Workforce Management
Special report
only might a sales rep have to familiarise him/herself each time with the customer’s history, credit details and current service issues, he/she would also have to update their knowledge of any changes to the customer internal hierarchy. Even so, no one can anticipate every question that may be put to them. But make all of that information accessible in real time, while the rep is with the customer, then the business has every opportunity to boost productivity, accelerate sales cycles and increase customer satisfaction. Furthermore, there is no need for the rep to be loaded with brochures and factsheets as catalogues can be viewed on-screen via a document management system; and even product demos can be provided.” different site working on a different system. And
access information in real time on a mobile
In addition to the functional robustness of
these different groups of people might be
device, both the engineer’s planned and
Eagle, Orme considers that one of its main
making the same mistakes time and time again
unplanned tasks can be carried out more
USPs is the strength of its integration with a
and not learning from their inefficiencies. If
efficiently and much quicker,” he said. In
sophisticated back-office management system
people from different locations are able to
essence, Hannay explained that Extend 7000
that is the product of over 25 years’ industry
share their knowledge and experience by
facilitates a holistic approach that considers all
experience. “Customers need systems and
putting valuable information into the collective
aspects of maintenance engineering mobile
solutions that operate seamlessly and fault free
pot then the quality of the stored data will
requirements for both unscheduled and
across the entire enterprise and utilise the
improve, and so will the performance of the
planned activities. In terms of core USPs,
same shared data,” he said. “Disparate
workforce.”
Hannay cites these as independence from other software vendors and ability to integrate
systems tend to lead to points of weakness in system interfaces and data ownership issues,
Hannay added that by being able to access
with most commonly used automation, control
which leads to a reduced lack of confidence.”
the right information almost immediately
and maintenance systems such as IBM
engineers can improve their response times
Maximo, SAP PM, Siemens, Mitsubishi, WinCC,
Hannay explained that a key benefit of Schad’s
when, say, a piece of equipment breaks down.
InTouch.
SCADA-based Extend 7000 mobile middleware
“What we are finding is organisations are
application is that it is able to route information
increasingly keen to drill down to a more
Szikora comments that in NFT’s market, 3PL
between a central automated/maintenance
detailed level to determine why things go
time-critical chilled logistics, the company needs to be able to plan and react to changes
“
Companies would like to improve retention of good people and not have to hire as many temporary workers as they have in the past.” – Dwight Klappich, Gartner.
very quickly without being integrated upstream with hundreds of suppliers. “Our main focus is to integrate tightly with available forecasts, operational systems and deliver centralised
system and mobile devices. He made the point
wrong, when they go wrong and what can be
views to manage
that by using such a system the right
done in order to ensure downtime is
throughput, service
information can be allocated to the right
minimised,” he said. “Engineers need to know
and quality on a near
engineers according to existing workloads and
not only how to solve problems but also how to
live basis,” he
their availability; and all this is achievable in
improve their response times.” He added that
explained, adding
real time on their mobile device wherever they
by being able to access all the required
that in transport NFT
are working on the shopfloor. Hannay then
information via a single platform on a mobile
achieves this through
considered the benefits of putting in place
device an engineer can then make decisions
a Microlise telematics
what he refers to as an enterprise-wide asset
much quicker, know precisely the right store to
solution. Szikora also
management strategy. “An organisation might
go to in order to access the right part, and not
explained that NFT is
have a group of engineers at one location
have to spend time trying to find the right
currently in the
working on a particular type of system, and it
paper-based information (manual, electronic
process of installing a
might have another group of engineers on a
diagram, etc.) for the job. “By being able to
new Workforce
www.logisticsit.com
Dwight Klappich, vice president of research
IT
MANUFACTURING
July 2012
&LOGISTICS
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