dESCO presently has three mobile offerings: the ESC Mobile Client, which runs on laptops and Windows tablet PCs; ESC Web Front Office, which runs in a web browser; and ESC Mobile Web, which runs on the iPhone/iPad, Android phones and tablets, and Windows Phone 7 devices.

We also have a short quiz you can fill out to figure out what mobile solution is right for you.

The following give some detailed screen shots of the various offerings as well as answers some common questions about the three mobile products.

ESC Mobile Client

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ESC Web Front Office

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ESC Mobile Web

Dispatches Main Screen…..Dispatch Detail…..Dispatch Detail 2…..Dispatch Notes…..Equipment Detail

Do we need an internet connection in order to do mobile computing?
You don’t need an internet connection to run the ESC Mobile Client. You can use the client by syncing it directly with a computer running ESC. An internet connection is needed to sync the mobile client in the field, but it does not need to be a constant connection. An internet connection is required to access the Mobile Web and the Web Front Office.

Do I need any kind of “Data” plan? If so, what kind should I get?
You will need a data plan for syncing the mobile client in the field and for accessing the mobile web. An unlimited data plan is ideal. However, if ESC Mobile Computing or Mobile Web is the only things the data plan is used for, a “pay as you go” data plan will also work, since ESC does not transmit large amounts of data with its dispatches.

Can you use a barcode scanner? How?
The ESC Mobile Client does support barcode scanners, both in the office and in the field. Users are able to scan barcodes to add items to invoices or take them out of inventory. Inventory managers are also able to use barcode scanners to put items into inventory.

Can we process credit cards in the field?  What do we need in the way of hardware and software in order to perform this?
The ESC Mobile Client can process credit cards in the field. The card info can either be entered manually or swiped using  compatible magnetic strip reader and an account with either Merchant Warehouse or Intuit Merchant Services. The Mobile Web app can also process credit cards but it requires a Merchant Warehouse account. Magnetic stripe readers (swipers) are only available for the iPhone and Android devices at the moment.

Can I invoice my customers in the field?
Yes. All of our mobile solutions allow your technicians to create invoices in the field.

How do I capture their signature? Can I do this whether I decided to invoice in the field or just dispatch?
The Mobile Web app allows you to capture your customer’s signature when the invoice is created. The ESC Mobile Client has a signature capture feature as well, but you will need a Windows tablet PC to use it. Technicians are able to capture signatures for work they complete even if they are not creating invoices in the field.

What phone does my technician need?
For the Mobile Web, your technician needs an iPhone/iPad, Android phone or tablet running Android 2.1 or later, or a Windows Phone 7 device. For the ESC Mobile Client you will need a laptop or Windows tablet PC running XP, Vista or Windows 7.

Does it work on a Blackberry?
Mobile Web does work on newer Blackberries that support WebKit browsing – but we don’t have a dedicated app for it. As a result, you will not have the ability to attach pictures or capture signatures when using those devices.

Can techs use it afterhours to setup calls?
Techs can use the ESC Web Front Office and the ESC Mobile Client to set up calls after hours. These dispatches will then show up on the Electronic Dispatch Board. The Mobile Web apps have a mobile management feature that can be enabled for field managers. This gives them the ability to create and schedule dispatches for any technician. With the ESC Mobile Client, techs can only set up dispatches for themselves.

How do I control the Security on these devices?
The security on the devices is controlled by login credentials as well as by the permissions granted the individual users in system setup.

Can I control how many dispatches they can get?
Yes. The system administrator can determine how many dispatches will be visible to technicians using the ESC Mobile Client and on the ESC Mobile Web.

Who really benefits from mobile computing?
Owners, employees, and customers all benefit from Mobile Computing. Customers are able to receive more timely service from technicians who have better access to the information they need to get to the job with the right parts and tools, and to get the job done. Technicians benefit from having the information for their dispatches at their fingertips rather than having to call the office for each update. Office personnel benefit from having technicians in the field with mobile devices because it means they don’t need to re-enter all the information the tech brings back with him. Finally, owners benefit from the increased efficiency of their operations which means a bigger bottom line!

Can I view the dispatch board?
You are only able to view the dispatch board from the ESC Web Front Office. Employees setup with mobile management permissions can see and assign dispatches for all technicians when using the Mobile Web apps. The ESC Mobile Client only allows you to view dispatches assigned to the logged in user.