The Basics
Benefits
Before getting started on any project it is important to be clear on what the business benefits are going to be for your organisation. It also helps if you let us know and we can identify particular features which may help. Benefits are of course, unique to you, but they may include one or all of the following
- Improved service
- Reduced operating costs
- Improved cash flow and increased revenue
- Environmentally beneficial - through paper savings, reduced fuel costs etc.
- Quicker, easier, and more accurate management reporting
- Increased productivity and staff morale
- Reduced errors and no missing data
- Better brand image through streamlined processes and instant communication
- Improved audit and compliance trails
Getting started
Single users can get started immediately for as little as £495 per annum. This includes:
- Access to a mobile software application such as TAAP Field Force or TAAP Data Capture, customised to your requirements – subject to specification - for one year
- Secure Web access to your application and associated data
Contact us now on 0845 230 9787 or 0208 387 1762 to discuss this offer in more detail and tell us about your requirements. TAAP will assist you to find a device which is right for you – often these are available for no charge from mobile network operators with an appropriate airtime contract.
- TAAP offers solutions to everyone from single users through to enterprise-sized customers
- Enterprise pricing and a variety of payment options are available for those organisations with a large number of users – please contact us for more details.
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The technology basics – what will I need?
Essential: A PDA
What’s a PDA you might ask? PDA stands for Personal Digital Assistant. These come in many guises. Screen size, keyboards, battery life, and functions can all be chosen to meet a particular need. Today's PDA is very small in size, fits comfortably in a pocket and generally has good battery life which allows you to recharge the device at night or when at the office.
A PDA usually includes a small screen usually bigger than a digital phone but smaller than the smallest laptop; often has a small QWERTY keyboard that is made for thumb typing and a stylus which is a metal or plastic pen to input data or communicate with the device by a touch pad screen. More recent models such as those supporting Windows Mobile 6.5 have touch screens which replicate the ‘iPhone style’ interface.
Choosing a device
The first choice is the operating system – Windows; RIM (BlackBerry); or Apple. Here TAAP can help, but if your application needs signatures; photo-annotation or use of a stylus, Windows is the only option at the moment. In each case there are options. You can choose large or small screens; ruggedized formats for use in tough conditions; keyboards or not and so on. Invariably there is a device ideal for you.
If you have many users, not all users have to use the same device. TAAP can help you choose a device ideal for your needs and make sure you can change as your requirements do. We can also rent devices out to you if you prefer.
Essential: An airtime agreement
Most of our customers get devices “free” because they have an existing contract with an airtime provider (for example Vodafone or O2) and the provider is happy to upgrade the device to a new one as they can add a data charge to the normal voice-only charge. The cost of adding data “airtime” to the charge varies, but £15 a month is a good estimate.
Required: Internet access
Internet access is required for most of TAAP’s applications because data is encrypted and transferred to a secure website where clients can view and download any data they have processed from mobile devices. This includes photographs and signatures. If you prefer, data can be sent directly from your PDAs to your back-office system – this will require some simple integration from TAAP.
Optional:
Touch screens and kiosks
Some clients have a requirement to capture data from customers via touch screens or ‘kiosks’. TAAP provides software which works simply and enables you to provide customers with a very simple or a media-rich display where they can enter their contact details at various points.
This enables you, the client, to capture data easily and without the need for a representative to be constantly present. Areas for use include for example: shopping centres, exhibitions, reception areas where the receptionist is not always present, shop windows, council offices, concert halls etc.
The application uses Silverlight 3 which allows many variations to the look, feel, and content of the software, and so provides an adaptable method of customer engagement.
Bluetooth printing
TAAP's mobile application software is able to send receipts from a PDA device directly to a Bluetooth printer so that customers can have a printed receipt if required. The information printed on to the receipt is chosen by the client so does not have to contain any details which you don't require your customer to see. Signature capture can either be taken directly onto the PDA or after the receipt has printed, depending on your processes. If an electronic signature is taken however, this can be transposed into electronic records. Please contact us to discuss your chosen bluetooth printer and interaction with TAAP's software.
Frequently Asked Questions
A very brief history of mobile technology
Ten years ago, a mobile phone and a laptop was the most a mobile worker could expect from technology. The laptop PC allowed the user to do a great deal, but was bulky and not suitable for certain workers. The mobile phone was effective but limited to voice calls. As devices have become more powerful, the likes of Microsoft, BlackBerry and more recently, Apple, have turned phones into sophisticated mobile computers, with all of the power of the old laptops (and more), but easily portable and inexpensive. These new powerful devices, called Personal Digital Assistants(PDAs) come in many shapes and sizes, and can have particular formats (e.g. ruggedised) for particular uses.
Whilst most users of these devices are consumers, increasingly organisations are waking up to the benefits of providing mobile workers and field personnel with PDAs to help with their work.
Cost of going mobile
Devices cost from “free” to about £300 each. Most of our customers get devices “free” because they have an existing contract with an airtime provider (for example Vodafone or O2) and the provider is happy to upgrade the device to a new one as they can add a data charge to the normal voice-only charge. The cost of adding data “airtime” to the charge varies, but £15 a month is a good estimate.
Can I use my existing mobile phones/ BlackBerrys?
Yes, but see below. The devices you have are designed to do a job, and it may be that you will need to change the device for this new application. If not, it is possible to take a second device for a relatively small additional amount, but this can be inconvenient. Call TAAP for help with this.
Safety and security
With TAAP, you can be sure of your data security. The information is encrypted and passed to your systems immediately. If the phone is lost, information cannot be retrieved from the device. You always own your data, TAAP merely passes it on. Call TAAP for more information or if you have a specific need.
What if there is no signal?
That is not a problem; as you can carry on working and the work can be completed in one go when the signal is again available. In addition, it is perfectly possible to use WiFi and other means of communicating, depending on the circumstances. Let us know what your needs are.
