Archive for June 6, 2012

Announcing dozens of new features for Terra Mobile 2.0

June 27, 2012 / Liz / No comments

We’ve just released Terra Mobile 2.0 for Android and iPhone, with dozens of new features to show you.

This supercharged, new mobile app for Terra dramatically improves how you interact with the system and equips your team with new scheduling capabilities, broader device support, upgraded sync for up-to-date information, and more.

If you already own Terra Mobile licenses, you can immediately download the update through the devices or on Google Play (for Android) or the iTunes App Store (for iPhone).

If you haven’t yet tried Terra Mobile, now is a great time to drastically improve your business operations and interaction with your customers!

New features include:

  • Support for Android 3.0 and 4.0
  • Instant formatting for various screen sizes and resolutions on Android devices, including a variety of tablets
  • Automatic rotation of schedule and material screens according to device rotation
  • Keyboard now works in horizontal mode
  • Ability to create a new schedule or copies of an existing schedule from mobile
  • Ability to create a follow up schedule out of an existing schedule
  • Ability to hide sale/cost amount fields based on security settings
  • Ability to create new parts on the mobile
  • Ability to change the status and sub status directly from dispatch screen
  • Dramatically enhanced search performance
  • Improved sync so schedules deleted on desktop are now properly deleted on the mobile
  • Custom fields on work order parts are now shown on the mobile

We’d love to hear what you think, and show you what Terra can do for your business.

Give us a call at 1.866.918.8324 or email to start a conversation. 

Category: Field Service Software, FieldOne News, Mobile Technology, Press Releases, Products and Features / Tags: , , ,

Over 1 billion people make up the global mobile workforce.

June 26, 2012 / Liz / No comments

We’re less than three years away before the global mobile workforce population hits 1.3 billion, according to an IDC study evaluating growth in this area from 2010 to 2015. The number reached just over 1 billion in 2010, and is expected to account for over 37% of the global workforce by 2015.

The gains will be made mostly in Asia/Pacific areas (excluding Japan), where the increase is estimated to push numbers up to 838.7 million mobile workers in 2015. Not surprising, considering the size of China alone.

In the Americas, growth is certainly expected, if a bit less drastic. Nonetheless, it’s expected to reach 212.1 million in 2015, from 182.5 million in 2010. Out of this region, North America holds 75% of the mobile workforce as of 2010.

In a somewhat related study, Mashable and Gist released an infographic detailing the rise of the mobile workforce with regard to traditionally office-based jobs. It’s especially interesting to note that IT departments are increasingly operating outside their companies’ home offices.

Category: Field Service Software / Tags: , , , , , ,

Upcoming live training sessions with FieldOne for June.

June 17, 2012 / Liz / No comments

Summer is heating up, and we are ready to hand you a virtual glass of lemonade while you join us for the next set of FieldOne training webinars offered by our talented team.

Even if you think you’re a FieldOne veteran, take an hour or two and learn something new to take back to your teams.

Below is the schedule for the next two weeks. You can also bookmark the Training Schedule for the upcoming schedule. All times in EST.

Monday 06/18

  • 12:00 PM FieldOne FAST START This session will get you started with the work flow life-cycle in FieldOne.

Tuesday 06/19

  • 12:00 PM Job Costing (Labor and material) (Prerequisite) If you are a new user, then the prerequisite should be the FASTSTART webinar or the archived version online.

Wednesday 06/20

Thursday 06/21

Monday 06/25

  • 12:00 PM Time of Service Contracts This session will show how you to manage your Service Contracts/Agreements, if you bill at the time you perform service.

Tuesday 06/26

Wednesday 06/27

  • 12:00 PM FieldOne Mobile Setup In this session you will learn how to set up FieldOne Mobile on your device.

Thursday 06/28

  • 12:00 PM FieldOne Version 5.40 In this session we will review the new features available with our latest version 5.40
Category: FieldOne Events and Webinars, Products and Features / Tags: , , ,

Top 3 new iPhone features that can benefit your technicians.

June 13, 2012 / Liz / No comments

This week, Apple announced its eagerly-awaited upcoming product changes, operating system upgrades and feature additions at their WWDC Keynote. The new iOS 6 will be released in the fall.

Have you been paying attention? It may be worth considering the announcement in the context of your mobile strategy.

Field techs equipped with iPhone 4S, 4, 3GS, iPad 2 and the new iPad can take advantage of dozens of upcoming iOS6 features, and some notable ones in particular:

  1. Geo-fence will remind you to call someone specified when you leave a specified area. Leaving to the next customer on the schedule? Set this feature as a reminder to contact before arrival.
  2. DO NOT DISTURB allows you to ‘instruct’ the phone to hold alerts; messages do get through without an alert. You can also allow contact exceptions when in this mode. Useful for avoiding disturbances while on a job, without having to shut off the phone or put it on silent – and possibly miss an urgent message from the home office.
  3. Maps – Apple’s new homemade version, after dropping Google’s – will include a traffic service displaying traffic conditions and incidents. The feature operates off of anonymous crowd-sourced data and will be updated in real-time. Turn-by-turn navigation is planned, and Maps will include real-time ETA. In addition, there will be a 3D mode and a flyover view to see a route from the perspective of a helicopter.

FieldOne’s mobile app for iPhone and Android actually incorporates similar features, and as a tailored solution for field service businesses, includes much more. Along with including maps and turn-by-turn directions (on Android), techs can call and email contacts directly from the app, update work schedule status in real-time, capture customer signatures on-site, among dozens of other features.

FieldOne Mobile is available for iPhone and Android. Learn more about it here.

Do your techs use iPhones? Will you plan to start?

Category: Field Service Software, Field Service Tips, Marketing and Social, Products and Features / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Case Study: A Company Transformed, From Day One.

June 6, 2012 / Liz / No comments

This is the story of how an HVAC & mechanical services company gained flexibility, went paperless and drastically reduced its billing cycle within two years. New York-based AFGO represents three generations of mechanical contracting and manufacturing expertise.

And based on its performance last year, AFGO’s management team clearly knows when it’s time to drive business to the next level.

Stretching the meaning of customization

Four years ago, AFGO’s management decided the company would go further – if only they had access to a better internal management system. After extensive research spanning over two years – including trials, interviews, demos, and recommendations – AFGO chose FieldOne Systems to revolutionize their field service management.

“In being a flexible business, we felt we needed something more… flexible,” said Michael McGuire, Director of Operations at AFGO. “That’s where we were most impressed with FieldOne: the fact that we can customize the system to operate around us.”

Reduced billing cycle, increased cash flow

Since starting with FieldOne, AFGO’s most amazing feat has been reducing its billing cycle by three weeks. Now that they have work orders on the progress screen, Udell, McGuire and the rest of their team meet weekly to run through and update every open work order, allowing them to see what’s open and move to completion so the bills go out.

“We’re at a point where, at the beginning of 2011, we were billing in 28 days, and by the end of the year got it down to an average of six days – just by looking at those screens to process the orders and get them pushed through,” stated McGuire.

Udell concluded: “The biggest area that’s improved is our cash flow; the speeding up of our billing has clearly sped up our collections, so our cash flow is much better today than the day we bought FieldOne.”

See more case studies from FieldOne.

Category: Customer Testimonials, FieldOne News, Products and Features / Tags: , , ,
 
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