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How to Select an Effective Mobile Workforce Management Solution

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QUICK GUIDE



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This Quick Guide will cover:

What a comprehensive Mobile Workforce Management (MWM) solution includes

The benefits of a complete MWM solution

Guidance on how to select the right solution for your business


The value of a mobile workforce management solution lies in its ability to mitigate common challenges faced by fleet managers, while at the same time, improving efficiency to increase revenue and reduce operating costs



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There are a number of components that

make up a complete mobile workforce man-

agement solution. In its simplest form, it will

consist of software in the office, a mobile

computing device with integrated GPS in the

vehicle and a cellular and/or satellite connec-

tion that exchanges data between the vehicle

and the office. A mobile workforce manage-

ment solution can also integrate with back-

end platforms such as accounting, payroll,

operations and maintenance.

Work Order

and Fleet

Management

Software

Mobile

Computing

Device

Payroll

Accounting Operations

Maintenance

Next, we’ll take a closer look at the

different components of a mobile

workforce management solution

and how they work together to

improve your bottom line.

Components of an MWM Solution



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Asset Tracking

With mobile workforce technology, office

staff know where all the operators are and

can send the closest or most appropriate

worker to a job, and field operators can com-

plete more tickets per day. This allows your

company to easily accommodate emergency

and last-minute jobs to provide better cus-

tomer service. Mobile workforce manage-

ment technology also lets you better monitor

any fixed or mobile asset in the field.

In many cases these high value assets are

physically located in very remote locations,

and it provides peace of mind if an organiza-

tion can regularly check to see for example,

where their $250,000 compressor station is.

This technology can also be used to enhance

your company’s journey management pro-

gram. Vehicle and operator tracking is a sim-

ple way to reduce the risk to your employees

and assets while they are on the road.


Vehicles

People

Equipment

Asset tracking allows you to move beyond AVL and track not just vehicles, but anything you wish, be it an operator,

equipment or a high value physical asset like a trailer.



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Navigation

I n-vehicle navigation ensures field operators

won’t get lost and have to waste fuel driv-

ing extra miles trying to find their way. It also

eliminates the need for paper maps, which

saves time and improves safety as well.

Well sites or LSD coordinates can be up-

loaded to in-vehicle or mobile devices and

all field operators have to do is simply follow

the turn-by-turn directions to their location.

This navigation platform can be automati-

cally integrated with work orders for seam-

less navigation capabilities. Additional GIS

data layers and specific mapping data can

also be displayed on the devices. The goal

of integrating this software is to make the

navigation tool more useful and functional

for field operators.

In-vehicle navigation flexibility has the add-

ed benefit of saving time for office staff as

they don’t need to give directions over the

phone or spend time helping field operators

who are lost.




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Hours of Service

F or organizations that run heavy-duty

vehicles, Hours-of-Service (HOS) com-

pliance and monitoring is becoming a more

prevalent issue.

HOS compliance can be a challenge, espe-

cially when companies are required to navi-

gate complex regulations and drivers have to

keep tedious manual logs of hours worked.

Manual paperwork can be a distraction for

drivers and paper log records can also be

easily falsified.

Due to FMCSA regulations, electronic hours

of service monitoring is becoming increas-

ingly necessary. A mobile workforce man-

agement solution that puts mobile com-

puters in the vehicle and software in the

office offers benefits beyond HOS compli-

ance. Users can create and assign loads,

track assets in real-time, communicate with

drivers, collect Department of Transporta-

tion (DOT) and fuel tax data, bill custom-

ers and track driver time and violations for

reporting purposes.

Using an Electronic Log (E-Log) system, driv-

ers log onto their in-vehicle computer and

as they progress through the day’s work,

DOT duty states change automatically based

on the vehicle movements and alerts the

driver when he is nearing a violation. The

system eliminates the need for paper logs,

which saves time and improves compliance

with real-time monitoring.




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Electronic On-board Recorders (EOBRs)

An electronic on-board recorder (EOBR)

is an electronic device that connects

directly to a fleet vehicle’s engine. It auto-

matically records the amount of time the

vehicle is being driven (HOS), as well as col-

lects engine diagnostic and GPS data to help

fleets optimize operations and automate

regulatory compliance.

The main benefit of EOBRs is increased safe-

ty and compliance. By ensuring compliance

with HOS regulation, motor carriers that in-

stall EOBRs would ensure that their drivers

are not driving tired, which has the potential

to make the roads safer. Unlike E-Logs, EOBR

technology allows an organization to real-

ize improvements in KPI goals such as fuel

economy and vehicle optimization.

Additionally, the data is always stored for

regulatory purposes. With the data collect-

ed from the in-vehicle device, companies

can run reports based on drivers, vehicles

or exceptions over any period of time. This

information can be used to evaluate non-

compliant drivers as well as providing the

DOT or Transport Canada with a history of all

drivers and their compliance to HOS rules, in

the event of an audit.



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Driver Behavior Monitoring

R educing fuel consumption is one of

the most important issues facing fleet

managers, and at the same time it is hard to

control effectively. When fuel costs account

for 30% of most fleet budgets, wasteful driv-

ing habits hinder efficiency.

With fuel costs accounting for such a signifi-

cant portion of fleet budgets, finding ways

of reducing consumption can make a big dif-

ference. Also, with the serious toll fleet ve-

hicles accidents have on a company, finding

ways of minimizing the risk of accidents is

just as important.

A mobile workforce management solution

uses vehicle telematic data to track informa-

tion such as vehicle speed, hard braking and

if drivers are wearing their seat belt. Addition-

ally, with historical reporting, a vehicle’s move-

ments can be re-traced, which is useful for ac-

cident re-creation and determining liability.

Managers can set speed thresholds and be

alerted in real-time when a driver exceeds

the threshold. Mobile workforce technology

allows you to monitor driver behavior, such

as idling, speeding and vehicle usage, and lets

you know who the top offenders are. Moni-

toring driver speed encourages safer driving

practices, allows you to identify at-risk driv-

ers, and can reduce accident liability.




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Field Ticketing and Work Order Management

A significant differentiator of compre-

hensive mobile workforce manage-

ment solutions is in the mobile workforce,

or field service side of operations. A mobile

workforce management solution introduc-

es efficiencies to the field worker. Because

work order management can be an inef-

ficient process that costs money in staffing

resources and time.

When work orders are completed by field

operators as they do their job, it elimi-

nates the need for manual data entry by

office staff, and makes misplaced paper-

work a thing of the past. Billing cycles are

also greatly reduced and payroll processes

are improved. Having all field operators’

work order information electronically re-

corded—from login to logoff—ensures ac-

curate payroll and eliminates unnecessary

overtime hours. Work orders are completed

and updated in your back office system in

real-time, leading to much faster billing and

invoicing, speeding payment cycles by up to

three months for most operations.

Instead of relying on staff having to email

or print out work orders, field tickets and

work orders are electronically dispatched

to the appropriate field operator automati-

cally. Work flows from dispatchers to field

operators or drivers and back to the office

smoothly and efficiently.

Electronic manifests record jobs, trips, calls

and pickups, and are a paperless way to en-

sure jobs are completed as quickly and accu-

rately as possible. Office staff and dispatch-

ers can easily change manifests or work

orders throughout the day without having

to contact the driver or field operator.




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Integration with Back-End Office Systems

The key benefit of investing in a mobile

workforce management solution is that

it allows users to take all the data being col-

lected in the field and integrate it with exist-

ing back-end systems, including:

Billing/Accounting Systems

Work Order Management Systems

Fleet Maintenance Systems

Payroll Systems

Inventory Systems

For instance, a mobile workforce manage-

ment solution collects a considerable amount

of data from your vehicles, and this diagnostic

information can be pulled directly from your

fleet vehicles and integrated with your main-

tenance program to ensure that vehicles are

being serviced when they need it to avoid

downtime and costly repairs.

In another example, with a mobile work-

force management solution integrated with

a back-end inventory system, managing in-

vehicle inventory in real-time is possible,

and warehouse staff can ensure each vehi-

cle has the appropriate inventory needed to

complete the job.


takes all the data collected—from the life

cycle of a work order to the vehicle—and

presents it in a way that will allow you to

run your business more effectively. By in-

tegrating this technology with existing sys-

tems, a mobile workforce management

solution improves business from many dif-

ferent perspectives.




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Work Alone Safety

Workers who work alone in the field

pose a significant safety challenge

for fleet-based companies. Without an ac-

curate way to track workers, quickly sending

help in an emergency situation can be ex-

tremely difficult. It can be hard to pinpoint

the exact location of remote workers, and

cell coverage can be unreliable in the field,

which adds to the difficulty of sending help,

or allowing the lone worker to be in contact

with someone at all times.

Equipping your lone workers with an intrin-

sically-safe work-alone pendant allows them

to be connected to the office while working

away from the vehicle and outside of cel-

lular coverage. The office is automatically

alerted if the pendant has been motionless

for a specified amount of time, or if a work-

er misses a scheduled check-in. Integration

with a man-down pendant ensures a safe

and secure work environment.

Also, companies are often required to com-

ply with work-alone legislation for check-

ins, even when field operators are outside

of cell service. Managing lone worker safe-

ty doesn’t have to be a challenge. Mobile

workforce management technology that

helps you monitor lone workers goes a long

way towards improving their safety.


which utilizes AVL lets you know what your

field workers are doing and where they are.

Throughout the day, everything field work-

ers do—from logon to logoff—is automati-

cally time-stamped and captured, and con-

tact with the office is maintained.




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Selecting the Right Solution

N ow that you are aware of what makes up a mobile workforce management solution and some of the expected benefits, the next step is looking at how to approach selecting the right

solution for your business needs.

It is important to consider the fact that imple-

menting a comprehensive mobile workforce

management solution can take a significant

toll on an organization—not necessarily from

a negative perspective—but you are asking

yourself to change the way you run your busi-

ness and success can hinge on selecting the

right technology partner that has the experi-

ence to manage all the moving parts associ-

ated with this type of solution.



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Identify Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

As with any technology investment, it

is important to have a plan when you

evaluate and implement a mobile workforce

management solution. Identify your short-

term and long-term goals, and identify your

priorities first for purchasing a system, then

for implementation.


When looking at mobile platforms, it is help-

ful to maintain a sense of objectivity so you

will not be attached to a specific device – it

is important to recognize that often they will

not fulfill all the needs of your business.

Once you have your system in place, the

amount of data you can access can be over-

whelming. Identifying a few, key measurable

goals you want to achieve at the beginning

of the deployment will help you to avoid in-

formation overload.

Choosing technology instead of a solution. Set aside a list of

key functionalities that you need to

achieve success and then evaluate

the ability of different mobile plat-

forms to meet these requirements.

Common Mistake



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Look for a Partner with Flexible Options

I n the process of ensuring the mobile

workforce management solution meets

your needs, make sure you identify and

communicate your industry-specific needs

to vendors. An example of this would be the

need for well-site mapping coordinates for

Oil and Gas companies, or the ability for a

utility company to monitor boom statuses.

Beware of “off-the-shelf” solutions that may

Overspending. Ways to avoid this

pitfall include making sure you aren’t

paying for functionality you don’t

need, creating a list of necessary fea-

tures and evaluating solutions based

on your must-have features. Finally,

keep in mind that unnecessary fea-

tures are just that—unnecessary.


require you to change your business process-

es too much. The goal of a mobile workforce

management solution is to improve and

streamline business processes, not to restrict

operations.

Also, make sure the vendor you choose up-

dates their offering as technology changes

to ensure you are not purchasing a system

that will soon be obsolete and outdated.

Selecting a solution that can be tailored to

your needs is more significant than industry

trends, and the right solution depends on

your specific needs.

Common Mistake



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Ensure the Solution Supports Future Growth

When selecting a solution, it is easy to

forget about the future and neglect

to envision what your business and technol-

ogy needs will be down the line. Keep in

mind that mobile workforce management

technology will change your business and

it’s important to plan for those changes.


A key to easing implementation challenges is

by choosing a vendor that offers a complete

solution. When selecting a vendor for your

deployment, a September 2010 Integrated

Solutions article suggests that you “Look for a

company that provides end-to-end solutions

and supports scalability.” The article further

explains that “When you start integrating too

many solutions, you start introducing inter-

dependencies and reliance on many compa-

nies to fix problems as they arise.”

Common MistakeSelecting a mobile device based only on current needs. Purchase

devices that will grow with your busi-

ness and choose a vendor that will

help you with that growth.



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Implement a Change Management Plan

D eploying a mobile workforce manage-

ment solution is a complex process,

and the transition to a new system can be

especially difficult. Implementing a change

management plan helps organizations make

this transition a success.

If you implement a mobile workforce man-

agement solution, be prepared to meet re-

sistance to the new system. To ensure wide-

spread acceptance of the new system it is


important to underscore how the technology

will improve the organization’s bottom line

and the employee’s work day and processes.

Also, involving end-users throughout the de-

cision-making process makes them feel more

engaged and connected to the process.

Providing comprehensive training for all of

your staff is not only an essential step in

the implementation process, but it is also

a means of creating trust around the new

system. The most effective training methods

involve creating a highly-skilled user group

within your organization, then having them

pass that information onto others.

Make sure you assign an individual to be-

come an expert, or champion, of the sys-

tem. This helps generate interest and excite-

ment among the rest of the employees and

ensures you get the most from your system.

Even the most advanced system is useless

unless someone within the organization

fully understands the benefits of the system

and the needs of the organization.



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Conclusion

R egardless of your fleet size, a mobile workforce management solution offers enhanced analytical and reporting capabilities which allow a fleet

manager to use concrete data to optimize business practices.

As the most effective way to manage a mobile workforce, a mobile workforce management solution can be tailored to your business needs and integrated with your existing infrastructure to help you deal with the unique issues you face, and provide insight into your operations.



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AssetWorks has been specializing in

mobile workforce and enterprise

asset management solutions for

nearly 30 years. We develop industry-

leading software and hardware for

fleet management, Hours of Service

monitoring, field ticketing, lone worker

safety, driver behavior monitoring, fuel

management, maintenance, and more.

Learn more at www.assetworks.com

About AssetWorks

www.assetworks.com | 610.687.9202

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