Network operator AT&T and mobile resource management provider Xora announced a GPS locator application that gives small to medium-sized businesses real-time locations of their mobile work force.
The solution is a SAAS (software-as-a-service) application designed to help AT&T business customers improve the productivity and accountability of their field-based employees and in doing so lower expenses related to overtime and fuel costs.
The application, Xora GPS Locator from AT&T, is compatible with most AT&T mobile devices and smartphones, including the BlackBerry Bold, as well as laptops and specialty industry devices. The service will be available at the end of July from AT&T at a monthly subscription of $21.99 per device, plus an activation fee.
The GPS locator does not require any software to be loaded on the phone: Field-based employees just power on their mobile devices and office staff can see their locations using Xora’s Web-based maps and reports. The Xora Web interface also features Google Maps complete with street, satellite and hybrid views, as well as real-time traffic information. Web-based reports indicate where and when vehicles are stopped, and for how long, making it easier to identify time spent at job sites or on breaks.
“With the addition of Xora GPS Locator to our portfolio of enterprise mobility applications, small and medium-sized businesses can better manage their mobile work force on a wide variety of AT&T mobile devices,” said AT&T Business Solutions Director of Industry Solutions Igor Glubochansky. “The resulting increase in productivity and reduction in expenses are especially critical today, with many businesses being challenged more than ever to remain profitable in a sluggish economy.”
The GPS Locator is based on technology from Xora’s GPS TimeTrack solution, and can be accessed from the same Web-based portal as Xora GPS TimeTrack and Xora GPS TimeTrack In-Vehicle. The companies said the application is ideal for SMBs in industries such as construction, field services, transportation and distribution, as well as state and local government-entities that are looking for a user-friendly and comprehensive solution that can provide visibility, accountability and compliance for field operations that have no large IT staff or on-site hardware to deploy.
Xora CEO Sanjay Shirole said once companies gain real-time visibility into the locations and activities of their mobile employees, it’s like someone took the blinders off. “More importantly, as a result, companies can take action based on what they are seeing in order to improve the efficiency of their business,” he said. “The result is that more gets done with fewer resources and in less time, leading to greater profits-and that is how success is measured in most companies.”