The goal
Meet services needs with a productive workforce
A highly-productive mobile workforce can help ensure your utility networks deliver continuous service and meet customer service standards. When outages occur, speed of response and public safety are paramount. Connect mobile workers with the information and human resources they require with the comprehensive, IP-enabled mobile workforce management solution from IBM and Cisco Systems. Automate processes to increase efficiency. Boost field service and dispatch productivity. Speed problem resolution and help ensure effective communications in emergency situations.
The advantage
Facilitate effective fault identification, efficient dispatch
IBM and Cisco are collaborating to deliver a state-of-the-art mobile workforce management solution based on a security-rich, reliable IP-enabled network. It leverages IBM's leadership in delivering the enterprise hardware, software and services which drive transformational business solutions, and integrates Cisco's leading wire-line and wireless network infrastructure to support real-time data, voice and video communications. We bring these components together to help enable an intelligent "sense and respond" network, which allows personnel—from the line truck to the edges of remote field operations—to access actionable intelligence and share a single information view with key stakeholders. The IP-enabled communications infrastructure integrates sensor, security and tracking devices to seamlessly achieve last mile connectivity. It supplies virtual real-time information to immediately allow intelligent decision making at the field level.
The benefits
Collaborate and resolve problems faster
Our mobile workforce management solution can improve the quality of information your organization uses to manage operations. The solution is designed to:
- Speed response times and problem resolution, enabling more problems to be solved on the first visit with fewer onsite workers.
- Improve collaboration, enhancing knowledge transfer and addressing the challenge of an aging workforce.
- Automate the work order process to help reduce operating costs.
- Help utilities increase the productivity and safety of field workers, and achieve higher service levels.
- Support continuous communications with field workers, centralized support staff, utility management and first responders in emergency situations.
A December 2004 Yankee Group study showed that IP telephony (IPT) solution providers need to focus on the basic features that make IP telephony work in corporate environments. The Yankee Group IP Telephony YankeeBrand Monitor indicated that attributes such as stability, reliability and quality outweighed future benefits, such as being the technology leader and innovator. Cisco Systems and IBM Corporation ranked number one and number two, respectively, in the study for deployment preference in 2005 and 2006. ¹
