Meet the New Mobile Workers INTERACTIVE SESSION: PEOPLE The iPhone and iPad have
ID: 328807 • Letter: M
Question
Meet the New Mobile Workers INTERACTIVE SESSION: PEOPLE The iPhone and iPad have become so indispensable that the company outfitted its entire workforce, from customer service, to design, to quality control, with How much of your job can you do from the palm of the iPad to make sure he's getting the correct pieces your hand? Probably more than you think. There are many job functions today that can be performed using an iPad, iPhone, Black Berry, or Android mobile device, both for rank-and-file employees and their iPhones. Many have iPads as well. managers. Businesses large and small are benefiting, Using handhelds to run the business is not limited The Black Berry used to be the favorite mobile t small companies. PepsiCo manufactures and sells for business because it was optimized for brands including Pepsi, Gatorade, Mountain Dew e-mail and messaging, with strong security and tools Tropicana, Quaker, and Frito-Lay worldwide and has for accessing internal corporate systems. Now that's over 300,000 employees. The company uses a comple changing. Companies large and small are starting to web of interlocking distribution systems to move its products from its manufacturing and warehouse facili. meet cus- deploy Apple's iPhone and iPad as well as Android enhancin dence. And they are developing more far-reaching ties onto trucks and then into stores in time to more of their work. They are g their security systems so that mobile users tomer demand. PepsiCo runs about 17,000 distribution access corporate systems with confi routes each day. The iPhone and iPad help employees that the right products arrive in the right locations as siCo drivers and merchandisers began each day by picking up printed schedules with of PepsiCo's quick ly and efficiently as possible. applications to take advantage of the stunnin and graphic capabilities g mobile In the past, Pep Many of the recent mobile applications have been for e-mailing, or for supplementing existing workplace tasks, like digital flight manuals for airplane pilots order quantities and tasks to be performed at each ou on iPads or checking in guests at hotels. But now, as let, from unloading cases of soda to setting up new mobile technology becomes more affordable and easy product displays. It was difficult to accommodate to use, it's spreading core work functions as well, such last-minute changes in orders because communicating as marketing materials for pharmaceutical reps, cus with the delivery drivers was difficult when they were tomer account software for service technicians, and on the road apps for farmers to test the quality of cow's milk PepsiCo North America Beverages created a cus- Jackson Kayak is the leading whitewhater kayak ton in-house app for the iPhone called Power4Mercb manufacturer. Its president, Eric Jackson, is a cham- which immediately notifies merchandisers when pion kayaker who spends half of each year following a driver has arrived at a store. The merchandiser's competitions and events throughout North America. iPhone has an electronic timecard, and he can see his Eric's job requires that he participate in athletic events, schedule, the store details, the account profiles, and monitor industry trends in the field, and meet directly everything he needs to know to service the store. with dealers and customers. With the iPhone and iPad, Jackson claims he can run the entire 120-person applications to monitor their teams company from afar PepsiCo managers use iPads with custom pull up pricing, planograms, and contracts; and help coordinate deliveries with merchandising. The Manager's Briefcase app provides territory sales managers with electronic versions of all the paper- work and resources they need to manage their teams nd automated notifications to merchandisers. A manager Jackson's Wi-Fi-equipped RV connects wirelessly in Sparta. Tennessee. When Jackson's not on Wi-Fi, he uses his iPad 3G cellular connection. The iPad gives him insta nt access to his so he can analyze customer data, including store audits, employee coaching forms, a refresh Website content, or approve new designs. Jackson's iPad includes calendars, e-mail, contact can make manpower assignmen management, and the ability to create and edit iPad. The iPad automatically documents, spreadsheets, and presentations-all the t tools this executive needs to communicate with the on sends a notification the merchandiser's iPhone informing him he has an additional stop to make, for example. In the past, home office, dealers, and customers Back at the shop, Jackson Kayak's managers and employees find iPad and iPhone equally invaluable. In the factory, Chief Operations Officer John Ratliff can compare Jackson Kayak's manufacturing equip- managers had to spend much of their time on the paperwork. With the iPad, the manager starts and phone, checking e-mail in the office, and checking ends his day with his team. The second iPad app, called SPOTLight, gives managers instant access to their Web-based SharePoint ment side-by-side with images of replacement parts onExplanation / Answer
1- What kind of applications are described here? What business function do they support? How do they improve operational efficiency and decision making?
In this specific case, productivity applications are being described which include calendar, email, contact management different analytical as well as monetary applications. It also includes inventory management as well as applications for documentation and presentation customisation. Some of the major applications include Transformer monitoring which is helpful in managing the gas turbine inventory and Analytics regarding monitoring the sales and performance.
2- Identify the problems that businesses in this case study solved by using mobile digital devices.
The major problem of reduced communication could be solved by using mobile digital devices. Doodle communication can be highly increased between the employees which would result in increased productivity by consistently monitoring performance as well as the sales. Prevention of the attendance issues using scheduling by the calendar app as well as proper ability to respond to the customers on time can also be implemented.
3- What kind of businesses are most like to benefit from equipping their employees with mobile digital devices such as iPhones and iPads?
Every business can take a benefit by using equipment with the mobile data devices. Retail industries, law officials, financial advising companies as well as service companies can also get benefited by using digital devices such an iPad and iPhone. These devices would definitely enable the companies to get more information and to improve the market by understanding and having an understanding of the real-time market situations.
4. One company deploying iPhones has said: The iPhone is not a game changer, it’s an industry changer. It changes the way that you can interact with your customers and with your suppliers. Discuss the implications of this statemen.
These devices have vastly changed the way of interaction between the customer base. It is very much convenient to conduct business at any specific time of the day and does not require any kind of face to face communication which decreases the overall efficiency by increasing the time waste. The devices help an organisation to be more productive and to reduce the overall time involved in provision of the services regarding interaction to the customers which is very beneficial for improving efficiency of the organisation.