Jan Mlls: 0:04

All these new functionalities were difficult and costly to implement in the past with a new device type, which we could use in logistics. Also in other industries like retail like pharma like chemicals. With this new hardware, we are getting almost for free. All the integrations and this is great.

Tom Raftery: 0:30

Good morning, good afternoon or good evening wherever you are in the world. This is the digital supply chain podcast, the number one podcast focusing on the digitization of supply chain. And I'm your host, global vice president of SAP. Tom Raftery. Hi, everyone. Welcome to the digital supply chain podcast. My name is Tom Raftery with SAP and with me on the show today I have my special guest, Jan. Jan, would you like to introduce yourself?

Jan Mlls: 0:56

Hello, Tom. Yeah, I would like to do so. My name is Jan Mlls. I'm product manager within the SIM organization for the SAP S4 HANA for manufacturing logistics. Yeah. And today I had the chance to talk to Tom a little bit.

Tom Raftery: 1:12

What are we talking about Jan, tell us a little bit about the organization and what it is you want to get across today.

Jan Mlls: 1:18

I would like to talk about the usage of mobile devices in manufacturing logistics. The background for this one is that I'm product manager for a software product, manufacturing logistics, which is currently really a very classical version of the manufacturing industries. And in the future. I do want to highlight the opportunities in terms of mobile devices in manufacturing in logistics. And this is yeah, I would like to talk about,

Tom Raftery: 1:50

okay, superb. Now, why? Why do you want to play? Do manufacturers need to start using mobile devices? I mean, there are plenty of devices in manufacturing already that are using specialized devices, you know, or they call them zebra scanners and things like that. Hopefully, we move away from that technology. What big advantage? are we solving with this?

Jan Mlls: 2:17

Yeah, first of all, I would like to mention that our current hardware for our logistical customer or logistics customers is still very good. It's still working, it is efficient, it makes the process running. And yeah, just this working fine. But just one backside, from my perspective, imagine that you are, for example, a logistical worker, anywhere and a certain company, and you are getting away from home in the morning. And then you are changing clothes, maybe you are putting away your typical devices like a smartphone, like a watch, something like that. And then you are changing to another world. Also from a from a device perspective, you're not using your state of the art smartphone anymore. But you are changing to a device, which is rhapsodized, of course, which is stable, which is heavy, and which Yeah, okay, it does its job. But the thing here is, I want to make it possible also for the workers to have a more native way to work a more natural way. Because when I'm using a certain technology in my private life, I would also like to use the same technology or hardware, also in the business life. And this was something what was not really possible in the past. But now we are getting to a point where this one is possible, we can do business processes very efficiently on state of the heart hardware on smartphone like devices. And this is what I would like to provide to our customers to experience a similar experience not only to the customers, but especially also to the workers, which are really grabbing this hardware so that they are more satisfied with the work that they are more natively integrated into this work. And that you don't have this big gap anymore between private use of devices and business use of devices.

Tom Raftery: 4:26

Yeah, I can see that. I mean, I can see them, you know, as you say going into work putting their smartphone into their locker and then picking up these ruggedized devices which were designed 1020 years ago. And you know, it's like a stepping back into the past. I can also imagine if you're using something like a smartphone to do the job instead of some of these devices. There's less training required because this is something that you use all day, every day outside of your work environment. And you know, I so I assumed to go and use these older devices, you do need training. Whereas, if you're using your smartphone every day, it's far less training required would that be would that be a fair assessment,

Jan Mlls: 5:10

this is absolutely a fair assessment, this is one on Colossus neat this topic was talking about even small kids can work with a touch device for example, tried to give a small kid or someone attached device and gives them a scanner, yeah, a typical industry scanner, they will be able to use a smartphone within like two or three minutes, they are able to use it the smile is or the refer dice device or there is a classical device, I think that this one will not work like one hour, just as the same also for our for our logistical workers, for the people which are going to work each and every day, there is less training required, we are using one native integration like touch, like also the haptics how it fits, it is not that that heavy, and also sing. And besides I said of course training, now you can go through the processes way more fluently on a mobile device and state of the art mobile device in comparison to the classical scanners, right and therefore, less training required, give it all the handed over. And then it is kind of you can make itself explaining. Now the classical devices will not always have explaining, you have this function keys on the on the on the board, you had some touch functionalities, which are very tiny pen which you can even hold with your gloves. Yeah. And in most cases, the people were really relying on the classical things like function keys and stuff like that, which you do need to explain now on a smartphone, you have way more options to make that easy.

Tom Raftery: 7:02

Okay, we've had smartphones now since you know, I think the iPhone launched in 2007, if I remember correctly. So that's what 14 years now. So what's different now? Why are we suddenly thinking that smartphones are the answer now, whereas you know, not not so much 10 years ago or 14 years ago?

Jan Mlls: 7:23

Yeah, that was always a little bit problem of integration of these devices into a certain business network. Now, in the past, especially for the logistical solutions, we were able to work on the so called back end. So on the system right away was a technology with which call was called, or is called IDs mobile. This functionality was integrated into our typical on premise back end right away. And by that time, we didn't really see a good chance in terms of performance and reliability, to also include like decentral smartphones into these business processes. And this was something what has changed now, within, for example, my solution, we now have the option to connect a certain on premise system to a business technology platform for examples or a cloud platform and connects smartphones to this cloud platform very easily. And we can rely on typical performance KPIs. And we do also see that the reliability of the connection as such is also very high. So this was something what was not available like 510 years before, and this has changed now with our cloud solutions we are offering it makes it more easy.

Tom Raftery: 8:53

Okay. Is there any other functionality? I mean, we've talked about scanners. And so I assume that's, you know, scanning barcodes and things like that, but what other kinds of functionality are we talking about? Or is that it?

Jan Mlls: 9:06

No, it is, of course not the final goal. Now, it is the first step in the first step, I would always think, okay, how can I make this process work, kind of, like it worked before, on a typical on premise landscape. This is the first step I would like to move our customers to a new world in terms of smartphones, where they can at least do the same functions as they did before on premise, for example, scanning, touching, running the process intuitively, like before as well. In the next step, then one could even think of adoption or additional processes which we can run with a typical smartphone like device. It cannot only be a smartphone, it could also be a wearable, it could be anything which is used also in our private life. And then you can really think of new options of your process, for example, that you are reusing other technologies which you receive, which is almost each and every hardware like NFC chips, you can use run NFC processes, so that you don't scan anything anymore, but you just hold it aside or the other item. You can also use for example, instead of scanning your position, now imagine that you want to sell a certain system where you currently our normal way would be to scan a certain bill on area where you are currently physically located. So this is something what you are doing now in the future, I do also have the option to you use Wi Fi data to localize certain person, or I could also use GPS data if I'm for example, outside. And there are a lot of more technologies to come, which are already working our private lives, but which do not have a high adoption in our business life yet. So we can run processes completely different, what makes it at the No, of course more efficient, and more native to work

Tom Raftery: 11:16

and having to carry less devices, I assume.

Jan Mlls: 11:19

Exactly, yeah. And also fewer devices. And you can for example, you don't need to carry it anymore. For example, in the past, we always needed one hand at least to scan something, we have something in our hand and it is heavy, it can fall on your feet, it can, you can leave it anywhere behind. And in the future, we might have first step we are taking the device into the pocket and having maybe kind of a scanner on your hand or on your fingers. Smaller scanner, which you don't even almost don't feel feels a little bit like like a wedding ring or something like that. Or in the future, you might use kind of typical wearables like a watch, you do not need to pick it up with your fingers anymore, but you have it on your body. And this is something out what really makes it way more easy to work. Yeah, I have both hands, I do have free to carry out my work.

Tom Raftery: 12:17

Okay, okay, I can imagine smart glasses being something like that as well, if they're connecting to the phone in your pocket. Similarly, you could have cameras built into those or whatever,

Jan Mlls: 12:27

executive cameras could be an option, you can also connect a Smart Glass to your phone, where in case you are still required to scan something in case you're not attaching, for example, certain NFC checks to your boxes for example, smart glasses could also be an option. And besides I said that's a good point. Also think about augmented reality. Now, it is not the case that we will run augmented reality in all our logistical facilities not now not yet maybe, but this is getting possible it is ENT with an easy integration connect a certain glass to your cell phone then you can also use augmented reality, it can be the same also this this voice and this is all of these new functionalities were difficult and costly to implement in the past with a new device type which we are using which we could use in logistics also in other industries like retail like pharma like Chemi codes, was this new hardware, we are getting almost for free. All the integrations and this is great.

Tom Raftery: 13:43

Okay. One thing that we mentioned one word we used a couple of times near the StartUp podcast was ruggedized devices. Our smartphones are not typically ruggedized is that going to be an issue.

Jan Mlls: 14:29

So typical smartphones are of course not ruggedized they can fall onto the ground and the glass cracks and they are not that heavy as the most industrial devices are, but you do have options to protect them with simple measures are put in put it into a protective box or something like that, then they are recognized already. And in cases one is not enough. You can also stick on to recent or modern modern industrial devices which are of course way more expensive. But then you can also run this native functionalities on these devices but from my personal opinion, and also from my experience what I have seen within our customers landscapes, in most cases, a typical iPhone is not that sensitive as we might see them to be

Tom Raftery: 15:25

under the modern ones. I mean, from the iPhone 12 forward have got this particular Ceramic shield on the glass, which is supposed to be used four times tougher or something like that, if, if you believe the launches that they have for these things, but it is quite good. I have an iPhone 12. Myself and I have dropped it a couple of times I have it in a case. Sure. But I don't have I don't have that kind of plastic covering on the glass and it seems to be working fine. So you know, it, it seems to work well.

Jan Mlls: 15:56

And it is it is working? Well. Yeah, in most cases, I do have really one customer which is using really iPhones, yeah, Apple devices on iOS native applications. And of course, they have it in a case, but that was it. And they don't really complain about defective devices each and every week. And this customer has them in use inside of the building and also outside of the building. And they are also using for example, clothes to touch on the device was trying, yes, an iPhone needs to go into maybe maybe a box or into a certain cover. But that's it now, that's enough and our customers don't really complain about it.

Tom Raftery: 16:42

Okay. Do you have any customers who are using iPhones today? And if so, what kind of industries are they in?

Jan Mlls: 16:50

Yeah, I do have one. We do have a lot of customers which are really using iPhones. But personally, I do know one customer of of mine where I was also assigned to in the project. And they are in the machinery or they are a vendor of typical automotive OEMs. They are providing as the OEMs was gearboxes and was heavy materials with metals, and was a lot of parts for doors and also the trunk. And they are in a typical machinery industry. They are having production lines in place. And they are yes, they are using iPhones really iPhones not the most recent ones. As far as I know, I think they're using iPhone, no elevens in the biggest size, by the way, not not the smaller size. You also had the smaller sizes for for the iPhones, but they are using them only in a protective cover no standard cover which you can also buy each and everywhere.

Tom Raftery: 17:56

Okay, cool. We've talked a lot about the hardware side of things, but we haven't really mentioned the software. Are there software implications for this as well?

Jan Mlls: 18:04

Yeah, of course they are now because we are moving away from the so called on prem upcoding. To the BGP watch, yeah, to the cloud world, and the programming language were changed a little bit. And also the software requirements. And, yeah, the technology beyond business technology platform will change. But on the other hand side, what I would really like to mention, it can be more efficient to build a native application for Android, also, for iOS, or maybe in the future. Also for Windows, it can be more efficient to create them right away on the business technology platform in comparison to our testicle ideas mobile. Of course, we need to say that the experiences are building up at the moment. So we are skilling up a lot of people to make these native applications in the mobile environment work. But at the end, we do see that app development goes quicker than in comparison to classical on premise world.

Tom Raftery: 19:18

Okay, and what about the the UI for the user? So we've covered the developer side of it, that's great. But for the for the end user, there's obviously, you know, implications for the software that they're using now as well.

Jan Mlls: 19:32

Yeah, absolutely, they are, they are getting away from the classical views we are having for for example, or on premise world. And we are getting towards a world where it looks a little bit colorful or a little bit more colorful. Now, where you are always integrating touch functionalities. You are then talking about integration to scanners to to some external devices to glasses, to any any GPS sensors and stuff like that. But from the UI point of view, now, I do see that our users can follow way quicker than in comparison to it as mobile because in the classical world you had like these screens with some small with some small letters on it. And we always need to extend this a sales and this is a barcode and this is a bin and this is a box number and stuff like that. And in the new world, we can simply put in like pick two comes small pick two grumps box, Been scanner was a small picture of a scanner field, which we all know. And they can follow me quicker now. Sure,

Tom Raftery: 20:42

sure to cool. Are there any health and safety implications because I know, for example, I was playing football a while ago, and I was in goal. And I dived to save a ball. And suddenly my wrist started vibrating. And my wuntch gave me an alert and said, I think you're after falling. And if you don't respond in the next x seconds, I'm going to call the emergency services. And I was like, whoa. So I can imagine using if you're using these kind of devices in an industrial environment, there are potential positive health and safety implications for this as well.

Jan Mlls: 21:23

Yeah, and we do have positive implications on that one. Yeah. Also Also, our all of our watches, and also the devices can see how you are doing in case you want to leave them doing that, yeah. But imagine for example, the case also loan work environment, now, you are having a typical three shifts, system was a customer. And in the night shift, there are not three persons into shift but only one person from a health and safety perspective. This one person might not be left alone within the logistical area, he needs to call his master or chief of on a regular basis just to make sure that he's he has not had any accidents. And now imagine that you are having a native application, which can automatically track when you are moving, when you are doing fine, without you have fallen or something like that. And this is something what I will would call the lone worker functionalities. And this is being brought with, with the device as such, we just need to enable it in a certain application. And then we have it so it is a positive implication for health and safety environments. Yes.

Tom Raftery: 22:46

Fantastic. I saved the goal as well, just in case you were wondering. Where, where to from here? I mean, it's great that we've gotten this far now. But what wherever this? Where will this take us?

Jan Mlls: 23:05

I'm not 100% Sure. But I do think that it really takes us to a completely new level of working. Now. We are private lies, and also working NGOs. They are moving way closer together. And from technology and working style modes, they're getting closer together. And I think that in the future, we will use the same haptics the same moods, during personal private life during our free time and also during our business time. And we do not need to take into this extensive knowledge transfer sessions anymore, in case we would like to do a new job or a new functionality, because the technology will support us pretty well. Way better than before.

Tom Raftery: 24:04

And we're coming towards the end of the podcast. Now. Is there any question I have not asked that you wish I had or any topic we've not addressed that you think it's important for people to be aware of?

Jan Mlls: 24:14

I don't think that you have, I do think that you address the most important topics. At the end, I would really like to say that it is the start the start of a certain journey, we are currently focusing in our product here. I would like to let all the people out there really know how we are doing what we are doing and what we are heading for. And this is really the point where I would like to mention that I'm trying to also get in contact with our customers or the people who are interested in this topic. Based on for example, public public channels, like our SAP digital supply chain channel, which you can find on these up homepage but also on typical network. Platforms like LinkedIn are thing.

Tom Raftery: 25:06

Okay, fantastic. I'll put a link to the SAP digital supply chain page in the notes of the of the podcast. If people want to know more about yourself yawn or any of the topics we discussed. Where else would you have me direct them? Go to LinkedIn

Jan Mlls: 25:22

and find me there and for the rest send me.

Tom Raftery: 25:26

Okay, super great. Yeah, and that's been fantastic. Thanks a million for coming on the podcast today.

Jan Mlls: 25:32

Thanks, Tom for the invitation. It was a pleasure to be here.

Tom Raftery: 25:36

Okay, we've come to the end of the show. Thanks everyone for listening. If you'd like to know more about digital supply chains, head on over to sa p.com/digital supply chain or, or simply drop me an email to Tom Raftery at sa p.com. If you like the show, please don't forget to subscribe to it and your podcast application of choice to get new episodes as soon as they're published. Also, please don't forget to rate and review the podcast. It really does help new people to find the show. Thanks. catch you all next time.