Hot Spots Energize Mobile DSD Solutions

From harsh environments to remote network access difficulties, DSD (direct store delivery) applications create many challenges for VARs building mobile IT solutions. It doesn't matter if you're upgrading existing route accounting systems, or designing and implementing an infrastructure for new customers. Primo Water contacted VAR Integrated Solutions in 2005 as the vendor was preparing to launch its national brand of purified and mineral enhanced bottled water. The Winston-Salem, N.C. vendor started with 100 DSD routes in the southeast, with a goal of close to 1,000 in the next few years.

Integrated Solutions designed the route solution to include Hand Held Products' Dolphin 7900 mobile computers and Datamax-O'Neil PrintPAD mobile printers (integrated printing solutions), as well as its DocMaster™@Work: Route™ (DSD solution), and MobileConX® (communications infrastructure) software. "Primo needed to track all of its transactions from the field using an electronic [paperless] system, and we were there from the beginning developing the technology infrastructure that allowed that goal to be attained," said Mike Sweeney, VP of sales for Integrated Solutions.