Put your Palm to work! (Practical Technology).

• Author: Cieslak, David M.
• Position: Brief Article

I'm not sure who it was that coined the phrase, "Work smarter, not harder." Perhaps it was one of those inspirational pictures in my doctor's office, or maybe it was Dilbert. Regardless, it's a motto that we follow in my technology consulting firm.

A while back, we made a significant improvement in the work-smarter category by automating our service order system to run on Palm handhelds. The result has been a tremendous increase in efficiency, profitability and customer service for our hardware and network support department.

Let me explain.

PAPER WORKED FINE

Until about three years ago, we used a paper-based system to track client service requests. My hunch is that it was much like any other manual service order system. And at the end of the day, the system worked fine. A typical service request would be handled as follows:

* A client called the Information Technology Group service desk with a service request.

* A service order form was drafted listing client, name, address, contact and description of the requested service.

* A service technician, or tech, was assigned to perform the work. Scheduling information was recorded on a paper-based calendar and also in an Excel service order log.

* The service technician visited the client site and performed the requested service.

* The tech entered a description of actual service performed on the hard copy service order form along with hours worked and any materials or supplies used to complete the work.

* The client signed a copy of the service order confirming that services were performed.

* A copy of the completed service order was returned to the main office where:

* Time and billing information was entered into the inter nal time and billing program for subsequent billing;

* The open service order was listed as completed on the Excel log;

* A copy of the service order was forwarded to the project manager for their information; and

* A copy of the service order was placed in the client's file.

The process was effective. But at each point along the way, the paper-based system created inefficiencies, costing my firm time and money. A creative solution--a new way of working smarter--was necessary to eliminate the inefficiency described in the above process.

IN SEARCH OF A SOLUTION

Our primary goals for the new solution were threefold. First, increase billable hours. Keep the technicians out of the office and in the field (i.e. billing clients). Second, improve turn-around time for the service...