Amalgamated Cleaning Services (ACS), a member of the Lojics Services Group in the UK, has implemented RangeGate`s SERVICE-EDGE mobile field service solution to manage the repair and maintenance of British Telecommunications (BT) phone boxes across the UK.
The RangeGate solution will initially manage and coordinate the workflow of 80 field service engineers responsible for maintaining the BT phone box glass panels, doors and lighting. This number will soon rise to almost 500.
"A key part of securing the maintenance contract with BT payphones was deploying an advanced field service system to help ensure maximum up-time of the payphone network," says Robert Levesque, financial director of ACS.
"It`s essential that our engineers work efficiently and where possible, achieve a first-time fix. I believe RangeGate`s SERVICE-EDGE will be key in helping achieve this."
ACS`s SERVICE-EDGE mobile data server will link its central service database to each engineer`s Symbol SPT-1700 Palm OS-based, ruggedised pocket computer. The engineers will connect to the SERVICE-EDGE server from their homes by placing the mobile terminal in a single-slot modem cradle, connected to their domestic PSTN line.
During the communication session, new work for the engineers will be passed to the Symbol unit and completed jobs will be passed sent back to the server. As engineers progress with their work, they will record their activities and parts used for each repair on a Symbol unit terminal.
"This enhances reporting and auditing of each job, and ensures that any revisits necessary can be scheduled and managed efficiently. SERVICE-EDGE will also enable ACS and BT`s payphone division to track the progress of repairs and the stock of parts needed," says Fred Hoare, technical director at RangeGate.
Maintenance jobs were previously passed to engineers by fax and engineers would report job completion by calling in to a call capture system. With RangeGate`s SERVICE-EDGE solution, ACS will have a far more accurate audit and reporting trail of completed jobs and will improve payphone booth maintenance and repair. ACS also expects to be able to reduce stockholding of repair components and drive down the cost of managing its engineer force.
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For over 12 years RangeGate has focused on leveraging mobile technologies to give its customers a competitive-edge - a Mobile Edge. The company helps its customers take advantage of the anywhere, anytime, real-time capability of wireless technologies in order to optimise business processes and accelerate ROI on traditional systems. RangeGate`s MOBILE-EDGE solutions encompass the mobilisation of corporate sales and field services, the wireless optimisation of warehouse control, logistics control, cargo and freight handling and in-store fulfilment.
Over 60% of RangeGate`s team focus on software development and system integration. RangeGate is an accredited mobile partner of many of the major IT vendors. Strategic partners include Symbol Technologies, SAP, Microsoft, Lotus/IBM and Oracle. RangeGate`s blue chip clients include Daimler-Chrysler, Johnson & Johnson, World Bank, Orange, Littlewoods, Sainsburys and ASDA. RangeGate is 76%-owned by Datatec, the Johannesburg Securities Exchange-listed global networking company.