Have questions? See answers to
some of the most frequently asked questions.
Q : How do Mobile Centrex solutions work?
A: Mobile Centrex solutions run on a server computer at the
company’s office or application host, called the Mobile
Centrex Server. The Mobile Centrex Server sends real-time
information and messages between dispatchers’ web-enabled
computers and the mobile workforce's web-enabled wireless
devices. For more information see the
Mobile Centrex Technology page.
Q: What do I need to run the Mobile Centrex software?
A: Below are the minimum requirements for the server, dispatcher,
and technician:
Application server:
|
|
Intel Pentium or equivalent at 133MHz
or higher |
|
Intel Pentium or equivalent at 133MHz
or higher |
|
256MB RAM |
|
150MB hard disk space |
|
Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000
Server, or Windows XP Server |
|
Database: Microsoft SQL Server™
2000 Desktop Edition (free) |
|
Mobile Centrex for Technician |
|
High-bandwidth Internet connection,
e.g., DSL, cable modem, T1. |
Dispatcher workstation(s):
|
Internet Explorer 6.0 or greater
Web browser. |
Field service technician mobile application:
|
Web-enabled Cell Phone or PDA. |
Q: What is the difference between MC Field Manager
and MC Field Conductor?
A: MC Field Manager supports mobile work forces of up to 30
Personnel and 3 dispatchers, operating on a shared work queue.
MC Field Conductor supports mobile work forces of up to 250
Personnel with multiple dispatchers, operating on separate
work queues.
Q: Are there any technical support or maintenance
plans associated with Mobile Centrex products?
A: Mobile Centrex offers a comprehensive set of technical
support plans designed to keep our customers’ mission
critical systems up and running at all time:
|
Online technical support: questions
answered within 24 hours. |
|
Hotline technical support: toll free
technical support line (M-F, 8-5 Central). |
|
Annual maintenance plan, which includes
the hotline technical support. |
Q: Do all my field service techs have to use the
same mobile devices?
A: No. Mobile Centrex Products
work with a variety of
phones and PDAs.
Q: What kind of data package would be recommended
for my web-enabled cell phone service - 5 MB, 10 MB, 20MB
or unlimited monthly usage?
A: We recommend carriers who offer unlimited web-enabled plans
available at $10-$15 per month. For the carriers who do not
offer such unlimited web-enabled plans, we recommend the 10MB
per month plan to start with as usage volume might vary by
customer.
Q: What’s the coverage area of the wireless
data service providers?
A:
Q: Can Mobile Centrex products work with other existing
CRM solutions?
A: Because Mobile Centrex's database is MS SQL Server 2000-compliant,
it can easily be integrated with many SQL Server based applications.
Q: How can Mobile Centrex products be integrated
with back office accounting applications?
A: To enable data integration and synchronization between
the field service management solution and back office accounting
solution, Mobile Centrex solutions offer integration with
small to medium sized enterprises preferred accounting solution
QuickBooks®.
Q: How can field service techs send messages from
their mobile devices to the back office?
A: Field service techs can alert the dispatcher at any time
from a customized list of canned comments, or they can enter
any free-form text message.
Q: Can dispatchers be alerted for non-progressing
work orders or jobs in a timely manner?
A: Mobile Centrex products provide four different types of
automatic visual alerts displayed on the dispatcher's ticket
summary screen:
|
If the field service tech has not
reviewed/acknowledged the ticket within system parameter
specified time periods (three levels of alert). |
|
If the field service tech has spent
an excessive amount of time on site based on system parameters
(three levels of alert). |
| |
If the field service tech has not
arrived at the customer site by the scheduled meet time.
|
|
If the field service tech wants to
alert the dispatcher to a comment he/she has added to
the ticket (or automatic for all field service tech comments). |
Q: Can field service techs get driving directions
using Mobile Centrex products?
A: Yes, the dispatcher can send driving directions to field
service techs in a text format generated by the Mapquest.
Q: Can field service techs driven mileage be logged?
A: Yes, if required by the company, a system parameter can
be set so that field service techs are required to record
the miles driven to the customer site.
Q: Are all tickets status changes and comments logged
for later review?
A: All ticket status changes and comments are time and date
stamped and available for review by the dispatcher and field
service techs. The data is used later for reporting purposes. |
