Need Suggestion for Item Tracking System

[wineo]

Hi

I need valuable suggestions from your side.

I want a system to be suggested for a service station. A vehicle comes to service and goes through different stages of service. I want a System which can record and report immediately at what time did vehicle came to service, at what time it finished a stage, etc.

I have a system in my mind. It is by using Barcode. When a vehicle comes to service, details of vehicle will be entered into a application. Then a barcode would be printed and pasted to the vehicle. Then at each stage barcode would be scanned (using wifi barcode scanner), time would recorded and sent to a program immediately.

What is your suggestion ?

Thanks in advance.

[the_architect]

Are you looking for a programmer or for someone to suggest a program for this?

Either way I would suggest you hire a programmer to complete this for you.

[wineo]

Are you looking for a programmer or for someone to suggest a program for this?

Either way I would suggest you hire a programmer to complete this for you.

I am myself a programmer trying to find the way to program the system. I am not looking for program. I am looking for different ways, ideas to implement the system.

[_dandy_]

Then a barcode would be printed and pasted to the vehicle.

[...]

What is your suggestion ?

My first suggestion is that you don't stick anything that may be difficult to remove or can leave glue residue on a customer's vehicle. Most garages already understand this. Just print your barcode (or stick it) on the work order sheet that the customer service rep should already be providing to the tech guy.

My second (but more important) suggestion is that you follow the proper "interview the user" phase of software development. Don't ask us here on this board for some ideas; instead, talk with the mechanics working in the shop, since they are the ones who are going to have their existing workflow disrupted to satisfy your needs (does that sound backward to you? That's a hint). Never underestimate the end user's resistance to change, no matter how small you may think it is, especially if the end user was not involved, consulted ahead of time, or at the very least made aware of your intent. Otherwise it sounds to me like you're going to end up with a fancy system that nobody wants to use (sounds familiar?). What do they gain out of it? If they don't gain anything, I'll bet you'll quickly find out that they don't care about your system and won't do anything that you need from them.

I'm sorry to put it this way, but it sounds to me like you're trying to create a solution that's looking for a problem. So my question to you is what is, ultimately, the problem that you're trying to solve? Too many projects have been doomed from the start because nobody asked that question.

I'm not trying to put you down. I'm trying to understand the situation.

[wineo]

My first suggestion is that you don't stick anything that may be difficult to remove or can leave glue residue on a customer's vehicle. Most garages already understand this. Just print your barcode (or stick it) on the work order sheet that the customer service rep should already be providing to the tech guy.

My second (but more important) suggestion is that you follow the proper "interview the user" phase of software development. Don't ask us here on this board for some ideas; instead, talk with the mechanics working in the shop, since they are the ones who are going to have their existing workflow disrupted to satisfy your needs (does that sound backward to you? That's a hint). Never underestimate the end user's resistance to change, no matter how small you may think it is, especially if the end user was not involved, consulted ahead of time, or at the very least made aware of your intent. Otherwise it sounds to me like you're going to end up with a fancy system that nobody wants to use (sounds familiar?). What do they gain out of it? If they don't gain anything, I'll bet you'll quickly find out that they don't care about your system and won't do anything that you need from them.

I'm sorry to put it this way, but it sounds to me like you're trying to create a solution that's looking for a problem. So my question to you is what is, ultimately, the problem that you're trying to solve? Too many projects have been doomed from the start because nobody asked that question.

I'm not trying to put you down. I'm trying to understand the situation.

Hi

Thanks for suggestion

I am Ok with sticking the barcode to work order sheet.

End user is only asking for me a system through which he can ensure when a delay occurred in servicing the vehicle. i.e at what stage did delay occurred, so that he could take course in that regard. Like cutting the incentives, etc.

Yes I agree my solution may be creating more problems. Actually barcode idea was given by the user himself.

Thank you!

[_dandy_]

Hi

Thanks for suggestion

I am Ok with sticking the barcode to work order sheet.

End user is only asking for me a system through which he can ensure when a delay occurred in servicing the vehicle. i.e at what stage did delay occurred, so that he could take course in that regard. Like cutting the incentives, etc.

Yes I agree my solution may be creating more problems. Actually barcode idea was given by the user himself.

Thank you!

Typically when a vehicle goes in for servicing, it's not going to be jumping from one service bay to the next--there's only one tech who's gonna be working on it from start to finish, unless the work order has a bunch of completely different and unrelated items. So if the vehicle's gonna be staying at one bay, I don't think you'll be getting much valuable data out of scanning a barcode when it arrives and when it leaves.

And "cutting incentives" when delays occur? Your "end user" sounds like a pencil-pushing jackass who shouldn't be running a garage. My dad's retired from 40 years working as a mechanic, and the sort of thing you're describing will do nothing but **** off the employees.