Trouble in Paradise

Beth was frustrated.
Beth, the pharmacist in a popular resort town, learned that her pharmacy had run out of a popular allergy medication.
Another customer had just left the store empty handed because Beth wasn’t able to help him.

How could it have happened?
It all started with a loose bolt.

Several days earlier, half a continent away...
Tony, MegaPharm’s Plant Manager was hovering over Mike, the Field Service Technician.
Mike was working on the new packaging machines. Specialized bolts kept loosening during operation and then breaking.
The lines kept going down. Mike ran out of the special bolts. No one was happy.

Mike returned the next day to install the new bolts.
Stopping production had cost MegaPharm a fortune.
Increased downtime due to lack of parts cost them even more.
Mega-Pharm went into overtime production of the drug. The company was now in catch up mode on a seasonal product.

When the product finally reached Max, the distributor ...
Everything was speeded up to catch up:
- Checking in product
- Picking orders
- Shipping
Mistakes would be easy to make.
Max, the distribution manager, scheduled overtime to be sure everything got out fast and correct.
More time and money were spent that normal.

It could have been very different
…if the companies involved had been able to make faster, and better decisions, getting needed information in the hands of each person at every step of the way.
What information did each person need that they didn’t get?
Had they received it, how could it have improved their decisions and increased their company’s efficiency and profitability?
…and given this story a happier ending?

Decisionpoint fixes their problems
Mike’s company couldn’t react fast enough. Mobile computer access to his company’s systems could have instantly given him the information he needed to minimize the downtime.
Tony needed greater visibility into the supply chain. His mobile computing manager dashboard could have helped him monitor production, monitor late shipments, and schedule overtime.
Max needed a fast and foolproof way of handling product so that his operation could run faster with no loss of accuracy. Mobile computing tied to the inventory system would do that.
Beth needed notice of stockouts. With real-time inventory visibility, she could know better when shortages might occur and help prevent customers from walking out empty-handed.

The Moral of The Story?
Companies suffer cost, time, and quality consequences when decisions are made with incomplete or inaccurate information…even with the best and most attentive staff.
Decisionpoint helps you improve decision making at every step in your company through adoption of the mobile enterprise.

Your Turn—For Any Mobile Situation
Industry: Retail, Manufacturing, Distribution, Field Force Automation
Enterprise System: ERP, WMS, CRM, Retail Store, Plant Maintenance
Application: Inventory Control, Shipping, Shop Floor, Asset Management, Service
Technology: Mobile Computing, Wireless LAN, RFID, Wide-Area Wireless, or Bar Code

Let’s get started!