{"id":5284,"date":"2012-05-03T08:15:51","date_gmt":"2012-05-03T14:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barcodesinc.com\/news\/?p=5284"},"modified":"2019-09-16T11:03:13","modified_gmt":"2019-09-16T17:03:13","slug":"automating-your-field-force-form-factor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.barcodesinc.com\/news\/automating-your-field-force-form-factor\/","title":{"rendered":"Automating Your Field Force : Form Factor"},"content":{"rendered":"

Form Factor<\/h3>\n

Once you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve concluded that a rugged device<\/a> is a better fit for your mobile deployment than a consumer-grade device, the next step is to choose the right form factor to fit your needs, whether a smartphone, tablet <\/a>or laptop<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The key in doing so is to strike the right balance to support all required functionality. The first step as an enterprise is to evaluate all business processes on a task by task basis to understand how your workers do their jobs on a daily basis. It is critical to also insure that your workers provide direct feedback as part of this process.<\/p>\n

Consider, for example, a police officer who needs a rugged device in their squad car \u00e2\u20ac\u201c they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll likely need a rugged laptop with a full keyboard, larger than the one available on most handhelds<\/a>, in order to be able to type out extended reports while on the move.<\/p>\n

FINDING THE PERFECT FIT<\/strong><\/p>\n

The point is, you have to examine specifically how your workers do their jobs \u00e2\u20ac\u201c what do you need them to be doing every day? \u00e2\u20ac\u201c before you try to select the best form factor for their needs. In the case of the police officer, the key requirement is the ability to fill out myriad reports \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and so a full keyboard is crucial.<\/p>\n

Imagine, instead, a worker doing HVAC repair, who needs to be able to view detailed diagrams on a screen \u00e2\u20ac\u201c typically in a limited space where a laptop would be difficult to use. A smartphone-style handheld device isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t going to provide the screen size required, and will instead force employees to waste enormous amounts of time scrolling back and forth to find the information they need.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, a tablet or a similar device will provide those field service workers with the screen real estate required to find what they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re looking for. A laptop, despite its larger screen, wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be a good fit for these workers, because they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll typically be crawling around customers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 attics or crawl spaces to get to the equipment they need to repair. Give them a large device such as a laptop, and they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll just leave it behind in the truck.<\/p>\n

Or consider a driver delivering lumber to a construction site \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the driver may well arrive on the scene before any workers are present to sign for the delivery. In that case, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll need a digital camera to take a proof-ofdelivery photo of the drop-off, so he can proceed to his next destination without having to wait for someone to arrive.<\/p>\n

In cases like these, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s crucial to keep in mind that a single form factor can perform the work of multiple devices. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re just considering technology without first evaluating workflow, you might overlook the need for a digital camera, a consumer-grade phone, or a handheld scanner<\/a> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c or you might miss an opportunity to deploy a solution that combines all three into a single device.<\/p>\n

BALANCING THE FULL RANGE OF FACTORS<\/strong><\/p>\n

For every organization it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a matter of balancing out all relevant considerations on a very specific level in order to determine where the efficiencies are. Start with the business process and then map out the functions of the technology required. Take a single typical call that your workers go on, and map out each discrete step of that call:<\/p>\n