First Edition of MobileTech Insights!

Welcome, Mobile Techs.

Pride of ownership leads to the most efficient and cost-effective mobile service solutions for the transportation industry.

The State of Mobile Service

The winds of change blow mysteriously through the mobile service industry. National transportation companies abandon behemoth mobile maintenance providers in favor of individual technicians. Self-employed techs wield AI against competitors’ million-dollar software. Alliances are forged through platforms linking individual service providers with major fleets. Is this the end of times?

The truth is, this has pretty much always been the case. Customer loyalty is built on personal connections. Savvy self-employed techs and independent mobile service providers always find sufficient software. Breakdown and fleet management companies have long enlisted small providers to manage maintenance contracts.

The mysterious part, however, is why this is still the case. Why haven’t conglomerates crushed self-employed techs and squeezed them out of business? Why haven’t they overcome the “faceless corporation” dilemma when it comes to building relationships? Why can’t they use their resources to create intuitive software for field technicians? And why does the industry still rely on third-party management companies and their fees to handle maintenance?

It’s like trying to replace a master craftsman with a factory machine. Despite the machine’s efficiency and precision, it lacks the personal touch, expertise, and adaptability that a skilled artisan brings to each unique project. Individuals build personal connections, adapt to unique customer needs, and provide a level of service that large corporations find hard to replicate.

The climate continues to change in favor of self-employed technicians and independent mobile service companies. A national team of self-employed technicians offers labor rates that are much cheaper for customers. They won’t charge management fees, and their services can be tailored to meet the exact needs of customers at each location.

I’ve preached the concept of a national platform that incorporates self-employed technicians, leveraging the power and accountability of pride of ownership, to every large organization I’ve consulted with, but it has always fallen on deaf ears. It goes against everything large conglomerates aim to achieve—maximum profits and control. However, to me, it’s more apparent than ever that this is the only way to provide maximum coverage and accountable service to customers.

The future of the mobile service industry will be shaped by entrepreneurs who embrace AI and new technologies, seek out platforms offering collective solutions, and focus on niche markets or specialized services that larger competitors will always struggle with. The mobile service industry will continue to shift toward innovation. By focusing on their strengths and embracing new approaches, independent technicians will continue to play a vital role in this evolving industry.

“Learning” Software is Ancient History

If you’re a fan of Galaxy Quest, you’ll remember Gwen’s job of talking to the computer. Today, that scenario is becoming our reality. Welcome to the world of natural language software, where you no longer need to click through multiple buttons and screens to run a report, select customers, tasks, or parts from endless dropdown lists. You simply state what you want.

How do we know this? Because we’re building it.

Think of AI as a highly trained, capable assistant integrated into your software. In the transportation service industry, this AI will understand exactly what you mean when you say, “replaced set of damaged dolly legs 6.”

“Okay, 6 hours labor to replace damaged dolly legs, got it!” From there, the “assistant” in your software will collect the unit number from your vehicle photo, match it with the VIN, mark up the parts, calculate the sales tax, and generate an invoice that you can easily edit later.

“How much work did I do for Amazon last week?” you might ask.

“Total revenue for last week was $2,465.89. Total receivables from Amazon are $7,425.00, with $1,874.34 coming due tomorrow. I know that’s more than you asked, but I couldn’t help myself. :)” AI responds.

The MMA has been collaborating with i-TekSystems for the past two years to build this application using OpenAI’s API Assistant technology as the sole interface, directly connected to a custom API backend/database designed exclusively for self-employed technicians and small independent mobile service companies. The needs of self-employed mobile techs are vastly different from those of conglomerate mobile employees, and our application is designed to offer fast and easy data capture and reporting with minimal effort on your part.

This application will be highly affordable and integrate with the many automated systems and discount programs we are building into the platform, including exclusive access to regional and national customers.

A Personal Message

Connect with me on LinkedIn.

That’s it for the inaugural issue of MobileTech Insights! 

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