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enough already with "big brother"


Hasn't this "big brother" conversation gotten a little bit tired? After the first conversation around this topic in the late 90s, it still amazes me that people are having issues with location-based services enabled on their mobile devices and leveraged in a corporation for field worker efficiency.  I have always personally believed that if you are not doing anything wrong than who really cares?  Location services can be found in many of the applications currently used including apps like WAZE and YELP.  If you are reading this and thinking, I'm concerned about my privacy, then I have one simple suggestion for you, move to the Northern Territory in Canada and lose your telephone. You and those mean ass Moose can  have your own conversations using Dixie cups and a piece of string.   As with many things in 2016 the trick is finding a software partner which cannot only consume, store and understand the data; but most importantly make it relevant to your business.



Let's imagine for a moment all of the fantastic things that GPS enabled devices can get us:

  • intelligent and intuitive routing: a worker is on job site "a" and the work order system understands that they are coming within 15 minutes of completing their current work order. We know where the worker is supposed to be based on the site address, and we can confirm that they actually arrived by comparing that address to their GPS coordinates.  Understanding those two pieces of information and simply comparing it to where open work orders exist within their proximity, we can optimize where they go next
  • I need a part: understanding the physical location it is straightforward and an important input to locate the highest value parts. That is looking at cost, distance to the current worker and the related job site.
  • I'm in here: confined spaces are challenging for anyone, and in many cases receiving GPS from within a site loses its signal as we enter the building.  Yet it is possible to understand when a field worker is operating within a confined space environment and have the most recent coordinates if that worker exceeds their current allotted time.



These are just a few examples of how location-based services operating on a mobile device can the inure to your company and your workers benefit. Put into actions these suggestions and you may discover that that "big brothers" pockets are full of gold.


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Next post:  field service an art or a science?

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