Trimble (TRMB) Enhances PULSE Suite For Smart Scheduling

Trimble Navigation Limited (NASDAQ:TRMB) announced major scheduling enhancements to the Trimble PULSE suite, the company’s cloud-based work management solution.

As per information provided by the company in its press release, Trimble’s Work Management version 4.2 within the suite would enhance the productivity of mobile workforces by making use of intelligent scheduling tools, mobile apps and cutting edge performance analytics.

Key Features of the Enhancement

Automatic Scheduling: A dispatcher can configure the schedule based on some pre-defined parameters and would start dispatching tasks automatically, thereby significantly reducing the time taken to prepare a schedule while optimizing service delivery.

Task Linking: This feature enables the dispatcher to link two or more tasks together that need to be completed in a sequence. For instance, a technician may be required to collect the required parts from a certain location and then complete the job at a different location.

Advance Planning: Following the enhancement, the dispatcher can plan well in advance as to how to complete a task. For e.g. the dispatcher can send the parts and tools one week in advance to the customer’s site before the technician commences work on the project.

Worker Safety: With the help of a mobile app and its constituent timer, lone technicians working in hazardous conditions can contact the back office directly in the event of any adversity. The timer sets off an alarm if the task is not completed within the prescheduled time by notifying the dispatcher of the delay so that necessary measures could be taken in time.

Service Level Agreements (SLAs): If a customer requires a task to be completed within a specific time, this can be done by using automatic scheduling so as to meet the SLAs.

Regular Updates: With the help of real-time feedback from technicians, the dispatchers can keep customers updated on the status of the job.

Improved Analytics: Monitoring SLA success rates is now possible with just a click as technicians send real-time updates from their mobile app regarding the progress of the job. Additionally, the new task auditing feature also enables to maintain an audit history of the lifecycle of the task, paving the way for improved intelligence.

Competition

We note that there is fierce competition in the field service management software space and some of the notable names in this regard are Mhhelpdesk, Wintac, HouseCall Pro, Service Titan and Service Cloud Field Service.

Our Take

Apart from the new enhancements, Trimble is also offering a staged approach for companies looking to make a transition from manual to fully automated scheduling. This enables companies to get the hang of the automation process and we expect more conversions to fully automatic scheduling in the coming years.

At present, Trimble has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Stocks to Consider

Better-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector include Kopin Corporation (KOPN) and Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (SIEGY), both sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and Jason Industries, Inc. (JASN) carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).