No, LARTE is not the latest Starbuck's drink...but more on that later.
Location Aware Real Time Enterprises (coined LARTE by the TechBlog cognoscenti) refer to companies who use GPS, RFID, wireless, among other technologies as an integral component of their business models. Think of FedEx and UPS who use these technologies to optimize pick up and delivery on a real time basis for their trucks on the road. Sears Home Services , among other technology and appliance service companies, use wireless communications to schedule technician repairs, notify customers of delays, access warranty record and service manuals and create/charge bills immediately to credit cards. Similarly, Frito Lay has used wireless technologies for years to compile store shelf inventory to ensure optimal truck stocking for next day delivery.
MA News recently reported on a deal that may signal faster growth in another emerging LARTE space--machine to machine (M2M) communications. QUALCOMM, Inc has acquired nPhase, a developer of M2M products that enable companies to manage fixed machine assets. nPhase, formed in 2003 as a spin out of Professional Consulting Services, offers a tailored remote management product that enables companies to develop what they call "smart services". For example, ABB Robotics uses nPhase's wireless monitoring products to deliver key data about it's robots to service technicians via the Web.
Datatrac, in a related B2B LARTE space, is teaming with Sprint to improve wireless handset capabilities for couriers and delivery fleet drivers, including better handset navigation and continuous notification processes.
The big question is whether we will see LARTE start ups in the next few years among traditional businesses. Any industry that relies on a mobile work force--warehouses, military, couriers, home/office delivery, vehicle operation & repair, computer hardware maintenance, etc. are all likely to benefit from a detailed look at potential LARTE based solutions in their businesses.
Can a LARTE business model also provide a competitive advantage to other industries, such as personal computers, for example? Besides using LARTE based solutions in a variety of internal operations, such as manufacturing and distribution, finding ways of having suppliers interact with internal operations on a LARTE based platform is a strategy worth exploring to enhance supply chain efficiency across channel partners.
But Starbucks is an example of a LARTE based company in the B2C space, even if it has not named a drink after the concept. Availability of wireless communicantion in the stores, management of the type of music and location of sound systems to maximize customer satisfaction and sponsoring in store events all contribute to making 'Bucks a preferred destination for techies. They do not even mind me buying Dunkin Donuts coffee and bagels next store and then camping in their comfy chairs to explore the Web in the early morning, especially since my wife buys multi skinny mochas there every day.
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