Business benefits of using IRV and PDA
Productivity in Progressive Insurers
The adoption and implementation of IRV by Progressive Insurance have played an important role in enhancing its productivity in serving customers quickly and effectively. The use of communication gears such as printers, cell phones, and laptops in its fleet of vehicles that visit sites of accidents and offices has enhanced its ability to achieve more than merely working from the office (Anon par 4). Through IRV, Progressive Insurance has been able to keep the call volume of its customers elevated alongside creating high-quality customer service.
Data storage in UniFirst
The use of PDA and other similar technologies has allowed UniFirst to access, store data, conduct follow-ups, and make sales calls. Many companies have kept their huge amount of data on products, sales, and employees on papers and paperwork. Through PDA, the company has been able to effectively store its data which its customers or employees can access via mobile CMR application. Besides, the use of PDA has lowered operational costs on calendars and planners.
Growth
The use of modern and effective technology has been lauded as a method that allows businesses to grow and expand their operations. The use of PDA and IRV systems by both UniFirst and Progressive Insurance have enabled the businesses to expand, increase their output and customer base. For instance, at Progressive Insurance, the use of IRV has enabled improved customer retention, reduced labor cost, and enhanced both speed and number of customers is reached. Besides, through their technologies, UniFirst and Progressive companies have been able to enhance their customer relationships, ease access to files, speed up operational processes, and achieve quicker results.
Business challenges of using wireless technology
Loss of data and redundancies: PDA’s and IRV’s like other new technologies have caused problems to workers and employers in UniFirst and Progressive respectively. One important limitation for UniFirst is that the use of PDA is a major cause of loss of input data and layoffs especially for workers who carry out data entry duties. Besides, introducing and establishing IRV and PDA technologies require greater capital and may take time to integrate thus slow down business operations.
Also, due to layoffs and new technology, redundancies may occur when training fresh workers or retraining workers to use the technology. The computer system technology that Progressive Insurance can add to its IRV is the office automation system. This system uses a variety of software and computer machinery to relay, manipulate, store, collect, and digitally create information (Shelly and Vermaat 120). It can be useful for collecting data from the area of the accident and relay it to the office.
Besides, the company needs this system because it will provide it with easy management and full automation of insurance processes which include claims management, reinsurance, and management of the policy. Other important factors it will enable to enhance productivity will include the management of human resources, insurance agents, finances, and accounting. UniFirst should switch away from PDA and start using a laptop.
Even though some PDA’s have propriety operating systems like Windows CE and Palm OS, all PDA’s have less storage and memory space compared to laptops and are also less powerful. Using a laptop is beneficial over PDA as the former can be used outside the office to save large files, run complex applications, and to do tasks greater than spreadsheet duties.
Other possible substitutes for PDA
In the current digital age, several systems could be used to substitute PDA or pocket PCs. Such operating systems include Plan 9 which operates on IPAQ Familiar Linux and the NetBSD. Analysts think that these items are suitable alternatives to the Pocket PC and have unique and more advanced features like GPS, a higher storage capacity, and a good processor (Shelly and Vermaat 100).
New possible devices
Some of the new devices in the market that perform similar and better functions like the PDA include smartphones like the iPhone which has business applications and an on-screen keyboard, Android, and Palm.
Works Cited
Anon. Progressive Insurance and UniFirst Corp.: The business case for mobile computing system source. n.d. Web.
Shelly, Gary and Vermaat, Misty. First Look Microsoft Office 2010, Boston: MA: Cengage Learning Inc. 2010. Print.