IRVINE, Calif. - The Linc Group has teamed with Iteration2 to implement a mobile solution called QuickTips that gives its technicians the ability to collaborate and share their HVAC industry knowledge through integration with the Microsoft Office SharePoint® Portal Server 2003.

Initially, the mobile solution will be deployed to 300 technicians on devices running Microsoft Windows Mobileâ„¢ 2003 software for Pocket PCs. Rapid response time is of the essence in the HVAC service industry and, with QuickTips, the easy-to-use interface enables technicians to access service information quickly, says Iteration2. The user interface is similar to a search engine where employees enter keywords to initiate a search. The technician then clicks on a link from the list of results to access the QuickTip for more information. The application first searches through tips stored on the device. If the technician does not find the necessary information, he or she can connect to the Linc corporate network and access the live production library, where the most current tips reside.

"This is a perfect business process that demonstrates the value of sharing knowledge with the people that are closest to the customers, the field force," says Paul Osterhoudt, vice president of Software Development for Iteration2.