Integrating with the company’s existing back end database to enable real-time access to mobile data and electronic document, the Cognito solution is intended to help its 150 plus engineers to increase productivity and improve customer service.
David Black, Saltire’s managing director, said: ‘It's very important for our business that we are able to offer the best possible service to all of our existing and prospective clients. This means getting engineers out quickly and at times that suit our customers.
‘With this new system, our mobile workers can communicate with the office far more effectively, improving the visibility of our field operatives so they can be managed more efficiently. In addition, we've enabled our field engineers to electronically access our systems on the move so they can keep the business updated and don’t have to deal with a mountain of paperwork at the end of each shift.’ The system also allows the company to meet both legal and health and safety requirements more easily.
By law, paperwork such as the Landlord’s Gas Safety Certificate or CP12 must be completed annually for each property. Saltire has a system in place that gives field workers three opportunities to carry out the necessary annual inspection. However, as jobs are often allocated without agreeing a specific timeslot in advance, gaining access to properties is not always possible. The Cognito solution gives Saltire greater insight into how mobile workers are deployed and increases their awareness of the status of pending check-ups. The implementation also enables field engineers to access electronic forms and documents that can be completed on their mobile devices and submitted directly to the back office via the mobile network, where a certificate will be issued and securely stored. Engineers and tenants can sign the forms on the devices, ensuring the signatures will automatically be captured and stored electronically.
The ability to monitor mobile workers more effectively enables Saltire to comply with regulations in another key way. Health and safety legislation requires that engineers take lunch breaks and the system provides visibility into when engineers are working and when they are not.
The solution will be integrated with Saltire’s client interfaces, reducing the need to operate paper-based systems. Previously, more than 150 engineers would go into the Saltire’s operational sites every morning to collect the paperwork for their assignments for the day. This is no longer necessary as job allocation and information can be sent directly to engineers' mobile devices. Mobile workers can also send real-time updates in the same way, keeping the Saltire informed so jobs can be reallocated if needed to ensure work is completed on time.
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