Damien Penney Vice President at Lytx Europe, discusses how fleet managers can empower their most important assets by placing technician safety and empowerment at the heart of their programs.

More and more, fleet managers are empowering their technicians with the tools to make good decisions that help them stay safe on the road. This means sharing ‘big picture’ insights about behavioral trends to watch out for, but also deploying in-the-moment vehicle alerts that allow technicians to self-correct in the case of a momentary slip-up behind the wheel.

By placing technician safety and empowerment at the heart of their programs, fleet managers are focusing on their most important assets. A technician who self-corrects risky driving behaviors is in the best possible position to help keep the fleet on track during high volume or challenging times.

THE POWER OF IN-THE-MOMENT ALERTS

Fleet managers know that even the most experienced and safest drivers may be subject to a periodic slip-up. When that happens, it’s important to help those behind the wheel get back on track as quickly as possible. Unlike traditional telematics which only tells you the what, powerful technologies such as machine vision and artificial intelligence (MV+AI) are now being used in order to tell the why and provide drivers with a little extra assistance.

Machine vision essentially acts as a smart set of eyes that scan and recognize both the internal and external environment of the vehicle. This includes the ability to identify distracted driving behaviors such as mobile phone use, eating, drinking, smoking, or failure to wear a seat belt. While MV identifies the issue, AI determines how risky that issue is and whether it needs to be flagged to the technician or manager.

An experienced technician may have a perfect driving history but, on their first day back after a long break, forget to click their seatbelt as they pull away from the depot. Much like a friend sitting in the passenger seat, MV+AI will kick in, cueing an audio alert that will enable the technician to self-correct their driving in a matter of seconds.

Fleet managers can also use this approach as an opportunity to reward good behavior. For example, video footage may reveal a technician reacting quickly to a momentary lapse, minimizing potential risk and avoiding any escalation.

PUTTING THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE HANDS OF THE TECHNICIAN

As well as reacting in the moment, it’s important that technicians have the opportunity to review their overall driving style. This includes spotting any risky behaviors that may be sneaking in over time.

One of the ways this can be achieved is by giving technicians condensed video clips of their driving to review at their leisure after their shift. In the moment, a driver may not have registered that they were following the vehicle in front too closely for example. However, the sight of themselves on video exhibiting potentially risky behaviors is a direct and effective way of communicating this. A technician will become more aware of their actions, placing the risk more firmly in their consciousness as a result.

One of the biggest benefits of self-review is that it’s something that technicians can do independently. There is no need to wait for a formal coaching session to be scheduled and any question of implied blame by a supervisor is avoided. In terms of technology, technicians can simply log on to a computer or mobile device anywhere that there’s a cellular connection.

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE

As a manager, understanding the bigger impact of these behaviors is also important. You need to be able to predict and manage future collision risk exposure to your fleet by analyzing past data.

For example, you might uncover a trend that shows technicians who work back-to-back shifts are more likely to be distracted by texting, food or drink while driving. This would be the starting point for taking a closer look at what’s going on. In this case, perhaps the technician is not taking breaks and eating while driving, and possibly texting or making phone calls while driving from job to job in order to multitask. Maybe they are facing pressure to get more site visits done in a shift and might be cutting some safety corners.

The more quality data you have, the easier it becomes to see these trends on a bigger scale – and feel confident that they are accurate. At Lytx, our database is meaningful because it consists of more than 120 billion miles of driving data from more than one million commercial drivers and technicians worldwide. This grows by more than 140,000 new driving events each day, further training and improving its algorithms.

For safer fleets, we need these insights to be shared properly. As well as providing managers with reports detailing incidents of risky driving, it’s essential that we place technicians themselves at the heart of the process. By placing some of this power into their hands, we can increase co-operation, share the responsibility, and have an approach to fleet management that is altogether more agile and responsive. Only then we really achieve lasting behavior change that sticks.

Lytx can help empower your technicians to be safer. Learn more at Lytx.com.

This post was originally published on Lytx.com by Damien Penney Vice President, Lytx Europe.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Managing The Mobile Workforce @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Learn more about Lytx  @ www.lytx.com
• Find out more about Detect and Prevent Risky Driving with Lytx @ youtu.be/F1B1jEWcLAY
• Read more about Lytx on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/lytx
• Follow Lytx on Twitter @ twitter.com/lytx

IFS, the global enterprise applications company, today unveils a new brand identity to fuse its evolved market position and herald an industry-changing product launch that takes place on March 10, 2021.

Forward-thinking businesses are recognizing the benefits of differentiating on service and the growth opportunities presented by offering new propositions leveraging service. Now, with more than half of the company’s revenue coming from customers using IFS’s technology in how they serve their customers, together with its clear category leadership as recognized by industry analysts, IFS is uniquely positioned to help customers deliver at the moment when really matters. These are the moments when a company either delights or disappoints; the moments when all the decisions and processes that go into doing what you do need to come together; the moments when all the hard work pays off. We call them Moments of Service.

The launch of IFS Cloud™ on March 10 will enable more companies to be their best in their Moments of Service. The new platform enables companies to manage the customer, people, and asset elements of their business in a single, integrated solution. Packed with meaningful innovation, and the industry relevance that IFS has built a reputation for, IFS Cloud is the most significant launch in the company’s history and sets a new benchmark for the industry.

A NEW LOOK FOR A NEW ERA

At the heart of IFS’s new identity is an iconic symbol that represents the many elements a business needs to orchestrate in order to deliver amazing Moments of Service. The symbol reflects the effort, energy, and complexity that goes into every customer engagement while retaining a sense of balance and symmetry. Honoring the company’s past while ushering in the future, the new color palette is based on an updated, vibrant purple hue that is contrasted by a range of complementary colors.

The process behind the brand refresh was both collaborative and scientific, involving input from IFS customers, prospective customers, partners, employees, analysts, and journalists—as well as brand experts. 

“We are thrilled to unveil our new look and feel, which is an integral part of the evolutionary shift the company is currently undergoing,” IFS Chief Marketing Officer Oliver Pilgerstorfer said. “The new brand identity reflects the business we are today and is also indicative of our plans for the future, especially in light of the upcoming launch of IFS Cloud. It’s a watershed moment in our company’s history. By creating an identity that is appealing and inspirational we are giving customers, partners, and the market at large a clear signal—and it’s something our own employees are immensely proud of.”

The new IFS branding is currently being deployed across all touchpoints, including digital platforms, print and digital marketing, collaterals, merchandise, and office interiors. The roll-out is being accompanied by out-of-home advertising on some of the world’s most iconic activation sites including Times Square in New York, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and Shibuya in Japan.

Want to know more? Visit ifs.com/possibilities

Further Reading:

• Find out more about IFS @ www.ifs.com/
• Read more about IFS on Field Service News @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/ifs
• Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Learn more about the launch of IFS Clous @ ifs.com/possibilities 
• Follow IFS on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/ifs

Getac has recently announced the launch of its next-generation S410, a highly configurable, semi-rugged laptop aimed at utilities professionals working in challenging indoor and outdoor environments.

Brilliant all-day performance

The new S410 offers upgraded all-day performance, a brilliant new display and enhanced memory and processing power, all in Getac’s market-proven form factor. Key features include the 11th Generation Intel® Core™ i5/i7 Processors with integrated Intel® Iris® X^e Graphics, PCIe NVMe SSD as default and user-removable storage, for improved efficiency during daily workflows and graphics-intensive tasks.

The S410 also features cutting-edge connectivity, thanks to its Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX201 module that supports the new IEEE 802.11ax standard. The result is smooth streaming of high-resolution video, fewer dropped connections and faster connections at farther distances from a wireless router. Thunderbolt™ 4 technology provides ultra-fast data transfer speeds, while also making it easier to share data with other devices.

A brighter screen (up to 1,000 nits), coupled with LumiBond® 2.0 Technology, ensures comfortable outdoor viewing, even when under direct sunlight. Furthermore, the S410 can accommodate up to three hot swappable batteries, ensuring zero downtime from shift to shift. A backlit keyboard makes work in low-light environments easier, while a larger touchpad enables a smooth user experience with fewer input errors.

As expected with Getac ruggedised products, the S410 is MIL-STD-810H certified, resists a three-foot drop, and sports a wide operating temperature range from -29°C to 63°C (-20°F to 145°F). Compliance with the IP53 rating allows users to operate in dusty and light rain conditions without fear of damaging the unit.

Reliable connectivity and safety for utility fieldwork

Asset management for utilities can be challenging as constant remote access to a central database is needed to synchronise information, manage and communicate with your workforce, and carry out GIS mapping. With the S410, service technicians in the field can obtain schematics, generate purchase orders, check inventory, and even video chat with remote experts to quickly solve problems, thanks to integrated WLAN/BT/WWAN/GPS. Getac also works with solution partners to provide connectivity management with built-in security. Multiple I/O configurations are available to accommodate different field workers’ needs and connectivity requirements.

Getac Select® program – tailored for industry needs

The S410 is part of the Getac Select® program, which combines pre-configured rugged devices, software, accessories, and professional services into a total solution optimised for both individual applications and user groups. Key software utilities available for use alongside the S410 are the Getac Driving Safety Utility, and Getac Device Monitoring System (GDMS).¹

Extensive Configurable Options

Extensive pre-configured options make the S410 uniquely suited to the demands of utilities industry professionals, whether on-site with customers or inspecting assets in the field.

Optimise Uptime and Reliability with Getac Device Monitoring System (GDMS)

The Getac Device Monitoring System (GDMS) helps organisations maintain operational efficiency of their installed Getac devices. GDMS, part of the Getac Select® program, is a software solution that monitors deployed devices, spotting potential issues before they impact field personnel, thus proactively reducing the risk of downtime.

For companies without dedicated IT resources that lack time or device admin personnel, Getac offers a premium service called Getac Device Monitoring System Enterprise Plus (GDMS E+)², where trained experts monitor Getac hardware and software in use by our customers.

“With the new Getac S410, we have responded to a great demand for a semi-rugged laptop that adapts easily to rapidly-changing conditions, across a wide range of applications,” says Chris Bye, President, Getac UK Ltd. “Our ongoing commitments to technology advancement, professional service, and reliability offer our utilities customers peace of mind when handling complex fieldwork.”

Availability

The next-generation Getac S410 is available on March 2^nd 2021, priced from £1350 + VAT. For more information, please visit https://www.getac.com/en/products/laptops/s410/

In this final excerpt from a recent white paper published by Esri UK, now available at Field Service News, we look further at the importance of location intelligence and discuss how organisations can achieve optimised field operations.

Want to know more? Field Service News Subscribers can access a White Paper on this topic on the link below.

If you have yet to subscribe click the button below to join 30K of your field service management professional peers and subscribe now to access this content and our entire premium content library now!

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content Esri UK who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

Last week, we looked at how Esri's ArcGIS platform can help companies in challenging situations, such as containing the spread of a plant disease and saving lives in humanitarian disasters. Today we look at two further case studies highlighting the importance of location intelligence and discuss how organisations can achieve optimised field operations

SUPPORTING DIVERSE AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

With its diverse and varied population, Oxfordshire County Council aims to provide excellent services to all its residents while promoting equality and ensuring fairness.

The Challenge

Oxfordshire County Council’s GIS (Geographic Information Systems) team has an extremely broad brief to provide ICT support across the organisation, including Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire Rescue Service. This small team assesses requirements and requests, gathers business analysis and provides user support while building interactive dashboards and web and mobile apps for internal and external use.

The Solution

Under its Enterprise Licence Agreement, Oxfordshire County Council has been using Esri’s ArcGIS platform exclusively since 2017 as its corporate GIS infrastructure. This has enabled the GIS team to build out a greater number of requirements, more quickly and efficiently, and help transform service delivery.

In March 2019 the Safe and Well service went digital. Workforce for ArcGIS was used to coordinate and allocate daily visits before crews left their stations and questionnaires incorporating broader health messages from the public health team were built using Survey123 for ArcGIS. The electronic forms were filled in onsite at residents’ homes and when there was no signal or internet available, users could carry on working and save a copy of the form on their mobile device. When the devices were next connected, completed surveys were synced directly back to the database in the office so colleagues could see which assessments had been undertaken, and the data visible on a central management dashboard.

The Benefits

Supporting diversity

The redesigned service demonstrates Oxfordshire County Council’s responsibility as a Stonewall Diversity Champion, committed to sexual orientation and gender identify equality. In its second year of inclusion the Council now ranks at 127 (out of 503 organisations) in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, compared to its previous ranking at 220 out of 445.

Secure data collection

Users can confidently collect anonymous data, securely, enabling the Council to collect vital information which ensures that the service it provides residents is inclusive to those of all identities and orientations, as well as help the organisation climb the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.

Saving time

The use of ArcGIS apps has significantly enhanced the efficiency of reporting in the field as well as back in the office. Firefighters making home visits report that the quality of their visits and range of services offered has improved, and they feel more confident and competent in carrying out their work. The administration process has also been streamlined as admin staff no longer have to input data collected from paper-based surveys, reducing the potential for human error.

OPTIMISING THE ROLE OF 60,000 VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers play an invaluable role in helping the National Trust to protect and care for the nation’s cultural heritage and natural landscapes. The not-for-profit organisation is now embracing crowdsourcing and is using ArcGIS in a series of ground-breaking pilot projects that will enable more people to get involved and make a valuable contribution to its conservation work.

The Challenge

The National Trust has over 60,000 volunteers who play a vital role in helping the charity to manage 250,000 hectares of land, 778 miles of coastline, 80,000 archaeological features and 28,000 buildings. The organisation wanted to optimise the role played by this enthusiastic group and find a way to engage even more people in its activities. At the same time, it wanted to show its volunteers the value of their contribution and help them to feel more involved in conservation projects

The Solution

The National Trust is now pioneering new ways to engage with volunteers using Esri’s ArcGIS platform. In a series of pilot projects, the organisation is beginning to use ArcGIS mobile solutions, including Collector for ArcGIS and Survey123 for ArcGIS, to allow volunteers to upload information from their smartphones and tablets to a central portal. Called ArcGIS Hub Premium, this portal provides secure, authenticated identity for huge numbers of volunteers, which allows them to see the data they have collected, in the context of the wider project. Volunteers can therefore appreciate what they have done and the value of their contribution to the National Trust’s conservation schemes.

In the first of the National Trust’s pilot solutions, volunteers in the Peak District are gathering data on the condition of archaeological features on National Trust land, including barrows, ruins and ancient quarries. They are then uploading and sharing this data via ArcGIS Hub Premium, helping the National Trust to build up a clearer picture of the condition of ancient sites that are rarely visited but are nonetheless important to the history of the nation.

The Benefits

Well-informed decision about conservation and maintenance

Over time, the use of the new ArcGIS volunteering apps will enable the National Trust to collect a larger quantity of high quality data, which it can use to support its decision making. In particular, the organisation anticipates that volunteers will be able to help it build up a far more comprehensive picture of the condition of assets and habitats, such as signs and ponds. It can then use this information to see where it should prioritise its conservation activities and how best to plan effective, proactive maintenance programmes.

More successful conservation projects

Although it is still early days, the National Trust already recognises that ArcGIS Hub Premium is a highly effective tool for improving collaboration with large numbers of volunteers and partners. In initiatives such as the Riverlands project near Manchester, the organisation expects ArcGIS Hub Premium to play a pivotal role in enabling large numbers of people to share data and work together. “It feels exciting,” Davies says. “Our pilots are putting crowdsourcing into practice and demonstrating how volunteering programmes can be managed more successfully in the future.”  

REALISING OPTIMISED FIELD OPERATIONS

A GIS enables the virtuous cycle of efficiency in field activities. Organisations use field operations apps to plan fieldwork based on geography and better coordinate job assignments. Field operations apps connect workers and activities in the field with the office. Real-time navigation tools reduce fuel consumption, save time, and improve customer satisfaction. Data collection apps capture accurate data in the field and feed it into the GIS to become part of the system of record. GIS monitors field activities and generates intuitive maps and dashboards. The GIS suite of focused field operations apps drives location intelligence that helps organisations make faster and better decisions.

---

The full white paper "Digitally Transform Field Operations" is available on Field Service News.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and you can access the white paper instantly upon completing the registration form!

 

 

---

Further Reading:

Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
Find out more about Esri UK @ www.esriuk.com

Read more about Esri UK on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/esri
Follow Esri UK on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/company/esri-uk
Follow Esri UK on Twitter @ twitter.com/esriuk

In this second excerpt from a recent white paper published by Esri UK, now available at Field Service News, we look at two case studies of how location intelligence helps organisation improving efficiency and refine field operations.

Want to know more? Field Service News Subscribers can access a White Paper on this topic on the link below.

If you have yet to subscribe click the button below to join 30K of your field service management professional peers and subscribe now to access this content and our entire premium content library now!

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content Esri UK who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

Last week, we looked at how using the power of location can improve field service operations. Today we look at two case studies describing how the use of Esri's ArcGIS platform can help companies in challenging situations.

CONTAINING THE SPREAD OF A DEADLY PLANT DISEASE

Amid concerns about the possible emergence of a deadly new plant disease, Fera Science has created an ArcGIS app and dashboard to enable hoticulturalists to coordinate thousands of plant and tree inspections nationwide.

The Challenge

One of the most damaging plant bacteria ever identified is spreading in countries around the world. Called xylella fastidiosa (Xf), it has been detected in France, Spain, Italy and Portugal and, if it were to gain a foothold in the UK, it could affect dozens of plant species, including elm, plane and oak trees.

The Solution

Working with APHA, Fera Science has used Esri’s ArcGIS platform to develop a complete end-to-end solution to support plant inspections, including testing plant samples and tracing of the spread of the disease.

When a first case of Xf is detected in the UK, a geoprocessing model, developed using Esri’s ModelBuilder, will create the initial inspection zone around the plant, divided into 100 metre and 1 km grid squares. Inspectors will then use an intuitive app, created with Esri’s Collector for ArcGIS, to view interactive maps of their assigned inspection grids, on their mobile devices, and inspect up to 50 host plants in each square. They will collect a sample from each plant, put the sample into a bag with a barcode and use the Collector app to record the barcode, together with the location of the plant, plant health observations and pictures.

When laboratories test the samples, the results will be recorded against the barcodes and uploaded via a web portal to ArcGIS. Python scripts, developed by Esri UK’s Professional Services team, will combine the test results with the data collected in the field and categorise each plant as either diseased, free of disease or inconclusive test. All the data will then be visibleon an Esri Operations Dashboard, enabling APHA, DEFRA and other key stakeholders to view the locations and health of each inspected plant in near real time. Whenever a new positive result is recorded, the surrounding inspection zones will be automatically created, allowing inspectors to start collecting new samples straight away.

The Benefits

Real-time data to trace the spread of disease

If Xf is detected in the UK, APHA will be able to see near real-time data on diseased plants and their locations, all around the UK. The ArcGIS dashboard presents the data in a spatial, map-based format that is simple to understand at a glance, enabling people to trace the spread of the disease very easily. Users can see which grid squares have been inspected, monitor the progress of inspections and identify where best to allocate resources based on the latest test results.

Effective collaboration of many stakeholders

The ArcGIS solution can be used by multiple stakeholders, not just APHA. Therefore, in the case of a major outbreak of Xf, inspectors from other organisations and landowners, such as the Forestry Commission, could use the Collector app on their own mobile devices to collect standardised data and samples in a coordinated approach. Other organisations can also be given access to the same Esri dashboard enabling them to collaborate more effectively with APHA and implement joined-up strategies to detect and eventually eradicate the disease from the UK completely.

SAVING LIVES IN HUMANITARIAN DISASTERS WORLDWIDE

Working at the scene of some of the world’s most devastating humanitarian disasters, this volunteer-driven charity uses Esri’s ArcGIS to produce up-to-date maps for humanitarian aid organisations. Its new Kiosk product makes vitally important location-based intelligence available to aid workers in digital formats, helping them to respond more quickly and, ultimately, help save more lives.

The Challenge

Since its inception in 2002, MapAction has become an indispensable part of the global response to humanitarian crises. As soon as its volunteer teams, who are specially trained in disaster response, arrive in affected areas, their services are in high demand from multiple organisations. Consequently, on-the-ground teams face growing pressure to produce and distribute more maps, more quickly.

The Solution

Esri UK has supported the work of MapAction for over twelve years, and ArcGIS, Esri’s geographic information system (GIS) platform, plays a pivotal role in the delivery of MapAction’s emergency mapping service. MapAction secured funding for a new ‘selfservice’ mapping facility, and sought out the expertise of Esri UK’s professional services team to help it design and deliver this inventive project using ArcGIS.

Named the MapAction Kiosk, the new GIS solution developed operates using the principles of web mapping and runs on a lightweight laptop connected to a powerful WiFi router. Aid workers in the vicinity of MapAction’s field base can connect to the Kiosk via WiFi and print additional copies of any maps produced by MapAction’s volunteer team. In addition, they can view interactive maps, zoom into specific regions and turn on required data layers to create any customised maps that they might need to inform aid missions. Finally, responders can use the Kiosk to download MapAction’s up-to-date spatial data and incorporate it into their own GIS systems.

The Benefits

MapAction will continue to produce the paper maps that aid organisations around the world have come to rely on. However, now, this unique charity will also be able to make its invaluable location- based intelligence accessible in digital formats to many more people, more quickly, to improve the effectiveness of life-saving humanitarian missions.

Notably, the MapAction Kiosk will help the charity to distribute its maps to aid workers who might otherwise not have had access to a paper copy. It will therefore make situational data accessible to a wider audience and facilitate greater collaboration between multiple aid agencies and local groups. Pennells says: “The Kiosk helps us to give a common operational picture to all responders and agencies working on-the- ground in a disaster situation. The sooner they have this shared knowledge, the closer they can work together to reach people at risk.”

In addition, the Kiosk gives aid workers the ability to create their own customised maps for the first time. They can gain instant access to the mapping intelligence they need – in the precise format they need it – to enable them to respond quickly to emerging new scenarios.

---

Look out for the next feature in this series coming next week where we look at two additional case studies and discuss how companies can achieve optimised field operations.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and you can access the white paper instantly upon completing the registration form!

 

 

---

Further Reading:

Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
Find out more about Esri UK @ www.esriuk.com

Read more about Esri UK on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/esri
Follow Esri UK on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/company/esri-uk
Follow Esri UK on Twitter @ twitter.com/esriuk

In this new series of excerpts from a recent white paper published by Esri UK, now available at Field Service News, we discuss how to digitally transform field operations using the power of location.

Want to know more? Field Service News Subscribers can access a White Paper on this topic on the link below.

If you have yet to subscribe click the button below to join 30K of your field service management professional peers and subscribe now to access this content and our entire premium content library now!

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content Esri UK who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this white paper, as per the terms and conditions of your subscription agreement which you opted into in line with GDPR regulations and is an ongoing condition of subscription.

HARNESSING THE POWER OF LOCATION

Location is at the heart of field activities. It sounds like an obvious statement, but field management often either completely overlooks location or marginally takes advantage of it.

Field managers and workers are likely to make decisions faster and deliver better customer service if they can access location intelligence in the field. This e-book explains how geographic information system (GIS) technology and a suite of field mobility apps work together to improve performance in the field. Five case studies show how organisations incorporated apps into workflows and describe the returns they gained.

Organisations use GIS to capture, manage, analyse, and display all forms of geographically referenced information and use focused field apps to improve field operations. Its ability to transform data into useful information has proved to be highly valuable to field operations managers in four operational areas: coordination, navigation, data collection, and monitoring.

 

 

FIELD OPERATIONAL AREAS

Coordination for exceptional customer care

Daily operations need to quickly adjust to changing conditions including last-minute requests and unexpected resource unavailability and delays. A geographic perspective allows you to easily see the location of the worker nearest the call and quickly assign that worker to respond. This level of flexibility results in exceptional customer service and compliance with service-level agreements.

Workforce for ArcGIS helps you quickly put resources where they are most needed.

Navigation for timely service

GIS does much more than map point A to point B. For instance, users can add other layers of information, such as private road networks and asset locations, to street maps. GIS apps combine this data and calculate optimised routes that fieldworkers see on their mobile devices, even when disconnected. GIS recalculates delivery windows in real time based on traffic conditions, so drivers can give an estimated time of arrival (ETA), which keeps customers happy. GIS is the route optimisation tool of choice for organisations whose reputation and success are defined by on-time delivery.

Navigator for ArcGIS, StreetMap Premium for ArcGIS, and ArcGIS Network Analyst support routing with high-quality street data and give you tools for complex problem solving.

Data collection for accurate information

Built-in GIS capabilities in mobile apps ensure that location information is included in the data. This capability extends to other business data submitted via inspections, incident reports,

or any type of form entered into your system of record. Understanding the location where field activities happen is critical for historical analysis, QA/QC, regulatory compliance, and coordination with other users.

Focused apps allow crews to capture, update, and analye data accurately. Fieldworkers use these apps to create surveys, capture the answers, and analyse the results. Mobile apps provide fieldworkers with their organisation’s maps, allowing them to locate assets and mark up the map with additional details. Drones offer an inexpensive way to capture field imagery, and by using a desktop app, drone-captured imagery can be easily turned into professional quality imagery products that you can use for mapping and analysis. Data generated by these apps can all be synced at the office and shared within the organisation and the public.

Collector for ArcGIS, Explorer for ArcGIS, Survey123 for ArcGIS, and Drone2Map for ArcGIS boost data accuracy and optimise geospatial analysis.

Monitoring for fast analysis and response

It is difficult to manage what you cannot see. GIS provides dashboards that enable real-time monitoring of events and key performance indicators (KPIs) so that you can make decisions at a glance. GIS-based dashboards show information as maps, charts, gauges, and other understandable visualisations. Combined with real-time GIS analysis, GIS dashboards help organisations focus on specific information by revealing exceptions, trends, and patterns that are relevant for decision-making.

GIS also supports tracking of field personnel. Managers and supervisors are able to view where workers are and where they have been through a mobile app that captures their location tracks. This helps them identify workers’ last known locations, confirm the territory covered, and more effectively balance the allocation of workers to needs.

Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS helps users visualise and monitor data that is relevant to them. Tracker for ArcGIS enables monitoring of personnel to better manage what happens in the field activities.

---

Look out for the next feature in this series coming next week where we discuss how location intellingence can help organisations in improve efficiency and refine their field operations.

www.fieldservicenews.com subscribers can read the full white paper now by hitting the button below.

If you are yet to subscribe you can do so for free by hitting the button and you can access the white paper instantly upon completing the registration form!

 

 

---

Further Reading:

Read more about Digital Transformation @ www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
Find out more about Esri UK @ www.esriuk.com
Follow Esri UK on LinkedIn @ linkedin.com/company/esri-uk
Follow Esri UK on Twitter @ twitter.com/esriuk

Omdia’s first research into service providers’ ESG initiatives finds that green energy was accountable for the highest number of individual measures over the research period, equivalent to 25.3% of the total, followed by digital inclusion (16.7%) and social welfare (16.7%).

Omdia’s “ESG Service Provider Index”, which provides a view on telecoms operating groups and sector ESG initiatives announced from 2019 to November 2020, covers 192 announcements from the largest 15 service providers by revenues.

THE NUMBER OF COMPANIES PLEDGING TO A DATE BY WHICH THEY WILL REDUCE THEIR CARBON EMISSIONS TO NET ZERO IS INCREASING

The research reveals that all fifteen service providers announced at least one green energy initiative, while 73.3% announced at least one measure in social welfare, and 60% announced measures to improve the recycling capabilities of their operations.

However, diversity and digital ethics are two ESG areas that saw less activity over the research period, with 53.3% of operators announcing no diversity measures, and 73.3% making no announcements around digital ethics.

Governance-focused environmental ESG initiatives such as green bonds enable companies to fund plans to reduce their carbon footprint and source energy from renewable sources. While Vodafone, Orange, Verizon and Telefonica each launched green bonds over the research period, Omdia expects the relatively low levels of industry-wide activity in this area will grow over the coming years as telcos look finance their network modernization plans and other ESG initiatives.   

Among the fifteen companies covered in the tracker, Vodafone, BT, Orange, Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica, Verizon, Comcast, and KDDI pledged a date by which they will reduce their carbon emissions to net zero, a major milestone an increasing number of companies are planning for.

Paul Lambert, Principal Analyst at Omdia, commented: “In formulating ESG strategies, service providers have followed a broad range of measures to improve their near-term ethical standing, and, over the mid and long term, reduce their impact on both the environment and their costs by using sustainable energy.

“Service providers covered in the research have also been active in putting in place inclusion, social welfare, and digital initiatives in ways that enable them to apply their strengths and capabilities in new ways to bring tangible benefits to diverse communities. Looking forwards, an industry that thrives from connecting people can be expected to accelerate its efforts to forge better connections between us, our society and the environment.”

Further Reading:

• Read more about Service Innovation and Design @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/service-innovation-and-design
• Read the ESG Service Provider Index @ omdia.tech.informa.com/ESG-Service-Provider-Index
• Read more about Sustainability on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/sustainability
• Find out more more about Omdia @ omdia.tech.informa.com
• Follow Omdia on Twitter @ twitter.com/Omdiahq

Despite the anticipated decline of 5.6% in total value in 2020, the enterprise mobility market in Singapore will maintain a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2% over the 2019-2024 period, driven by the rising adoption of remote working and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) strategies across enterprises, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. 

The uncertainty in business environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic has forced enterprises in Singapore to take a conservative approach towards their ICT spending in 2020, which has hurt the demand prospects for enterprise mobility solutions and services for most part of the year. As business activity picks up, enterprise mobility spending is expected to recover in 2021. 

GROWTH IN MOBILITY APPS SEGMENT WILL BE LED BY MOBILE APPLICATION PLATFORM MANAGEMENT

Nidhi Gupta, Technology Analyst at GlobalData, says: “With businesses adapting to the new normal, and allowing employees to work-from-home and use their personal devices to access corporate networks, their investments on enterprise mobility solutions will recover in 2021 and grow up to US$347m in 2024.” 

Mobility software/applications comprising mobile application platform management software, mobile content management software, mobile device management software and telecom expense management software categories represent the largest market segment in the enterprise mobility market in Singapore, in terms of value.  

Growth in mobility software/applications segment will be led by mobile application platform management (MAPM) software, which is expected register a CAGR of 12.1% over 2019-2024. With several companies expected to retain their remote working strategies even in the post COVID-19 era, their investment on MAPM software, which can equip their remote workforce with enterprise apps and secure access to the same on devices, will increase going forward. 

Ms Gupta concludes: “Managed mobility services segment will see its market value grow at 8.1% CAGR during the forecast period. The rising complexity of managing the huge number of mobile devices and apps that connect employees operating remotely with enterprise data and network will be instrumental in driving the demand for managed mobility services.” 

Further Reading:

• Read more about Digital Transformation @ https://www.fieldservicenews.com/digital-transformation
• Find out more more about GlobalData @ www.globaldata.com
• Read more about GlobalData on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/globaldata
• Read more about Mobility on Field Service News @ www.fieldservicenews.com/mobility

The logistics industry, currently one of the greatest winners in the 2020 pandemic world, is under enormous threat going into 2021 as one of the UK’s prime business sectors is targeted by sophisticated cyber-destructors and intellectual property thieves.

“The logistics sector is at a major crossroad... and the real winners and losers will more accurately be defined in the next couple of years” said Robert Garbett, Founder of Drone Major Group, and one of the world’s leading advisors on the advanced capabilities of unmanned systems (drones).

“This year’s lockdowns and now the Christmas rush of pent-up demand have provided virtually all logistics companies with a rapid accelerator for growth, and most have fared extremely well. But in 2021 and beyond, there will be a massive division between those in the logistics sector who have recognised the need to embrace fast evolving new technologies, and in particular those which are safeguarded against cyber espionage, and attackers targeting their supply chains, and those logistics companies who have simply ridden the wave.”

MODERN LOGISTICS MUST CREATE NEW TYPES OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADAPT TO A RAPIDLY EVOLVING LANDSCAPE

Last month’s report by IBM’s ‘threat intelligence taskforce’ highlighted how hackers ‘probably backed by a nation state’(1) appeared to be trying to disrupt or steal information about the key processes to keep the newly approved Covid vaccines cold as they travel from factories to hospitals and doctors' offices. “The potential for disruption of supply chains is enormous” said Garbett and, “until recently, logistics organisations have felt they have been relatively safe... but the stakes are getting higher as the need for more sophisticated logistics services, such as unmanned (drone) conveyance is increasingly in demand.”

The economic significance of the logistics sector is huge. Trade association, LogisticsUK, has confirmed that there are over 194,000 logistics enterprises in the UK, with 2.6 million employed in the wider industry. The logistics sector has a £1 trillion turnover, contributing £130 billion Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy, which is 10.2% of the contribution to the UK non-financial business economy.(2) In comparison, the scale of this industry is far greater than UK construction (3), energy (4) and manufacturing(5) among others.

Garbett added: “Data security at every point in a logistics system is paramount and like any IOT (internet of things) system there are many points which will need protection, and a strong culture of cyber security will need to exist to avoid the inevitable human error and threat from malicious human interference, which are the cause of the vast majority of cyber breaches in any system. Modern sophisticated logistics must create new types of infrastructure on a world stage to adapt to a rapidly evolving threat landscape.

Further Reading:

• Read more about Parts Pricing and Logistics @ www.fieldservicenews.com/parts-pricing-and-logistics
• Read the UK Logistics Report 2020 @ logistics.org.uk/logisticsreport
• Learn more about Drone Major Group @ dronemajor.net
• Read the IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index @ www.ibm.com/xforce-threat-intelligence-index-map/
• Follow Drone Major Group on LinkedIn @ www.linkedin.com/drone-accelerator/