Looking for the Sweet Spot in M2M

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Ian

The new year isn’t even a month old and we’ve already seen a flurry of activity in the M2M space, from mergers and acquisitions to strategic partnerships. We at Pedigree have certain had our share of “enlightened” conversations with some of the big players who are looking to make even bigger plays in the market.

One thing that has struck me in these conversations is how diverse the opinion is on “what’s needed” to make that bigger play.

For some hardware companies and carriers, it’s a platform to build applications. For platform companies, it’s OEM deals for connected services. For the rest of the carriers, it’s package solutions that their sales force can explain and sell easily, while the software guys are trying to stay ahead of the curve by integrating new devices and tracking tags while moving their applications to tablets and smart phones.

Then, of course, there are the issues of standards, global availability, and the issue no one wants to talk about in polite company–device management and the costs of enablement (hardware, provisioning, installation) that can quickly erode margins.

And this raises an interesting question: where is the sweet spot in M2M?

I would imagine that few people would argue that the device companies are in the sweet spot, even though hardware units are the proxy that the industry uses to measure itself, given the competition and commoditization that threatens all but the most specialized devices.

Conventional wisdom would say that the carriers have the upper hand when it comes to delivering solutions. Because so much of the industry depends on mobility, they have to be part of the solution, and they already service almost every enterprise in the country with cellular or landline service.

The M2M Sweet Spot

We certainly believe that there is value in the hardware and network, but it’s the software that produces actionable information and is really the key to delivering value.

However, if you believe the M2M analysts and pundits in the greater world of Mobile Resource Management (MRM), the real sweet spot is in service enablement.

Service enablement is what turns M2M into a profit center. As the old adage says “people buy things for two reasons: to make money or to save money.” Up until now much of the conversation has been centered on the “save money” side of the ledger. That’s about to change.

The opportunity to use M2M communications to launch value-added services is clearly being embraced by large enterprises, from energy, automotive, medical, agriculture, food and beverage, and just about anyone else that relies on service delivery to support their business. Many of these companies are figuring out that service enablement is the sweet spot for M2M.

Service Chain Management

Over the past year we’ve spent a lot of time developing an integrated solution for service enablement that we call Service Chain Management.

We see this as a world where modular applications can be combined to quickly deliver turnkey solutions and where customers and their service vendors collaborate in the cloud using real time M2M data from their operations.

This is made possible by the profound changes in costs, functionality, and mobile computing that are possible with tablet-based workforce applications that synchronize seamlessly with cloud-based applications to manage enterprise operations.

Stay tuned. We’re hosting a series of webinars to explore these significant changes to the M2M market in the coming weeks in conjunction with the launch of enhanced version the OneView solution and the related POV tablet applications.

Sign up for the webinar Service Chain Management Makes M2M Investments More Profitable to learn how machine-to-machine technology can help you automate the service chain. Sign up today!

M2M for an Integrated View of Operations {VIDEO}

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Jack

M2M alone doesn’t solve business problems.

Making machines and equipment part of the workforce contributes to problem solving, but the solution doesn’t stop there. The data that comes from real-time situational analysis and response powers intelligent operations management and has the biggest impact on your bottom line.

An M2M product that sits in a data silo and caters only to one aspect of operations—such as fleet management, or asset tracking—can’t provide the full 360-degree view of your operations that you need to make the decisions that matter most to your business and your customers.

You need a comprehensive M2M solution that can grow with your business. Like this one.

Find out how Pedigree Technologies OneView® can help you increase uptime, extend equipment life, and save time and money through more efficient operations.

Real-time Facilities Management Reduces Mean Time to Repair {VIDEO}

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Jack

Facility managers are constantly bombarded with customer calls, break-fix demands, manual equipment-monitoring processes, and paperwork—documenting what was fixed and who fixed it last to keep record of the machine’s history in addition to the customer’s service record.

Real-time monitoring of equipment helps you detect and resolve potential problems before they become big and expensive problems. Having the right tools in the cloud can help you increase service revenues while decreasing mean time to repair (MTTR) for mechanical equipment failures by up to 80%!

Watch this video to see how I continuously monitor all my assets and equipment—in real time.

With a cloud-based facility service management solution, you can

Continuously monitor all equipment and assets—including critical equipment-health variables—regardless of manufacturer.
Receive exception-based alarms to alert you, your vendors, or your maintenance personnel of the condition.
Get your HVAC technician there faster and with the right parts using remote diagnostics data.
Reduce MTTR and downtime for your customers.
Move to predictive service management for happier customers and more premium service contracts.

Find out how Pedigree Technologies OneView® can help you increase uptime, extend equipment life, and save time and money through more efficient operations.

Value-added Service Boosts Your Customer Base

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Jack

You know that your business difference attracts new customers and more dollars, but you may not realize how differentiation also saves you advertising and marketing costs.

Customers value service that goes beyond the call of duty, and they remain loyal when businesses provide it. Exceeding service expectations can relieve you from pumping funds into advertising that might only let customers know you exist.

Value-added service equips you with the most effective advertising strategy possible: word of mouth. Customers will refer people to you because you provide value-added service that differentiates you from competitors. They’ll quickly recognize your value and tell others about it.

What if you could guarantee all customers that they’ll always receive value-added service?

Now you can, because equipment can “call” you for predictive service maintenance before customers get panicked by breakdowns. You’ll have saved the day and assured customers that you’ll do so with each and every piece of equipment they operate. Even better, with this kind of guarantee, you’ll be increasing your revenue engine with higher-value service contracts.

Learn more about Pedigree Technologies’ OneView solution and how it can help you differentiate your service contracting business from the competition. Sign up for a free demo of the OneView solution today!

VIDEO – Jack Gets the Right Trucks with the Right Stuff to the Right Place

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Jack

Wholesale fuel distribution is a business with tight margins, unpredictable fuel market prices and supplier availability, and varying customer inventory.

With wait times and customer delivery preferences wreaking havoc on productivity, how is a fuel distributor supposed to runs operations efficiently while providing value-added services to customers?

Instead of making calls, checking emails, sorting through sticky notes, and doing some creative guesswork, why not make quick decisions based on data that’s available in real time, accessible from any device with an internet connection?

I manage my customers’ fuel inventory and assist with compliance on their behalf with real-time insight from my fuel logistics and management solution. I can see right into my customers’ operations and make sure the right trucks with the right stuff are in the right place.

Check out this video to see how I do it.

Learn more about Pedigree Technologies OneView Fuel Logistics and Management solution. You, too, can increase efficiency and profitability, deliver more fuel, reduce common-carrier load hauls, save on transit fuel expense, and improve cash flow.

Two Ways to Differentiate Your Service Contracting Business from the Competition

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Jack

Let’s face it. Being a service contractor is competitive and costly. When customers sense bigger and better deals elsewhere, they’re gone and your profits go with them.

Here are two things you can do to differentiate your service contracting business from the competition.

1. Provide proactive customer service.

If you could predict and prevent equipment failures, you’d become invaluable to your customers.

They’d make you their go-to vendor for every piece of equipment they operate. You could fix problems, prevent breakdowns, and spare customers from losses they might otherwise blame on you.

So, how are you supposed to know problems exist before the customers report them?

M2M technology enables equipment to notify you when problems arise and gives you the insight needed to respond promptly and effectively. It enables you to provide proactive and predictive customer service.

Rather than hoping customers call you instead of your competitors for service, you’ll know exactly when service is needed—before it’s needed. You’ll improve equipment longevity and efficiency while continuously building customers’ confidence and trust in your business.

Proactive customer service sets you apart from the competition and keeps customers coming back.

Sensor- and cloud-based technology helps service companies and suppliers run operations based on the highest-priority needs of their customers and operations.

Developed by Pedigree Technologies, this process is called Condition-based Service Management. Instead of performing reactive maintenance when equipment fails, the shift to predictive maintenance keeps customers up and running.

2. Increase the number of service contracts and offer premium service plans.

More service contracts lead to higher profits, but what if you could add those contracts without hiring additional staff? What if you could also offer premium contracts, at a higher rate, that guaranteed the equipment you maintain?

By leveraging M2M technology, you’ll know when your equipment needs service before it fails, helping to eliminate downtime.

When upcoming repairs are detected, push notifications can be sent directly to you or your service techs, and remote-diagnosis functionality tells you what the problem is, allowing you to dispatch the right employee with the right parts and skills for the repair.

With your company continuously monitoring critical health indicators for each piece of equipment, your customers can rest assured their operations will stay up and running, and they’ll be willing to pay a premium for that piece of mind.

Learn more about Pedigree Technologies’ OneView solution and how it can help you differentiate your service contracting business from the competition.

Getting Smart About Fleet Management

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Jack

Finding the right fleet management tools and technology can be a hassle. I’ve been there.

Proprietary solutions are expensive and don’t play nicely with other devices, while point solutions keep data in silos that separate tracking from management and reporting.

But with the rising price of fuel and customer demand for on-time services and delivery, businesses can’t afford not to streamline fleet management operations to increase productivity and profit.

A smart fleet management solution does more than just simple GPS vehicle tracking. It provides actionable data about the condition of the vehicles in your fleet while helping you meet FMCSA compliance regulations.

What if you could eliminate out-of-route miles and idle time? A mere 10 minutes of labor shaved off your schedule could save $50. A reduction of just two miles a day could save $100 each month PER VEHICLE.

This is how I do it.

Pedigree Technologies’ OneView can help you answer the questions, “Where is it?” and “When will it get there?” Learn more about OneView for Fleet Management.

Jack Knows Asset Tracking and Management

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Jack

I used to lose track of things. I wouldn’t know where all my equipment was or where it needed to go next until the paperwork was processed at the end of the day, or sometimes even the week.

Despite their size, those trucks, generators, bulldozers, and trailers can be awfully tough to keep track of.

Unless you’re smart about it, that is.

I’ve transformed my operations by connecting to all my assets in real-time and getting actionable insight into the health of my machines.

In the time it takes you to watch this video, I can pull up a report that shows where all my assets are right now, where they were, and where they’re headed.

When your business operations depend on high-value mobile assets, knowing the location and status of each is critical to not only you, but to your customers.

Mobile asset tracking and management improves your bottom line and differentiates you from the competition, whether you’re tracking oilfield assets, agricultural equipment, or heavy equipment rentals. Even better, it’s the first step in moving from preventative to predictive maintenance.

Learn more about how you can track, monitor, and deploy your powered and non-powered equipment in real-time with Pedigree Technologies’ OneView solution.

DOT Issues Final Rule Restricting Use of Hand-Held Mobile Phones by CDL Drivers

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Jack

The U.S. DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Organization (FMCSA) has issued a final ruling to restrict the use of hand-held mobile cell phones by CDL drivers. The final rule may be accessed here.

While this rule does not ban hand-held mobile phones by commercial motor vehicles (CMV) drivers, it does significantly restrict the use of those devices while driving.

Be sure to read the full report for details on the restrictions and penalties that will go into effect 30 days after the rule is published in the Federal Register, which is anticipated to take place next week.

Learn how machine-to-machine technology can help you stay compliant.

Verizon Wireless and Pedigree Technologies Reroute Traditional Fleet and Field Service Management through Tablet-Based Applications

Posted on November 16, 2011 by admin

Integrated Cloud, Tablet and Machine-To-Machine (M2M) Solution Addresses Key Federal Regulations for Truck Drivers While Optimizing Service Operations with Service Chain Management

Pedigree Technologies has partnered with Verizon Wireless to offer an integrated cloud, tablet, and M2M solution that addresses key federal regulations for truck drivers while optimizing operations with end-to-end service chain management. The companies will be offering OneViewPOV, a suite of tablet applications for Fleet and Field Service management that makes the mobile enterprise more productive and profitable. Read the full announcement.