Partner Article

To Dock or Not to Dock

Written by Jan Kaempfer, General Marketing Manager, Panasonic Toughbook

The business benefits of providing mobile workers with rugged tablets and notebooks to boost productivity has become a widely accepted wisdom over the past decade. However, the willingness of businesses to invest in vehicle-mounted docks and cradles, to efficiently house their mobile workers’ devices while on the move, has lagged far behind. On average, only 19% of business tablets are vehicle-mounted, according to research from leading technology analyst group IDC, and only 23% of companies have even considered vehicle-mounting their tablets.

So what is holding back businesses from taking this logical next step? After all, you wouldn’t give your office-based workforce a computer and then not provide them with a desk to sit at to use it. So why give a mobile worker a productivity transforming tool and not give them somewhere safe and secure to house and use it effectively when working from their office on the road?

According to the research, it seems there are a number of issues: security concerns (52%), worries about complex installations (44%), as well as legislation (40%) and certification (38%) considerations. And for those that have looked in more depth at the option of vehicle-mounting their devices, the drivers for them are current in-vehicle connectivity issues (54%), limited charging facilities (50%) and that multiple devices are required by the mobile worker to perform their job (49%).

After examining the experience of IT decision makers from the logistics, utilities, and emergency services sectors in Europe and North America that have successfully deployed vehicle-mounted solutions for their users, Panasonic found a number of key criteria to consider for an effective implementation.

Customisation and design

Although there are a variety of off-the-shelf vehicle docking solutions, organisations valued the ability to have a solution designed specifically for their requirements. Even for fleets comprising of several different vehicles, providers should be able to design an ergonomic solution that makes the most of the available space while respecting user requirements. Mobile workers should have easy access to their business applications either directly from the docked device or from a linked secondary screen located within arm’s reach. A variety of docking solutions should be offered. For example, they can be dashboard-mounted, stored in the rear of the vehicle or hidden out of sight in the glove box.

Safety

From conception to installation and beyond, businesses want their docking solution provider to work with them every step of the way to handle the process and ensure that all safety and legal requirements are met.

In addition to the usual environmental, vibration and cycle testing that a rugged device would go through, ask if your solution provider also puts the dock through impact testing? It is imperative that the dock itself, as well as any bracketry, is designed to absorb as much energy as possible in an impact; reducing the risk of the dock or device detaching and becoming a projectile in a collision and safe-guarding the occupants of the vehicle.

Connectivity

Constant and consistent connectivity is the key to mobile worker productivity when on the road, so ensure your docking provider integrates antenna pass through in its solutions to optimise wireless connections. Additional connectivity components such as rugged routers, vehicle antennas and Mobile Performance Management (MPM) software should also be considered as part of a full vehicle solution to maximise 3G/4G and WLAN connections.

Longevity of solution

Vehicles can be harsh environments for computing devices, so ensure the docking solution is built to last. Quality providers will have designed and tested their devices to the extreme and will be able to provide test data to show just how they last.

Another important consideration is long-term compatibility. When it’s time to replace or change the mobile devices, your docking solution shouldn’t necessarily have to change. With the use of standard VESA mounting brackets and a consistent choice of power leads and antennas, for example, your docking provider should ensure that your solution is designed to be compatible with multi-generational devices.

Device Security

The mobile devices themselves can be expensive and the data they carry invaluable to the organisation, so the docking solution must incorporate the capability to latch and lock your device in place.

Service and Support

Finally, downtime costs, so direct fleet support, dedicated service capability and warranties that provide the highest level of protection for your docking solutions as well as devices is critical to the success of your solution. When something goes wrong, you want that guarantee to ensure your mobile workers are back up and running as soon as possible.

This article was based on the findings of a Panasonic whitepaper examining the issues and business benefits of vehicle-mounted tablets. For a copy of the whitepaper, visit: http://business.panasonic.co.uk/computer-product/news-and-events/new-panasonic-whitepaper-addresses-the-business-tablet-docking-divide

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jan Kaempfer .