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Contents 
Introduction
Certification
Close range
Real-ity estate
The third generation |
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RPG, an integrated property services company, which performs residential and commercial valuations turned to software architects J3 Technology and HP to create a unique wireless solution utilising HP's iPAQ Pocket PCs. It has been so successful, it attracted Federal Government research and development tax concessions and the company has moved quickly to patent its industry-first business solution.
Today, RPG's mobile team of valuers can complete valuation reports on-the-spot, and transfer data to the company's main system in North Sydney, using GPRS and Bluetooth connectivity.
Business Challenges
RPG integrated property services is one of Sydney's leading valuation and consultancy firms. It was established more than a decade ago and has accreditation with more than 30 different lending organisations, most of them major banks.
In an increasingly pressured Sydney property market, RPG found that buyers, vendors and lending institutions were constantly pushing for a faster turn-around of valuation reports. Under RPG's manual system, the company's valuers would fill in forms while at a property location and then complete the report back at their office.
"Valuers had 10 days to complete a valuation. However, with the Sydney property market booming and demand for valuations increasing, we were increasingly required to complete a valuation within 48 hours," says RPG Managing Director Ron Gedeon.
How HP Helped
RPG turned to independent software developer J3 Technology to help it design an effective solution, incorporating the company's key business processes into a mobile device. J3's chief software architect James McCutcheon recommended HP's iPAQ Pocket PCs against other handheld options because of its simplicity and robust capabilities.
"We felt the HP iPAQs offered the most advanced and effective development tools, and would integrate easily into RPG's core Microsoft Windows environment, providing a stable and rugged solution for valuers in the field," says McCutcheon.
J3 Technology worked with RPG to custom-build the application, called the Remote Asset Valuation System, using embedded visual basic and .NET. The solution was designed to eliminate the need for any bulky papers and would allow the valuers to move easily around the building, accurately recording details as they went. The application was loaded onto HP iPAQ Pocket PCs with GPRS and Bluetooth connectivity achieved through compatible mobile telephones.
"To make the solution easy to use, we designed drop-down scripting screens that would provide the key sentences to be filled in, such as the precise land size or number of bedrooms," says McCutcheon.
Delivering values
The HP iPAQ solution has proven its worth. The company achieved a complete return on investment within the first year, despite the relatively small upfront investment. In the second year of the project, the company doubled its return on its investment. The solution continues to yield a remarkable return through the doubling of productivity without any added pressure placed on its staff.
http://www.infoexpanse.com/index.php?ID=p726
I use this one. it wors perfect! I think that the future is with 802.11n