[bulbthings]

Benefits of managing your assets -  insourcing vs outsourcing.

Finding the right balance of what to outsource, what to keep in-house, and even what to insource is key to running an effective business. Bringing services back in-house can help create a more agile supply chain, increase reputational value and protect quality of service and product.

Let’s be straight. When it comes to managing your company's assets, what problems do you encounter? Do you know how your assets are performing, how much are they costing you,  where are they and even who’s using them and how? The answers to these questions are usually very different when outsourcing compared with managing in-house (insourcing).

In many organisations, physical assets are the foundation for success and future growth. The effective management of these assets (asset management) is essential to the overall success of organisations.

Around the world, hundreds of billions of pounds are spent on managing assets. However, along with monetary significance, the rising importance of asset management is being fuelled by factors such as whole asset life cycle, return on investment (ROI), total cost of ownership (TCO), health and safety and compliance set by regulating bodies.

With this in mind, the asset management outsourcing trend has shifted. Companies managing their assets are beginning to realise the benefits of insourcing compared with outsourced service arrangements.

“Right-sourcing, or finding the right balance of in-house maintenance services, outsourced services, and even insourcing, is the best way to stay competitive and cost-effective”

So what’s the problem with outsourcing?

The decision to outsource is a major strategic one for most companies, since it involves weighing the potential cost savings against the consequences of a loss in control over the product or service both internally to the operation and externally to customers.

Some of the major potential disadvantages to outsourcing include poor quality control, lack of meaningful data and information necessary for decision making, delayed supplier responses to client queries and issues, decreased company loyalty, a lengthy bid process and a loss of strategic alignment.

In particular, on the matter of cost control, there's a "blackbox effect" since the nature of outsourcing arrangements can create a barrier in shared knowledge. This causes a lack of transparency and the ability to have full visibility and control of the costs of your assets. This can lead to problems in identifying where potential savings can be made.

In addition to this, problems with outsourcing arrangements usually lead to terminating or taking the outsourced services back in-house. The issue is that if you are outsourcing a range of business activities, if things go wrong with your service provider, it is much more difficult to re-insource as there is a dependency on the service provider to carry all your asset related activities. Is the risk worth taking? Probably not.

In light of this and with the development and increasing availability of smart asset management tools organisations can easily and affordably take back control of their assets in-house. This means the risks associated with outsourcing can be mitigated by managing them more effectively internally.

Smart asset management tools - The new insourcing trend

How times have changed. Outsourcing is no longer the answer for managing assets effectively. Outsourcing isn't what it used to be and it certainly isn’t as profitable as it used to promise as a cost cutting exercise.

The rise of smart asset management tools has filled a void in the requirement for affordable and easy to deploy software that can be maintained and automated in-house delivering unrivalled results compared with outsourced suppliers.

Insourcing asset management activities will require you to be well equipped to take on the job. This can be costly if you are not using the right tools. Using smart asset management software can make a significant difference in cost compared with outsourcing. If you invest in powerful and easy to use tools, why outsource?

But while it is evident that there are numerous advantages from insourcing, there is a danger businesses are moving to this model for the wrong reasons - such as a mishandled outsourcing contract - rather than the organisation’s genuine ability to perform a superior service in-house. This often requires a business case proposal and the ability to demonstrate a worthwhile return on investment.

The insourcing trend now exists since smart asset management tools are aimed at specifically reducing asset running costs, improving safety and maximising operational efficiency. They remove the laborious time consuming tasks associated with managing assets by automating and collaborating in real-time with users and suppliers and provide an easy to use platform to achieve this.

‘The insourcing trend now exists since smart asset management tools are aimed at specifically reducing asset running costs, improving safety and maximising operational efficiency’.

Some of the rich features they offer are accessibility anywhere, anytime accompanied by using mobile apps. All asset information is stored and consolidated into a single database to manage, locate and report on all your assets, in a user-friendly and easy way.

The use of alerts and notifications are a great monitoring tool. These are used to control tasks and guide employees through business processes. This is also achieved using workflows to ensure work is followed through from initiation to completion. This provides transparency across the business and helps to collaborate all the stakeholders into one common platform.

Finally, smart solutions increasingly use IoT/big data technologies to provide the capability to collect data from sensors embedded into physical assets. This allows to get real-time information about the usage of assets in order to take the right actions, control costs and improve service to end-users.

Reaping the benefits of the new insourcing trend

One of the major downfalls with outsourcing is the lack in quality of service and the failure to meet client expectations. In an ever-changing environment businesses need to adapt and improve operational efficiency to be profitable and competitive.

‘If you want a job done properly, do it yourself!’

For example, if you own or run a fleet of vehicles and equipment, outsourcing this requirement would make it more challenging to influence culture and improve driver behaviour.

We believe this can be best  achieved organically in-house. This is a very important part of asset management and the ability to change attitudes in the use of assets since this is safety related.

The benefits to insourcing and managing your assets and users in-house is far reaching and invaluable to businesses. The actual investment involved in implementing smart asset management tools pays for itself usually within 4-6 months.

So why make the switch?

The number of reasons and justifications to in-sourcing completely outway the dying trend of outsourcing your asset management functions. Businesses today need to be in full control of the assets they operate.

By embracing the insourcing trend with the power at your fingertips at a click of a button, you can take full control and unlock the hidden secrets of your assets and make those all important savings.

What problems do you face with your asset/fleet management outsourcing arrangements? And what is your view on the current trend in insourcing using smart tools?

The Authors

Leslie Depond - BulbThings CCO, co-founder

Nile Zahran - BulbThings Senior Project Manager

[bulbthings]

Is increased automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) taking away jobs?

Some say what’s taking shape is a more productive symbiosis between man and machine — and successful businesses will be the ones that embrace and optimise it. Whereas some would say that technology and automation is taking our jobs away.

The threat of automation and IoT. Is this really the case? I mean, if we are creating and adopting technology to improve our lives and leaving the laborious jobs to robots and smart automation systems then aren’t we collectively in control of what does what, when and how?

Or to better put it, is this a process of self improvement and the pursuit of transformation? Evolution?

In 2013 Oxford University released a paper, The Future of Employment, according to their findings the top 10 most likely jobs to be automated include telemarketers, insurance underwriters, watch repairers and accountants’ clerks. But high on the list are also legal secretaries, models, estate agents, cooks and dental technicians. It’s a surprising variety. But many feel the predicted rise of the robot is still just a theory.

This could be another example of statistics flying in the face of common sense. People will always be at the heart of a successful business. If you want a formula for a great business you have to fill it with great people and no amount of robots can replace that.

That may be true but it also raises the point that humans, for the foreseeable future at least, are in charge and whether or not a job can be automated doesn’t mean it actually will be automated. There are a number of potential inhibitors including the capital cost of automation as well as certain jobs requiring human interaction.

“The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency”

For example consider waiters and waitresses, we would expect them to be non-automatable. Why? Because what can be observed is the requirement to make pleasant small talk with restaurant customers beyond what we could see a robot server providing.

Nonetheless, algorithms have been created giving waiters and waitresses a high probability of computerisation. Some restaurant chains have introduced tablets to their tables, which are able to take orders, recommend specials and take payment more efficiently than a human server.

Making The Age of Automation work for everyone

This era of technological change is like nothing seen in the past. Technology is getting “smarter,” taking on more cognitive abilities and tasks once thought to be reserved for people. This sophistication combined with the global reach and speed of change and adoption of technology is changing the way goods are produced and services are delivered, with a range of implications for labour markets around the world.

‘It is essential that we approach this wave of innovation in a way that creates widespread benefits for people, society, and business’

This second machine age, as it has been called, is defined by a number of significant technological developments, including Big Data, 3D Printing, the Internet of Things, remote connectivity, and industrial and autonomous robots.

Companies across various industries are embracing these technologies to improve operational efficiency and performance, reduce waste and conserve natural resources, reach new markets and audiences with speed and convenience, and support product and process innovation.

The pace, nature, and ubiquity of technological change will have significant impacts on job availability, access, and quality. Some jobs will be replaced by machines while new jobs are created and existing jobs take on new and different tasks.

‘Automation is anticipated to change some fundamental ways of working and with it the relationship between employers and employees’.

Considering the happiness and satisfaction of the workers who fill existing and new jobs will determine how well companies are able to capture the productivity, quality, and innovation gains possible through automation.

Businesses have a strong interest in ensuring that they, and their workforce, are prepared for an era of massive change. This means not only mitigating the negative impacts of technology but also harnessing it as a powerful driver of economic opportunity and improved well-being.

“Businesses have a strong interest in ensuring that they, and their workforce, are prepared for an era of massive change”

The Internet of Things in the coming years will embed sensors and actuators in almost every type of machine and physical asset. This is enabling new ways of monitoring and managing all the “moving parts” that make up a business, from fleets of vehicles to air temperature and quality to the flow of goods or materials through plants, distribution centers, and even onto store shelves.

This provides businesses a number of benefits in terms of operational efficiency, precision, and transparency. It could also create new jobs as well as improve existing jobs by enhancing worker productivity.

Nothing is infallible or perfect

Consider this scenario: If jobs were to be taken by automation and robots resulting in mass unemployment, then how do we stimulate consumer demand if well-being, affordability and lifestyle that businesses and economies thrive on is compromised by machines doing the majority of work?

Robots are not paid so how could people afford to live and buy things if they are not contributing to the economy? We could end up with a paradox.

The economy has to work for everyone. Employment is essential to productivity, economics and globalisation. The progress of technology, automation and the IoT will inevitably replace some jobs, but it will create many more in high-tech industries and services in order to sustain the technological growth.

“The economy has to work for everyone. Employment is essential to productivity, economics and globalisation”

Nothing is infallible. Computers, machines and robots rely on power, programming and maintenance and every so often we see a glitch occur. Power outages, malfunctions related to maintenance and upgrades that fail to sustain.

These are some of the concerns that ensure automation and robots cannot completely supersede people. Automation and robotics rely on humans as their creator to manage them, provide instructions and help them to adapt based on the requirements and strategies of businesses.

A Jobless future? Or Human Folly?

Actually, worries that rapidly advancing technologies will destroy jobs date back at least to the early 19th century, during the Industrial Revolution in England. Media acceptance of the idea that, because “the robots are coming for your jobs,” in future there will soon be “no work for human beings.”

The fact that a computer can do something better than a human being doesn’t mean that the computer will replace the human being. The market will determine whether it is economical to do so, given the costs and perceived benefits.

In reality, when machines replace one kind of human capability, as they did in the transitions from hunter/gatherer, from serf, from freehold farmer, from factory worker, from clerical worker, from knowledge worker on to whatever comes next, in each case, new human experiences and capabilities emerged.

The question is, as always, not whether individual jobs are being replaced, but rather what is the net effect of all the changes in employment. ATMs and PCs for instance don’t instantly appear out of nowhere at no cost. They have to be designed, built, marketed, sold, introduced in the marketplace and in the workplace, and reconciled with all the other things and systems going on.

“The question is, as always, not whether individual jobs are being replaced, but rather what is the net effect of all the changes in employment”

All of these activities require large amounts of human time and effort. The net effect of ATMs and PCs is not simply the removal of the jobs of bank tellers and the secretaries. We have to add in all the other jobs and work that are being created, and then see what the net effect is.

A final thought

In our opinion a “jobless future” is not possible. It is a restructuring of skills in order to support technological growth. We are expected to be smarter and to evolve leaving the repetitive work that doesn’t really allow us to progress, discover and innovate.

Afterall, we are using automation and robots to make our lives easier. We feel the process is about delegating what we don’t need to perform anymore. Therefore the future will be a tougher, more competitive and a higher skilled environment to survive in.

How do you feel about the future of technology and the impact on jobs?

[bulbthings]

How can smart tools boost employee morale and improve productivity.

Can investing in smarter tools to create automation improve employee morale and productivity? Let’s think about it, no employee in their right mind would probably ever turn down a raise, but it doesn't necessarily mean they need a financial incentive to do their job well.

Question. If you had the choice to do things automatically or manually which would it be?

Businesses today need to be slick in the way they work, avoid unnecessary costs and deliver those all important products and services to their customers quicker than ever, to a high standard and at a competitive price in order to survive. Businesses that adopt the use of smart tools to automate gain a competing advantage in doing so and are better equipped to adapt and therefore evolve. But what about the internal customers, the employees?

Companies automate for many reasons. Increased productivity is normally the primary reason for many companies desiring a competitive advantage. Smart tools and automation refers to the use of software, computers and other automated machinery for the execution of tasks that a human labourer would otherwise perform. Automation can also reduce human error and thus improve quality.

Other reasons to automate include the presence of a hazardous working environment and the high cost of human labour. The decision regarding automation is often associated with some economic and social considerations.

Shall we simplify things?

Automation with the use of smart tools can capture more time and revenue but where does morale come into play? Time is easy – efficiency increases capacity to perform work, which means you have more time to do other things. Revenue is also easy – efficiency makes it possible to process and attract more business. Morale… now that’s the interesting one!

The HIGH cost of LOW morale

Morale is a state of mind which involves feelings and emotions.  Created within each employee, it is often considered an elusive quality. I think we can all relate to low morale. It involves the attitude and perception towards the job, work environment, team members, managers and the organisation on a whole.  Positive employee morale is usually exhibited by confidence, discipline and willingness to perform.

Increased absenteeism, high turnover and a decrease in quality... sound all too familiar? Low morale is often perceived as intangible, its importance and impact on profits, productivity and financial competitiveness are measureable and affect organisational objectives.

Low morale leads to less engaged teams that are less productive, less customer-focused and prone to withdrawing their efforts and adopting counterproductive behaviour.

This occurs when employees have not been effectively trained or do not feel a sense of ownership over their work. Low morale causes employees to lose interest in going the extra mile, especially when they do not feel valued by managers or care about the projects assigned.

Low morale is an extremely critical area of any business as this costs businesses time and money on recruiting and training.

A survey conducted across 200 businesses shows us that when it comes to morale, the lack of training and skillsets are the largest contributor to unhappy employees. Smart tools are a great driver for improving skills and training staff to be more in tune with the organisation objectives. The important point is that automation and improved tools for employees were not considered as part of the options and responses to tackle employee morale. This is a growing area in understanding the benefits smart tools can bring.

To survive let us Automate or Perish

Let’s face it, how many times have you followed a business process or task at work and either shortcut the process or tried to improve it yourself to save you time and stress perhaps? For me, all too often.

On reflection now, I ask myself, where did it get me and what did it do for me? How did it leave me feeling? Performing tasks quicker, to a better standard and improving workload left me with a feeling of control, more enthusiastic about my approach to work and the willingness to suggest improvements to efficiency with management. Ultimately I felt a greater presence and purpose.

Successful businesses will be those that optimise the mix of humans, robots, and algorithms. Any work that is repetitive or fairly well structured is open to full or partial automation. So how does the use of smarter tools to automate and improve productivity and morale actually work?

Successful businesses will be those that optimise the mix of humans, robots, and algorithms.

Investing in smart tools to automate encourages employees to use the latest technology, perform tasks quicker and automatically monitor work through to completion. This can free up time for training to learn other skills or to improve and integrate other business processes in order to collaborate across the organisation.

Automation is both healthy for the employer and employee. For instance, a business adopting smart tools to create and manage automation can map their actual business processes using workflow automation that is backed by document management, e-forms and Application Program Interfaces (API’s). These tools are controlled by automated systems and that help and drastically improve efficiency and contribute to a healthier culture within the organisation.

Workflows improve visibility by tracking using alerts and notifications and allowing a staff member to instantly check the status of an item/task. It allows the key people to see the critical processes at every point, identifying problems, and bottlenecks, and monitor end to end performance throughout.

Document management  and e-forms allow businesses to become paperless saving money and improving visibility. API’s are a great way to automatically fetch and pull in data from other internal or third party systems.

Will you Collaborate and Educate?

Collaboration is a key benefit within automation and is the experience that integrates people, processes, and technology and improves the connections between people and the information they need to share to produce results.

Collaborative solutions work by offering a range of extended features such as access anywhere at anytime, apps for mobile workers and business partners to integrate in near real-time, optimised for a range of devices like smartphones and tablets, direct apps access s or using real-time alerts and notifications to control tasks, highlight concerns, errors and missed events.

These capabilities assist employees in being accountable for their work and giving them the opportunity to control and overcome problems and challenges them to foresee and avoid future problems from arising.

Automation enables people with lower skill levels to perform higher-level tasks.

Automating a Happy Workforce

One of the most powerful effects of automation in our jobs is the shift in skillsets. Relieving employees from burdening and “tedious” tasks helps to give them time for more specialised responsibilities. Automation enables people with lower skill levels to perform higher-level tasks.

Whilst some of the mundane tasks can be automated, it still requires human intervention to actively monitor and implement automation into business processes and adapt where required. The shift in skillset allows employees to learn and engage with new technologies and methodologies, and helps employees appreciate the positive impact on the working environment and within the organisation as a whole.

Automation results in dividing the common simple tasks, for example sending reports, emailing notifications and chasing tasks, analysing data sets, highlighting anomalies with invoicing costs. These common tasks are separated from those that are variable or require more human consideration and decision making like creating types of reports, analysing data in a particular way or when change to workflows or automated processes are required.

Reducing errors is a particularly beneficial area when implementing automation. Removing the repetitive tasks to be performed by workflows eliminates errors and routine work. This both saves time, money and improves productivity by getting things done first time round and to the right standard.

All of this, leads to employees managing workloads better, improving the way they work and how they feel about themselves. Motivated.

Investing and improving the range of tools employees are resourced with to perform their tasks and responsibilities quicker and better will show employees that you care about them, which is the best motivation tool of all.

Can smart tools improve productivity and morale? We believe they can, and in ways perhaps you were not aware of…...What do you think?   

[bulbthings]

5 pro tips for managing your fleet of light vehicles

In the third of this five-part blog on how to manage your physical assets effectively, we explore and provide tips on what it takes to perform best practice fleet management for light vehicles, optimise those costly and laborious tasks and gain full control of your drivers and fleet performance.

A productivity revolution is brewing within the fleet industry. The development of faster, better, and more sophisticated fleet management systems that use telematics and IoT technologies, coupled by a surge of increasingly powerful driver apps and the ever-widening preference of mobile technology will serve as the primary medium drivers are using to fulfil their daily fleet tasks. The fleet managers of tomorrow will marvel how we were able to accomplish what we did with the primitive tools of our era.

With all of this astounding technology advancing within fleet, it becomes almost redundant without a fleet strategy, as would a business starting up without a business plan!

Smart fleet management systems are the missing link to a fleet strategy as the adoption of next generation systems that drive automation and connect assets in the fleet promise to ensure fleets are smarter, better informed and better equipped to be adaptable to strategic and financial needs of the fleet.

Tip 1 - Define your fleet strategy

An effective fleet strategy is important as it defines an organisation’s approach to fleet management. To develop a genuinely effective vision for a fleet, the fleet management strategy must link in with an organisation’s other strategic priorities. The strategy must be considered as part of the organisation’s overall approach to asset management and should also link in with environmental aims.

A fleet strategy is a clearly written document that identifies the business need for the fleet, helps secure a fleet that is fit for purpose and sets out how the organisation intends to manage its fleet in the future.

The fleet strategy is underpinned by a fleet policy which is a document simply to put a corporately-agreed infrastructure in place that covers as many of the fleet strategy areas as possible, from setting out the objectives of the policy through to guidelines and rules which apply to the driver population. A fleet policy will only work in practice if there is support for it within your organisation, so buy-in from stakeholders from the very start and throughout the process of its production is imperative.

Vehicle drivers, passengers and other users can offer a broad perspective on the strategic direction of fleet management. Consultation with these groups of users will contribute to a strategy being well informed.

Tip 2 - Automate tasks

Fleet administration is a very busy place to be in, and the amount of time and cost it adorbs is typically in the top three priorities of a fleet manager in terms of efficiency improvements. The wide variety of tasks associated with the day to day running of the fleet such as paperwork, compliance checking, managing fines, tax and MOT duties, invoicing costs with suppliers, analysis of data for trends and costs is critical to the operation of the fleet.

Automating tasks is a highly beneficial area to consider when selecting a fleet management system and the functionality and capability they offer. Interfacing or Application Programming Interfaces (API’s) help to fetch and return data in real-time with other data sources such as suppliers systems or other internal systems (e.g. HR for driver information) allowing you to increase internal efficiency through quicker integration and reusability.

For example, if for instance you want to analyse supplier data from fuel cards, creating an API with the fuel supplier or importing data from the fuel card company can allow your fleet management system to automatically compare mileage and fuel consumption for any particular vehicle in the fleet against the fuel card transactions to highlight any anomalies and potential invoicing cost errors. This saves time and overspend. In turn, this method can be used for your leasing contracts with leasing suppliers. In this example, you could compare supplier offers prior to approving any new leased car requests or renewals to ensure that you are selecting the most competitive offer against cost, term duration and any hidden terms and conditions that perhaps would not be preferential to your company's fleet policy.

Using automated workflows drives an organisation to become more efficient by helping remove wastage, such as becoming paperless, cuts out unnecessary work like duplicated data entries, better use of human resources which overall saves money and will help an organisation to grow and improve.

Workflows also achieve this by identifying and removing the unnecessary steps/processes within any task. Modifying the order of the steps can make the process more efficient. For example, some steps could run simultaneously as opposed to sequentially. Tasks can be assigned to the people with appropriate skills to perform the task, rather than allocating to anyone who needs work to do avoiding compromising quality. Fleet managers can concentrate on strategic business oriented activities, rather than the day to day operational tasks, such as task allocation and monitoring progress.

Workflows can answer questions like: What actually needs to be done?, Who am I doing this task for?, How long should I take to perform this task?, Who else is involved in the process?, What will happen after I action this? Workflows improve visibility by tracking and allowing a staff member to instantly check the status of an item/task. It allows the key people to see the critical processes at every point, identifying problems, bottlenecks and monitor end to end performance throughout.

In addition to workflows, collaboration features are key to gelling all the communication together. Collaboration is the experience that integrates people, processes, and technology and improves the connections between people and the information they need to share to produce results.

Collaborative fleet management software works by offering a range of extended features such as access anywhere at anytime, apps for mobile workers and suppliers to integrate in near real-time, optimised for a range of devices like smartphones and tablets, direct apps access from suppliers or using real-time alerts and notifications to control tasks, highlight concerns, errors and missed events.

Tip 3 - Connect your vehicles

This is 2015. Isn't it time your car was as smart as your phone? Actually, it is. In today's economic climate and with rising fuel prices, businesses are working hard to improve processes and cut waste in any way they can. For example, fleet management On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) connected systems are plug-and-play and affordable solutions to give you the information you need to make informed decisions in near real-time and improve the efficiency of your fleet, saving time, fuel and money whilst increasing customer satisfaction.

Vehicles in your fleet generate massive amounts of data and most of us don't realise this potential. With the right OBD hardware and accompanying apps, you can use that data to monitor and save fuel, locate vehicles in your fleet, know when vehicles are being used and who is using them and even diagnose those annoying dashboard engine warning lights.

In addition to saving money on fuel costs, OBD dongles let you monitor the health of a vehicle. Using OBD dongles, you will be immediately notified if a vehicle has an engine problem. This allows you to fix only vehicles in need of repair instead of wasting time adhering to rigid maintenance schedules. This ensures that fleet managers are aware of any problems so they can assist drivers by making sure they take the necessary actions before any damage is done and avoids unnecessary repair costs.

So in summary, connecting the vehicles in your fleet to a smart fleet management system delivers the following benefits:

Better fuel economy

Monitor mileage and optimise leasing contracts

Knowledge of where your vehicles are at all times

Remotely diagnose and decode engine management warning lights

Identify where and when inefficiencies occur within a fleet

Efficient routing for faster delivery and response time

Optimised customer service

Lower vehicle maintenance

Loss prevention of vehicles and assets

Improve driver behaviour

Assist drivers when needed

Tip 4 - Monitor driver behaviour

Driver behaviour behind the wheel is one of the single biggest influencers of inefficiency, rising fleet costs and increasing carbon emissions. “Driving at 70mph, for example, is said to use 15% more fuel than at 50mph, while cruising at 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than at 70mph.”* Furthermore, harsh acceleration, braking and steering can also have a significant impact on fuel and vehicle maintenance costs.

TomTom’s latest research portrays an intriguing European study that has put performance among drivers under the spotlight. Key UK findings include the discovery that:

“Working time pressures make more than half of van drivers (59%) more likely to speed and take risks on the road; and

Three-quarters of van drivers (75%) admit to breaking the speed limit in their work vehicles, with 24% doing so regularly.

Despite these revelations, an overwhelming 70% claim to be better drivers than road users that do not drive for work purposes.” **

So how are your drivers performing? Have they been empowered to improve standards? The opportunities to make significant efficiency and safety gains using smart fleet management tools to monitor and improve driving styles is invaluable to fleets in reducing costs, improving safety and unlocking hidden savings.

Monitoring your drivers in the fleet requires connected solutions. This allows you to monitor the characteristics of the vehicle's behaviour performed by the driver. Below are ways that OBD tracking dongles that connect to smart fleet management systems can monitor and optimise driver behaviour and improve performance behind the wheel whilst reducing costs:

Analyse current performance - Analysing the current driving performance data from your fleet management software identifies any problems and sets the start point from which to improve.

Setting Targets - Giving drivers a clear idea of where their driving performance should be by settings a series of minimum standards for fuel consumption, speeding, harsh steering, sudden breaking, revving and idling.

Benchmarking (KPI’s) - Benchmarking against industry peers or indeed across the fleet will ensure targets are realistic and that performance meets predefined standards.

Sharing information and plans - Getting buy-in from both drivers and senior management and outlining what you hope to improve and by when is an important factor in changing driver behaviour. Identify where incentives can be given through healthy competition and/or rewards. Demonstrating that financial incentives can be self-funding.

Identify/address problem drivers - Using driving scores or league tables to entice healthy competition and highlight those under performers helps to target training to improve their standards and empower them to adopt a better driving style. Using alerts to those drivers via an app can notify them in near real-time of concerns around their driving performance.

Rewarding drivers - Clear communication and feedback on progress help to achieve the best results. It is a good idea to promote the drivers performing to the set standards as advocates to sharing success stories. Considering incentives such recognition and competition works just as well as cash, vouchers or holiday incentives.

Review and refine - Set clear timelines to measure programme success against predefined KPI’s that is linked to the overall company goals. A continual improvement strategy helps to ensure steady progress.

TIP 5 - Accident Prevention

Let’s not forget that vehicle accidents take 1.3 million human lives a year globally and cause some 20-50 million injuries. These statistics are staggering and it’s obvious why accident management is a big and crucial part of any fleet manager’s job. When accidents inevitably occur, managing injuries, costs and downtime is a serious risk to any operational fleet.

Speeding has recently been revealed as a major contributor for many businesses. Research has found that company car drivers are more reckless than private motorists on European roads.“According to a survey conducted by a road safety group, one-third of business car vehicles on the road are involved in an accident every year.  At-work drivers are considered a “high-risk” group by insurers, in general, due to these figures, and high mileage.”***

Preventative measures can be performed to avoid loss of life, injuries, accident costs and downtime. It is crucial that actively monitoring and managing your driver behaviour across the fleet and maintain vehicle servicing according to the vehicle manufacturer's servicing regime helps  prevent accidents from occurring.

So it is clear to see that adopting a smart fleet management solution coupled with collaborative automation and connected solutions to manage your fleet is key here to controlling spend, driver behaviour and the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). 

How many of these tips do you apply and how well did it go so far? Which one are you going to try next? 

Your experience and opinion matter so why not share it?

BulbThings can help you optimise usage of your fleet  alongside other enterprise assets so you can manage all your assets more effectively and control costs with one tool. To learn more about BulbThings please visit our website www.bulbthings.com or feel free to drop us a note at [email protected].

* Roaddriver.co.uk - Tips for Eco-driving

** TomTom, https://blog.business.tomtom.com - Driver Performance

*** Pendragon Contracts - blog.pendragon-contracts.co.uk

The Author

Nile Zahran - BulbThings Senior Project Manager

[bulbthings]

Tips for managing your assets more effectively - Part 2

Mobile Devices & Printers

In the second of this 5 part blog, we explain what businesses need to understand to adopt best practise when it comes to managing and optimising business mobile contracts and printing.

Every business is paying money for their office printing and mobile device contracts – that’s a given. So you’d imagine that everyone knows how much they’re shelling out, right?

The truth however, is more than a little astounding!

Do you know exactly where all the mobile devices, printers, multifunctional devices, faxes and scanners are in your business? Think about it – that not only includes all mobile devices such as mobile phones, smartphones or tablets but also those big stand-alone printing devices at the end of the corridor and all the little printers hidden away on desks that everyone had forgotten about. When did you last do a mobile device user check or a floor walk to figure out who exactly is printing what and to which device? Do manual checks still exist with the availability of smart asset management solutions? We think not!

These are some of the cost factors. Then there are the consumables. Do you have this area under control? Who orders your paper and cartridges? How much are you paying for them? Who deals with your printer consumables and what are the costs incurred when it comes to those tucked-away devices we just mentioned?

Does any of this sound familiar? If so, we hope you will find our tips useful and an eye opener as to how best to manage and control the unnecessary costs associated with mobile devices and office printing.

Mobile Device Management Tips

One of the main high-cost areas related to mobile devices comes from excessive consumption. Mobile contract packages that are not correctly selected or monitored increases costs. Businesses should really be managing all their assets in a software package that provides usage and cost optimisation capabilities rather than just technical management of the devices. Also adopting and configuring a user policy within the software helps to control situations such as setting alerts and notifications when users are approaching their data and voice allowances. Mobile contract packages should reflect the type of user, how they work and what they need in a mobile device package.

The following areas provide some tips to consider:

Purchasing & Negotiation

Inappropriate mobile devices - All too often, users want the latest gadgets with all the coolest features. Whilst business needs to be competitive and effective with how it communicates, there is a lot of unnecessary cost when selecting mobile devices. Choosing devices that are suitable is the key as the latest tech comes at a premium!

Tariff selection - Tariffs that do not include the correct offers that reflect the type of user such as the correct level of data allowance or inclusive minutes usually incurs additional charges. Using one tool can help you to ensure that your user policies are in line with your tariff selection.

User reviews - Knowing your users roles and responsibilities helps to tailor mobile devices and the packages/tariffs on offer. Giving too much away or too little impacts on costs.

Automated orders - When done manually, mobile devices/IT equipment orders can be cumbersome. Asset management solutions will allow you to manage individual or grouped orders using workflows that include validation steps and interactions with your suppliers and users. Automating your orders and returns will save you lots of time.

Ongoing Contracts and Cost Control

Contract Monitoring - Managing the contract start and end periods is a key factor in optimising costs. Re-negotiating costs for timely contract renewals is often a cost issue for businesses. Monitoring how you use your business mobile devices and regularly reviewing whether you are on the most appropriate tariff helps to optimise your contracts. A smart asset management solution can remind you of contracts coming to an end and will help you to compare tariffs among your suppliers (or with a single supplier).

Controlling spend - Reconciling invoices from your mobile operator supplier adds cost and pressure on resource. Trying to find errors in supplier invoices results in over paying and recouping costs. This is not the most practical method of keeping costs down. Smart asset management solutions empower you to quickly and easily compare costs you should be paying (based on initial contracts/tariffs) against invoices. Typical invoice errors are billing for a user that has left the company or invoicing the wrong plan. These errors can represent between 10-15% of the total amount of your monthly invoice. This tool is invaluable to businesses as this helps drive down cost and reduce time on resource.

Security - You should also include mobile devices in your security review. Mobile phones and devices contain increasingly important information and data and failure to adequately protect that information can have serious implications for your business.This helps to avoid costs associated with security breaches and protects business reputation.

Improving User behaviour 

Policy - Have a clear mobile device policy describing how you expect employees to use business mobile devices. Cover areas like whether they are allowed to make personal calls, how they can use the phone hands free when they're driving, and when they're required to have devices switched on. This helps to improve user behaviour.

Access abroad - Allowing user access when abroad can be very costly, especially if it is not business related. So restricting use from abroad is one effective option as well as setting notifications and alerts to avoid additional costs and take preventative action against user consumption.

Communication - Using an app or dashboard to share performance figures with users can incentivise them to be more cautious and careful with their devices. Such an app allows them to make new demands on-the-fly (e.g. adding an option to their plan, mobile device repair) so you can provide an enhanced user experience.

Monitor User metrics - There are a few useful metrics you can track to take corrective actions at the user level. Asset management solutions can provide such metrics and relevant alerts according to thresholds defined in your usage policy:

User Consumption - The biggest concern is controlling user consumption. Examples are where usage consumption is far less than what the tariff actually offers, meaning you are paying too much and not using enough. Or the opposite.

Renewal/Repair rate per user - Monitor details of particular user activity such as the number of times a device was replaced, changed or repaired due to damage. Identifying these important areas helps to train and coach user behaviour and improve usability.

Printing Management Tips

Optimising office printing is actually quite simple. It requires little effort, but having the right tools to monitor and then take preventative action is key. Some tips are as follows:

Colour printing in large quantities across a printing/copier fleet is a major issue when trying to find savings. User control and again, user policies is the best way of monitoring printing costs and user behaviour in real-time.

Purchasing & Negotiation

Printer Selection - Knowing what type of printer to use is a critical factor. Choosing inkjet, all-in-one printers, laser printers and photo printers must reflect the type of business and printing requirements that meets your budget and running costs. Selecting a printer that is not geared towards your operational needs can be a costly mistake. Knowing who will be using the printer and how often it is likely to be used helps towards choosing the correct printer for the job that is cost effective.

Consumables - Selecting the most competitive supplier for printing cartridges or toners is simple and cost effective. Perhaps buying in bulk can save printing costs in the long run but requires an increase in initial capital investment. An asset management tool can compare your historic costs against new competitive offers resulting in optimising costs in the supply chain.

Color printing - Colour printing consumption is the biggest cost driver. Be sure to configure printers and copiers to Black & White printing by default. This simple act will help you avoid many prints that do not require colour saving wastage and cost.

Notifications and alerts - Configuring alerts for things like significant colour printing consumption or large quantities in the number of pages printed is a clever way of training user behaviour. Users that know they are being monitored will consider what they are doing avoiding errors or printing outside of a fair use policy.

Controlling spend - Managing invoices from your printing suppliers can be time consuming when reconciling errors. Costs will increase due to the required resource needed to perform checks. Using a smart asset management solution enables you to import supplier invoices and compare costs and usage against any invoice anomalies.

Improving User behaviour

User access - For most all users there are opportunities to set up a PIN to unblock restricted access to colour printing options and paper finish.

Preventative monitoring - Monitoring users, printing spools and queues helps to avoid issues like users printing large quantities by error.

Without doubt having a smart asset management solution to manage all your mobile devices and printing is key here to controlling spend, user behaviour and the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). BulbThings can help you optimise usage of your mobile devices and IT equipment alongside other enterprise assets so you can manage all your assets more effectively and control costs with one tool. To learn more about BulbThings please visit our website www.bulbthings.com or feel free to drop us a note at [email protected].

The Authors

Nile Zahran - BulbThings Senior Project Manager

Simon Blanchard - Delta Tech Senior Sales Manager

[bulbthings]

Tips for managing your assets more effectively - Part 1

HGV & equipment inventory fleets

In the first of this five part blog, we will provide tips on managing different types of enterprise assets starting with HGV fleets and associated equipment inventories. The purpose of these articles is to share and provide clarity on the best approach in managing them as part of an overall fleet/asset management strategy with view to helping you save time and money.

The HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) industry has been under much scrutiny in recent years due to the number of accidents involving cyclists and the need for the DfT (Department for Transport) to tackle road safety. In addition there has been much debate about the shortage of HGV drivers in the UK logistics sector with MP’s concerned that “just 2% of all HGV drivers are under the age of 25, with 60% over 45”.

This presents a potential ‘ticking time bomb’ in encouraging the recruitment of younger people into the haulage industry, as a way of solving the driver shortage crisis.

With this is mind and by following our five tips below, we hope you find them useful and effective to help save time, money and remain compliant:

Tip 1 - Driver recruitment & retention

Retaining good drivers in your fleet is a skill all too often lost. Fleets are finding they can use the data they collect on driver performance in their retention efforts. It can be used to measure driver performance on fuel economy, safe driving or other metrics, with top drivers getting incentives or bonuses.

Larger fleets tend to go beyond that with predictive modeling by using predictive analytics for recruiting and retention. This type of data analytics lets fleets not only identify the drivers most likely to have an accident before it occurs, but also those drivers most likely to leave.

Regular driver license checking with the DVLA helps to ensure that you and your drivers are compliant.

Tip 2 - Driver Management Using tachographs to record information about driving time, speed and distance ensures that drivers and employers follow the rules on drivers’ hours . Regular checking and recording of tacho data is mandatory to maintaining and protecting your company's Operators license (O license). GPS tracking is another great way of monitoring drivers’ hours but with the addition of driver behaviour and location.

Vehicle tracking systems record the speed of vehicles, which means employers can see straight away when a driver is speeding. Drivers will be aware of this so are much less likely to break the limit.

Not only is this safer for the individual driver, but the company's image will also benefit as the majority of fleet vehicles are branded with the company's name and information. Members of the public will often report incidents of speeding and careless driving and when this involves a company vehicle, such reports can quickly bring a firm's name into disrepute. Vehicle trackers can, therefore, help to maintain or improve the public image of a business.

A driver communication strategy is just as important as an asset management strategy. Do you know your drivers? Do they know you? How often should you communicate with them? One benefit of a driver communication strategy is that it increases the fleet policy compliance to help reduce unnecessary costs. Fleet policy is a crucial part of a company’s overall cost-control strategy.

“The best time to control costs is before they occur and the way to do this is by establishing policies and procedures that inhibit unnecessary spending and protect corporate assets.”

All too often, managers attempt to control fleet costs on the back end. Fleet policy provides the mechanism to curb money-wasting behaviours.

Tip 3 - Vehicle & equipment inspection checks Vehicles - Daily routine inspections of HGV vehicles is a critical safety precaution and is more comprehensive than inspecting cars and vans. Referring to the HGV inspection standards  helps to prevent:

Vehicle downtime

Accidents

Unplanned maintenance

Part of these checks help to also reduce fuel costs such as ensuring that drivers maintain properly inflated tires, avoid excessive idling, check for defects and drive the posted speed limit. Using an inspection checklist  will ensure that your vehicles remain healthy and compliant.

Equipment - Checking the operation of equipment and tools for defects prior to use is also crucial to driver/employee performance. These include inspections such as PAT, LOLER, PUWER and any PPE clothing. This helps to maintain risk assessments and audits and in turn helps you to track and control associated costs. This isn’t rocket science, but it is effective in producing time-proven end-results by the simple fact of drivers and employees complying with a written fleet policy.

Tip 4 - Maintenance & Compliance

Transport operators who choose to take a systematic and preventative approach to Fleet Maintenance Management outperform and win more business than those who choose to stick with reactive type maintenance regimes. A well-designed and automated preventive maintenance program offers resounding benefits including reduced costs per mile, advanced identification of premature failures, increased service life and enhanced customer satisfaction.  

“The value of preventive maintenance in reducing operating costs could mitigate the effects of other adverse variables like rising fuel prices”

Tip 5 - Asset Tracking

Vehicles - Many companies choose to install trackers onto their vehicles in order to improve the efficiency of their staff. Vehicles can be monitored to ensure that they are sticking to the routes and jobs that they have been assigned. A driver cannot claim to have been stuck in traffic for hours if this is not the case as the tracking device will show his or her precise movements.

Vehicle tracking allow you to respond to customers more quickly by sending the right vehicle at the right time. Thanks to GPS tracking, you can pinpoint the location of any vehicle in your fleet at any time and dispatch them to the nearest job, whilst identifying areas of reduced productivity and explore ways to increase their time utilisation.

This also means that drivers cannot make fraudulent overtime claims. Long haul drivers, in particular, often work with little supervision so could exploit their employers by claiming extra hours. Without a tracking device, there is often little evidence to counter a fraudulent overtime claim. However, a tracking device can show exactly what time a vehicle was parked up for the night. Fuels bills will also be reduced if drivers stick to the speed limit and do not wander off course.

Being able to locate a vehicle in the case of breakdown is also an important benefit of a tracking device. The sooner the location of a stranded vehicle is confirmed, the sooner a recovery can take place. The stranded driver can be found quickly and there is little risk of them having to stay with their vehicle for a long time. Additionally, from a business point of view, the benefit of a vehicle tracking system is given due to the fact that the vehicle will be found and repaired more quickly, wasting less money on waiting times.

By law, commercial drivers must take regular breaks and employers can ensure their drivers are doing so if they are tracked. This not only ensures the business is complying with its legal obligations but also benefits the individual driver's safety at work.

Equipment - Like vehicles, equipment can be also tracked. GPS tracking your equipment and or large kit inventores gives a level of insight into your business that essentially creates a positive return on your investment. To put it simply:

“Tracking equipment will allow your business to operate much more efficiently and at lower cost”

Some of the benefits are as follows:

Slash tool costs - As projects continue to become scarcer and less profitable, tool-intensive organisations are looking internally for cost improvement opportunities that can deliver immediate and significant bottom-line improvements.

Stop tool loss - Organisations that track equipment through GPS can report that tool retention increases dramatically. The reason? Tools are suddenly returned on time. Field workers start taking better care of the tools assigned to them. And tools that have not been seen for a long time "miraculously" start showing up.

Improve Materials Management - Tracking materials and consumables is a tedious but critical task in most organisations. Paper and spreadsheet systems are not only labor-intensive, they’’re also error-prone. Automating your material and consumable management processes leads to improved accountability, reduced waste, optimised inventory levels, reduced paperwork, less manual tracking and counting, and improved billing accuracy.

Streamline Tool Inspections and Calibrations -  For many organisations, strict adherence to a tool inspection and calibration schedule is mandatory and regulated by governing bodies and auditors. Companies can be held responsible if they fail to comply or are unable to prove compliance. Tool inspection and calibration in fleet management software as a functionality helps ensure that your tool, equipment and fleet repairs are always performed on time and automated with detailed records of calibrations and inspections enabling you meet regulatory requirements.

Tip 6 - Use a Fleet and equipment lifecycle management tool

Many organisations continue to use spreadsheets to manage their fleets. Whilst this is time consuming, limited in capability and inefficient, Fleet Management Systems are far more comprehensive, affordable, easier to use and user-friendly.

The key benefits of fleet and equipment life cycle management supports the focus on TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). For instance, fleet management software can calculate the replacement dates of all of your vehicles and equipment and the costs associated with replacement. This will help a business replace these in a timely fashion and not be faced with unexpected costs.

An increasing trend is technicians and field agents using mobile devices to perform their daily tasks. Keeping track of these devices and controlling their usage and associated costs is an increasing challenge that an equipment lifecycle management tool can help with.

A fleet and equipment management system also ensures:

Keeping traceability of vehicles and kits to increase accountability and report adequately on costs allocation.

Automate administrative tasks (e.g. ordering/renewal of vehicles/kits, allocation to drivers, recording of damages and fines, shared/pool vehicles calendar, returns /re-sell)

Invoice reconciliation and correction

Supplier contract optimisation (leasing, fuel, etc)

Driver Management - Monitor driver behaviour and usage

Maintenance programming and compliancy control

Monitor fuel use and consumption

Up to date information on the total cost of ownership of an asset

Benchmark vehicles/equipment management activities against industry best practices

Keep all the information in one place for management to make timely decisions about assets in order to balance risk, cost, and benefit of equipment over their life cycles

Conclusion

It's important not to view fleet and asset tracking systems as a method of spying on your employees, but to see them as a means of protecting their safety as well as your business. The ability to be able to locate a vehicle or piece of equipment at any given time has obvious safety benefits. Should a driver be involved in an accident, their exact location can be pinpointed within seconds and passed to the relevant emergency services. If the accident happens to be serious, this speed could potentially save lives.

Managing your assets throughout their entire lifecycle can be complex, but having this information will help optimise your fleet. As the fleet management software automates tasks and performs all the analysis of vehicles and equipment data, it frees up employees to perform other tasks within the business.

BulbThings provides a complete fleet and equipment lifecycle management tool with an integrated fleet tracking system that uses the latest IoT technologies to collect and analyse vehicle and driver behaviour data. This collaborative web app allows you to interact with your drivers and get information about allocation, usage, critical events and costs in real-time, ensuring you are in control saving both time and money. In fact, you can save up to 20% of your fleet TCO. We’d be glad to offer you a free tailored ROI and cost savings estimate.

To learn more about BulbThings please visit our website www.bulbthings.com or feel free to drop us a note at [email protected].

The Author

Nile Zahran - BulbThings Senior Project Manager

[bulbthings]

THEY TALK ABOUT US - GLOBAL FINANCING REVIEW GLOBAL BANKING & FINANCE REVIEW

BULBTHINGS DEFINES NEXT-GENERATION OF ASSET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Bulb Software Ltd, the leading developer of smart asset management software has announced the launch of its BulbThings suite

[bulbthings]

BulbThings overview video

Make the most of your things - BulbThings, the Next Generation asset management

[bulbthings]

BulbThings launch Press Release

BulbThings defines next-generation of asset management software

Companies of all sizes to benefit from smart software that controls everything from phones to vehicles to plant equipment.

London, UK – 23 April 2015 – Bulb Software Ltd, the leading developer of smart asset management software has announced the launch of its BulbThings suite. This Cloud-based management solution is designed to help companies manage their assets ranging from handheld devices and vehicles to diverse equipment used by its customers.

This will ensure the assets are optimally available for staff to operate, it controls their costs, and it achieves efficiency gains through automation of operational and administrative tasks required to manage them.

The advanced package will provide a fully integrated lifecycle management and connected things solution.

BulbThings is an innovative software suite, which has been in development for over a year and its special features take advantage of web app technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT). Pricing starts from as little as $2 per asset.

BulbThings features the following smart features:

Single tool to manage all sorts of assets: BulbThings allows customers to understand not only the global cost but how much an individual staff member costs using their assets and it incentivizes them to operate more economically.

Simultaneous tracking and management of assets: customers can follow orders, contracts, events, and exits or returns of all assets. Bundled with the device-tracking option is real-time location and usage data.

Collaborative solution: this next-generation web app (built on html 5) provides notifications and alerts to asset managers, users and suppliers, meaning a customer can work more efficiently and in real-time.

Integrated strategic analysis: analyses data from multiple source (e.g. connected assets, suppliers’ invoices, user app) and provides managers with the insight needed to optimise asset usage and cut costs.

“BulbThings allows the management and best usage of vehicles, mobile devices, equipment and more,” commented Leslie Depond, Bulb Software Chief Customer Officer. “We know from talking to our customers that the BulbThings approach of allowing management of all of a user’s assets in one place, makes it much easier to control everything while keeping down costs. Whether your business is big or small, BulbThings will connect your assets via a single, Cloud-based solution. And as more things get connected in the enterprise, our solution will allow the tracking and management of them all.”

Bulb Software will be attending the following events in 2015 to promote the launch of BulbThings:

Tech Crunch Disrupt, New York City, May 4 - 6

Fleet Show, Silverstone, Northants, UK, May 12

Connected Conference, Paris , France, May 28

Enterprise Apps, Olympia Grand, London, June 24 - 25

For more information please contact:

Leslie Depond CCO, Bulb Software Ltd, Greenwich Digital Innovation Centre, 6 Mitre Passage, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0ER UK

For more information about BulbThings product features and fees visit http://bulbthings.com (designed by Dare West http://darewest.com)

Email: [email protected]  Twitter: @BulbThings   Tel: [phone]

About Bulb Software

Bulb Software Ltd., headquartered in London, UK, consists of a dedicated team of technology and business professionals, which together have more than 50 years’ digital and industry experience focused on managing assets. It all started when founder Yann Depond realised there was a growing need for companies to simplify their asset management with a versatile solution that could manage any type of asset. Using the latest web technologies and the emerging IoT technologies, Bulb Software has created the next-generation solution to maximise both efficiency and cost savings.

[bulbthings]

The 5 new features to expect from a Next Generation Asset Management Software

How does Next Generation Asset Management Software differ from traditional ones and what can they do for you?

Asset management software has been around for a long time. Broadly defined, it refers to any system that monitors and maintains things of value to an entity or group. Non-financial assets typically fall under two major types of assets in the enterprise:

Assets that are used to carry core business functions (e.g. plant machinery)

Assets that are used in support functions (e.g. company cars, mobile devices, IT equipment)

Companies started to use asset management mainly for inventory purposes and to ensure their availability to users. Such systems also appeared to automate operational and administrative tasks required to manage all of these assets. Things have evolved and in such a competitive landscape companies are now required to find solutions to manage their assets even more efficiently and proactively control their costs.

EMERGENCE OF NEW NEEDS

Over the years companies needs for an asset management solution seem to have evolved:

1. From basic inventory to sophisticated cost optimisation

Companies’ interest in asset management started with production/operational assets. Indeed, it was critical for asset intensive industries such as manufacturing and construction to track assets that were at the heart of their business using complex Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) systems. With cost pressures increasing, companies also started to look after cost of assets used in supporting functions such as vehicles and IT end-user equipment. Asset specific management software such as fleet management and IT asset management solutions became increasingly popular. Initially they were mainly used for inventory purposes, tracking the allocation of users or to facilitate administrative tasks to manage them. However, since purchasing processes have matured and significant savings were already made through negotiation with the asset software provider, companies have started to look for other types of savings. They started to realise that could achieve more by obtaining and controlling the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of their assets.

So, today, companies expect fixed asset management tools to:

Track location, usage and consumption of assets

Ensure optimal availability (pool/shared usage is definitely a trend)

Automate assets operational and cost management

Furthermore, they are now looking for tools that will provide this for all their assets through a single solution. This avoids having multiple projects and duplicated data across their organisation. For them this results in lower project costs and a consolidated view of their assets. In some cases, they are also looking to understand how much a member of staff is costing the business when using their assets. This applies mostly to technicians or field staff (who are equipped with a car, mobile device and costly tools) but there would be no surprise in seeing the same principle being applied more and more often to office staff as well (who also use cars, mobile devices and other office equipment/tools).

Once companies start looking at assets costs per user, and not only global assets costs, then the next logical step is to communicate with users about it. Indeed, interacting with them in a transparent way about data related to the use of their assets, assisting them in better usage of these assets and incentivising them to be better users becomes quite important and they expect their asset management tool to help them do that.

2. More efficiency through further automation and real-time collaboration

Many traditional asset management systems are built on desktop or “simple web” technologies. But companies are looking for solutions that leverage the benefits of collaboration and mobile usage offered by the latest web technologies (e.g. web apps) to be even more efficient in their day-to-day tasks.

Additionally, the Internet of Things (IoT) is bringing significant opportunities to get real time data from enterprise assets (using tracking devices and sensors) therefore it is critical to invest in a scalable solution that will allow to provide smart data out of all these connecting assets.

“Companies surveyed mentioned “High efficiency” as the top benefit (46%) that IoT will bring to them” *

Companies want smart solutions that will make asset management much more simple and will help them to achieve more savings.

SO WHAT DOES THE NEXT GEN OF ASSET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE BRING?

Here are 5 key things we think you should expect from a Next Generation Asset Management solution:

1. Superior user experience

User friendly and intuitive UI.

“Familiar” B2C experience: enterprise users expect a B2C feeling in the tool they use everyday at work.

2. Collaborative and mobile solution making it easy for managers, asset users and suppliers to collaborate in real time and on the fly thanks to:

Use of apps.

Real-time, actionable notifications/alerts to take action on time and avoid additional costs.

Integrated and collaborative workflows with user-friendly wizards to work even more efficiently between managers, users and suppliers.

3. Multi-asset capability

Ability to manage single or several types of assets, enabling understanding of global costs (across countries when relevant) as well as assets costs per user.

A single tool that avoids duplication of data and interfaces (e.g. company’s organisational structure, users data, interface with General Ledger) in multiple tools/systems and multiple project setup costs.

4. Integrated asset tracking and lifecycle management solution

In addition to common sources of data next generation software will also enable the collection of data from all enterprise connected assets using IoT technologies.

“Remote asset management and/or asset tracking is the top area where Business Executives think they can benefit from IoT” **

5. Smart data

Strategic analysis capability, forecasts and predictive analysis to provide actionable insight that will help companies use their assets more efficiently and control costs.

Boosted by the rise of IoT and app solutions, the whole industry of asset management is going to witness drastic changes. As assets will connect to the Internet of Things, the need for actionable and insightful data will definitely grow and the first businesses to use leading-edge asset management solutions will create a competitive advantage in their own market.

Your opinion is very valuable! Do you agree with our top 5 selections? What are the features you think that are going to be the next must-haves for any asset management solution?

*Business Insider report - Cisco Survey

**Business Insider - Harvard Business Review

The Author

Leslie Depond - BulbThings CCO, co-founder

[bulbthings]

Internet of Things in the Financial Sector

The Bank of Things

Advances in digital and mobile technologies are driving fundamental changes in customer behaviour and expectations. Today’s customer cannot be defined by traditional demographic factors such as age, gender or income. The customer of today is hyper-connected, highly informed, very demanding and spoilt for choice. They expect to be engaged as individuals, and on their terms — when, where and how they want.

In response, banks are searching for ways to transform data into insight to better understand their customers — and use that knowledge to deliver an outstanding customer experience. At the same time, a new information revolution known as the “Internet of things” is unfolding. This revolution will create unparalleled opportunities for financial services firms to deliver finely tailored advice, products and services in near real-time. By harnessing the power of the IoT, banks will be able to change their role in the life of their customers and evolve into something new and exciting. We call this new reality, the Bank of things.

For banks, the Internet of things will deliver an unprecedented level of data and data-driven customer insight. This will allow banks to provide their customers — individuals and businesses alike — a truly bespoke experience, with insights, advice and offers that reflect the day-to-day events in customers’ lives. The Internet of things is the key factor that will enable a bank to fully transform into a Bank of things.

Banking Scenarios

The Bank of things scenarios we are about to describe are not as far-fetched as you might think: Internet of things-related technology and services revenue is forecast to grow from US$4.8 trillion in 2012 to US$8.9 trillion by 2020. The future is coming fast — and to capitalise on these opportunities, today’s banks need to invest in developing the ecosystems and capabilities that will drive tomorrow’s Bank of things.

Personal banking with the Bank of things Tokyo, Japan – 2019

Hinata Saki needed to take her car to the mechanic. Her car flashed an alert on its dashboard while she was on her way home from work. She wondered how she’d pay for the expensive motor repairs. Arriving home, Hinata pulled out her phone and opened her bank app. At a glance, she could see the budget would be tight. Her bank continuously pulled data from her smart fridge, electric meter, water tank and other appliances, her smartphone’s digital wallet — and even her car — to provide a real-time snapshot of her spending, saving and budget activity. As she looked over the figures, an alert from her bank popped up on-screen. The bank knew her car needed repairs — and here it was with two mechanics’ quotes and available appointment times. As though reading her mind, the bank also provided Hinata with suggestions on how to finance the repair: she could find the funds by reducing her vacation savings for six months, or raise her credit card limit by the amount of the repair. The bank had factored in the latest reduction in her auto insurance, based on the car’s recent data about her driving habits. Hinata decided she could stay a bit closer to home for this year’s vacation, checked her calendar and booked the repair. Instantly, the screen updated her vacation fund goal.

Business banking with the Bank of things London, UK - 2019

Medical device maker Hawkins + Weill (H+W) is just like most manufacturers around the globe: the supply chain is its lifeline. Managing their supply chain well, operationally and financially, is essential to the company’s well-being in a world of rising expectations and thinning margins. Each day, data streams into H+W’s head office, painting a finely detailed picture of the company’s inventory as it makes its way from supplier to container to truck, and from factory to warehouse and distributors. At any point in time, the company can pinpoint its products and their constituent components — helping the company plan delivery, manage the value exchange, and minimize inventory levels so as to control infrastructure costs. The same supply chain data also makes its way to the company’s bank. The bank uses this data to build a deeper understanding of H+W’s balance sheet and stock turnover, and dynamically adjusts the inventory financing it makes available to the manufacturer. A few months ago, the bank anticipated that H+W could have a cash flow issue; with supplier payments due before key sales were made — and pre-emptively offered the company terms for delayed payments.

To bring the Bank of things to life, banks need to focus on three key areas to establish a business ecosystem that will support this new model.

The right partnerships

They need to collaborate with ecosystem partners to extend reach and integrate products into all areas of their customers’ lives. These partners could include other financial services institutions, mobile payment companies, utility companies, telecom companies, retailers or innovative IoT technology firms.

Collective data analytics

Customer insights drawn from bank's internal analytics structures will continue to form the backbone of strategic business decisions, however the Bank of things will only be able to deliver a truly complete, personalized and integrated customer experience when it aggregates data with all ecosystem partners.

Connectivity

Create a seamless, consistent experience across multiple channels to deliver a superior customer experience and drive enhanced revenue opportunities. The Bank of things will build on this, integrating new external distribution channels and developing an interconnected network reaching beyond traditional, “bank-owned” channels of today.

Conclusion

To thrive in this new world and build and retain a sustainable competitive advantage, today’s banks will need to continue to invest in data gathering and analytics capabilities. Moreover, they will need to invest in building new partnerships with a wide range of organisations to ensure they can obtain the data they need to deliver a true Bank of things experience to each and every customer. Those who embrace these opportunities will stand the best chance of becoming a ubiquitous, central player in their customers’ lives.

The Author

Nile Zahran - BulbThings Senior Project Manager

[bulbthings]

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

Smart Manufacturing

These days, you can hardly have a technology conversation without talking about the Internet of Things (IoT). And when that conversation shifts its focus to the industrial sector, including energy, Oil & Gas, Power & Utilities, and petrochemicals, among others, the discussion changes to what is being called the “Industrial Internet of Things” (IIoT).

The IIoT is changing manufacturing as we know it. Factories and plants that are connected to the Internet are more efficient, productive and smarter than their non-connected counterparts. In this competitive marketplace companies that don’t take advantage of connectivity will be lagging behind. Market Analysts* predict that:

“The manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, and information sectors will invest the most in IoT systems and devices in the next five years, we estimate.

Manufacturers are currently the leading industry to use IoT devices and we estimate their total IoT investment will reach $140 billion over the next 5 years.”

Using sensors to monitor manufacturing equipment and environments is nothing new. But using those sensors to talk to other equipment and automatically feed data into plant and energy management applications is one of manufacturing's newest frontiers.

There are many possible ways the IoT can benefit manufacturers. From product development to delivery and after-sales service, connected devices show the potential of huge advantages. There are three main areas of benefit for manufacturers associated with the IoT:

The design, development, and manufacture of products

Tracking and improving products throughout their lifecycle

The management of the assets used in the process.

So how does IoT impact manufacturing? Here are some key areas:

Enhanced quality

Applying analytics to the data as it streams off production equipment, sensors would allow manufacturers to sense and predict output variation.  In a networked manufacturing environment (aka M2M), the machine can communicate its output variation to downstream equipment, which automatically makes adjustments to ensure the final product is within specifications.

Lowering operating costs

IoT is expected to lower operating costs for manufacturers through the implementation of new applications that will transform and automate the production process by monitoring and controlling performance and making corrective actions to improve efficiency. These costs apply to the maintenance and utilisation of production equipment and overhead costs relating to employees, performance and the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM).

Seamless data collection

Data collected from sensors and machines for analysis and application is stored securely in a cloud platform. This allows for greater flexibility and efficiency for companies to leverage this information and make it actionable for manufacturers who need to make more informed decisions in their processes and procedures.

Real time asset tracking

Remote tracking of machinery, vehicles and equipment contributes to greater uptime and availability. This minimises the impact of damaged and lost assets as they can be repaired or replaced in real time.

Smart maintenance

By servicing equipment only when needed, IoT can help increase operational efficiency and safety by monitoring and managing assets remotely and in line with suppliers. This improves asset performance by accelerating decision-making which in turn improves response times and reduces the number of service visits and repair costs.

Improved supply chain management

IoT allows you to collaborate and interconnect via the web with 3rd party business services in real time. Where an of end-of-life or faulty piece of equipment exists, IoT can trigger automation such as obtaining a new order/quote from asset supplier or book and receive maintenance quotes/invoices.

By leveraging IoT, factories and other companies in the industrial sector can become smarter, safer, more flexible, and more efficient. They can lower their operating costs and control quality of their products in real-time which in turns contributes to serving their end-customers cheaper and better.

* From Business Insider UK http://uk.businessinsider.com/the-enterprise-internet-of-things-market-2014-12?r=US#ixzz3UeHS86vh

The Author

Nile Zahran - BulbThings Senior Project Manager

[bulbthings]

The Internet of Things (IoT) Paradigm

In this article we’ll take a look ‘under the hood’ of the IoT and delve into the communities developing the industry standards, network infrastructure, devices (‘things’) and industry terms. Whilst still in its infancy, the IoT is generating a buzz about the industry and gaining momentum with several different standards currently competing with each other, and more may be joining the contest soon.

With the IoT set to pick up speed in the coming years over 200 member companies are contributing to the specifications, which provide a standardised framework for communications between wireless-enabled devices. The new standards cover architecture, security requirements, Application Programming Interfaces (API’s) specifications and mapping to industry protocols such as CoAP, MQTT and HTTP.

Having such a set of specifications working together at the service layer to truly stitch the IoT together will allow service providers to support applications and services across a range of industries. This opens up a whole new world - a future of seamless interaction to transform the way we all work and play in the future.

The 'Internet of Things' (IoT), or more prosaically 'Machine to Machine' (M2M) communication, is well under way — after all, microprocessors are to be found in all manner of 'things': domestic white goods, cars, credit cards, your passport, your family pet, the CCTV camera in your street, the lift (elevator) in your office and many more. Add the magic ingredient of internet connectivity (or the ability to be read by an internet-connected device), bake with applications and services that make use of the data gathered by this vastly expanded network, and you've cooked up another technology revolution.

The IoT represents a major step forward in the history of the Internet and is truly a state-of-the-art solution to connectivity and interoperability across almost endless applications of use.  

The IoT/M2M ecosystem

The current IoT/M2M technology landscape is complex and filled with multiple players. Future IoT applications can be built using any subset of the following ecosystem components that are broadly categorised into four layers as mentioned below:

Things

The 'things' in the IoT, or the 'machines' in M2M, are physical entities whose identity, state (or the state of whose surroundings) is capable of being relayed to an internet-connected IT infrastructure. Almost anything to which you can attach a sensor — a cow in a field, a container on a cargo vessel, the air-conditioning unit in your office, a lamppost in the street — can become a node in the Internet of Things.

Sensors

These are the components of 'things' that gather and/or disseminate data — be it on location, altitude, velocity, temperature, illumination, motion, power, humidity, blood sugar, air quality, soil moisture... you name it. These devices are rarely 'computers' as we generally understand them, although they may contain many or all of the same elements (processor, memory, storage, inputs and outputs, OS, software). The key point is that they are increasingly cheap, plentiful and can communicate, either directly with the internet or with internet-connected devices.

Comms (local-area)

All IoT sensors require some means of relaying data to the outside world. There's a plethora of short-range, or local area, wireless technologies available, including: RFID, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (including Bluetooth Low Energy), XBee, Zigbee, Z-Wave and Wireless M-Bus. There's no shortage of wired links either, including Ethernet, HomePlug, HomePNA, HomeGrid/G.hn and LonWorks.

Comms (wide-area)

For long range, or wide-area, links there are existing mobile networks (using GSM, GPRS, 3G, 4G, LTE or WiMAX for example) and satellite connections. New wireless networks such as the ultra-narrowband SIGFOX and the TV white-space NeulNET are also emerging to cater specifically for M2M connectivity. Fixed 'things' in convenient locations could use wired Ethernet or phone lines for wide-area connections.

Some modular sensor platforms, such as Libelium's WaspMote, can be configured with multiple local- and wide-area connectivity options (ZigBee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GSM/GPRS, RFID/NFC, GPS, Ethernet). Along with the ability to connect many different kinds of sensors, this allows devices to be configured for a range of vertical markets.

What about the standards?

Six emerging standards are tackling the interoperability of M2M communication, these are as follows:

The Thread Group

Developed by Google's Nest Labs, ARM and Samsung, Thread is designed to build a low-power mesh network as an alternative to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and more. Thread, which uses 2.4GHz unlicensed spectrum, is built on existing standards, such as IEEE 802.15.4, IETF IPv6 and 6LoWPAN, meaning that existing devices which use ZigBee / 6LoWPAN etc. can easily migrate to Thread.

It doesn't rely on a central hub, unlike other smarthome platforms, even though it already connects more than 250 products on the market.

Nest already uses Thread for its smart thermostat and smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, and has also partnered with Mercedes-Benz, Whirlpool and light bulb maker LIFX to integrate their products too.

Open Interconnect Consortium

Unlike Thread, the Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC) is still defining the wireless connectivity requirements that would enable billions of devices to connect with each other.

Set up in June 2014 by Intel, Samsung, Dell and others, OIC is looking to build up on existing technologies, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Zigbee, with plans to reveal its own open-source software by the third quarter of this year. The organisation is currently focusing on smart home and office technologies and then plans to target vertical sectors like automotive and health care. It also plans to certify devices that are compliant with its standards.

AllSeen Alliance

Led by the Linux Foundation and Qualcomm, the alliance includes big names like LG, Sharp, Panasonic and Cisco. The group is working on an IoT standard based on Qualcomm's AllJoyn opensource code, which members can use in their products for free.

There are now 51 organisations in the alliance, which also welcomes software giant Microsoft.

HyperCat

A group of 40 UK-based companies, including IBM, ARM and BT, have developed an Internet of Things (IoT) standard called Hypercat.

Hypercat is a thin interoperability layer that allows devices, such as lamp posts and smart meters, to interact with each other. Like an address book, it lets applications ask data hubs what types of data it holds and what permission it needs to ask them, making sense of it without human involvement.

Hypercat can browse machines, searches by metadata and uses standards such as HTTPS, Restful APIs and JSON as a data format. Hypercat, which officially passed the first phase of development in June 2014, was developed by 40 UK-based tech firms, including IBM, Intel and ARM, startups and universities that banded together 2 years ago thanks to a £6.4m grant from the UK government's Technology Strategy Board (TSB)

HomeKit

Apple announced a software platform it claims will allow devices, such as locks, lights and thermostats, to be unilaterally controlled from one app. Apple claim the interface will save users from having to access different home devices through the manufacturers' respective apps. Manufacturers can also now label their home devices as 'Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod.

Industrial Internet Consortium

Intel, IBM, AT&T, GE and Cisco formed the Internet Consortium Alliance, an open membership group, earlier last year. Managed by the Object Management Group (OMG), the group is focused on "industrial internet" apps in markets including manufacturing, oil and gas exploration, healthcare and transportation.

The group is likely to collaborate with other research organisations and standards bodies that are already conducting research activities in the IoT space.

The Author

Nile Zahran - BulbThings Senior Project Manager

[bulbthings]

Healthy IoT

4 ways the Medical Sector is leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve patient care.

It’s the doctors’ orders. Doctors and nurses need to take their Internet of Things pills!

The Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to reshape a number of industries, none more so than the healthcare sector (Telecare). If you or a loved one has undergone medical treatment recently you are probably aware of some of the cool new devices that help perform diagnosis and treatment. You may not be aware, however, that some of these devices are connected to the Internet and have become an important part of the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem.

How exactly does connecting MRIs, a CT scanner, or lab test equipment in this way improve patient care? Here are four benefits:

1. Improving the availability of devices through remote support and monitoring

Remote management of IoT devices assists in testing and diagnosis. For example, a technician can connect from their own office and run diagnostics on an MRI that has failed. They can pinpoint the root cause of the problem and leverage a Knowledge Management application to find answers to common problems. The technician can also remotely connect to hospital technicians to provide “hands-on” support. When the root cause is identified, any replacement parts can be shipped with instructions about how to replace the defective component or it can be delivered by a field engineer.

2. Proactive fulfilment by replenishing supplies before they are needed

An IoT connected medical device can report back to the “mother ship” when critical operational components are being depleted in a device. For example, helium levels in an MRI machine need to be monitored to ensure that the device is operating correctly. A field engineer can be dispatched to the hospital in advance of the helium being depleted, avoiding a total machine shut-down and patient rescheduling.

Lab devices require specific chemicals and compounds to operate and these assets can be tracked by connecting these devices. The asset depletion information can trigger alerts and automatic replenishment of the supplies limits down time and in turn improving patient and caregiver satisfaction.

3. Efficient scheduling by leveraging utilisation to serve more patients

Device utilisation is not readily available and currently it is gathered manually. An IoT medical device can provide daily utilisation statistics that can be leveraged for patient scheduling.

For example, if a MRI machine in one location is only 20% utilised and one in another location is over-subscribed, doctors can re-assign patients to use the other scanner during off-peak times. The data can be fed into a cloud-based scheduling application and can also factor in periodic maintenance information. Or, if helium levels are low in one MRI, you can schedule a technician, schedule the maintenance activity, reschedule the patients affected, and perform the inventory/asset management functions and track them through a cloud application.

4. Early intervention/prevention

Healthy, active people can also benefit from IoT-driven monitoring of their daily activities and well-being. A senior living alone, for example, may want to have a monitoring device that can detect a fall or other interruption in everyday activity and report it to emergency responders or family members. For that matter, an active athlete such as a hiker or biker could benefit from such a solution at any age, particularly if it’s available as a piece of wearable technology.

Meanwhile, we are seeing the IoT building blocks of automation and machine-to-machine communication continue to be established. Bulb Things is excited to be a part of this revolution by providing end-to-end processing and connectivity solutions for IoT-driven healthcare solutions, working toward establishing standards for these solutions and accelerating innovation for organisations eager to realise the benefits of the IoT in healthcare.

The Author

Nile Zahran - BulbThings Senior Project Manager

[bulbthings]

The Internet of Things (IoT) Realising the benefits of a totally connected world

The Internet of things - a concept that has captured the imagination of many and the aim of building an ecosystem of devices, sensors and smart actionable data is a long-awaited innovation that is promising to take off.

What does it promise? What does this mean for our lives in business?

Well firstly the industry analyst predictions are staggering:

Gartner forecasts that by 2020 the IoT will have grown to over 26 billion devices, with an industry value of around $8.9 trillion

Cisco reckons 50 billion by 2050, with a value of $14.4 trillion by 2023.

Some of technology’s biggest players have already sought a lead in this potential goldmine – the latest example being Google’s £2 billion acquisition of Nest Labs, which produces a thermostat capable of learning user behaviour by analysing things like temperature, humidity, activity and light levels. The application for the IoT is almost limitless.

The result could transform the way we live our lives, at a proliferated rate of what the internet and smartphones have already achieved. Objects will no longer just be objects, they will effectively have brains. They will know about you, about your habits and your needs and they will customise themselves to know exactly when and how you want to use them.

However, we believe that the enterprise sector will leverage IoT sooner than end consumers.

Indeed, it is estimated that the size of the enterprise IoT market will account for 39% of the roughly 23 billion active IoT devices expected by the year 2019. It will be the largest of the three main IoT markets including enterprise, home, and government1.

That is because ubiquitous Internet connectivity and devices present organisations with tremendous opportunity to create innovative products and services, drive down operational costs and serve up additional revenue streams.

 IoT is already heralding transformation across industries, and it will bring about even more significant change in the coming years with the evolution of standards. IoT can help organisations utilise their business infrastructure and assets in innovative ways to offer new services and deliver additional revenue. Moreover, deriving meaningful information from the huge volumes of data that IoT produces can improve decision–making and enable proactive, pre­dictive insights. 

Compelling Benefits of IoT

 IoT offers compelling business benefits and value that organisations cannot afford to ignoreincluding cost savings, improved revenues and opportunities to innovate.

Efficient processes

Organisations can use real-time operational insights to make smarter business decisions and reduce operating costs. They can use real-time data from sensors and actuators to monitor and improve process efficiency and reduce energy costs. 

Improved productivity

Productivity is a critical parameter that affects the profitability of any organisation. IoT can improve organisational productivity through greater business process automation, directly from sensors to smart alerts and actionable notifications. It also allows to minimise errors due to human intervention and improve information reliability.

Improved asset utilisation

With improved tracking of assets (machinery, equipment, tools, etc.) using sensors and connectivity, businesses can benefit from real-time insights and visibility into their assets and supply chains. For instance, they could more easily locate assets and run preventive maintenance on critical pieces of infrastructure and machin­ery to improve throughput and utilisation.

Better decision making through smart data

Deriving smart actionable and meaningful information from the huge volumes of data that IoT produces can improve timely decision–making and enable proactive and pre­dictive insights.

Significant cost savings

Costs can be reduced through improved asset utilisation, process efficiencies and productivity. Customers and organisations can benefit from improved asset utilisation (e.g. smart meters that eliminate manual meter readings) and service improvements (e.g. remote monitoring of patients in clinical settings).

Looking Ahead

By mastering and honing their ability to create and manage IoT applications, industry leaders are establishing new thresholds of performance and delivering highly personalised customer experi­ences, products and services, while achieving high efficiency levels.

Organisations can only expect to witness faster transformation and dis­ruption of their traditional business models given the rate at which digital technologies, devices, connectivity and networks are evolving.

Clearly, the winners will be companies that weave IoT into the fabric of their business to compete with new entrants to keep growing their business.

  1 Business Intelligence report, January 2014.

The Author

Nile Zahran - BulbThings Senior Project Manager