1. App Development Proposal for Fix My Truck Pty Ltd
Company Overview
Fix My Truck Pty Ltd is a call centre operating in Melbourne. It offers nationwide
coverage for breakdowns involving vehicles 3 tonnes and over including machinery
such as backhoes. The idea behind Fix My Truck is very much similar to the RACV
however we operate on trucks and heavy machinery. We organise mechanics and other
service people to attend breakdowns, arrange towing and other mechanical repairs for
our members and occasional credit card customers.
We are also looking into other services including:
● Independent Tyre Services National Network (ITSNN) which links independent
tyre shops around the nation and their customers. ITSNN is very similar to Fix My
Truck, but it is for tyre-jobs only.
● Toolbox Connect which is a subscription service directly connecting customers
with repair persons nationally as well as fleet managers and their drivers. We will
provide customers will handsets or we can enable access to an already existing
customer-owned handset.
Fix My Truck Pty Ltd and it’s services run 24hrs a day, 365 days a year and as such we
need a reliable app which will match our high standards of reliability and customer
service.
Use of Application
This application is to be developed in order to enable mechanics and customers
alike in the record keeping and maintenance records for jobs organised by Fix My
Truck. It is to serve as a communication device between mechanics, customers and Fix
My Truck allowing us to better serve our customers and to aid the mechanics in their
record keeping. In the future, this app may be used to assist mechanics with record
keeping for roadworthy certificates for all vehicles. The app may also have applications
in OH&S compliance, insurance claims and warranty returns.
Overview of Application
Fix My Truck Pty Ltd would like an application developed for Android and iPhone.
This application will be designed to fill the gap currently present with communication
between mechanics, other service personnel and their customers. It will allow for
accurate record keeping of work completed and serve to inform customers of any
additional future work required to be completed on their vehicle. Currently there is no
central and ordered system for record keeping for mechanical work in the transport
industry. With this application, Fix My Truck seeks to rectify this. We hope to serve as
an intermediary between our customers and service personnel and present both with an
easy and accurate way to store, view and communicate accurate service information.
2. This application should allow mechanics to take photographs and comment on all
work completed. It should then allow drivers and operators to view these photographs
and comments to gain a greater understanding of work completed. This information
should also be conveyed through push notifications and emails. GPS locations of
drivers and mechanics should also be recorded and submitted to the database. This
location information should be associated with each job. A driver may also have the
option to submit his location to the Fix My Truck call centre to assist with determining
the location of the breakdown to forward to the mechanic.
These photographs and comments should be sent and stored in a central
database at Fix My Truck and should be able to be accessed directly through the app.
Preferably the app would interface with our job system database to store information
and photographs. This data should be accessible through the app and through our
websites. Data generated through the app, such as photos, should be stored within our
existing database. The database system we are currently using is Microsoft SQL 2008
Express.
When work is completed and job details have been submitted, push notifications
should be sent to both the driver and fleet-operator alerting them of work completed.
The driver and operator should also be emailed a notification of completed work. They
should also be notified of an approximate completion time via push notifications and
email. They should also be notified of any updates made to this data (updated by a
mechanic or Fix My Truck staff member).
There should be security allowing only drivers and operators able to access
information on work completed on their own vehicles. Mechanics should only be able to
access information for work that they have completed. Therefore each vehicle,
workshop, driver and company should have a unique identification ID. Furthermore
each mechanic and operator should have a sub ID which uniquely identifies them and
the company/workshop they work for. There should also be a phone ID which uniquely
identifies the phone and any work submitted via that phone. There should also be
location information stored. If any records are updated, the previous records should be
stored for a certain amount of time in order to reverse the changes if necessary.
This app should have sufficient security to allow the possibility to send invoices
and customer specific data through it. However, payment information will not be sent via
the app. The database which stores the collected information such as photographs will
be used to store payment information however, so there will need to be sufficient
security to stop people from accessing this information. The app should allow for easy
communication between the parties and Fix My Truck. Fix My Truck should have easy
access to all data stored, including any archived data. There will need to be notifications
sent through to Fix My Truck via email advising of updates, work completed and any
messages from the workshops. Messages may be sent through the app via SMS, email,
3. instant message, or other forms of communication yet to be determined. We want
communication to be as easy and efficient as possible between all parties involved.
As the app will be accessing customer specific data such as invoices and contact
information we should look at using a security key and any appropriate encryption over
the carrier/wireless network.
This app should interface with our current job system database and have an
interface which we can integrate into our current job system and websites. The
databases currently being used are MySQL V5.0.92 for the websites and Microsoft SQL
2008 Express for the job system. The websites are php based and the current/future job
system is reliant on Microsoft technologies.
Specifications
Basic Functionality to be Present in Prototype
· Security
o Logins (to be stored within the phone so the user is required to login only
once per phone power up) The users should still be authenticated but this
should be performed automatically if the user has already logged in once
that power up.
o WiFi security key (app should work even if phone is not connected to wifi
eg. 3G)
o Unique ID’s for:
§ Vehicles/Trailers
§ Phones
§ Operators
§ Drivers
§ Mechanics
§ Workshops
§ Companies (operators and drivers associated with these)
§ Work data (e.g. photographs and comments)
You will find a separate login category below for each type of app user. For simplicity I have
separated each type of login under a different heading. These are not different apps,
simply different areas each login will allow.
Mechanics/Workshop Login
· Ability to take up to 10 photographs per job
· Ability to associate comments with each photograph
· Ability to associate final overall detail of work completed with overall job details
4. ■ May include details such as odometer readings, what work was performed
on the vehicle, when the vehicle was back on the road, and any additional work
recommended at a future date.
· Must be able to upload photographs, comments and overview to database
· This app must then send an email to Fix My Truck Pty Ltd advising of work completed
with job information and job ID so Fix My Truck can view the job. A hyperlink should be
included in the email, linking the Fix My Truck staff member to the job details displayed
on the website.
· This app must then send a push notification and an email to the fleet-operator and
driver advising work has been completed with necessary information to allow them to
view photographs and work completed.
- An approximate job completion time should also be sent to the driver/operator/Fix My
Truck via push notifications/email.
· Must be able to receive vehicle and customer information from Fix My Truck to
associate with each job. They should only be able to view generic customer details e.g.
customer name and contact details.
· Must be able to add vehicle/trailer/customer data to system if not entered correctly etc.
by Fix My Truck
· This app must collect and store this data about vehicle/trailer/job :
o Vehicle ID
o Driver/Operator/Company ID
o Workshop ID
o Mechanic ID
o Phone ID
o Photographs
o Comments
o Overview of job
o Any vehicle/trailer/customer information not already collected by Fix My
Truck
· Ability to call Fix My Truck through button in app. There will be a separate phone
number for each department. E.g. accounts, service, tech support, etc (each
department would have its own phone number). There should be a screen with different
call buttons depending on who they need to speak to.
· Ability to view past jobs and data associated with job through app
- Ability to easily send messages to Fix My Truck. There should be the ability to do this
through SMS, MMS and email.
- If the phone is out of reception at a time when any photographs are taken, comments
made etc. the app should store all necessary data ready to be sent as soon as the
phone is in range.
5. - Ability for the user to decide to always submit data to Fix My Truck immediately via any
network, or only submit data when they are connected to a WiFi network. For
photographs or video, WiFi may always be necessary due to the bandwidth involved.
Company/Operator Login
· Ability to receive push notifications from Fix My Truck and mechanic/workshop app
notifying of work completed
· Ability to view overview/comments/photographs of work completed
· Button to push to call Fix My Truck regarding work completed. There will be a separate
phone number for each department. E.g. accounts, service, tech support, etc (each
department would have its own phone number). There should be a screen with different
call buttons depending on who they need to speak to.
- Ability to add a new vehicle and enter details on this vehicle.
- Ability to update the details of an existing vehicle.
- Ability to send messages through to Fix My Truck. This should be able to be done easily
through the app via SMS, MMS and email.
Driver Login
· Ability to receive push notifications from Fix My Truck and mechanic/workshop app
notifying of work completed
· Ability to view overview/comments/photographs of work completed
· Button to push to call Fix My Truck regarding work completed. There will be a separate
phone number for each department. E.g. accounts, service, tech support, etc (each
department would have its own phone number). There should be a screen with different
call buttons depending on who they need to speak to.
· Push notifications notifying that work has been completed.
- Ability to send messages through to Fix My Truck. This should be able to be done easily
through the app via SMS, MMS and email. Fix My truck staff members should be able to
reply to messages, in a similar style to the iPhone’s ‘Messages’ app.
- The app should be checking for job updates regularly in case the phone goes out of
reception when information is sent.
Fix My Truck Application (To interface with the Fix My Truck job system database)
· This app should have to ability to see all work completed
· This app should allow us to associate invoices and job sheets with jobs and
photographs stored within the database
6. · This app should allow Fix My Truck to view customer/workshop/mechanic information
associated with each job
· This app should allow Fix My Truck to access archived data in a way that allows Fix My
Truck to send this data to customers and mechanics
- Ability to receive messages from mechanic, drivers and operators via SMS, MMS and
email. There could be a function which converts all SMS and MMS messages sent via
the app to Fix My Truck to be converted to email.
Future/Possible Additions
Mechanics/Workshop Login
· Ability to draw on photos to highlight hard to see parts/work done etc
· Ability to take video of work completed (up to 4 videos each up to 10 seconds long).
These videos should be recorded without sound in order to reduce file size and transfer
time and should be in mp4 format.
· Ability to record audio (1 recording up to 2 minutes long). The recording should be in
mp3, mono format to keep filesize down.
· Ability to communicate future bookings required for vehicle to Fix My Truck and operator
through push notifications
· Ability to send emails through app
· · Ability to submit a tax invoice to Fix My Truck
● Including the ability to use the camera to take photos of paper copies of invoices,
or submit digital copies in various formats: PDF, DOCX, etc.
- Location information from phone stored at time of submission for OH&S requirements.
Company/Operator Login
· Ability to send emails, SMS, and instant messages through the app to workshops,
suppliers, mechanics, their drivers and the Fix My Truck call centre.
· Ability to contact mechanic/workshop directly through app (through a contact screen
with a call button)
· Ability to view invoices through the app. Invoices should be searchable via job number,
date, vehicle/trailer registration, customer name, mechanic/workshop name or location,
breakdown suburb (or workshop’s suburb) and phone ID/number.
- Location information of driver that is collected should be sent to the operator who is
associated with the job to aid in OH&S etc.
Driver Login
· Ability to send emails through the app to workshop and operators.
7. · Ability to contact mechanic/workshop directly through app (through a contact screen
with a call button)
- Location information stored and sent at submission of job to aid us in the location of a
service provider for the job.