Introduction
Smartphones are becoming ever more popular. Since Apple launched the iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones are almost as commonplace. The technology of the Smartphone is similar to that of a computer and tens of thousands of applications have been developed. It was only a matter of time before they have found their way into the supply chain and on to the shop floor. Reports from a number of sources expect that two thirds of the US population will own a Smartphone in the next five years.
The Use of Smartphones In The Supply Chain
Initially Supply Chain managers were looking to these devices to help them deliver information across their enterprise, even though initially they were unclear as to where these Smartphones could be implemented. But this has changed and Smartphones they are becoming a extremely useful tool in the supply chain. This is confirmed by a report by the ARC Advisory Group entitled “Mobile Technologies Used in Supply Chain Management Today”. The report found that of the management who responded, 69 percent indicated that they used mobile technology as a part of their daily supply chain operation and 22 percent of users were scanning barcodes with their Smartphones.
In the sales and customer service operation Smartphones are being used by salespersons and technical service staff instead of laptops. Cloud applications such as Salesforce.com allow users to access the application via their Smartphone when they are visiting customers, so they can review and update data in real-time.
SAP And The Smartphone
When SAP purchased Sybase, a data management company, in 2010, the company did so knowing that this was an excellent gateway to integrate Smartphones with its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) application. The Sybase Unwired Platform-based suite now allows users to access SAP ERP and SAP Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications via their personal Smartphone. Companies can map their current ERP processes to be used on Smartphones, such as allowing technical service personnel to enter information which is then updated on the back-end ERP application such as Plant Maintenance, Customer Service, or Quality Management. Users in the field can also query their SAP system, for example checking inventory, sales orders, account balances etc.
NEO Mobile Suite was the first application to use the Sybase Unwired Platform and it allows iPhone and Android users to gain access to their SAP system. The software provides users to a wide range of ERP applications such as order management, physical inventory, goods receipts, goods issues and material movements. Transportation processes have also made their way to Smartphones. Sterling Commerce has launched its TMS Carrier Mobile App for the iPhone which allows users to build a load and hire a carrier, set up a pickup appointment, and update shipment status. The use of the app and the Smartphone makes the company’s personnel more efficient and to offer superior customer service. Other applications in the TMS area have allowed drivers to use Smartphones to provide GPS data to the TMS system so that customers can track their delivery in real-time, again constantly improving the service to the customer, and giving the company a competitive advantage.
The Rise Of The iPad
Since the explosion of Smartphone usage, Apple pushed the boundaries of consumer electronics by introducing the iPad and since then other electronics companies have launched their tablet to compete. It followed that supply chain companies would look at this new technology and try to figure out where it could be used in the enterprise. The iPad and the tablet equivalents are not built for shop floor applications, but that is where some companies have decided to use them. Markley Enterprises, a customer of the supply chain software company Red Prairie, modified its browser-based warehouse management system so that it could be used on an iPad mounted to its warehouse forklifts. The iPad is then covered in an industrialized casing to extend its lifespan and configured to run applications that support managing inventory and order picking.
Summary
The Smartphone is a popular consumer item that has made its way into the supply chain and is becoming an invaluable tool for a wide range of processes including Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and ERP. The number of applications where Smartphones can be used in the supply chain is growing and along with the introduction of the tablet, mobile technology will be an everyday tool for supply chain personnel very soon.
