Wireless Management

Most users would agree that having more options for customizing the interface of a software application or system — whether it’s installed on a local computer or accessed “on demand” via a Web browser — is a positive thing. In an age when “custom” is often the focus, companies that figure out how to make their products and services more personalized and less generic typically come out ahead.

 

Amtel, a company that specializes in telecom expense management solutions — for both fixed-line and wireless/mobile — keeps an eye on trends, and recently added some new features to its platform to keep up with the demand for customization.

 

More specifically, Amtel (News - Alert) added a customizable dashboard feature to its Telecom Information Management System (TIMS) platform, which is used by enterprises to track and control fixed-line spend and also for wireless management. TIMS is a Web-based system that individual users at client companies can log into using a password. The interface they then have access to is a quite sophisticated front-end for an even more sophisticated and complex database system that’s custom-built for each enterprise.

 

Unlike a previously static setup for viewing different data sets (which Amtel calls “control sets”), the new dashboard works in real-time, pulling the most updated information and lets each user choose what information to see and in what order — by simply dragging boxes around on the screen.

 

By adding this type of Web 2.0 functionality, Amtel is proving that it’s keeping current with trends in the market, a key to remaining competitive.

 

“This is a differentiator for us,” said Pankaj Gupta, founding president and CEO of Amtel.

 

Gupta told TMCnet that the company created the new dashboard in-house, using AJAX with an ASP.NET (News - Alert) framework. Amtel was motivated to add this new functionality in large part because of customer requests.

 

“Clients wanted a system that would let users choose what they want to see in the dashboard,” Gupta said.

 

By creating its own configurable dashboard, Gupta added, Amtel saved money and can pass those savings along to its clients. The dashboard now comes standard with TIMS.

 

“Companies that try to bring third-party dashboards into their systems typically have a lot of integration issues,” he said.

 

Plus, since Amtel created the dashboard in-house, the company has the resources in place to add new control sets quickly. This means clients can be confident that Amtel will continue responding to their requests for customization.

 

“The configurable dashboard is convenient, and it looks good,” Gupta said. “End-users really like it, and clients feel they have more control.”

 

To learn more about TIMS, please visit the Wireless Management channel on TMCnet.com, brought to you by Amtel.