When it comes to keeping the power flowing, challenges emerge from every direction. Limbs falling onto lines, vehicles hitting poles, or strong winds disrupting service to a neighborhood are only a small sample of the things that can call our crews out to restore power.

Mounting a new pole, removing the limb or installing a new power line are usually simple challenges. Linemen are professionals and have the experience needed to complete the job.

What I have seen, though, as a regular challenge throughout the industry is that accessing information about the infrastructure and real estate property management.

There are solutions that are on the market thought to handle this test, providing field agents with on-the-go access to real estate management information that they need while in the field. Not only that, but other information from infrastructure to payments can also be accessed remotely from wireless devices like smart pads and smart phones. The industry’s reliance upon mobile technology continues to grow especially as real estate management and right of way management software solutions continue to advance.

Here are five benefits mobile technology provide when dealing with real estate management in the field:

1. GPS location – Today’s rule is if it’s mobile, it has GPS capability. Leveraging this allows crews to determine the location of the issue and report the matter, assign crews and locate the necessary real estate information.
2. Onsite access – Since linemen know where the issue is, they can easily access information about the agreement in place with the property owner. No more guessing who the right contact is at 3 a.m. Now we can cross-reference the location with the pole number to get it right the first time.
3. Special conditions – When the right of way was first established there is a chance that the owner negotiated restrictions, such as how to access the property or not destroying the delicate endangered wildlife. Crews can instantly access this information, keeping them in the know.
4. Historical contact records – Whether a property owner is agreeable or hostile is something that line crews would like to know. With a mobile solution, the information is readily accessible. Linemen can even record new information from the field by leveraging the handy voice-to-text feature.
5. Offline capability – Power lines run through some remote terrain that cellular networks do not service. Not to worry. With a mobile device with offline (no network) capability, simply download the power lines you need information on and head to the location.

These benefits are only a sample of what devices, technology and databases are capable of accomplishing with the technology currently at our disposal. At geoAMPS we are constantly looking at how we can improve real estate management with technology, creating faster results and lower cost. To learn more about how mobile solutions and right of way software can make your organization up to 35 percent more efficient, download one of our detailed case studies to impress the boss.

Nathan Mirolo is the Marketing Lead for geoAMPS, a Columbus, Ohio area company that specializes in software solutions to manage land rights and infrastructure assets.