Enterprise Mobility, PIOs and PIVs

Bringing it all together.
There are many different objects and variables that can impact the performance of a mobile workforce, especially in the field services space.  In my enterprise mobility workshops I call these things PIOs (performance impact objects) and PIVs (performance impact variables).  Here are examples of PIOs:
  • People
  • Parts/Supplies/Materials
  • Tools
  • Qualifications
  • Job locations
  • Equipment availability
  • Transportation availability
  • Vendor availability
  • Subcontractor availability
  • Jobsite access
  • Permits/Approvals

Examples of PIVs:
  • Schedules
  • Skills
  • Experience
  • Weather
  • Traffic
  • Equipment repair/maintenance
  • Sickness/Health
  • Funding
Each of these items must come together at the right time and right place to optimize the performance of a field service technician.  I think of a PIOs and PIVs in the context of building a railroad.  In order to be completed and functioning, all the PIOs/PIVs must come together at the right place and time.  If pieces are missing, the entire system is delayed or fails.

In an ideal world, each PIO/PIV should be tracked and monitored.  Let me provide a scenario for consideration.  A customer calls in and requires repairs to a specialized piece of equipment.  This work requires specialized training and skills, certifications, special parts, special tools and experience.  Knowing just the schedules and locations of your field service technicians is not good enough.  You need to know information concerning each PIO and PIV.  In order to optimally provide service to your customer, you need to know and monitor all relevant information, and since most field services teams are mobile, that means mobile technology must be integrated with as many PIOs and PIVs systems as possible in order to provide the necessary visibility to maximize productivity.

When PIOs and PIVs are all connected via a shared network that provides visibility to network members it is called a Network Centric Operation.  Download and read more about Network Centric Field Services here.





If you have an available field service technician without the right experience and qualifications, then that does not help.  If you have a qualified, experienced and available field services technician, but without the right tools, parts or their location is too far away to be of service, then that also doesn't solve your need.

It is important to understand all of the PIOs/PIVs and to document and track them in real-time.  To know as much about them as possible, in real-time,  in order to optimize your productivity in the field. 

PIOs/PIVs are most often not in one place for easy management.  They are located in many different locations and accessed via many different systems.  Enterprise mobility, connectivity, integration, dashboards, dynamic scheduling, HCM (human capital management), GPS tracking and event/project management are all required to bring the vast array of components together to provide optimal productivity.  Ideally these would be brought together into one dashboard view that could also be shared on mobile devices.

I recognize that this article is painting a picture of a world that may be unachievable today, but developing a roadmap is possible.  A roadmap based upon an understanding of what is technologically possible, while considering the ideal.

For more mobile enterprise strategies read:


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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile Industry Analyst, Consultant and SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

HTML5 – What’s New Christmas Week?

New HTML5 GPS App

Software company TeleNav has developed a browser-based HTML5 app that delivers voice-enabled, turn-by-turn GPS navigation on most mobile devices.  The service is now available for developers, and is scheduled for launch to the public in the first part of 2012.

From the press release issued December 14, 2011:  “By simply adding one line of code, developers of mobile websites or of apps with local content will have a free and easy way to integrate full GPS turn-by-turn directions into their services, creating a more seamless user experience and increasing user engagement and time spent within their applications.”

For more information click here.

iOS Beats Android in HTML5 Performance Evaluation

A study conducted by Sencha, Inc. (www.sencha.com) shows that Apples iOS 5 wins over Google’s Android in HTML5 browser performance.  Sencha deals with frameworks used in creating web apps for HTML5.  According to the study, the latest Android OS, the Ice Cream Sandwich, shows advances in the Android browser, but the iOS still offers better performance.







Google Says “Let it Snow” with New Holiday Hidden “Easter Egg”

For a fun holiday effect, go to Google’s home page (www.google.com) in your HTML5 supported browser, type in “let it snow” and watch to see what happens.  Your screen will frost over with HTML5 snow flurries until a “defrost” button appears.  The search also produces Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra links.  For another cool holiday effect, type in “Christmas” or “Hanukkah”.

appMobi tackles HTML5 sound problem


A problem with HTML5 is that it can only play one sound at a time.  appMobi is now using “multi-channel sound” to allow developers to layer sounds on top of one another to generate a more dynamic audio experience, according to a December 19, 2011 article from ReadWriteWeb.



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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile Industry Analyst, Consultant and SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Thank You! From Mobility Analyst Kevin Benedict and Team

As I sit in front of our fireplace with a hot cup of coffee, while the first snows of winter are falling outside, I am feeling blessed and grateful.  I want to thank all of you who read our blogs, newsletters, analyst reports, attend our enterprise mobility workshops and use our consulting services.

When I first started writing a blog on enterprise mobility in 2006, I was a busy CEO of a mobile applications company simply looking for a better way to connect with my customers and prospects.  It worked!  I have not stopped writing and have now published over 1,500 articles.

In 2011, I spoke and conducted mobile strategy workshops in 9 different countries around the world, and was honored to receive over half a million page views (www.mobileenterprisestrategies.com and http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/) on our enterprise mobility blog sites. Thank you very much for reading!  My writing has since expanded into a full time business that includes enterprise mobility analyst reports, mobile strategy workshops and consulting.  Contact me if you would be interested in the details of these services.

The Benedicts Christmas 2011
The amount of work we do today requires a dedicated and hardworking team.  My lovely wife of twenty-six years Shawna is our online editor and publisher.  Our son Caleb, who just graduated from Boise State University this month, does research and writing and is a big part of our weekly newsletters and analyst reports.  He earned his BA degree in Political Science, with an emphasis in International Relations and is now studying GIS (geographical information systems) and software development. Our daughter Rebecca, another promising and dedicated scholar, is also intimately involved in our research and weekly newsletter publications.

Again thank you for honoring us with your time, friendship and business in 2011!

Warm Regards,

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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile Industry Analyst, Consultant and SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Mobile Apps and the Marriage of My Virtual and Physical Worlds

Greetings Great Mobility Minds!  In January 2010, I asked the world for a mobile application that would help me reduce my personal risks and improve my life experiences.  Nearly 2 years later, I still do not know if this mobile solution exists.  So again, I am asking the great minds of mobility to point me in the right direction if this solution does exists.  If it doesn't exist, I encourage the great minds that are also great entrepreneurs to develop this product.  Here again, is my original blog article, with minor edits, from 2010.

I love traveling, hiking and reading good books. I enjoy growing tomatoes and pondering religious and philosophical themes. I love my iPad and iPhone. I crave Thai food. I love drinking coffee in a comfortable chair and reading the New York Times. I want a mobile application that will connect my lifestyle preferences to a map, predict my safety, and suggest locations conducive to my lifestyle choices and interests.

I would like to arrive in a new city and open my mobile application and have it suggest great walking tours and hiking trails that were close to highly rated coffee shops, Thai restaurants, bookstores and public gardens. I would want to see these locations on a map with route options that predict relative safety for those using the various routes.  I would love to be shown several options all based on my preferences.

The application could also show me user comments and ratings of those locations, and overlay crime and safety statistics of those geographic areas so I can weigh the risk of going there. Is the Thai food worth getting mugged, hit by a car or a falling tree limb?

While we are at it, let's predict the clothes I should wear based upon the weather forecast and time of year!

I can see it now - you should be able to set different safety ratings. You can configure the mobile application to show just the safest locations based upon accident, crime and health inspection data, or you can live on the wild side.This kind of mobile application is taking the next step.  It is converging the virtual world with my physical world and adding my preferences and interests.  It is being predictive.  It is using real time analytics based on "big data."

Does this mobile app exist?  I look forward to hearing from you!!!


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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile Industry Analyst, Consultant and SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

M2M News Weekly - Week of December 19, 2011

Welcome to M2M News Weekly, an online newsletter that consists of the most interesting news and articles related to M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile devices.  I aggregate the information, include the original links and add a synopsis of each article.  I also search for the latest market numbers such as market size, growth and trends in and around the M2M market.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobile Health News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

Pike Research suggests that nearly nine out of ten plug-in electric vehicles sold during this year will include a basic telematics package.  That number will grow to 94 percent by 2017 and annual revenue from the market will reach $1.4 billion by the same year. Read Original Content

According to Fieltechnologies.com, telematics solutions are saving U.S. businesses millions of dollars yearly by recording driving behavior and engine performance using sensor technology embedded within vehicles. Read Original Content

Market research firm Telsyte expects M2M applications in Australia to present a $300 million opportunity for carriers over the next four years as the Australian mobile services market grows from around 29 million subscriptions this year to 35 million by June 2015. Read Original Content

Tech Endeavour structures a mobile application as a multi-layered application consisting of user experience, business, and data layers. The mobile application development process starts with definition of the mobile application, understanding key components, learning scenarios where it will be used, learning key patterns and technology considerations as well as identifying specific scenarios such as deployment, power usage and synchronization.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Tech Endeavour, http://www.techendeavour.com/.

According to Sam Lucero, practice director of M2M Embedded at ABI Research, the future of M2M largely depends on the creation of off-the-shelf, modular components that have core functionality but can operate across different applications. Read Original Content

New Security Concerns with HTML5 - Guest Security Expert


We are fortunate to have a guest mobility and security expert, Joe Bulman, share his HTML5 insights with us today in this article.  Thanks Joe!

A recent survey (State of BYODreported, “Enterprises are widely embracing Mobile Device programs, including the most highly regulated and security conscious industries.  Additionally, there is no doubt that the variety of mobile device selections have grown significantly. For these reasons, businesses must support a best-of-breed security device approach rather than predicting and attempting to police specific technologies. HTML5 relates to this growing trend of mobile devices within an organization through the provisioning of applications to these devices.

HTML5 is more than a web markup language, it is a suite of technologies that improves the usability of web applications. While HTML5 entails the usual updates to HTML such as tags, styles and field types, many additional features are incorporated like multi-threading, local databases and a brand-new protocol called WebSockets.


The reason for a new protocol is from the inadequacies of HTTP for building today’s web applications. HTTP is big and slow; too big when scaling infrastructure and too slow for pages with dynamic content. While many existing web apps work fine today, they are using third party technologies such as Adobe Flash to supplement HTTP. With online and mobility business models at risk, a kinder, gentler technology (read: non-proprietary) is required. That’s where HTML5 hits the mark. Steve Jobs stated, “The world is moving to HTML5.” Apple iOS, Google Android, RIM Playbook and Blackberry OS are all equipped with HTML5 support.

HTML5 on the device will power a range of online business applications including messaging, collaboration, intelligence, data and mobility. According to a CISCO study (Entering the Zetabyte Era, 2011-06-01), global business Internet traffic alone will grow by 19 percent from 2010 to 2015; however, mobile business traffic will increase by 79 percent compounded.  The “connected device” is quickly becoming the platform of choice, delivering applications rich with HTML5 content. Unfortunately, this content explosion will come with security consequences. How do you protect a myriad of devices using a plethora of content over a range of protocols?

Traditionally, locks are placed on the doors to our businesses. That was once sufficient for keeping most bad guys out. With the arrival of the Internet came a new type of ubiquitous intruder known as the hacker. Firewalls, Intrusion Detection/Prevent and Web gateways arrived to the organization’s defense. These solutions provided adequate protection for the limited content flowing through the networks. With today’s richer HTML5 content, new protocols such as WebSocket and disparate devices, businesses must do more to protect themselves. So where do devices, content and protocols meet? At the network!


A winning, yet-secure mobile and HTML5 strategy must center on the secure delivery of ‘clean’ content flowing in and out of the organization at its most accessible spot, the network. Fortunately, a new breed of security technology has arrived to tackle such content, Deep Content Inspection (DCI). Applying DCI at the network layer works much the same as anti-malware works on the desktop. Content is scanned thoroughly for malware, viruses, spam and data leakages – and if deemed clean, it can continue on to or from the device. If it is not clean, the content will be prevented from proliferating. Not all DCI implementations are equal as full visibility of all content is a requirement. Organizations will need to choose a DCI vendor who fully supports HTML5, including its powerful, yet stealthy WebSocket protocol.

You may contact the author with any questions.  His contact details follow:

Joe Bulman
Senior Systems Architect, Wedge Networks
403.830.8407
Joe.bulman@wedgenetworks.com
For more information on HTML5 protection, visit http://www.wedgenetworks.com/component/content/article/229.html

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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile Industry Analyst, Consultant and SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Mobility News Weekly - Week of December 19, 2011


The Mobility News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news and articles related to enterprise mobility that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting information that reflects market data and trends.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobile Health News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

Syclo has announced that its Agentry Mobile Platform, SMART Work Manager and SMART Service Manager have been named as winners in the tenth annual Mobile Star Awards program.  Read Original Content

Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung has emerged as the most popular smartphone maker in the UK during 2011.  Read Original Content

The smartphone market in China seems to be ever expanding, and adding to the sea of handsets is the recently launched Dell Streak Pro. This mobile device has been built as a follow up to the Dell Streak 10 tablet that was released earlier this year in China.  Read Original Content

ClickSoftware is an SAP mobility partner and the leading provider of automated workforce management and optimization solutions for every size of service business.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by ClickSoftware - http://www.clicksoftware.com/.

Samsung is continuing to dominate the overall Australia and New Zealand mobile phone market, with the South Korean giant pushing ahead of Apple for a third consecutive quarter, according to International Data Corporation.  Read Original Content

Mobile Health News Weekly - Week of December 19, 2011


The Mobile Health News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news and articles related to medical mobility that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting information that reflects market data and trends.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

The Alaska State Medical Association is using smartphone apps to streamline healthcare throughout Alaska by allowing physicians and hospitals to share patient information, including images, through mobile devices. Read Original Content

American Medical ID has rolled out a commerce-enabled mobile site to let medical patients buy identification tags via their handsets. Read Original Content

This past week insurance company Aetna announced that it has purchased iTriage, the popular mobile health app that allows people to schedule doctor appointments, check symptoms and conduct medical shopping through smartphones. Read Original Content

Webalo technology eliminates the need for traditional mobile application development tools and custom programming to provide in hours, instead of weeks or months, mobile access to the specific enterprise data and functions that smartphone and tablet users rely on to do their jobs.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Webalo, www.webalo.com.

A new smart phone application, built from the ground up by El Camino Hospital, aims to help locals make informed medical decisions for themselves and their families.
The free app, Family Medical Officer, allows users to access personal and family health records, find doctors by location, and check emergency room wait times at both El Camino campuses. Read Original Content

Mobile Marketing News Weekly - Week of December 19, 2011


The Mobile Marketing News Weekly is an online newsletter that is made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile marketing that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Medical News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

According to ABI Research, the location based services market will likely not see success in the region of Western Europe. However, globally the LBS market is expected to grow 15 percent yearly through 2016. Read Original Content

Ace Hardware is making its first foray into advertising on Apple’s iPad via a new campaign that is featured on The Weather Channel’s iPad application. Read Original Content

Department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue is using its holiday windows to not only draw locals and tourists to its New York flagship in Midtown Manhattan, but to drive mobile-commerce sales as well. The retailer has included a customized QR code in its holiday window display that allows consumers to watch a video or access the brand’s mobile store. Read Original Content

Pyxis Mobile provides an agile, powerful, and secure mobile enterprise application platform.  It enables rapid cross-platform application development, unlimited data integration, enterprise-grade security, and the unique ability to change and update applications in real time.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Pyxis Mobile, http://pyxismobile.com/

Starbucks China is using mobile advertising to encourage users to check-in on the social network Jiepang as part of a holiday-themed promotion. Chinese users who check-in at locations in China can receive a free increase in their drink size. Read Original Content

Mobility Charts Weekly - Week of December 19, 2011


The Mobility Charts Weekly is a weekly publication of charts depicting the current and future status of the enterprise mobility market.  I am specifically targeting information that reflects market data and trends.



According to a Prosper Mobile Insights survey, 23.5 percent of smartphone and tablet owners say their device has been an integral part of their holiday shopping experience so far and they could not shop without it. Read Original Content



The cellular M2M embedded module market experienced a more difficult than expected year in 2010. Although total unit volumes continued to rise, reaching nearly 34 million units shipped in 2010, total industry revenue fell from roughly $996 million in 2009 to about $841 million in 2010, reversing the upward momentum in revenue seen in 2009 as the market rebounded from its 2008 lows. Read Original Content



The market for EPC RFID hardware exceeded $354 Million in 2010, an increase of more than 140 percent over 2009.  VDC anticipates that the market will continue to experience rapid growth in 2011, with global revenues growing more than 104 percent. Read Original Content


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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile Industry Analyst, Consultant and SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Conjecture, Enterprise Mobility and Mobile Strategies

Conjecture and the Mobile
Work Force
The word "conjecture" seems the perfect word for companies that try to manage a mobile workforce without a real-time mobile strategy and/or mobile technologies.  What is the definition of conjecture?

Conjecture:  An opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information.

If an enterprise has a mobile workforce, deliveries or remote job sites it is imperative that they have real-time visibility into the location and status of their operations, resources and personnel.  Without real-time visibility they are managing through conjecture.  Managing with incomplete information although unavoidable at times, is not ideal.  Reducing the amount of conjecture is certainly the goal of any manager.

Many companies that have historically operated on an "estimate" (aka - conjecture) basis, have never been able to capture the value inherent in a real-time operation.  Managing an operation in real-time requires real-time visibility.  In my recent article on 4D Field Services I discuss the value of adding time to GPS location data.  When you have real-time data on both time and location, you can make real-time management decisions not using conjecture, but on real-time and complete data.





Companies seeking productivity gains, efficiencies, better customer service and cost reductions will benefit from reducing conjecture by deploying mobile solutions that enable their mobile workforces to exchange real-time data with management and business solutions.

Here are a few real life examples of "estimates/conjecture" vs. "real-time."  Many companies still plan their mobile workforce schedules based on estimated times and job codes.  These estimates are often used to schedule thousands of personnel.  However, like the saying goes, "The battle plan is thrown out at the first shot."  Suddenly, people are sick, there is heavy traffic, the customer is not at the job site, the permit was not issued, the parts did not arrive and equipment fails.

Real-time visibility and real-time data exchanges via mobile solutions enable you to react and solve problems that arise in real-time and to use complete or at least more complete data.  Managing a real-time enterprise is different.  It requires thinking about how business processes will be different when data is real-time.  It requires different management processes, styles and strategies.

I recorded a Video Comments last week on the subject of conjecture and the real-time enterprise that you may also find interesting.



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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile Industry Analyst, Consultant and SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of December 19, 2011

The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobile Medical News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

According to Prosper Mobile Insights, 23.5 percent of smartphone and tablet owners say their device has been an integral part of their holiday shopping experience so far and they could not shop without it. Read Original Content

Mobile shopping has been one of the hottest trends of 2011, and there are no signs of it slowing down. After rising more than 90 percent this year, mobile commerce will grow at a rate of 73.1 percent in 2012, according to eMarketer. Read Original Content

Jos. A. Bank saw mobile traffic increase 3,000 percent on Black Friday compared to its daily traffic. The retailer revealed its mobile site earlier this year after experimenting with mobile coupons, an iPhone application and in-store campaigns. Jos. A. Bank’s mobile site was developed by 5th Finger. Read Original Content

Pyxis Mobile provides an agile, powerful, and secure mobile enterprise application platform.  It enables rapid cross-platform application development, unlimited data integration, enterprise-grade security, and the unique ability to change and update applications in real time.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Pyxis Mobile, http://pyxismobile.com/

Department store chain Nordstrom has updated its iPhone application to offer a holiday guide to users, likely aiming to increase last minute mobile commerce sales leading up to Christmas. Read Original Content

Thoughts on Enterprise Mobility, Mobile Banking and Global Economies

I have recently been reading a number of articles about mobile banking innovations in Kenya and what vendors like SAP's Sybase 365 and other companies are doing to support it.  Most people in Kenya, and many other less developed countries, don't own smartphones.  However, most do own basic mobile phones with text messaging capabilities.  As a result, many vendors and banks have built sophisticated text message-based banking services.  The following is a list of some of the available text message-based capabilities and services available in Kenya.
  • Person-to-person money transfers
  • Fund remittance from the UK to Kenya
  • Local and international money transfer
  • Loan payments
  • Product purchasing
  • Airtime purchasing
  • Funds transfers from interest-bearing accounts
  • Balance inquiries
  • Money requests
  • Attaching short messages to text-based payments
  • Inviting friends to join mobile banking services 
  • Five different mobile front-ends available: WAP, SMS, Voice, USSD, and STK

SAP's Sybase 365 powers many of these text-based banking systems.  I read about Sybase 365 from time to time, but it deserves to be in the spotlight even more for it has the capacity to help revolutionize many economies.

In the book The Birth of Plenty, the noted financial expert and neurologist William J. Bernstein identifies four conditions that when occurring simultaneously are the formula for human (economic) progress.  They are as follows:
  1. Respect for property rights (inventors must have proper incentives to protect their inventions).
  2. Belief in scientific rationalism (society must possess the proper intellectual tools to support innovation and progress without penalty).
  3. Existing and functioning capital markets (businesses must have sufficient capital to pursue their visions and business plans).
  4. Effective transportation and communication systems (society must rapidly and effectively move information and finished products).
I believe that mobile technologies can help with at least two out of the four of these conditions.  Mobile text-based banking systems can provide trusted and formal banking services where they didn't formerly exist.  They can also provide rapid and effective transportation (of funds) and communication systems (that open up and support free markets).

A few years ago I read an article from The Wall Street Journal written by Ronald Bailey entitled, The Secrets of Intangible Wealth.  In this article Mr. Bailey writes about a report from the World Bank entitled, "Where is the Wealth of Nations?: Measuring Capital for the 21st Century."  The bottom line is that a nation's wealth is greatly determined by intangibles such as:
  1. Trust among people in a society
  2. An efficient judicial system
  3. Clear property rights
  4. Effective government
Bailey says that these four items, identified as "intangible capital", boost productivity of labor and result in higher total wealth.  The World Bank concludes the report by summarizing its findings as, "Human capital and the value of institutions (as measured by the rule of law) constitute the largest share of wealth in virtually all countries."

Mobile banking and mobile technologies can introduce formal banking systems, run by internationally trusted institutions, into economies and regions that previously were under-served, or lacked trusted institutions that would support economic development.

If you review the list of services (above) now available using simple and inexpensive mobile phones, you can begin to understand that mobile technologies can not only help to improve governments, but also economies.

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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile Industry Analyst, Consultant and SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Field Mobility News Weekly - Week of December 19, 2011

The Field Mobility News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news and articles related to field mobility that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting information that reflects market data and trends.

Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobile Medical News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

The new iPhone app, Tactical Nav, has been gaining popularity among military personnel allowing users to easily plot and map artillery fire throughout rugged terrain while using their smartphone. Read Original Content

The global enterprise mobility market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $5.5 billion in 2011 and is expected to reach $7.6 billion by 2016. The end-user devices segment accounted for the maximum share, with $3.0 billion in 2011 and is expected to reach $3.8 billion by 2016. Read Original Content

OnForce, a source for on-site tech talent, announced the availability of its Apple iPhone application for IT service corporations and field technicians. The app, available in the Apple App Store, offers efficiency and collaboration benefits throughout the lifecycle of every service event. Read Original Content

Tech Endeavour structures a mobile application as a multi-layered application consisting of user experience, business, and data layers. The mobile application development process starts with definition of the mobile application, understanding key components, learning scenarios where it will be used, learning key patterns and technology considerations as well as identifying specific scenarios such as deployment, power usage and synchronization.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Tech Endeavour, http://www.techendeavour.com/.

According to IDTechEX, the Global market for RFID technology in 2010 was $5.63 billion, up from $5.03 billion in 2009. The primary drivers for future growth will be "modernizing" applications including asset management, cargo tracking and security, corporate employee identification I.D. cards, networks and facility access control, transport passes, as well as supply chain management. Read Original Content

M2M News Weekly - Week of December 12, 2011


Welcome to M2M News Weekly, an online newsletter that consists of the most interesting news and articles related to M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile devices.  I aggregate the information, include the original links and add a synopsis of each article.  I also search for the latest market numbers such as market size, growth and trends in and around the M2M market.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobile Medical News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

By 2020 the number of connected devices in the world is estimated by Machina Research to be 12 billion, up from one billion in 2010. In Australia Telstra is predicting the M2M market will be worth $1 billion annually in that country alone in 10 years. Read Original Content

RACO Wireless, an M2M partner for T-Mobile announced that the company is on pace to increase its year-over-year growth by 300 percent in 2011. Read Original Content

AT&T is launching a new business division in Atlanta called Digital Life Services, focusing on new opportunities like remote health care, energy management and home security. Read Original Content

Tech Endeavour structures a mobile application as a multi-layered application consisting of user experience, business, and data layers. The mobile application development process starts with definition of the mobile application, understanding key components, learning scenarios where it will be used, learning key patterns and technology considerations as well as identifying specific scenarios such as deployment, power usage and synchronization.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Tech Endeavour, http://www.techendeavour.com/.

According to Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam, the age of wireless sensors and M2M technology has arrived. Verizon is increasingly getting involved with M2M projects that include home-energy management solutions and smart meters. Read Original Content

Conjecture, Field Services and Enterprise Mobility

In this Video Comments segment I discuss the word "conjecture" and how it relates to field services and enterprise mobility, plus mobile strategies and decision making tools.  I hope you find it useful.







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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile Industry Analyst, Consultant and SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Mobile Medical News Weekly - Week of December 12, 2011


The Mobile Medical News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news and articles related to medical mobility that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting information that reflects market data and trends.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted a total of $30 million for 100 telemedicine projects in 34 states and one territory, according to a USDA news release. Read Original Content

Mercy Health System in Philadelphia created a highly targeted app three months ago for its bariatrics program. The app allows users to upload a photo of themselves and change their body image with a stroke of a finger to view what they might look like after weight-loss surgery. Since the app went live it has been downloaded nearly 1,300 times and used by consumers nearly 4,000 times. Read Original Content

The American Telemedicine Association projects an exponential growth in the adoption of telemedicine and mHealth technologies as a record number of consumers are entering fee-capped managed care insurance plans. Currently 73 million Americans are being monitored using telehealth solutions. Read Original Content

Webalo technology eliminates the need for traditional mobile application development tools and custom programming to provide in hours, instead of weeks or months, mobile access to the specific enterprise data and functions that smartphone and tablet users rely on to do their jobs.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Webalo, www.webalo.com.

Mobility News Weekly - Week of December 12, 2011


The Mobility News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news and articles related to enterprise mobility that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting information that reflects market data and trends.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobile Medical News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

Android Market, Facebook, as well as Google apps such as Search, Gmail and Google Maps, are roughly the top most popular smartphone applications for the Android platform, according to Nielsen.  Read Original Content

Already big in Japan, Panasonic has announced that it plans to take on the world’s smartphone manufacturers and make the leap into the European market.  Read Original Content

Apple is learning to compromise.  Facing challenges winning over customers for its iAd mobile advertising service, Apple is softening its approach as it loses ground to Google in the fast-growing mobile-ad market.  Read Original Content

ClickSoftware is an SAP mobility partner and the leading provider of automated workforce management and optimization solutions for every size of service business.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by ClickSoftware - http://www.clicksoftware.com/.

Google has removed a slew of apps from the official Android Market after security researchers found that they contained hidden SMS-message-sending capabilities, allowing criminals to rack up profits at the expense of the smartphone user.  Read Original Content

Mobility and 4D Field Services

GPS Coordinates and Time
I have been researching and pondering the concept of the 4th dimension this week, and how it relates to enterprise mobility and field services. First I looked up the meaning of 3D or 3 dimensional.  Three dimensional is made up of length, width and height.  These are basically GPS coordinates.  With GPS coordinates you can find and identify a location on the earth or map.  If you have GPS coordinates for your mobile workforce or mobile resources you will know where they are located, right?  WRONG!!!  The only thing that you know is that at a specific time (when the GPS coordinates were captured), they were located at those locations.  Time is a very important component.  If your GPS coordinates were captured last week, they are not likely to be accurate today?

As I hinted above, the 4th dimension is time, and it is critical to managing real-time field services.  You must add time to length, width and height to make 4D.  When you have the added value of time, you can do many things.  For example:
  1. Monitor travel times by capturing departure and arrival times.
  2. Monitor work start and stop times at a particular location.
  3. Monitor job status at a particular location.
  4. Analyse the best schedules based on locations, travel times, job statuses etc.
  5. Capture KPIs and analyze them.
4D field services is the goal to achieve service optimization.  However, it is only possible when your mobile workforce and PIVs (Performance Impact Variables) are connected and using mobile technologies.  I will write more about PIVs in my next article.

As many of you know my mantra is, "Mobile technologies without mobile strategies is wasted."  There are a lot of interesting things that can be done with mobile technologies to provide a company with competitive advantages if they have a good strategy.



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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile Industry Analyst, Consultant and SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

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