NEWTON, Iowa - Maytag has teamed up with Agentek to employ the company's Agent Field Service and Agent Mobile Communications technology. The services will help the company with parts lookup, credit card validation, and service-call dispatch.

Agentek equipped Maytag drivers with Intermec PPT760 mobile computers with integrated GPRS and 802.11 radios. Some trucks in remote areas are supplemented with Wireless Matrix MBS multi-mode radios to ensure complete network coverage. According to Agentek, by communicating wirelessly from inside a customer's home, each technician is able to draw information needed from both the hand-held computer database and the enterprise systems at Maytag within seconds. Maytag technicians will also benefit from turn-by-turn voice-directed driving directions right on the mobile device. Maytag intends to provide the application to all of its technicians this year.

Publication date: 10/11/2004