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In the News: AGC’s Constructor Magazine

There are three main factors that drive the demand for mobile technology in the construction industry: leadership request, an increasingly mobile workforce and the growing need for real-time information. According to a recent study, more than 80 percent of construction professionals surveyed said that mobile capabilities are “very important” in improving their workflows.

Read on to get insight from our CEO, Russ Taylor, in AGC’s Constructor Magazine on how the construction industry is maximizing mobile technology to create efficiencies in the workplace, and how they are integrating technology into existing processes.  

Read full article here: Tech Brief: The iPad is the New Hammer

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Does Your Retail Business Need a Mobile App?

The rapid growth of mobile technology combined with changes in modern retailing trends is making a large impact on consumer buying habits. Did you know that 80 percent of a mobile consumer’s time on his or her device is spent using apps?

Today’s retailers are not just building their marketing around the products or services they are selling, but also around customer’s interests and habits. Many have developed a mobile strategy as part of their marketing to reach consumers on their preferred platform.

A retail mobile application should go beyond just an online shopping experience. For retailers, mobile apps can shape the in-store experience, empower the purchasing process, and create interesting and dynamic ways to interact with the customer. And for B2B retailers, a mobile app can revolutionize the way your sales team shares content.

Is your brand using a mobile application? If not, here are six signs that you may need a mobile app to help boost your branding and engagement, cut costs, improve productivity, and generate new revenue. Connect with us today and let us help you find a custom solution for your business needs.

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Protect and Secure Your Company Devices

In the digital age, online identification and security have become very complicated. Businesses are using fingerprint readers or complex password requirements that most of us can never seem to remember, all in the name of protecting the user’s identity and the data inside. Here are two valuable ways to protect and secure your company devices.

1. Protect Your Devices & Prevent Theft

Taking the simple step of “putting your name on it,” a method you first learned in kindergarten, can help secure to your company devices. That’s where techniques like laser etch and custom branding come in.

The benefits of customizing devices with your company name or logo go far beyond aesthetics. Particularly beneficial for businesses with a large number of remote employees using mobile devices, branding allows for easier identification and tracking. Thieves are less likely to take something that has been permanently marked with a name or logo since they are usually hoping to sell what they steal.

2. Secure & Safeguard Your Data

Inside the device itself, additional security measures are needed to protect the data and privacy of the company and the user. When multiple devices are used in the workforce, an efficient way to manage and control the devices is through mobile device management (MDM).

Implemented and managed over the air, MDM optimizes the security of all the corporate devices from one place. Functionalities include, but are not limited to:

  • Securing emails and documents
  • Managing passwords
  • Restricting app or device usage
  • Setting up firewalls on the Internet

Additionally, if a device is lost or stolen, MDM can also remotely clear passcodes, lock the device and wipe all of its data.

Mobile devices bring incredible benefits to the workplace. Like the adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” it’s important to take appropriate measures to safeguard your mobile technology.

Contact FUSION OF IDEAS for more information about how customization and MDM can protect and secure your mobile devices.

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October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

For the third consecutive year, we are honored to contribute to the THINK PINK Wall of Honor, presented by Valiant Women of Mission Hospital. Located at The Shops at Mission Viejo, the month-long event during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month encourages community members to honor breast cancer patients and survivors through a beautiful collection of tributes which are displayed on the wall.

In 2016, Valiant Women was looking to update its board of handwritten messages to appeal to the more tech-focused millennial generation. The solution? A four-sided 10 ft. electronic kiosk with LCD screens to display the tribute messages. The kiosk was made a reality by the organization’s generous donors, but the software needed to bring the digital tribute wall to life was missing. That’s where FUSION OF IDEAS came into the picture.

Our app development team went to work to create a custom portal that allows the Valiant Women team to manage, arrange, delete and add content to the four screens of the kiosk. These screens – one for event merchandise, one showing sponsor spotlights, and two screens dedicated to survivor tributes – can be accessed by the client through the portal from any computer, tablet, laptop or cellular device. The digital kiosk, updated annually by FUSION, has been in use by Valiant Women for the past three years, and it has been a huge success!

“This is our 16th annual Wall of Honor, and every year we strive to engage and educate more community members,” shared Mary Miyamoto, Chair of the Valiant Women THINK PINK Breast Health Wall of Honor. “Our message to the community is about the importance of early detection. Our digital wall encourages engagement and inspires people to donate, honor loved ones by posting messages, and purchase merchandise. It’s eye-catching and super easy to use.”  

FUSION OF IDEAS is proud to be a partner and supporter of this amazing cause. The THINK PINK Wall of Honor will be at The Shops at Mission Viejo throughout the month of October.

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Hilton Grand Vacations & Tru by Hilton

As summer winds down, many of us are reminiscing about sunny vacations in idyllic destinations. One of our favorite app development stories comes from the Grand Vacations division of Hilton Worldwide, a household name in hotels and resorts. When we first connected with Hilton, they were seeking to create a piece of technology that was both a gift to their timeshare owners, as well as a continuous branding vehicle for all of the Hilton Grand Vacations offerings. The Fusion of Ideas development team worked with Hilton to build a custom iOS application showcasing videos from various resort locations, links to other Hilton programs, and information about the timeshares. The finished app was loaded onto custom iPads featuring Hilton Grand Vacations branding on the lock and home screens, Smart Covers, sleeves, and the etch on the iPad itself.

Our second encounter with the Hilton organization was a project for their newer brand of affordable hotels, Tru by Hilton. The goal was to create an aid to hotel General Managers, who could use the app to upload audit reports and view videos, images and PDFs pertaining to their specific location. Our DCS solution turned out to be the ideal strategy for this app – the client was provided with an admin portal, where they can update and adjust the content being displayed to the GMs. As with the Grand Vacations project, the team at Fusion loaded the app onto iPads with custom print and sleeves.

Customer satisfaction and a good employee experience are two things we can relate to, and we were lucky to have the opportunity to work with Hilton brands on their efforts in both areas. This combination of Fusion solutions – custom apps with custom branding – can be a fitting complement to the polish and professionalism of the hospitality or any customer facing industry.

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