Symbol propels Middle East towards maximum business effectiveness through mobile computing

Symbol moved into its new headquarters in DIC a few short months back, and has been consolidating and growing its reseller base. Now, on the eve of GITEX 2001, Mike Allen, Symbol's Senior Director for Channels and Alliances, is visiting Dubai to meet with partners and customers, to brief them on Symbol's vision moving forward, both in terms of business growth, and technology developments.

"A number of vendors are coming to market with handheld computers, and many more with wireless network solutions. As pure technology devices, these offerings are often impressive, but typically do not in themselves solve a particular business problem. Symbol's goal is to bring together three core technology competencies, barcoding, mobile computing and wireless, and put them together in a way that will quickly and easily make workers' jobs easier, increase management's ability to monitor and control the business, and allow information systems managers to bring the investment they have made in computerisation directly to the point where it can do the most good," commented Allen during his visit to Dubai.

An example of how an integrated solution can do this is with DHL, one of the world's largest air express service companies, processing thousands of parcels and packages every day through distribution centres around the globe (including its multi-million dollar facility in Bahrain). When the DHL courier arrives to pick up a package, he uses a Symbol ruggedised handheld with integrated barcode scanner to input the package details. These can then potentially be shared wirelessly with the central logistics computers via GSM links, ensuring pin-point accuracy in tracking and scheduling.

Other recent examples of how organisations are using Symbol's technology to improve their systems are the VACSERA blood bank and the Schweppes distributor in Egypt, Royal Jordanian Airlines and the Bahrain government's "e-referendum".

"The Middle East is a really exciting market for Symbol," said regional manager Sunil Chadha, "Many manufacturers in this region are only just starting to adopt barcoding - which is key if they want to start exporting to Europe and the US. Companies here are also discovering the value in bringing their information systems directly to the shop, warehouse or factory floor ... where workers can solve problems or look up information on the spot through wireless handhelds, rather than having to fill in paperwork or run backwards and forwards from computer terminals."

Symbol's new offices at the Dubai Internet City were opened earlier this year, and now has key personnel based in-country, including technical and sales support. Symbol also has an extensive network of authorised business partners in the Middle East.

Some recent technology announcements from Symbol include its NetVision® Phone being verified as interoperable with Cisco's Call Manager call processing system, allowing large enterprises to extend their IP Telephony systems to wireless devices. Symbol also recently announced that it will support Microsoft's new Pocket PC 2002 mobile platform with its handheld devices.
Symbol will be demonstrating a number of its new technologies at GITEX 2001 in Dubai in October, including solutions for warehousing, oil and gas, filed services and retail.

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