Many companies have significant challenges processing paper business forms. Why? Often the work is performed in remote and mobile locations by people without much experience, far from desktop accounting systems, managers and administrative staff. The following is a common list of business documents and data that is completed in the field:- Job estimates
- Getting the job estimate approved and signed by the customer
- Scheduling and assigning the work to a specific service technician
- Hiring new employees or contract help and completing the employment documentation
- Documenting the work (to the customer's satisfaction)
- Submitting the completed work to the customer for payment (in the proper format)
- Paying the employee or contract help
This process may happen hundreds or thousands of times per day across a wide geographic region for many large companies. How does the central office collect, enter and review all of this paper work and data to ensure accuracy? How do managers keep all of the correct business processes happening in the field? How do you ensure quality and professionalism when there is significant staff turn-over? How do you keep your customers happy?
Many of these issues can be avoided, or eliminated by using an automated system on a rugged handheld computer at the point-of-work. The handheld computer application can be developed and configured to step each mobile worker or service technician systematically through the correct business processes. The handheld solution can inform the service technician how things need to be completed, provide additional audio and video examples, and alert when something has been done incorrectly. The information entered in the field, at the point-of-work, can be synchronized with headquarters and reviewed by management in near real time. This is how companies with mobile workers can ensure quality, consistency and the ability to scale up their business.
