Motion Customer Results

Robert Nichols, Accounts Development Manager with Mid-South Distributing

Overview: As a very successful beverage distributor, we are continually searching for an edge in a highly competitive market. Whether from a knowledge base stand point or simply offering category support in wholesale to retail analysis, the more our customers can learn from us, the stronger the relationship between supplier and buyer. Our footprint area covers 14 counties and over 600 customers.

Challenge: Until three years ago we worked with new laptops every year. With thousands of dollars invested in a tool which had become as much a necessity as a vehicle needed to drive to accounts in our vast territory, our yearly budgets began to include technical upgrades outside of the norm. I needed a very portable and durable solution, a computer versatile enough to accept a multitude of programs from photo development and storage to numerous data interface software applications. I also needed something with long lasting power capabilities. I chose the Motion Tablet as an optional replacement to laptops.

Results: The mobility aspect of the Motion Tablet and its versatility has exceeded my needs. Instead of cumbersome equipment to haul from the office to accounts and back home, I simply charge it at night and aside from my wallet and car keys, I am ready for another day at the office. The tablet has also become my primary computer at home. I have yet to experience loss of battery life and I don’t even take the charger with me anymore. Every feature of the Motion Tablet has been instrumental in streamlining my workdays. I recently have used it for taking dictation with the Speech feature during long trips. Additionally, it has just become a member of my flight bag as my primary GPS navigation equipment when I am piloting instead of driving. Most importantly, I have been using the same Motion Tablet for three years and it doesn’t look like I will need to upgrade any time soon.

Overview: The Orange County Appraisal District (OCAD) is responsible for appraising all of the property located within Orange County, Texas each year for tax purposes. Our district contains 61,000 parcels and we have 5 appraisers to get this task done each year. In the past, the appraisers gathered data about each property on paper forms, and brought it back to the office for data entry. Quite often, we found missing information, etc. when the data entry took place which caused us to have to revisit the site. I was looking for a way to provide remote data entry so that the appraisal was completed while the appraiser was at the property.

Challenge: After searching for computers that would enable the appraiser to enter the appraisal information while at the site, I found that laptops were too cumbersome and the convertible tablets were too heavy and had hinges that were easily broken. I then did some research on Motion tablets. I was limited by my budget on cost but I also wanted the most "bang for the buck". I looked at the F5 but the LE1700 offered a larger screen which suited our task. It was much lighter than the laptops I looked at and worked well with wireless broadband.

Results: I purchased 5 units and put them in the field this year. So far, we could not be happier. All of our expectations have been met. We are able, in about 98 percent of our county to have consistent service so that the appraiser can do the full appraisal in the field. Map and aerial photography is available to the appraisers in the field as well as any other information they would have in the office. If a taxpayer asks a question concerning their property, the appraiser can answer it through the real time access to data. It appears that productivity has increased approximately 20%. The cost of an appraiser is approximately $100,000 with benefits included. The 20% would equal adding another appraiser, so the tablets pay for themselves many times over. We have had no problems with the computers and are very pleased.

Overview: Last year we travelled to Ladakh in the Indian Himalayas with the Princess of Bhutan, to make a short documentary about her life and work. We filmed mainly in the incredibly remote Zanskar Valley, only open for about 3 months of the year due to heavy winter snowfalls. With a population density of only 2 people per sq mile, facilities were nonexistent. Mighty Himalayan peaks (up to 7000 meters) and dry, barren hillsides make for a very harsh and unforgiving environment in which to work.

Challenge: In order to keep control of thousands of digital photographs and approximately 50 hours of footage we needed a computer that would be robust and able to withstand one of the driest and dustiest places on the planet. We needed this computer to give us long battery life between charges as well as being usable while bumping along in 4 wheel drives for hours and hours on end. Generated power was only available for approximately 4 hours per night with the choice between electric lighting OR charging of the LE1700 and our camera batteries. Charging won out.

Results: We used the LE1700 to store and review our daily photos and video footage. This was essential as we would not have a chance to return to capture missed shots. Our computer was powerful enough to run Adobe Premiere Pro thus enabling us to edit some footage on the road. I must say that we inadvertently subjected the LE1700 to some serious stress but it delivered every day without complaint. The extra bright screen enabled us to review and edit while driving on what must be some of the worst roads in the world. Also, we were able to show the local Zanskaris photos that we took of their special celebrations. Elana was literally knocked off her feet by the enthusiastic hordes of children wanting to see their photos. We are now planning our next documentary (in Feb March) where we will be travelling to Kwazulu Natal in South Africa and Bunia in The Democratic Republic of Congo to shoot a documentary and we will of course, be taking along our LE1700.

Ulrich Beylschmidt, Sales Manager with Extracomputer in Germany

Overview: My customer, Compudent Association provides services with their partners to more than 2500 dental surgeries in Germany. Their software for dentists was bundled with the Motion C5 MCA. All dentists who are working with it, are very satisfied with the possibilities of the C5. They don't need to rely on workstations anymore and save lots of time, needing to work with only one single device. This also allows them to work at the patient's premises.

Challenge: Constantly changing environments and treatment rooms as well as home visits require a high degree of mobility. This is guaranteed with the Motion C5.

Results: 50% of the time that a physician needs for documentation can be saved using the Motion C5. This is due to the fact that data and delivery of services can be taken directly at the patient's side. This enables physicians to make higher profits through increased efficiency - thanks to the Motion C5.

Overview: As a busy Internist in private practice, I implemented Electronic Medical Records (EMR), which are hosted locally in the office on a server. I needed to be able to access my EMR application from all examination rooms, all around the facility. I did not have the space, the budget, or the desire to maintain multiple PC's around the office.

Challenge: By using my Motion LE tablet on a wireless network, I am able to utilize my EMR application in all of my examination rooms, as well as anywhere else in the office, without having to have a PC in each location. As a physician who needs to document a broad variety of information, the handwriting recognition has made this not only possible, but has allowed me to accomplish this in a streamlined manner. I am able to easily ink documents with the stylus right on the tablet, such as order forms, prescriptions, work notes, and a host of other documents, and then have them faxed directly from the application, and save it to the appropriate location seamlessly. Also, when I need to make a drawing of an observation on a patient, I am able to draw it on the tablet, and import it into the patient’s electronic chart in the EMR application.

Results: I was able to implement EMR efficiently, quickly, in a far more cost effective manner than my colleagues, who continue typing in front of their patients on PCs. I am able to move quickly from one exam room to the next, while completing my documentation on the tablet. Also, I can access the Internet on the tablet to demonstrate educational materials for patients, such as diagrams or videos. I also use the tablet for note taking at medical conferences. I have the handwritten notes converted to text, share the information with colleagues and staff via email, and save them for future review. In essence, the tablet became the final determinant for my medical practice to become truly paperless!!

Lincoln Miller, Lincoln Miller, PLLC.

Overview: As an estate and business planning attorney it is necessary to take notes in many different environments – in client meetings, in court, in the office – regardless of location, Lincoln’s work requires constant writing. He needs to make sure his notes are accurate, organized and easily accessible, and the old way of taking notes on a yellow legal pad and organizing them in files was inefficient and time consuming. Lincoln was in search of a technology that would support hand-written notes, easily store them and enable electronic access to them at a moment’s notice. The technology solution needed to support the attorney’s mobility enabling him to work from anywhere – bus, ferry, airplane, conference room, client site or courtroom.

Challenge: Lincoln tried using laptops during client meetings and depositions, but found they were intrusive and an unwanted barrier between lawyer and client. While convertible tablet PCs were another option, he found these to be heavier and less transportable and the screens didn’t support indoor and outdoor use as well as Motion’s ViewAnywhere® Display. Additionally, with hundreds of paper files in his office, he needed to find a solution that would cut down on paper use and free up office space. He selected Motion’s Tablet PC to serve his clients more efficiently and has realized a host of productivity, client service and efficiency benefits.

Results: The Motion Tablet PC met all of the attorney’s needs. He found it to be the perfect solution for taking handwritten notes whenever, wherever, and in a manner that was accurate, convenient and capable of prompt storage and retrieval. The slate tablet was better suited to his practice than a convertible PC because of its light weight and size – it doesn’t create a barrier between clients and takes up less space than a typical yellow notepad – which also becomes important when accessing and utilizing notes in front of a judge. Further, it enables him to easily access a client’s complete electronic file – both notes and documents from anywhere. He also found the tablet’s features far outweighed the competition. Lincoln found that with the Motion tablet he was more organized with his notes, and able to respond to clients more quickly and easily, in fact, clients noticed and began asking about his use of the innovative technology. Clients recognize that he uses technology in ways that allow him to service them more efficiently, and he feels it clearly distinguishes him from other attorneys. In fact, the attorney says his efficiency gains save him at least a billable hour each week in time and his storage footprint has been cut in half. Overall, he has increased client confidence in his services, can bill more time and spend less overhead on file storage.

Heidi Paulson, VP Sales, Marketing and Development for CUC Software, Inc.

Overview:  CUC Software, Inc. develops software for construction companies, particularly those in the service related avenues such as HVAC contractors, plumbers and electricians.  Its Contractor Essentials© system is tailored to the specific needs of the construction industry, helping to make managing a construction business easier and more efficient.  The software is a complete job costing, accounting and service dispatch package that handles business matters for these companies from estimating, job costing, and service dispatching to accounting, payroll, inventory and equipment tracking. 

Challenge:  Most CUC Software customers have at least one service technician in the field and on call 24/7.  While many other companies are offering batch processing functions to be used with PDA devices, CUC Software has long held to the idea that workers in the field need more than a PDA screen can offer, and they need real time information.  So, the company identified Motion F5 Tablet PCs to make this view a reality.  Additionally, with today’s wireless networking options and speed of data transfer, they are building the environment they have been looking for and are excited to offer this new solution to customers.

Results:  CUC Software is a  recent entrant into the market; however they are seeing companies improve productivity, free up dispatch resources and drastically reduce input errors due to illegible handwriting or lost information.  They are excited to see where things will go from here; however, believe that this is a huge step forward for the company and their customers.

Kim Kieskowski, account manager with CDW

Overview: Account managers with CDW are responsible for helping customers select the best technology solutions to meet their workflow needs. Kim worked closely with Brasher's Auto Auctions to help them select and deploy Motion rugged F5 Tablet PCs. She recommended the F5s because Brasher’s needed a device that would allow them to scan through a windshield for a VIN number, snap pictures of the cars as they come off auction, and fill out the transfer documents of each car they purchased.

Challenge: The F5 was chosen over a competitive offering because of the field ready design. Also, Brasher's did not want a full touch screen unit as they were concerned with random screens opening unintentionally. CDW used the Intel programming code to totally customize the solution for Brasher’s.

Results: After an initial purchase of F5s to evaluate in Salt Lake City, Brasher’s purchased several more units to use at other locations. CDW expects to see a much larger deployment take place in the upcoming months. As of today, the locations are offering up high praise for the units and are completely satisfied with the tablets in the field.

Brasher's Auto Auctions

Michael Devenijn, IT Manager with Macadam

Overview: Macadam, a Belgian company that provides vehicle assessments for leasing companies across Europe (Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands), differentiates from its competitors because its assessors go on site to perform assessments and gather necessary documentation. Working with more than 80 assessors spread throughout Europe made the process difficult to monitor and manage.

Challenge: We needed a small and mobile, yet fully capable PC solution to allow our assessors to manage their work days and perform vehicle assessments in a variety of locations. Vehicle assessments include writing down approximately 250 measure points, documenting vehicle damages, and taking an average of 30 pictures per vehicle, which also must be included in the documentation. By documenting these activities directly on Motion Tablet PCs, assessors are able to upload work, which is then immediately made available for the leasing company, insurance company and remarketing channels.

Results: Before the Tablet PC’s, Macadam did this manually on paper and in the evening the assessor manually transcribed the info into its systems, an error prone and inefficient process. Now they are improving productivity by 18%, because every driver or fleet manager has a very professional impression of the company and assessors can provide repair costs in real time through evaluation tables provided by leasing companies. We can also enhance customer service by rerouting assessors in real time based on their location, to client sites close to them.