Hertz Goes Wireless
CHAPTER 6 :
WIRELESS DEVICES AND THEIR APPLICATIONS
MINICASE 1: HERTZ GOES WIRELESS
Q1. Which of these applications are intra business in nature?
A1. Intrabusiness defined in this case study as m-commerce applications mainly conducted within an organization. In this case, Hertz has used some mobile applications in several services it has provided. It has used wireless intra business applications for quick services and communication amongst its employees. Wireless applications in the non-environment have been around since the early 1990s. For instances, such applications include: * Wireless networking – for example, used to pick items out of storage in warehouses via PCs mounted on forklifts * Delivery status update – for example, entered on PCs inside distribution trucks * Collection of data such as competitors’ inventories in stores and customer orders – for example by using a hand-held device, from which data were transferred to company headquarters each evening.
The table below shows some examples of typical intra business workflow applications before and after the introduction of wireless services: Before Wireless | After Wireless | Work orders are manually assigned by multiple supervisors and dispatchers. | Work orders are automatically assigned and routed within minutes for maximum efficiency. | Field service technicians commute to dispatch center to pick up paper work orders. | Home-based field service technicians receives first work order of the day via mobile terminal and proceed directly to first assignment. | Manual record keeping of time, work completed and billing information. | Automated productivity tracking, record keeping and billing updates. | Field service technicians call in for new assignments and often wait because of radio traffic or unavailable dispatcher. | Electronic transmittal of additional work orders with no waiting time. | Complete work orders dropped off at dispatch center at the end of the day for
WIRELESS DEVICES AND THEIR APPLICATIONS
MINICASE 1: HERTZ GOES WIRELESS
Q1. Which of these applications are intra business in nature?
A1. Intrabusiness defined in this case study as m-commerce applications mainly conducted within an organization. In this case, Hertz has used some mobile applications in several services it has provided. It has used wireless intra business applications for quick services and communication amongst its employees. Wireless applications in the non-environment have been around since the early 1990s. For instances, such applications include: * Wireless networking – for example, used to pick items out of storage in warehouses via PCs mounted on forklifts * Delivery status update – for example, entered on PCs inside distribution trucks * Collection of data such as competitors’ inventories in stores and customer orders – for example by using a hand-held device, from which data were transferred to company headquarters each evening.
The table below shows some examples of typical intra business workflow applications before and after the introduction of wireless services: Before Wireless | After Wireless | Work orders are manually assigned by multiple supervisors and dispatchers. | Work orders are automatically assigned and routed within minutes for maximum efficiency. | Field service technicians commute to dispatch center to pick up paper work orders. | Home-based field service technicians receives first work order of the day via mobile terminal and proceed directly to first assignment. | Manual record keeping of time, work completed and billing information. | Automated productivity tracking, record keeping and billing updates. | Field service technicians call in for new assignments and often wait because of radio traffic or unavailable dispatcher. | Electronic transmittal of additional work orders with no waiting time. | Complete work orders dropped off at dispatch center at the end of the day for