CASE STUDY / GEAS ENERGIEWACHT - REFRIGERATION, AIR-CONDITIONING & HEATING TECHNOLOGY
INTELLIGENT FIELD SERVICE PLANNING FOR A HEARTWARMING SERVICE
- Increased customer satisfaction scores
- Automation and simplification of route planning processes
- Significant fuel savings, with ROI within one year
- Scheduling within specific time windows
- Significant reduction in mileage
- Automation of processes
- Acquisition of software that can cover the essential requirements as standard
- Fast realisation and provision of capacities
- Assignment of the most cost-effective appointment during the first phone call with the customer
- Integration into Microsoft Dynamics NAV
INNOVATIVE IT FOR LEAN PROCESSES
Geas is a pioneer in its market segment when it comes to using innovative IT programmes for process optimisation, being one of the first to adopt digital worksheets for planning. This led to a reduction in the billing process and greater control over their entire logistics process. Four years later, Microsoft Dynamics NAV was introduced together with Prodware PRIMA Suite, which in turn led to improvements in contract management, parts and spares handling, and invoicing.
CHALLENGES: ALL ROADS LEAD TO FIELD PLANNING
Ultimately, the company was looking for a new scheduling system to replace older software. Feedback from consumers and customers had revealed shortcomings that Geas wanted to improve:
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No reliable adherence to customer deadlines
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Reduction of resource use in planning
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Reduction in kilometres per tour and technician
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Increase in the number of issues solved by technicians during initial contact (first-time fix rate)
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Ability to maintain capacity
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Customer portal for scheduling appointments
Under the leadership of John Huitink, Head of Information & Quality at Geas, and Jan Ezendam, Head of the Technical Office, possible solutions were examined. FLS VISITOUR was first presented to them in June 2009. After workshops and reference visits to FLS customers, the project team concluded that FLS VISITOUR, together with Microsoft Dynamics NAV (Navision), was capable of meeting the requirements.
THE SOLUTION WITH FLS VISITOUR
The next step for the Geas project team was validation through a proof of concept.
"Installing the client software took just one minute, and then we received training on the system. At the end of that first day, we were able to export orders to FLS VISITOUR using XML data messages from our Navision system."
John Huitink, Head of Information & Quality, Geas"The aim of the proof of concept was to determine whether FLS VISITOUR could meet our requirements and support our service processes. In addition, proof of productivity gains had to be provided. FLS was confident that planning and route optimisation would result in mileage savings of 10 to 15 per cent," says Peter Noordanus, Head of Customer Centre, Emergency Service and Planning at Geas.
"In the first week, we took orders for one of our teams from our old planning system and compared them with the planning from FLS VISITOUR. The conclusion after this week was that we had actually achieved these savings by using FLS VISITOUR."
The solution for route planning and dynamic optimisation in field service
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FIELD SERVICE PLANNING FOR CUSTOMER CONTACT CENTRES
Geas has its own call centre, which is available around the clock. Customer satisfaction is paramount, especially during the busy winter season, when the number of calls increases and technicians must complete jobs on the same day whenever possible. With FLS VISITOUR, the most cost-efficient technician completes the job within the customer's preferred time frame. The result is higher customer satisfaction, optimised appointment and route planning, and lower costs.
With FLS VISITOUR, maintenance work can be scheduled well in advance and confirmed to the customer by post or telephone. Daily changes such as customer cancellations, technician sick leave, etc. can be responded to with dynamic planning optimisation, as FLS VISITOUR offers a cost- and service-optimised alternative from the available resources or appointment options.
IT ADMINISTRATION AND FLS VISITOUR
Bastiaan Voort, Head of Technical Programmes, says: "We had prepared the necessary server with an SQL database. The entire programme, including the database connection, was installed in half an hour. That's very fast! The same applies to updates from FLS VISITOUR – an executable file is sent, and the update is complete within 15 to 20 seconds. Before transferring it to the actual production environment, we test the update in our test environment."
"For SQL management, we have created our own plan for regular backups of all our data. At Geas, we perform daily data backups; this batch runs at night, so there is no additional effort for us at FLS VISITOUR. The programme has various tools that allow the administrator to easily check whether the SQL database is usable. Everything runs via web services. If a field needs to be adjusted, that's also very easy," explains Bastiaan Voort.
THE BENEFITS
Peter Noordanus concludes:
"After a busy winter season, we can say that our project with FLS VISITOUR has been a success. The savings achieved so far have already paid for the system."
In his view, the project lived up to the FLS motto – FAST LEAN and SMART.
"From a technical standpoint, we were up and running three months after integrating FLS VISITOUR and our Navision ERP system. Due to the success of the proof of concept, we only needed minimal support from FLS, with most of this time being spent on change management."
"I have more than 20 years of experience in IT and have never seen a more user-friendly solution. With FLS VISITOUR, the advantages of automated planning are easy to understand. We gain insight into costs and mileage and get an idea of what the result of the scheduling would look like," says John Huitink.
- Increased customer satisfaction scores
- Automation and simplification of route planning processes
- Significant fuel savings, with ROI within one year
JEREMY SQUIRE
UK Managing Director
Call +44 1183 800189
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Jeremy Squire is a business leader and solutions consultant with over 20 years experience in field service scheduling and route optimisation software solutions. He is one of Europe's most recognised and regarded voices in field service technology.
