CPS ENERGY:
In the year 2006 it was the nation’s largest municipally owned energy utility providing both natural gas and electric. This company was in the profitable stage and its main motive is to satisfied customer base and workforce. The CPS workers had limited access to IT systems and resources if they are not in the office or warehouse they are not able to attend the customer issues and can’t solve it effectively and efficiently. CPS workers had to be physically present to diagnose problems, which meant deploying employees to a particular problem site. Also the entire after sales service took several days to finish.
Later implement of Magellan program by Christoper Barron VP and CIO of the company. It was designed in order to mobilize and connect its workforce to the people and systems they needed to do their jobs. It will extend CPS networking infrastructure.
Build its own secure wi-fi networks in offices and warehouses. Deploy smartphones and custom mobile application to all CPS staffers who didn’t have a laptop or other mobile devices.
At the end of the year 2006 the Magellan Program, through the use of smartphones and other technology, has or will empower all employees, no matter what work they perform, to become part of the greater company’s though network said by Barron. And in the year 2007 the company received the higherst score in J.D.Power and Associates 2007 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Survey.
LLOYD CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.INC.:
It provider of expert demolition, excavation, roll-offs, waste management, and related services are run by the same family for the past 24 years. Lloyd’s takes down commercial and residential buildings, and hauls them away. And they are having 100 employees, 30 trucks, 400 dumpsters. The company relied on several ways of documentation – spreadsheets, paper ledgers, accounting software- that were rather unconsolidated. And the company also relied on radios to coordinate with onsite workers.
The Essay on Hul and Nirma Company Full Year of Comparison
The success of Nirma’s umbrella branding strategy has led to a change in the competition’s marketing strategies, as well. Many of Nirma’s competitors are now consolidating their brand portfolio and consequently gaining more bang for their advertising rupee. In a changing market environment, the company has relaunched Nirma Yellow Washing Powder and Nirma Beauty Soap, two of its ...
Later implement of E-TRACE :
A mobile productivity suite adapter by Lloyd’s construction to coordinate workers and equipment. And this E-TRACE software is designed by GEARWORKS to work for sprint Nextel’s i560 and i850 phones.
And it has faced few resistance to change :
Steep learning curve – 18 months.
Employees initially had a hard time mastering the features of the phone Accounting inconsistencies rose when E-Trace and the paper-and-pencil system were used side by side during the transition period. Labour problems also rose from E-Trace’s real mapping and travel data. The system showed some people spending their breaks in unauthorized places. All this products operate under the ominous pendulum of challenge and opportunity. Later when dust had settled the savings became clear the company employed 12 driver, 22 foremen, and 7 office workers who use 41 phones running E-TRACE. And company has invested $50,000 to invest the E-TRACE and it has improved in performance of 10-12 percent, or roughly $1 million for 2007 and it was not a bad return .
LLOYD’S said “It really does work”
Questions :-
1) In what ways to smartphones help these companies be more profitable? To what extent are improvements in performance coming from revenue increases or cost reductions? Provide several examples from the case.
Both Magellan and E-Trace proved to be very beneficially to both companies The Magellan has reduced the time and the work load on the company by providing the efficient and effective information. In this the company will receive and error and problem of the customer by receiving the picture of problem and it will send to the head quarter there the specialist will check and send the sms of voice mail to the customer and it has increased the level to satisfaction of the customer.
The Essay on 401 K Plans Company Stock Employees
401 (k) Plans There are many economic issues facing the nation today. While some are extremely important in determining how the economy is balanced, others are not. Although this is true, that does not necessarily make these lesser important issues obsolete. Take, for example, the recent issue of corporate leaders matching contributors to the 401 (k) plan with company stock, instead of with cash. ...
Using digital camera
Send only one person and take photo of the damaged part
Expert diagnose the problem based on the photo; instructions sent either via sms, voice or email
Supply chain efficiency
Speed up order process
Key people need not to be on the site to approve orders
Faster order times
Employee and customer satisfaction are up
Reduced time it takes to complete service calls
The E-Trace also receive the information of the problem and try to provide the service as fast as possible it will helped the company to reach the highest level.
Reduced unauthorized stops
Due to integrated mapping and travel data which showed real time locator
Reduced fuel cost
Due to efficient routing
Reduced cost paid to accountant
Faster process of data entry and job logging by 1 ½ faster
Improved performance by 10-12% or roughly $1M for 2007
2) The companies described in the case encountered a fair amount of resistance from employees when introducing smartphone technologies. Why do you think this happened? What could companies do to improve the reception of these initiatives? Develop two alternative propositions.
Resistance from employees
CPS Energy
Technology is costly
Technology adds only a little value
Lloyd’s Construction
Employees had trouble learning the features of the smartphones Labour issues
2.1) Why do employees counter change?
Let’s face it. It’s human nature to find difficulty adjusting to change. Often we find it better to stick with what we are comfortable with. In the same way, there are employees who just couldn’t accept and cope with changes.
Solutions:
Gradual introduction, instead of abrupt/radical
Ample training so employees become more comfortable
3) CPS Energy and Lloyd’s Construction used smartphones to make existing processes more efficient. How could they have used the technology to create new products and services for their customers. Include at least one recommendation for each organization.
CPS Energy
Using smartphones
to pay purchases,
report issues,
The Essay on Building Construction Technology
Explain the quality control testing before you allow starting the concreting work for the foundation, columns, slab and beams. There are two main tests to be done on concrete The slump test: the slump test shows the workability of concrete. The compression test: the compression test shows the best possible strength Concrete can reach in perfect conditions. Testing should always be done carefully. ...
schedule maintenance checks, etc.
Lloyd’s Construction
Use smartphones to schedule debris pickup online
Expand into household waste,
debris instead of just construction sites
Real World Activities
In addition to companies found in the case, others like FedEx and UPS, which have large mobile workforces, heavily use mobile communications technologies. What other companies could benefit from these innovations?
Food DeliveryTaxi ServiceHospitals
Go online and research uses of smartphones in industries different from the ones reviewed here. Prepare a report to share your findings? Using of Smartphones in Different Industries
Retail sector (clothing, etc.)
Online Shopping
Commercial Banking
Newspapers Publishing
News via app instead of print
Use the internet to research the latest technological developments in smartphones, and discuss how those could be used by companies to deliver value to customers and shareholders. Top iPhone Business Apps
Linked in,
Skype,
Drop box ,
Elephant,
Quora, etc.
Suggestions And Conclusion:-
If the companies like CPS Energy & Lloyd construction can implement the IT and earn such a huge profits and can achieve the target by satisfying the customer need. Then any company can earn general benefits in the business by implementing smartphones and few general benefits that a company can earn are:
Computer Functionalities,
Organizer,
Fast communication & information,
Navigation ,
Networking with customers.