Refrigerator Company Technicians Mobile App in Sri Lanka

 

Project Definition

In the highly competitive field of home appliance repair, efficiency and accuracy in task management and reporting are critical to ensuring customer satisfaction and operational excellence. I developed a mobile app specifically designed for the technicians of a refrigerator company in Sri Lanka, helping them manage service requests, verify product information, and report work completion—all while ensuring accountability through real-time GPS tracking.

This app revolutionized the way the company's technicians operated by streamlining daily tasks and automating key processes such as verifying product details, submitting reports, and tracking technician movements.

Challenge: Streamlining Operations and Ensuring Accountability

The company faced several operational challenges that needed to be addressed through technology:

• Task Allocation and Scheduling: Admins required a centralized platform where they could efficiently assign service requests to technicians, who in turn needed a simple way to view their assigned tasks and navigate to customer locations.
• Product Verification: The company needed a way to verify the authenticity and details of refrigerators being serviced, to prevent any mistakes or fraud during the repair process.
• Efficient Reporting: Technicians had to submit work reports after each job, complete with details of the parts replaced, photographs, and a copy of the invoice, while ensuring they were actually present at the customer’s location when submitting these reports.
• Real-Time Tracking: The company wanted to ensure that technicians were visiting the correct locations and completing their tasks as assigned, using real-time tracking to verify technician movements.

These challenges necessitated an innovative solution that could simplify task management for technicians while providing transparency and operational oversight for administrators.

Solution: A Robust Mobile App for Technicians

To address these operational challenges, I developed a comprehensive mobile app that empowers both technicians and administrators to manage and track service requests seamlessly.

Key Features of the App:

Task Allocation and Route Guidance: The admin can assign support requests to technicians through the app’s central dashboard. Technicians receive push notifications when a new task is assigned and can view the task list upon logging in. The app integrates with Google Maps to provide technicians with the most efficient routes to each customer’s residence, improving time management.

QR Code Product Verification: Technicians scan a QR code on the refrigerator upon arrival, instantly pulling up product details from the cloud server. This ensures that technicians are working on the correct product and have access to essential data, such as warranty status and past repair history.

Work Report Submission: After completing a task, technicians submit a detailed work report via the app, including:

- A summary of the repair work completed.

- Photos of any parts that were replaced.

- An image of the invoice given to the customer.

This data is uploaded directly to the cloud, ensuring that the admin receives instant updates on completed jobs.

GPS Tracking for Accountability: To confirm that the technician has visited the customer’s residence, the app tracks the technician’s coordinates when they submit the work report. This real-time location data allows the admin to verify that the job was completed at the correct location, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Working Process

Initial Consultation and Requirement Analysis:

I started the project by consulting with the company's management team to identify their core needs. Through a detailed requirements-gathering phase, I gained insights into the company’s workflow, operational challenges, and the specific features that would benefit both administrators and technicians.

UI/UX Design:

Based on the requirements, I designed a user interface that was both intuitive and technician-friendly. The UI prioritized easy task viewing, navigation, and report submission. Given that the technicians would often be working in the field, the design emphasized a streamlined, minimal interface to reduce distractions and improve efficiency.

Development:

• Frontend Development: I developed the app using React Native, ensuring it was compatible with both Android and iOS devices. The frontend design was optimized for fast loading times and minimal user input, allowing technicians to focus on their work without unnecessary app complexity.
• Backend Development: The backend was built using Node.js and integrated with Firebase for real-time data handling, ensuring that tasks, reports, and GPS tracking were always up-to-date and accessible.
• QR Code Integration: I implemented a QR code scanner feature that linked with the company’s cloud server, allowing technicians to access product information by scanning the refrigerator’s unique QR code. This feature ensured accurate and reliable product verification.
• GPS Tracking: By integrating Google Maps and GPS services, I was able to provide real-time route guidance and location tracking for technicians, allowing admins to monitor their movements and confirm task completion.

Testing and Quality Assurance:

I conducted thorough testing of the app in both real-world and simulated environments to ensure all features—task allocation, GPS tracking, QR code scanning, and report submission—worked flawlessly. Beta testing was carried out with a select group of technicians to gather feedback and make any necessary adjustments before final deployment.

Deployment and Support:

After rigorous testing, the app was successfully deployed to both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. I provided ongoing support to ensure that any bugs were addressed quickly and that the app continued to meet the company's needs post-launch.

Final Result

The mobile app delivered significant improvements in the company’s field operations. By automating task allocation, product verification, and report submission, the app enabled the company to operate with greater efficiency and transparency.

Measurable Outcomes:

• Increased Operational Efficiency: Task allocation and route guidance significantly reduced the time technicians spent planning their routes and managing their daily workload, allowing them to complete more service requests in less time.
• Improved Accountability: Real-time GPS tracking ensured that technicians were completing their assigned tasks as planned, providing the company with complete transparency over its field operations.
• Enhanced Accuracy: The QR code scanning feature allowed technicians to instantly verify product details, ensuring that repairs were made on the correct product, reducing errors and improving customer satisfaction.
• Streamlined Reporting: Technicians could now submit detailed reports directly through the app, complete with photos and invoices, enabling faster processing and a more streamlined workflow for both technicians and the admin team.

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