HVAC Service Team goes mobile with LetsComIT

From: LetsComIT
Published: Tue May 03 2005


Eaton Williams Ltd., one of Europe’s leading providers of HVAC solutions for business environments for nearly 70 years, has chosen LetsComIT to provide their service and planned maintenance team with a fully customized PDA solution.

In order to continue to meet their strict 4-hour call-out targets, EWS identified the need to streamline communication between their mobile workforce and central office, and to eradicate unnecessary administrative costs.

Before employing a mobile data solution from LetsComIT, EWS engineers received their job details over the phone, directly from a member of their call centre staff. Using a standardized form carried by all engineers, completed job information would be returned on a weekly basis by post and retyped into their Prolog database.

By implementing a PDA solution, EWS can now send and receive job information directly from their existing central system, in real time. As a service or planned maintenance call is raised, job details are inputted directly into their Prolog database. This data is then simply sent via GPRS to the most appropriate engineers’ PDA, where he can view exact details of the work to be carried out. Once on site, an engineer will be able to complete the same service sheet as before, but directly onto his PDA. Completed work details can now be sent via GPRS directly back to EWS’ existing systems.

Cost-savings will be immediately apparent, even during the first phase of the roll out. By transferring data ‘over-the-air’, funds spent on postage and paperwork will be reduced considerably, and valuable man hours, normally spent retyping information, can be put to other, more practical uses.

EWS will initially deploy LetsComIT solution over a small cross-section of their varied workforce, to ensure that each solution is tailored to each type of mobile worker. During this phase, alterations and customizations will be made instantly ‘over the air’ via GPRS, with suggestions coming directly from the end users in the field. It is anticipated that this first stage will run over the summer of 2005, and, following a detailed analysis during the autumn months, will be rolled out over the entire workforce before the turn of the year.

The implementation of such a system marks a significant strategic break-through for the company.

Andrew Walker, Operations Manager, EWS, explained, "It has taken this organisation many years to find a solution which would fit our needs entirely. What we didn’t want was a solution which we only used a very small part of and therefore which didn’t prove cost-effective. LetsComIT have provided us with a system based around our individual working practices and existing systems, which is ideal for this company."

Sonia Richard, Business Director, LetsComIT, added, "The Eaton Williams Service project is one which we are pleased to be undertaking. By embarking upon two unique stages of deployment, together we can ensure that Eaton Williams’ solution fits entirely, not only to their unique business practices, but to their individual workers too."

*ENDS*

LetsComIT, part of the CTI Groupe, premier industrial group of Northern France, provide fully customizable PDA solutions for industry. Based in Leeds, LetsComIT work alongside some of the UK’s leading businesses to optimize communication between offices and mobile workers.

Contact:
Kirsty Thompson,
Marketing Manager,
LetsComIT,
Suite 11,
432 Dewsbury Road,
Leeds.
LS11 7DF
(0113) 2726026
kirsty.thompson@letscomit.com
Company: LetsComIT
Contact Name: Kirsty Thompson
Contact Email: kirsty.thompson@letscomit.com
Contact Phone: 0113 2726026

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