It’s impossible to ignore the popular view that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will fix all our business problems.
But, before you decide AI is going to 10x rocket your mobile device fleet and operations into the stratosphere of growth and profits, the easier, more practical approach to take first is common sense.
At Leopard Systems, we know that some businesses only seek our assistance after serious problems have disrupted their mobility equipment fleet—when it’s too late to prevent the setback.
Therefore, as the new year begins, we want to highlight the six core issues derailing mobility fleets. If we can help operations and fleet managers use common sense to avoid one of these problems, then that’s a win in our book!
We spoke to Robin Fowler, Leopard’s enterprise mobility expert, to better understand these problems and share his professional insights on how to avoid them altogether.
Let’s get started…
Problem #1 – Lapsed repair and support contracts
Do you know exactly what mobility devices are in your operation and when their repair and support contracts end? The initial capital expense of a large hardware fleet and the original repair and support agreements (typically three-year contracts) can be substantial.
Managing all your repair and support contracts is important but not always straightforward for big fleets of hundreds to thousands of machines. That’s why budget planning for three years away is sometimes overlooked or not prioritised.
Plus, devices can disappear for various reasons, and fleet administration tasks can be overlooked during the fast-paced daily tasks of warehouses, delivery, retail and other environments.
“Only when a mission-critical device malfunctions or fails to perform do some businesses discover the repair and support contract has lapsed. Another frustration is mistakenly funding a contract on a ‘ghost’ device that no longer exists. Unfortunately, arranging to repair or replace mobility equipment outside of a repair and support contract takes longer, costs more and disrupts work,” Robin explained.
SUGGESTION
Review your repair and support contracts annually and perform a physical audit of all your equipment. Plan to purchase service coverage within the appropriate year’s budget, i.e., three years out, so your company is not blindsided by an operating expense you must pay.
Also, encourage your hardware operators to report missing devices or minor functional issues (e.g., battery discharging faster) as soon as they arise. This will prompt managers to check repair and support contracts.
“We recommend fleet managers to engage your finance team early to discuss the importance of renewing contracts and inform them of payment timelines.”
If you’ve misplaced devices, how do you find them? Read on…
Problem #2 – Lost or missing devices
Retail spaces and warehouses are notorious environments for losing or misplacing hand-held mobility equipment. A device may disappear from your workplace or accidentally fall into an awkward spot (for instance, a box crusher) and get damaged without anyone noticing.
“Instead of waiting for AI to solve everything in the future, there’s proven established technology available (right now) that can pinpoint where your device assets are. Why lose money on fleet equipment simply because you don’t know where they are?” asked Robin.
SUGGESTION
Enabling device tracking of your hardware provides real-time location data that maps where a missing asset has ended up. An online dashboard shows device locations, helping managers monitor large hardware fleets conveniently and make decisions quickly.
Tracking technology can be strategically customised to your operation to improve operations for safety and productivity. For instance, proximity alarms ensure a device is not taken into a designated area (i.e., where forklifts operate). Geofencing can signal when a device enters or leaves a specific location (i.e., pick-up or delivery sites).
Problem #3 – Failing or old batteries
“Enterprise mobility hardware has a decent lifespan; eight to 10 years is not uncommon. However, the batteries powering these machines work hard, around the clock, and will need replacing well before the hardware”, said Robin.
Batteries used for two years can cause issues for operations as they age, such as short work life, rebooting, and crashing. “Older batteries, around four years old, may bulge as they deteriorate, break down and produce gas. These batteries can damage internal parts of the equipment and, in the worst-case scenario, ignite, causing serious safety concerns.”
SUGGESTION
If mobility devices are critical to your business operations, you’ll need a plan to check batteries and replace them at the two- or three-year mark. Otherwise, suboptimal function and unwanted problems will arise that could seriously disrupt your operations.
To stay safe and avoid adverse downtime, you can arrange for battery health to be monitored remotely. When a battery nears the end of its life, a brand new one can be shipped to the correct location and installed on site, circumventing the delay in getting the device up and running again.
Problem #4 – Outdated software
“We’ve heard disaster stories where companies can no longer update their enterprise software because the hardware’s operating system had changed. A software problem is usually identified after a severe malfunction or cyber-attack forces the company to troubleshoot what went wrong and why,” said Robin.
“Failing to manage mobility device fleets and keep software secure and up-to-date can lead to a critical point where the business needs to spend more money to fix the problem than prevent it.”
SUGGESTION
For an enterprise mobility device to remain fully operational over time, its software will need updating, i.e., the operating system or a custom business application. This gets tricky when software updates are needed for 500+ devices across different locations.
Reputable mobile device management (MDM) services can remotely access your entire fleet, updating thousands of individual types of mobility equipment quickly to keep your operations humming.
Problem #5 – No contact person
Mobility device management can go awry when the staff member responsible for the initial fleet procurement and deployment moves on from the project. The rest of the business doesn’t understand what’s involved in this person’s role or its importance.
“At Leopard, we reach out to our customers six months before repair and support contracts are due, but sometimes there’s no one currently in charge of the mobility fleet. This leads to confusion about who we are as the hardware vendor and, to a degree, ignorance of how critical the devices are to their whole operation”.
SUGGESTION
Appoint a key contact person to be responsible for your company’s mobility requirements. This will ensure your fleet continues operating smoothly and avoids any lapse in service coverage.
“A well-informed person in your business who can access fleet-related documents, hold account credentials and know relevant timelines would help your hardware vendor. Even if they’re not a fleet manager, a staff contact with basic familiarity of your mobility fleet will help save time and confusion,” said Robin.
Problem #6 – Vendor missing in action
“We often receive the first call when a business’s mobility fleet runs into trouble. Either their fleet’s service/support contracts have ended or, more typically, they notice devices starting to fail due to old batteries or other age-related problems.”
This scenario may occur if the original hardware vendor has gone out of business or removed the customer from its service list (i.e., the vendor no longer supplies the purchased device or brand). Unfortunately, this leaves the customer to tackle technical problems without professional expertise.
SUGGESTION
Upholding a good working relationship with your hardware supplier is easier with a key person in place, as mentioned above, to ensure your vendor will be there when you need them most.
Robin advised, “Researching a hardware vendor’s credibility and experience before engaging their services makes sense. After that, once you’ve selected your vendor and your fleet is operating, keeping in touch with your vendor is a good idea. Reputable vendors will provide fleet health updates without prompting; however, don’t hesitate to request an update on any specific device information you need to better manage your mobility fleet.”
CONCLUSION
In closing, when mobility hardware fails at a critical time, in a critical location, or costs you more than expected, it’s an unwanted shock that could hurt operations and reputations. However, as we’ve outlined, there are practical ways to prevent such occurrences.
The dedicated monitoring and management of mobility equipment ensures repair and support contracts are valid, asset locations are known, batteries are running well, and software is up to date. A good relationship with your hardware vendor will help your organisation predict device spending and keep your entire fleet in action.
“AI’s time will come, but right now, there’s so much we can achieve with a mobility fleet management system by simply using common sense. Didn’t someone say the problem with common sense is that it’s not that common…? Let’s change that!”
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Contact Leopard today to speak to Robin or one of our hardware specialists and learn more. Ask us how we can help you find a mobile device management (MDM) solution for your needs.
