Nobody likes to miss the delivery of a package. Whether it's
a birthday present from a friend or a crucial business report, "getting it
there" not only means a great deal to the recipient, but is also the measure by
which shipping companies live or die.
Any day now, businesses may be able to ensure that their
customers never miss another delivery, thanks to an integrated series of
Silent Commerce applications
from Accenture.
Developed at Accenture Technology Labs in
Chicago, Illinois, this prototype of a Wearable Services Platform offers
shipping companies the most efficient delivery system ever, equipping drivers
with 'wearable' computers that have turned science fiction into fact.
Imagine a delivery environment in which the driver is able
to notify customers just minutes before a package arrives at their door. Using
this prototype, the driver speaks into transmitter attached to a Head-Mounted
Display (HMD), and makes the call via a constantly monitored 'homebase' server.
What if customers leave their mobile phones at home? No
problem. Customers can receive messages through a 'preferred communication
channel,' whether this be e-mail instant-messaging, Wireless Application
Protocol (WAP)-enabled hand-held devices, or Short Message Service (SMS)
messaging.
When a package arrives at a customer's doorstep, he or she
might be out shopping. Once again, no problem! Through a mobile device, a
customer can let the driver know that someone is at home to sign for the
package, or simply authorize a signature release, allowing the driver to
deliver the package without signing. And because the driver carries a palm
device scanner, he's able to upload signatures and delivery information.
Saving Time and Money with
Technology
The Wearable Services Platform provides the driver
with a special eyepiece, incorporated into his HMD, in which he can read text
messages, saving both time and repetitive movement. By saving the driver time,
this prototype saves money. And with 13 million packages delivered every
business day, the savings soon add up.
The efficiency of a Wearable Services Platform starts at
the very beginning of a package's journey. Because every item is implanted with
a Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, every package can be scanned and
loaded according to a route plan. The truck is then packed in the most
efficient manner.
RFID tags are a fundamental part of Accenture's Silent
Commerce initiative and mean that the Wearable Services Platform's homebase
server can track the status and location of any package at any given moment,
offering a whole new range of services to customers.
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