Previously on our series “Remote Connected Front-Line Workers” : As businesses migrate to greater and greater percentage of remote connected workers, there is a challenge to keep track of where everyone is at any given time …
There are more and more messaging systems that we use on a daily basis. Long gone are the days when messages only came to you via SMS messages tied to your mobile phone number. Now there is Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, WeChat, Facebook Messenger, Line and the list goes on and on. Why then would you want to use yet another messaging system to talk to your remote connected workers?
The answer is because you want to associate that message history with the time, location, equipment and individuals involved with the incident. There is great value in maintaining the history of those conversations with the O&M records. In short, you want an electronic logbook.
The logs of chat history that are created must have the ability to keep attachments, including voice, photos and video. For security and practical reasons, this messaging system must not rely on access to the internet to work properly. The logs must be searchable and have archive capability under the management of the company IT servers.
Consider our past examples. Jake, who is responsible for maintaining schools with a skeleton maintenance crew is out in the field working with his team. In order to manage things properly, he wants to be in constant communication with the other members of his team. He acknowledges a task to be done across town simply by using his mobile device to inform his report that they should begin work.
Joel at the Hydro plant can show Kurt what’s going on with the control valve by simply using his phone and taking a video of the situation. Kurt is the digital twin to Joel. Even though they are far apart geographically, for the moment they are looking at the problem valve together.
Picture of a defective pump displayed in SnapVue
Mike at the hospital is getting advice from Ann, his SME for HVAC. Ann can send Mike documents that support his work or even simple video’s showing Mike how to perform specific tasks to resolve the issue.
Of course, some conversations are valuable historical records and some are routine and historically mundane. Paul’s communication with Tim and Sam falls into this category. Once the decision is made about who will respond, that conversation is of limited long-term value. In order to keep the log easier to manage, the system will not retain the unwanted messages over a specified period of time.
Coming next….
On Episode 6 we will discuss the historical silos approach contrasted with holistic operations and maintenance strategies, and how the pandemic changed these paradigms.
Additionnal resources :
–Discover SnapVue, a virtual mobile assistant to monitor your assets as you move !
–Learn more on PcVue platforms for remote connected workers
–Download the brochure “PcVue Remote Solutions – Efficient Operation and Maintenance of Remote Asset”
Our PcVue Remote apps TouchVue & SnapVue are also available on application stores:
Created on: 18 Nov 2021
