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| Soft Solutions to release its first web-enabled Time and Attendance system With an increased demand for professional time and attendance systems in the local market, Soft Solutions has been developing its first web-enabled Time and Attendance system. The experience of Soft Solutions professionals in this field goes years back with successful implementations in several establishments in the local market. Soft Solutions has been developing the software for time and attendance systems along with complete hardware solutions provided by its sister company, FireFite (A Syriacomm Company), which specializes in fire, security and communications systems.
However, as the Human Resources services and security concerns become more sophisticated, the need to have a professional world class yet competitive time and attendance system has been the concern of several leading establishments in the local market. Soft Solutions has been working on such a system now for quite some time and is on the verge of releasing the system which is currently undergoing the final testing stages. The benefits of this system over previous releases that Soft Solutions has produced or of any of its competitors have been described by Mr. Joseph Kronfli, a business development manager at Soft Solutions, as follows:
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Web Enabled: With the system being web-enabled, easy accessibility to the system is provided through any PC within or outside the organization that has an Internet browser. Being web enabled also means that the deployment of the system needs to take place only on the main server, which has the benefit of easy system maintenance.
- Multi-user System: The system allows users to log on through a portal application with single sign on technology. Each defined user of the system is allowed to access only the modules which his access privileges permit.
- Hierarchical Management: The multi user system classifies the user roles into three types being Administrator, Manager or Employee. This allows the users to manage other users within the system according to their position in the organizational hierarchy.
- Application Workflow: The system makes use of mail exchange features to notify the users of the system of changes in the system that require actions or are the result of actions such as leave requests.
- Custom Policy Definition: Each organizational has its own HR policies with respect to time and attendance. The Soft Solutions Time and Attendance system allows the administrators to define these policies in the system using complex functionality that is easy to use such as scheduling and overtime management functions.
- Enterprise Level Integration: The system allows for the integration with complex ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) applications such as Oracle's E-Business suite.
Soft Solutions has set an initial launch date for the system during the Sham 2005 IT exhibition that will take place in April 2005 in the Damascus International Fairground.
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| Soft Solutions to start providing mail exchange services through DSL connections
As part of its system integration solutions in the Custom Application Development department, Soft Solutions has responded to the problem that is being faced by most enterprises in the local market that need to utilize mail exchange features using the increasingly popular DSL connection.
The problem that most organizations have been facing is that whilst the mail exchange servers require a static IP address on the World Wide Web, this is not being provided by the local ISP providers with a DSL internet connection.
Soft Solutions has developed a web service that allows the fetching and sending of e-mails through the World Wide Web without the need of a static IP address. According to Mr. Wassim Ramadan, an IT infrastructure specialist with the Syriacomm group, this product provides a breakthrough in overcoming a challenging issue that has been hindering the use of essential corporate functions related to e-mail correspondence for organizations in Syria .
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| FMSi receives "Best Distributor in the Middle East and Gulf" award from Siemens VDO
The First Pan Arab Meeting for Siemens VDO was held in Beirut on the 21 st of October 2004. Distributors and authorized dealers met to discuss the fleet management business in the region and how to offer better products and services. Fleet Management Systems (FMSi) was awarded the "Best Distributor in The Middle East & Gulf Award for 2004" by Siemens VDO.
Through its local operations in the UAE, Oman and Syria , FMS has been able to establish a good network within the region to provide the required support in identifying projects and providing the required installation and after sales support.
FMS differential advantage was in its extensive experience in the region since 1996. Our IT background allows us to act as consultants, thus offering our clients custom-tailored solution rather than just acting as box movers. We would like to thank our hard working and dedicated staff for their efforts in the past and congratulate them for the great work. The future is even more challenging for us.
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| After three years operation in the UAE, FMSi opened its head quarters in Abu Dhabi
FMSi opened its head quarters for the UAE in Abu Dhabi . With the nature of our business, we feel that the only way to service our clients efficiently is to operate locally. Over the past three years, we have acquired the majority market share in the oil and gas sector and feel it is our duty to be close to them. Today, we are operating in the UAE as a 100% local and registered company in Abu Dhabi . We will be opening our regional office in Dubai soon.
FMSi to increase its work force in the UAE
With the increase demand in the UAE for fleet management and vehicle tracking solutions, FMSi will be doubling its work force in 2004. Our dedication to the business requires us to offer our clients a fast response time to their requests.
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| FMSi launches its products and services in Kuwait |
FMSI launched its products and services in Kuwait through a Seminar held in the JW Marriott on February 2005. All attendees where of high caliber directors in various sectors representing government, transportation, oil & Gas and distribution.
FMSI, a Siemens VDO Partner, with its head office in Abu Dhabi , specializes in Fleet Management, Tracking Systems and Solutions. FMSI is dedicated to help the clients in the better management of the fleet of vehicles as well as in finding of solutions to problems, if any in transportation, fleet control, handling of road accidents, unexpected and uncontrolled expenditures, time attendance, vehicle utilization, etc. This unique system is beautifully and wisely designed so that a customer could have plenty of extra solid benefits like savings in reducing running kilometres, reducing working hours, reducing the manpower, winning more and ample business, improving the quality of service and works of the staff, adding efficiency and thrill of apt and desired net results, finally doing a marvellous work in the maintenance of a healthy atmosphere and permanent safety.
The technology is based in such a manner that the clients are given a wide range of products and services to choose from; at very competitive prices and which best suits their requirements. The services offered by us are consultancy, Engineering, design & implementation and project management. Our qualified Engineers from the Technical support division extend the after sales support in the most efficient manner possible. Much dedication is put forth in the field of research and development so as to stay in line with the changing phases in the market.
We feel a responsibility to service our clients locally in every city in the region..
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Syriacomm group is participating in Shaam Exhibition 2005, the 11th Exhibition of Information Technology & Communication.
All Syriacomm Companies:
FireFite Syria , Click, Cards, Tasc, Soft Solutions and FMSI will be on display.
The Exhibition will take place in Fairs City , Damascus Syria , from the 18th till the 22nd of April 2005.
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| FMSi Oman Success Stories |
PDO IVMS Project Success Story
Contract Summary & scope
• In late 2003. And after an initial successful pilot project for 3 month, Petrolum Developmet Oman -The main oil explorer and producer in the Sultanate of Oman - awarded FMSi-Oman a contract to install an In vehicle monitoring system / Driver Merit System on 272 vehicles of PDO's direct contractors. The main stations for the above service were Marmul, Fahud, and Muscat .
• The scope of services for the above contract were to cover:
* Provision and installation of IVMS & DMS
* Hardware Calibration and interface software services
* Drivers Feedback sessions (Bi-weekly)
* Drivers performance and all other reporting services
System Purposes
• The main purposes of the system
* To influence driver behavior through monitoring his driving practice
* To warn drivers upon any violations
* To improve safety performance through regular feedback sessions
Project Installation History
• The installation started in December 2003 starting at the oilfield sites, and was completed in May 2005 in Muscat on all 272 vehicles with different 5 download locations, one at each contractor's sites. And a database integration between all sites to be completed by October 2005.
Business Case Study / findings
• On June 2005, we carried out Business case study on 3 different contractors out of the 5, where we did a 12 month data comparison relating to Driver's performance, overall cost of Fuel and Maintenance; after looking at all data and figures, the IVMS benefits were concluded as:
- Driver performance Improvement
The Sharp reduction in major violations such as over speeding, not wearing seat belt, Harsh Braking, Harsh acceleration, and not using headlights was very clear from the data collected and analyzed. A reduction between 32.28% - 70% in general was noticed, which proves the system is very efficient in changing drivers attitude and behavior toward better driving practice.
• Return on Investment
Savings Between 18 - 22%
Saving between 15 - 20%
- Efficiency Increase: Average increase by 10 - 15 % by better control of drivers attendance.
Through the IVMS System, average cost for each vehicle was reduced as follow :
. Maintenance 96 OMR (US$ 250) per year per vehicle
. Fuel 372 OMR (US$ 965) per year per vehicle
Total Saving US$ 1215 per vehicle/year
- The above figures reflect a return on investment in less than 18 months . Of course, due to the change of driver behavior through out the first year, maintenance, accidents and other costs will decrease. Indirect costs like insurance will also decrease based on lower accidents rates and higher control over your mobile assets and personnel. Time management for drivers will directly reflect higher efficiency rates, thus higher productivity will be noticed within a 6 month time frame. Once other parameters have been defined, safety (seatbelt), maintenance (oil change) and others could also be reached through the IVMS System. A Driver Merit System could also be integrated to assess drivers' behavior and reward good drivers. Higher productivity through tracking will also result in better performance, thus increased profits.
Other findings on IVMS Benefits
• Increase efficiency
• Reduce Kilometers
• Reduce Hours
• Reduce Staff
• Win New Business
• Improve Staff Quality
• Health and Safety
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National Drilling Company (NDC):
NDC is one of the leading oil companies in the Middle East and has been FMSI's client for the past 9 months.
FMSI has successfully assessed the safety awareness measures through close monitoring of driver behaviors thus making NDC management feel instant added value benefits and cost effective returns.
FMSI has implemented In Vehicle Monitoring System and vehicle tracking for all NDC's vehicles using Siemens VDO Keinzle FM Locator On Board Computers, DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) technology, a customized software application called Driver Merit System (DMS) was also developed to store and maintain proper information on each driver including driver knowledge assessment, driver training, driver accidents and integration with the installed In Vehicle Monitoring System mentioned above and finally Fleet Management Software.
In more in depth detail; with a press of a button, the road safety coordinator or line-supervisor can obtain in driver's history and all road safety violation records along with vehicle positioning. Every driver becomes aware that he is monitored and eventually improves his driving behavior This has created enthusiasm amongst NDC drivers and an incentive to win 'best drivers award' of the month, quarter or even year. Poor drivers moreover, will get a chance to improvise their driving behaviors.
NDC management possesses tools to better judge and assess how well or poorly their operation is carried out with regards to road safety, efficiency and productivity. The integrated system will automatically notify the responsible people upon every crucial violation. Through the use of the Vehicle/Driver Data Network installed in all operating fields and linked with the main office server, vehicle data is transferred seamlessly with no human intervention. Such sophisticated system and network is unique in the region.
A team of FMSi professional engineers and technicians have successfully carried out installations in 200 vehicles in less than 45 days. The team has installed, tested, and commissioned all hardware, software, network, and calibrated each installed system according to the vehicle speed frequency, RPM, and seatbelt.
Each driver has his own individual key to access any of the company vehicles. Access to vehicles is restricted to authorized drivers only.
All vehicles data / driver performance are transferred from the installed OBC to the main central server automatically through the use of DECT vehicle and base stations systems installed in vehicles and all company fields. Data transfer is conducted every time the vehicle passes-by any of the base stations (50-100 m distance). The system is configured to transfer data from base station to main server every ½ hour. Data transfer from vehicle to base station takes no more than 1 minute based on data size and last automatic download. Through the use of DECT and the company intranet, data is transferred seamlessly to main database server with no human intervention, reducing administration and download manpower to minimal. This has made the whole system more efficient and economically more feasible, as it reduces to minimal all administration, logistics, and support. By using DECT technology and company existing intranet, the system is becoming almost online reducing delay and time between an event actual time and when central control get notified.
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TASC Covers Syria:
Through out last 2 years, TASC has been working on the deployment of Spacetel's (94) GSM network in Syria and has constructed more than 200 sites on the whole of the Syrian territory. Scope of works were divided between roof top and Greenfield sites including Civil work, Tower Foundation, Erection and painting, BTS / Rectifier and Microwave Installation and alignment.
TASC's Success continues:
Adding to its achievements TASC has just recently signed a turnkey contract with Bashair Telecom (BTC) and started working on the deployment of the GSM network in Sudan with several hundreds of sites to be constructed the first year.
Deployment operation was launched in the Sudanese capital Al Khartoum expanding to other Sudanese Cities.
First year in Shaam Exhibition:
TASC will be participating for the first time in SHAAM 2005 exhibition which will be taking place on Damascus fair ground between 18 th and 22 nd of April along with other sister companies under Syriacomm Group. TASC will exhibit its services, talent and experience in deploying mobile networks.
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