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Dispatched Software, commonly referred to as “Dispatched,” is the flagship work order management software product, also referred to as computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) and enterprise asset management (EAM), produced by the American company DeFNiC Software, based in Abilene, Texas.

Dispatched automates the processes involved in a work order’s life cycle. It belongs to the software category commonly referred to as Mobile Resource Management (MRM) or Fleet Management. In essence, the software automates most of the normal functions involved in managing field personnel.

DeFNiC Software is a computer software company specializing in optimization of time and resources for small to large businesses with a mobile field workforce. Its suite of software products is designed to provide Mobile Resource Management (MRM) specifically to the Field Force Management (FFM) and Field Service Automation (FSA) sector. The majority of its clients are in the HVAC and Refrigeration, Plumbing, Overhead Door, Telecommunications, and Utilities sectors although the company does serve other industries.

MRM software products are gaining in popularity given rising fuel costs in many areas of the world. Dispatched software and competing products in this category assist companies in moving goods and delivering products and services in a highly efficientmanner to reduce fuel costs and increase productivity. Additionally, the software schedules maintenance and repairs on fleet vehicles to ensure optimum performance and increased service life of vehicles. While once the province of only large companies with huge fleets, small and mid-size companies are now widely adopting MRM and Fleet Management technologies as they fight fuel cost squeeze in an economic downturn.

Other Market Drivers:

Other market drivers of this software category include compliance with U.S. state and national regulations, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley (Sarbox) Act of 2002, and accounting needs ranging from audits to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) filings.

Although many MRM products assist with compliance issues, Dispatched is particularly helpful by virtue of its accounting-friendly design developed by a former Certified Public Accountant (CPA). The software is integrated with QuickBooks to further aid with accounting functions.

Typically an auditor will select an invoice and track it back through the paper trail, gathering the purchase orders where the parts were ordered, the work order where the work was done, and any additional documentation. Auditors then check for reporting accuracy and compliance.

Dispatched software provides the auditor the complete work order along with attachments including a signed copy of the work order received by the end customer. The software includes the capability to attach external documentation, such as a purchase order or packing slip, and all documentation can be attached to the work order electronically. The completed documentation of a work order is filed in a virtual file cabinet displayed on a user-friendly interface. The auditor then has the means to quickly and easily determine compliance or tax deduction validity on any work order in question.

Future market drivers include the current market movement towards the automated home wherein appliances, garage doors, security systems, and water-saving plumbing features, among other advanced home systems, can automatically summon service reps when the machines detect a problem. Automated homes, also referred to as “Smart-homes,” will change the market in that work orders and scheduling will be submitted machine-to-machine (M2M) rather than human-to-human or human-to-machine, which is the case with online or voice-automated problem reporting over the phone.

In order to service smart-home automated work orders, companies will have to have software in place to receive, schedule, and confirm the order electronically. Dispatched software and its ilk, with the appropriate upgrades, can fill this unique future need.

The Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA), a nonprofit industry association that promotes advanced technologies for the automation of homes and buildings in North America, estimates that 22 percent of consumers are familiar with the idea of a "connected home" and 28 percent say they are interested in it. Esteban Kolsky, Research Director Customer Service and Support CRM Practice at Gartner research firm expects adoption to grow to "around 40 to 50 percent in six to seven years."

How It Works:

A work order is filled in on a computerized form in the Dispatched software and then scheduled to a technician or work crew. Scheduling can be efficiently assigned to the nearest service, delivery, or installation crew since the mapping system shows both the pending job locations and the actual location of technicians and crews.

Dispatched software’s mapping function is tied into Google Maps which enables a satellite view of the company vehicle at its exact location at any given time. The mapping function also identifies locations by common name, such as “Home Depot,” “Home Office,” “Jones Residence,” etc, rather than as grid coordinates which makes identification easier and more natural to use.

Job mapping on Dispatched is achieved by one of two means: via real time Global Positioning System (GPS) automation or by manual updating when a technician calls in regularly and the dispatcher manually records the new location.

If the GPS option is selected, the GPS unit is installed on each company vehicle and connects via the Internet, usually over a cell phone broadband connection, to the base station or office where the Dispatched software is installed on company computers or servers. Communication between the vehicle’s GPS unit and the home office server is automatic and continuous.

Technicians can also receive work orders electronically using their cell phone or mobile device. The technician can even have the customer sign electronically on the mobile device; fill in the work order with parts used, time spent on the job and other details; collect payments in the field; and, send the completed work order back to the office automatically.

Additionally, equipment that has been installed at a customer’s site can be tracked in the software including the service history to that equipment along with documentation such as make, model, and serial number.

The completed work order can then be sent to the accounting software and automatically invoiced. Employee time can also be sent to the accounting software for payroll and time cards. The completed work order can then be archived and filed for history.

DeFNiC is a Certified Microsoft Small Business Specialist and Quickbooks Gold Developer.

Key Features

• Complete mapping system with optional real time GPS vehicle tracking

• Enterprise asset management and equipment tracking

• Field service automation with mobile devices such as tablet PCs, laptops, and cell phones

• Infield totaling of invoices with electronic signature capture and receipt printing

• Preventive maintenance & service agreements with auto scheduling and re-occurring work orders

• Accounting integration

• Facilities Management and Customer Equipment Management

• Customer Web Interface on Company website to enable customers to track progress themselves

• Full Mobile Capabilities that work on any web enabled device including text messaging

• Inventory Tracking by service vehicle or warehouse

• Full scheduling capabilities with multi-day / multi-tech weekly and daily calendars.

Company History:

DeFNiC Software and Consulting was founded in 1999 by a Texas A&M grad with a degree in computer engineering and a certified public accountant (CPA). Initially, the company made a few small accounting programs for private companies, most of which were in the service industry. The company developed accounting programs to replace existing paper or antiquated computerized accounting systems with fully automated accounting and tracking functions tailored to fit the actual working methods employed by dispatchers and work crews.

The business began with two locations in Texas and 35 employees. It began offering its software to the public in 2006.

The company’s suite of software solutions enable companies to:

• Automate daily business processes

• Integrate sales, installation, service, accounting and management into a complete package

• Substantially improve the cash flow process

• Distribute, monitor, and evaluate workloads company-wide

• Enhance the customer service and customer satisfaction cycle

• Maximize productivity and employee job satisfaction

The company continues to design customized software as well.

References:

• Telematics Journal News on Fleet Services and Automotive GPS http://www.telematicsjournal.com/pages/content/home.jsp

• Directions Magazine Article http://www.directionsmag.com/article.php?article_id=831&trv=1

• DMOZ Directory http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Management/Software/Service_Management/

• Dispatched Software Web Site http://dispatchedsoftware.com

• Illustration of Job Mapping on Dispatched Software.“Job mapping on Dispatched”

• Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA)"CABA Web Site"