Organisations operating in the construction/hire marketplace all have one thing in common, a remote workforce which operates in the field. What these organisations do not have in common is the ability to effectively monitor, measure and manage that workforce.
Codegate is an Oxfordshire based independent mobile software solution developer, which has designed its mobileworker software to deliver just that capability. mobileworker allows organisations to monitor the location and activity of individual remote workers, to measure the performance of those workers and in turn, manage that performance. This complete visibility of a mobile workforce gives organisations the power to save money by improving efficiency and productivity and reducing operating costs. It also helps an organisation to make money by providing proof of compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs), minimising invoicing disputes and identifying real-time resource availability, resulting in smarter business operations.
Two of the leading players in the construction/hire business, Speedy (Speedy Hire PLC) and A-Plant (Ashstead Group PLC), are already successfully using mobileworker.
A-Plant deployed Codegate’s software running on Motorola mobile computers to its remote workers in September 2009 in order to demonstrate that it was exceeding contracted service level agreements (SLAs) to its key account customers.
“The combined capability of the mobility solution enables us to prove key performance indicators (KPIs) and meet the reporting procedures demanded by our key account customers. We are able to demonstrate that we are meeting SLAs through accurate reporting on job type, the date and time it was completed, with electronic signature capture as proof of delivery or job completion,” said Andy Wortley,
A-Plant’s IT Director. “The imaging capability of the MC70 allows us to provide picture evidence of damage caused to equipment and the ability to recoup the cost of repair without dispute.”
In November of last year, Speedy started to roll out a pilot project deploying an integrated mobility solution from Codegate with mobileworker at its core. The solution includes electronic proof of delivery (ePOD), satellite navigation and real-time tracking software running on Motorola MC55 rugged mobile computers, delivering imaging capability, GPS and GPRS connectivity.
The accuracy of the data which Speedy drivers are now able to capture helps its accounts team to resolve customers’ queries quickly and efficiently. Speedy can now provide data that shows exactly who signed for what equipment, where, and crucially, record the condition of that equipment, reducing potential disputes.
“We are confident that once the integrated mobility solution from Codegate has been fully rolled out
it will deliver numerous business benefits which will include: improved customer service through the quick resolution of customer queries, a reduced number of customer calls to our Shared Service Centre, customers will be able to monitor their accounts via the ‘My Speedy’ extranet, the ability to quickly and easily direct drivers to customers who require urgent deliveries or offhires, and reduced admin time as paper based PODs will no longer need to be scanned. There is no question that Codegate is helping us to meet our mobility objectives,” explained James Fleming, Group IT Director, Speedy.
Today’s competitive business environment dictates the need to maximise efficiency from existing resources. Making more productive use of existing staff and wasting less time on unproductive tasks such as dispute resolution are key to this. “Maximising efficiency from existing resources” is easy to say but much more difficult to put in practice. With mobileworker you can monitor the location of your mobile workforce and measure their performance and availability, giving you the tools to manage and therefore optimise their efficiency. That’s the Codegate 3M mantra: Monitor, Measure and Manage.
