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Europe's largest privately owned revenue recovery and enforcement company Philips Collection Services has chosen 1st Touch to provide a mobile management solution for its collection agents working for public sector and local authority clients. Initially, 1st Touch, which will deliver significant productivity gains and efficiency savings to the collection process, will link the PDAs of 100's of field-based agents to Philips’ back-office management system. The new mobile solution will provide operatives with up-to-date contact and case information whilst feeding back progress and payment data to head office.

1st Touch applications deliver significant efficiencies and productivity increases to any situation where field-based or remote operatives provide services. 1st Touch technology has already won widespread acclaim in the social-housing market where the software manages, supports and control all aspects of mobile operatives’ activities in areas such as responsive repairs, maintenance and inspection. The resilient but flexible system enables programming-free, user-customisable PDA based solutions to be created through its easy to use graphical interface, and is specifically designed to simplify handheld form design and data capture. Any type of electronic form can be generated without the need for Business Process Mapping.

At Philips, the initial benefits of the technology will be most keenly felt in the recovery of outstanding debts for central government, local authorities and government departments, seeking to adjust to widespread cuts following the recent budget. This includes recovery of tenancy arrears, parking fines and motoring penalties. However, Philips, which operates to a strict code of conduct, is also keen to provide assistance, guidance and sources of debt advice. By ensuring up to date information is available to agents, this advice can be given more quickly and effectively in the field.

The system also helps to protect mobile operatives by alerting them to deposit cash payments at a bank before making further visits. Lone worker safety functionality is also built in.

Commenting on the adoption of 1st Touch mobile technology, Tracy Rivers, Managing Director of Philips Collection Services, said: "At present the public sector is facing a challenging time where budgets are being re-written, and it is vital that we collect outstanding revenue for our clients so that they have the option of using the funds for service provision elsewhere. By utilising mobile technology, we can deliver even better service levels to our clients whilst ensuring that our agents in the field operate to the highest professional standards. It also will allow us to move into new, emerging business sectors. We look forward to working closely with 1st Touch to help us achieve this."

For his part, 1st Touch CEO Robert Dent welcomed Tracy Rivers' comments adding: "Philips has built a strong reputation for delivering an exceptional and consistent level of service in a field that demands the highest professional standards. We are delighted that the company has chosen us to support their work at a time when public sector clients rely on them more than ever."

About 1st Touch:
1st Touch is a provider of mobile working solutions.

About NEC Philips Unified Solutions:
NEC Philips Unified Solutions (NEC Philips) is a provider of secure enterprise IT and communications solutions, specialising in the deployment of unified communication solutions which combine the best in voice, data, mobile, video and IT communications. NEC Philips engages directly with medium and large enterprises, in both the public and private sectors, providing them with customised productivity solutions integrated tightly into business processes.