IBM

Energy and utility companies need a highly-productive mobile workforce to ensure their networks deliver continuous quality service. When outages happen, speed of resolution and public safety are paramount. Today’s utility companies are experiencing the following challenges in mobile workforce management:

• Problem resolution often requires more than one visit and involves a larger on-site workforce than the problem may actually require.
• Inefficient communications between large, mobile workforces—which have been dispatched to remote sites--and corporate support resources, results in slower fault resolution and delays in construction and maintenance.
• Service workers often lack the right equipment and skill set to resolve problems on-site.
• Aging workforce: A large percentage of mobile workers plan to retire and must pass their skills on to a new workforce.
• Work order process is paper-based. Changes and new approvals require a slow, cumbersome process which causes project delays and reduces employee productivity.
• In emergency situations, it’s imperative to ensure real-time coordination with first responders such as fire, police and homeland security.

The IBM and Cisco Mobile Workforce Management Solution

Together, IBM and Cisco provide utility companies with a state-of-the-art, transformational Mobile Workforce Management solution based on a secure, reliable IP-enabled network. This solution is designed to increase mobile workforce productivity, speed problem resolution, lower operating costs, and ensure effective communications in emergency situations.

The Mobile Workforce Management solution utilizes a wireless, IP-enabled network infrastructure to connect to sensors and devices, as well as to facilitate voice, video, and data communications to both mobile and centralized employees. This infrastructure integrates seamlessly with IBM’s Solution Architecture for Energy (SAFE) to transmit, store, manage, and provide secure access to real-time information, facilitating effective fault identification, real-time employee collaboration, efficient dispatch, and emergency communications with police and fire radios. By providing mobile workers with an IP-enabled “Truck of the Future” as their mode of transportation, the vehicle is converted to a rolling hot spot through the use of a Mobile Access Router, and enables continuous bi-directional real-time communication with the field worker.

Setting a New Standard in Mobile Workforce Productivity

The IBM and Cisco Mobile Workforce Management solution delivers the following benefits:

• Faster response times and problem resolution—more problems are able to be solved on the first visit with fewer on-site workers
• Improved collaboration and knowledge transfer
• Automation of work order process helps reduce operating costs
• Improved productivity of the mobile workforce
• Higher service levels for customers
• Continuous communications with field workers, centralized support staff, utility management, and first responders in emergency situations
• Increased employee safety

Contact your local IBM or Cisco representative to learn how you can implement an IBM and Cisco Mobile Workforce Management Solution.

Learn more about other IBM and Cisco Utilities Network Revitalization Solutions including Asset Lifecycle Management and Advanced Meter Management.