking the same lingua franca – just doing so faster and to more people and devices. The revolution isn’t finished yet.